Sara Hantz's Blog, page 4

GCC Presents………………Kristina Springer

I’m excited to be touring Kristina Springer and her latest book My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours

Seventh grade was supposed to be fun, but Tori is having major drama with her BFF, Sienna. Sienna changed a lot over the summer—on the first day of school she’s tan, confident, and full of stories about her new dreamy boyfriend. Tori knows that she’s totally making this guy up. So Tori invents her own fake boyfriend, who is better than Sienna’s in every way. Things are going great—unless you count the whole lying-to-your-best-friend thing—until everyone insists Tori and Sienna bring their boyfriends to the back-to-school dance.

Now for the usual questions:

What inspired the plot for your book?

I had my own fake boyfriend in 7th grade and I was thinking about that time and the idea for this book came to me.

Why did you decide to write in this genre?

I love writing about the middle grade and high school years. I think my voice fits there well.

What is your writing process like?

I tend to do book marketing related tasks in the mornings and write in the afternoons.

What are you working on now?

Another fun middle grade. I don’t want to jinx myself by saying too much but I’m loving it.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Hang out with my hubby and four kids (5, 7, 9, and 11), see friends, read and go to book club, yoga, and spend too much time on facebook and twitter.

Who do you like to read?

Meg Cabot, Sophie Kinsella, Lauren Myracle

Check out the My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours Release Contest until 1/15/14 on Kristina’s blog

Here’s what the winner will get:

• A $20 gift card (Starbucks or Amazon, your choice!),

• Autographed copy of My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours,

• Fake Boyfriend Emergency Kit, and a

• Variety of bookmarks/stickers from all of my books

Bio:

Kristina Springer is the best-selling author of THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS, JUST YOUR AVERAGE PRINCESS, THE PAPARAZZI PROJECT and BOY SWAP. She has a Masters in Writing from DePