Zara Hoffman's Blog: Zara Hoffman's Goodreads Author Blog, page 28

May 2016 Author Update

I've been done with college/finally home for about a week and a half and I unfortunately haven't been able to go back to writing The Matchmakers because I've been more busy than I originally thought I would be.

But I haven't completely unproductive. For one, I've been busy providing feedback to my finalist in the #FicFest contest, Jamie McLachlan, and to Team Israel's alternate, Anna Langford.

And second, I finally finished editing (and formatting) The Belgrave Legacy . You can see some of the pretty screen shots below. This book won't be published until October 31, but I can finally completely focus on The Matchmakers... Yay! You can start reading that ​book on Wattpad.

Blog Tour: The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Be sure to order your copy today to receive an amazing FREE fan pack while supplies last! From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes The Problem With Forever - a young adult title about friendship, survival, and finding your voice.

For some people, silence is a weapon. For Mallory "Mouse" Dodge, it's a shield. Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it's been four years since her nightmare ended, she's beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime.

Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at public high school. But of all the terrifying and exhilarating scenarios she's imagined, there's one she never dreamed of—that she'd run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn't seen since childhood, on her very first day.

It doesn't take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet the deeper their bond grows, the more it becomes apparent that she's not the only one grappling with lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider's life spiral out of control, Mallory must make a choice between staying silent and speaking out—for the people she loves, the life she wants, and the truths that need to be heard.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Amazon click to register your preorder #element-14faccb0-881f-4667-806d-b17264bf3f12 .callout-box-wrapper { padding: 20px 0px;}#element-14faccb0-881f-4667-806d-b17264bf3f12 .callout-box--standard { border: 1px solid #E0E0E0; background: #FAFAFA; padding: 20px 20px;}#element-14faccb0-881f-4667-806d-b17264bf3f12 .callout-box--material { border: 1px solid #E0E0E0; background: #FAFAFA; padding: 20px 20px; box-shadow: 0 0 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.15);}#element-14faccb0-881f-4667-806d-b17264bf3f12 .callout-base { border: 1px solid #E0E0E0; background: #FAFAFA; padding: 20px 20px;}#element-14faccb0-881f-4667-806d-b17264bf3f12 .material { box-shadow: 0 0 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.15);}Praise for ​The Problem With Forever

"The intensity between Mouse and Rider is palpably sizzling ... romance aficionados [will] lose themselves in Mouse and Rider's smoldering glances and steamy kisses."—Kirkus

"Armentrout's effort to gradually coax her protagonist from her shell via a supportive, loving community succeeds, and readers looking for an inspirational comeback story will find Mallory's to be satisfying and hopeful."—Publishers Weekly

​# 1 New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA.

She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

​Website | @JLArmentrout | Facebook | Goodreads a Rafflecopter giveawayThe Problem With Forever ExcerptThe expression on her face said he gave great full frontal, and when he laughed, her pink lips split into a wide smile. Her smile transformed her from pretty to beautiful, but my attention swung away from her as tiny hairs rose all over my body. That laugh…it was deep, rich and somehow familiar. A shiver crept over my shoulders. That laugh…

He was walking backward, and I was rather amazed that he didn’t trip over anything, actually somewhat envious of that fact. And then I realized he was heading toward the last half circle. Toward me. I glanced around. There were only a few seats open, two on my left. The girl was following him. Not just following him. Touching him.

Touching him like she’d done it a lot.

Her slim arm was extended, her hand planted in the center of his stomach, just below his chest. She bit down on her lower lip as her hand drifted farther south. Golden bangles dangling from her wrist got awful close to the worn leather belt. My cheeks heated as the boy stepped out of her reach. There was something playful about his movements, as if this dance was a daily routine for them both.

He turned at the end of the desks, stepping behind the occupied chair, and my gaze tracked up narrow hips, over the stomach the girl had touched, up and up, and then I saw his face.

I stopped breathing.

My brain couldn’t perceive what I was seeing. It did not compute. I stared up at him, really saw him, saw a face that was familiar yet new to me, more mature than I remembered but still achingly beautiful. I knew him. Oh my God, I would know him anywhere, even if it had been four years and the last time I’d seen him, that last night that had been so horrible, had changed my life forever.

It was too surreal.

Now the reason why he’d popped in my head this morning made sense, because I’d seen him, but hadn’t realized it was him.

I couldn’t move, couldn’t get enough air into my lungs and couldn’t believe this was happening. My hands slipped off the desk, falling limply into my lap as he dipped into the seat next to me. His gaze was on the girl who took the seat next to him, and his profile, the strong jaw that had only been hinted at the last time I’d seen him, tilted as his eyes moved over the front of the room, across the wall-length chalkboard. He looked like he had back then, but bigger and with everything more…more defined. From the eyebrows darker than the mix of brown and black hair and thick lashes to the broad cheekbones and the slight scruff covering the curve of his jaw. 

Goodness, he’d grown up in the way I’d thought he would when I was twelve and started to really look at him, to see him as a boy.

I couldn’t believe he was here. My heart was trying to claw itself out of my chest as lips—lips fuller that I remembered—tilted up, and a knot formed in my belly as the dimple formed in his right cheek. The only dimple he had. No matching set. Just one. My mind raced back through the years, and I could only think of a handful of times I’d seen him relaxed. Leaning back in the chair that seemed too small for him, he slowly turned his head toward me. Eyes that were brown with tiny flecks of gold met mine.

Eyes I’d never forgotten.

The easy, almost lazy smile I’d never seen on his face before froze. His lips parted and a paleness seeped under his tawny skin. Those eyes widened, the gold flecks seeming to expand. He recognized me; I had changed a lot since then, but still, recognition dawned in his features. He was moving again, leaning forward on his seat toward me. Four words roared out of the past and echoed in my head.

Don’t make a sound.

​“Mouse?” he breathed.

The Belgrave Legacy on Preorder

In case you missed my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram announcements, The Belgrave Legacy is available for preorder on Publishizer.

FicFest: Team Israel's Finalists & Alternate

As you may recall me mentioning, I am a leader of 1 of 3 NA Teams in the writing competition #FicFest. At the end of March, I shared what I and my 2 Israel team members were looking for. Starting April 24th and ending April 25th, you all submitted manuscripts for us to choose from and now I am happy to announce our 3 finalists (and 1 alternate).

I, Zara Hoffman, have chosen Seeds of Odium by Jamie McLachlan, a NA Fantasy novel, to mentor in revisions leading up to the agent round.

#FicFest welcome @JamieMcLachlan8 as @AuthZH mentee for #TeamIsrael w/her #DarkFantasy MS.

— Tiffany Hofmann (@THofauthor) May 4, 2016

@AuthZH thank you so much for this opportunity. I'm ready to work hard! □ #ficfest

— Jamie McLachlan (@JamieMcLachlan8) May 4, 2016

​Vanessa Rodriguez has chosen the The Luckiest by J.R. Luis, a NA Contemporary Romance novel, to mentor in revisions leading up to the agent round.

#FicFest #TeamIsrael mentor @Married2ARod picks J.R. Luis as her mentee with her MS - THE LUCKIEST

— Tiffany Hofmann (@THofauthor) May 4, 2016

Omg! I just.... No words! #FicFest

— Jamie Smith (Jymie) (@Therealslimjym) May 4, 2016

​Edith Lalonde has chosen the Hidden Under the Moon by Trace Kerr, a NA Urban Fantasy novel, to mentor in revisions leading up to the agent round.

#TeamIsrael mentor @lalondee10 picks @teakerr & her #UF as her #FicFest finalist!

— Tiffany Hofmann (@THofauthor) May 3, 2016

Thank you #TeamIsrael, @lalondee10 & @THofauthor for the gift o' #FicFest When I can form coherent sentences again I'm gonna get to work!

— Trace Kerr (@teakerr) May 3, 2016

And all three of us, as a team, have chosen Beauty Bound by Anna Langford, a NA Fantasy novel, to be our alternate in case one of our above choices cannot continue. If that is the case, we will mentor this submission in revisions leading up to the agent round instead of the one it is replacing.

#FicFest welcomes the #NA ALTERNATE for #TeamIsrael @MsAnnaLangford with her #FairytaleFantasy - BEAUTY BOUND

— Tiffany Hofmann (@THofauthor) May 3, 2016

@AuthZH Thank you! I'm so excited to be read. :)

— Anna Langford (@MsAnnaLangford) May 3, 2016

Congratulations to our picked authors and anyone else who has been chosen by the 14 other teams (including PB, MG, YA, NA, and A) of FicFest! Click here for a FULL list of ALL finalists.

Before you close this window to celebrate, here are 2 important reminders to the winners of listed above from the FicFest Submission Guidelines:If you are chosen as a finalist, we ask that you do not enter any other writing contests until the conclusion of the #FicFest Agent Round on July 14, 2016.Also, if you are chosen as a finalist and you currently have any partial or full requests out to agents, or you receive a partial or full request, or offer of representation from an agent or publisher during the contest, please let your Team Leader know immediately. click to join the conversation online

Release Day Blitz: Beautiful Boy by Leddy Harper

One introverted girl.
One extroverted guy.
One assignment.
One afternoon.
​Then everything changed…

“You destroyed me.” Novah wanted nothing more than to walk away, never see him again. She was determined to pick up the pieces of her tarnished reputation and move on. Her torture became her muse, earning her well-deserved notoriety for capturing beauty with her lens. She had come full circle. She had it all…until he returned.

Nolan found himself surrounded by the grim facets of life, no longer the prominent boy from an affluent family who’d caught Novah’s eye. The years had been unkind and left him in the dark, painful trenches of life. He needed her help.

Fifteen years can equate to a lifetime of change, neither one the same person they once were. Despite the humiliation, the latent wounds, the missing years…they’re destined to heal one another in unexpected ways.

“You saved me.”
​
Add on Goodreads | Amazon a Rafflecopter giveaway About Leddy HarperLeddy Harper had to use her imagination often as a child. She grew up the only girl in a house full of boys. At the age of fourteen, she decided to use that imagination and wrote her first book, and never stopped.

​She often calls writing her therapy, using it as a way to deal with issues through the eyes of her characters. She is now a mother of three girls, leaving her husband as the only man in a house full of females.

​The decision to publish her first book was made as a way of showing her children to go after whatever it is they want to. Love what you do and do it well. Most importantly Leddy wanted to teach them what it means to overcome their fears.

​Website |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Facebook Excerpts from BEAUTIFUL BOY​“I need you, Novah.”
 
I jumped at the sound of someone in the studio. I must’ve been so absorbed in the images in front of me that I didn’t hear anyone come in. I spun my chair around, quickly noticing Nolan standing in front of me. My heart hammered away in my chest, threatening to break through my ribcage and land at my feet.
 
I gasped, unable to say anything in return, even though I had a million thoughts racing through my head.
 
Why are you here?
 
What do you want?
 
Why do you need me?
 
But nothing came out. Not a single thing.
 
“I need you to show me what beauty means,” he continued with a raspy voice, almost as if he didn’t trust his own words to make it to my ears.
 
“Why?” My own tone was just as shaky, if not more than his.
 
“Because I don’t believe in it anymore. I don’t see it. It doesn’t exist… unless I’m looking into your eyes. But only when you don’t know it.”
 
He stepped closer to me, slowly, as if he were a lion and I the timid prey. “Because when you’re looking at me, and I look at you, it’s not there. You know as well as I do it doesn’t exist in me. And I need you to show it to me, if only so you can see it when you look at me.” He stopped less than a foot away. His panting breaths fanned my face. “Please,” he begged like a lost child looking for his mother.
 
Without conscious thought, my hand reached out to cup his face, his warmth running through my palm, up my arm, and straight to my heart, giving it a reason to beat. “You are exquisite,” I whispered without thought. The words came out all on their own, yet I meant every one of them.
 
He was, in fact, breathtaking. Whether he believed it or not. No matter how many times I tried to convince myself otherwise, his eyes held a magnificence I had never seen before. It was also what I found most dangerous about him. He had the ability to wipe my thoughts clean of any damage he’d ever caused me. 
​“Show me your scars… and I’ll show you mine.”
 
The muscle in my forehead grew taut, and even without a mirror, I knew how harsh my expression must’ve been to her. It became evident in every inch of my face, from my pursed lips to my tense jaw, even the space between my eyebrows ached with tension.
 
“Just because I don’t wear them on my skin doesn’t mean I don’t have them, Nolan. Everyone has scars. Everyone has dealt with some varying degree of pain. We’ve all been hurt one way or another.”
 
“And what will seeing your scars do for me?”
 
She shrugged with her fingers holding onto my shirt, unmoving, simply waiting. “Hopefully make you understand you’re not alone. Maybe help connect us in some way. Bring us closer, and allow us to open up to each other in a way we’ve never been able to with anyone else.”
 
“How could we possibly understand each other’s pain?” My voice rumbled heavily as the words escaped me. The oxygen grew thick around us and made it difficult to hold onto my bearings.
 
Her gaze fell to her fingers once they began to resume their task— pulling my shirt from the waistband of my pants before unhooking the very last button. Then she ran her palms up my chest. Heat spread over me like the sun peeking through the clouds. It left me lost in her touch. Her hands moved to my shoulders, beneath my work shirt, and then torturously down my arms. She pushed my shirt off my body with an unhurried ease.
 
My white undershirt remained, covering my chest and hiding the unsavory reminders of war. She stood in front of me, staring at my torso like it was a blank canvas, waiting for it to reveal something to her. Gentle fingers caressed the fabric at my sides, leaving behind trails of deep shivers like paths of singed nerves that sparked and sizzled long after her touch had moved on.
 
Her scrutiny proved to be too much to handle, and without thought, I roughly grabbed the hem of her T-shirt, yanked it over her head, and left her in nothing but a plain black bra. Wide, cerulean eyes met mine, and a soft, airy gasp resounded around us.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Amazon

Top 7 Places to Get Gifts for Book Lovers

Everyone loves receiving gifts. And although most holidays are over, that doesn't change the fact that you can still get people gifts (for birthdays, Mother's Day, etc). If the person receiving your gift loves books, here are a few suggestions on where to buy your gift.1. Icey DesignsI love Hafsah's designs in general (she designs book covers, prints, beautiful websites - she had designed mine before I switched to this white design, and more). But my favorite thing in her arsenal are these themed pencils. Good for writers and bookworms alike, and anyone who wants a cool writing implement, these pencils are great for everyone.2. Behind the PagesEveryone needs bookmarks, even if you're just reading a textbook. But rather than getting a boring bookmark, what if you got a beautifully designed one that has the title of your favorite book? Check out Behind the Pages' instagram before you pick which one you want to buy on Etsy. If I had enough money, I would buy all of them — yes, they're that beautiful.3. Hebel DesignEver wish you could wear the beautiful (and often magical) jewelry you read about in some of your favorite books? Thanks to Hebel Design, you can! Check out the instagram account to stay on top of new additions and cool in-process/behind-the-scenes pictures.4. Form & FluxReading is an immersive experience, but Form & Flux takes it to the next level: by allowing you to smell the book world you're entering. Obviously, this gift isn't good for people who don't like candles and/or are super sensitive to smells, but other than those people, who doesn't like a good-smelling candle? Answer: No one. You can follow the Form & Flux instagram and fall in love with their pretty (and cleverly named) candles while you try and decide which to buy.5. Evie Bookish DesignsWant pretty designs of your favorite book quotes or just bookish designs? Look no further than Evie Bookish Designs on Society6. Like Behind the Pages (#2 on this list), there is always a lot of color in the designs, showing how vibrant your (or your friends') love for all things books really is. And don't forget to follow Evie on Instagram, too.6. Bookworm Boutique100% bookworm heaven. Pretty and clever prints on everything you can imagine (t-shirts, pillows, phone cases, etc) on Bookish Boutique on Society6 has it all! Declare your love of books loud and proud with the large variety of designs and items! Don't forget to follow Bookish Boutique on Instagram, too.7. LitographsI've been obsessed with Litographs since I originally backed it on Kickstarter 4 years ago. What do they do? In short: they print the entire text of books on posters, t-shirts, and tote bags in cool designs. They also do temporary tattoos of quotes from books.

​It's great for everyone, but be aware, though they have an expanding "library" of book prints, some books are still not included. In light of this, be sure your favorite bookworm's favorite book is available before you buy them a gift from here.

Below is a video of how they design their posters.​When I first found the campaign on Kickstarter, I asked the creator if authors would be able to get their work printed, and he replied "maybe." Now, it's possible. If you help them raise enough money. I've already pledged and they're already 62% funded with 29 more days to go.Go Pledge on KICKSTARTER

FicFest Contest Blog Hop

What is #FicFest?#FicFest is an online writer’s contest which helps put manuscripts in front of literary agents. This contest, unlike most, is open to manuscripts in ALL genres (including those usually excluded such as Paranormal Romance or Erotica) in the categories of Picture Book, Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult.

#FicFest mentors are structured into fifteen (15) teams. Each category that I listed has three teams. Each team is comprised of a team leader, and two (2) team members. Once the submissions open, each team will choose three (3) finalist manuscripts and one (1) alternate manuscript to advance to the Agent Round. This means that an equal number of manuscripts for each category will move to the agent round, guaranteeing that one category does NOT overpower another when it comes time for the agents.

45 manuscripts total move to the Agent Round, with 15 manuscripts being held as alternates in case one of the main finalists drops out of the contest for any reason. This is one of the things we stress in promoting #FicFest because most contests are overrun with Young Adult. In many contests, they may advance 40 manuscripts to the agent round, but the problem lies in the fact that 30 of that 40 are all Young Adult. That won’t happen with #FicFest.
​
Nine manuscripts from each category will make their appearance in the agent round. No more, no less. NINE each. Let me stress this one more time. In the agent round, you will have 9 Picture Books, 9 Middle Grade, 9 Young Adult, 9 New Adult, and 9 Adult. Everyone gets a fair chance.
We are adding more agents every day and while I can’t give you a solid number, I can tell you that we have close to two dozen confirmed to participate in our agent round and we can’t wait!

The theme this year is World Tour, but this DOES NOT effect what genres can be submitted or the agent round.

​You can learn more here.My Role in #FicFestHey everyone! I wanted to share this awesome fiction contest that I'm helping with. Now that you know what the details are, I want to clarify my role. I was originally one of the team members for 1 of 3 NA teams, but due to a complication have now become the Team Leader. My specific team's theme is Israel, but again, you DO NOT need to include this in your manuscript to submit or to gain favor with us. We're just looking for good stories, period (here is what we're specifically looking for).

​I look forward to reading your NA stories! Good luck everyone!Past Important #FicFest DatesMarch 20, 2016
Guidelines & Theme Reveal

March 27, 2016
Meet the Teams (on Team Leads Blogs) - You can read the (my) Team Israel's post.

April 3, 2016
Agent List Announced
#FicFest Upcoming Important DatesApril 17, 2016 @ 7:00 PM EST - 10:00 PM EST
Q & A with Team Leads & Host
(Twitter - Using #FicFest)

April 24, 2016 @ 12:00 AM EST - April 25, 2016 @ 11:59 PM EST
SUBMISSION

April 26, 2016 - May 3, 2016
Teams will chose their finalists/alternate

May 4, 2016 @ 10:00 AM EST
Finalists/Alternate Reveal (Team Leads Blogs)

May 5, 2016 - June 30, 2016
Revisions

July 8, 2016 @ 12:00 AM EST - July 14, 2014 @ 11:59 PM EST
Agent RoundTweet #FicFest

Cover Reveal: Unknown by Wendy Higgins

Title: Unknown
Author: Wendy Higgins
Genre: Apocalyptic Sci-Fi NA Romance
Publication Date: Coming August 16, 2016

Amber Tate believes the worst thing she’ll suffer in life is dealing with the unrequited love she feels for her brother’s best friend, Rylen Fite. She also believes war is something unfortunate that happens places far, far away from her rural Nevada town. She’s wrong on both counts.

When an unknown organization meticulously bombs major cities in the United States and across the globe, a trickle-down effect spreads to remaining towns at an alarming speed—everything from food and water sources to technological communications are compromised. Without leadership, the nation is split between paralysis and panic, but Amber isn’t one to hide or watch helplessly. She’s determined to put her nursing skills to use, despite the danger, even if it means working alongside the man she can never have. 

In this first installment of NY Times bestselling author, Wendy Higgins’s debut New Adult series, a frighteningly realistic apocalyptic America is brought to life, entwined with searing romantic tension that will leave you eager for more.

Starting Wednesday, April 6th (yesterday), Wendy started uploading unedited chapters of UNKNOWN on Wattpad! Wendy Higgins is the USA Today and NYT bestselling author of the Sweet Evil series from HarperTeen, the high fantasy duology The Great Hunt, and her independently published Irish fantasy, See Me. She is a former high school English teacher who now writes full time, and lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia with her veterinarian husband, daughter, son, and doggie Rue.
​
Wendy earned a bachelor's in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a master's in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford University.

Meet the FicFest Team

You may or may not know that I am part of a fun writing competition where participants submit completed manuscripts in the categories of Picture Book, Middle Grade, YA, NA, and Adult in all genres. The theme this year is World Tour, but this  DOES NOT  effect what genres can be submitted or the agent round.

I am personally the leader of one of 3 NA teams ("Team Israel," but your stories don't have to include Israel to be considered). I'm very excited for this opportunity and this post is about introducing me in my role, my 2 Team Members Vanessa Rodriguez and Edith Lalonde, and what all 3 of us would like to see in the submissions that come our way.

We will be choosing "three (3) finalist manuscripts and one (1) alternate manuscript to advance to the Agent Round." (details of the contest)
Submission Guidelines Zara Hoffman is a college student and has been writing since she was eight years old. She spends most of her time doing homework and writing new stories because if she didn't, her head would likely explode. She writes YA multi-genre fiction to share the crazy products of her imagination with the world and hopes that you find them as entertaining as she does. Her books are for young adults or the young at heart. After all, growing up is overrated. When she isn't wrapped up in projects, Zara listens to music or hangs out with friends.

She loves musical theater, is a Sherlockian, a Tribute, a Divergent, a bookworm, and fangirl through and through! As an avid reader, Zara loves writing book reviews for her favorite books (click on Book Reviews category in the sidebar). She is a staff writer for Her Campus and is also the founder of  Our Hope Is Here .

Website (you're on it!) | @AuthZH | AuthorZaraHoffman

New Adult Wishlist:
When it comes to New Adult (romance) fiction, the market is FILLED with Contemporary Romances, but I want something more unique. Send me some fantasy and sci-fi! I will say I prefer those genres in this category to have romance, but I'm okay with it not being the main plot. I'll also consider mysteries, thrillers and suspense. If it's a good story that keeps me guessing, you're golden! I believe that NA isn't always "the college plot" but the feel of NA-aged characters struggling with transitioning into adulthood, no matter what culture (or world) they're inhabiting. Give me relatable, well-rounded characters (note that I didn't say "likeable") and engaging plots. I love characters who are snarky, but not so much that every word they say is sarcastic. I'm diverse characters as long as it lends itself to the story. Love Cora Carmack and Elle Kennedy (in addition to the 2 authors I list below).

Favorite New Adult read(s):Fire of Stars and Dragons by Melissa A. Petreshock ( My review )Eve: The Awakening by Jenna Moreci ( My review )

.@AuthZH wants to see #fantasy and #scifi #NAlit for #FicFest #MentorWishlist http://bit.ly/FicFestIsrael

Meet the Team Members Although a native Californian, Vanessa Rodriguez is an Indiana girl at heart and now resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters. She writes most young adult sub-genres with a preference for fantasy and contemporary romance - because what's a story without a little bit of angst and love. She also writes adult and new adult romance and her stories have been published in Short Fuse's Hot Holiday Reads anthology, Pilcrow and Dagger and Avon Romance online. And you'll never find her without a cup of coffee in hand.

Romance Done Write, @Married2ARod, VRodriguezAuthor

New Adult Wishlist:
When it comes to New Adult romance my first love is Contemporary. Send me some new twists on classic tropes (I'm a sucker for fake relationship) and give me the steam, I'm talking hawt! I am open to fantasy and sci-fi but it needs to be sprinkled in with the primary focus on the romance. I'll also consider mysteries, thrillers and suspense if you can make the new adult angle work - give me your mercenaries, young cops, security detail, and rookie detectives. Give me strong, active protagonists no matter how messed up their lives are or how bad they're going to mess it up. I'm open to LGBT, marginalized voices, disabilities, etc as long as it lends itself to the story. Love voices like Elle Kennedy and Samanthe Beck. Give me snark and sarcasm.

Favorite New Adult read:Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire (Zara's Note: I read this and liked it, but it's not a fav)The Deal by Elle Kennedy (Zara's note: DEFINITELY one of my fav contemporary NA books)

.@Married2ARod wants hot #contemporary #NAlit with "new twists on classic tropes" #FicFest #MentorWishlist http://bit.ly/FicFestIsrael

Edith Lalonde is a vodka drinking, F-Bomb dropping, romance writer. A Walking Dead fanatic who loves watching chick flicks, she’s a firm believer that Jamie Fraser (the book version) is the man against which all other men must be measured. She’s also a self-confessed exclamation mark abuser, but only on social media! Oh, and she’s powered by Tootsie-Roll Pops and Diet Coke.

A Federal Government Employee, Edith started her career as an Operational Security Analyst. She next managed her department’s Writing and Editing Bureau. These days she’s still working for the Government, can’t tell you more, or the Men in Black might come after you. Just kidding – mostly.

What Edith writes - romantic suspense that cuts both ways. Alpha females, alpha males, diverse characters with common goals, and she loves her bad guys. Conflict? Yep, she’s all over that.

Bad Things Come in Threes, @lalondee10, Edith Lalonde

New Adult Wishlist:
Give me unusual and unforgettable characters. I want your strong, independent, fierce females. Dazzle me with women who know who they are and what they want. Take me beyond the high heels, short skirts, and rocking bars. Page turning plots. Looking for standout writing and plots that don't rely on the coincidence driven storyline. Suspense, humor, dark and edgy — can be historical, Sci-fi, paranormal, mystery, thriller, contemporary, it doesn’t matter. If the writing is stellar and the concept stands out, I want to read it. Finally, give me voice! Lots of VOICE!

Favorite NA read:
I don’t have one! I love them all. One of the recent standouts was Chasing Crazy by Kelly Siskind. It was a well-written, well-crafted story with laugh out loud moments. Dripping with voice, I enjoyed this story from cover to cover.

.@Lalondee10 wants strong, independent, fierce females in dark and edgy plots. #FicFest #MentorWishlist http://bit.ly/FicFestIsrael

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19 and Counting

click for more entries Some of you may know that it was my birthday yesterday. I'm now 19 years old, if you were wondering. And I normally don't make any fanfare about the day, but I had a particularly low-key day (not even a celebration) because I am home recovering from a virus that won't seem to quit (I've had it for 3 weeks).

In that time, I've finished the latest draft of The Belgrave Legacy ​and picked up writing The Matchmakers draft again (you can read the first 8 chapters on Wattpad now). It's in the top 500 of the SciFi category - happy birthday to me!

However, though I've started Chapter 9, I can't seem to finish it because I keep losing energy. So... right now, I'm focusing on getting better, and reading Jane Eyre (and soon to be writing a paper on it for my paper).

In the meantime, I will continue dreaming and thinking up new story ideas and building up the ones I already have on my ever-growing list (just check out the Novels page to see a few more additions - this doesn't even include a few new series I'm planning). I'm curious what story you're most excited about, please vote below. ​And finally, happy Spring! It's been a long time coming and it's my favorite season.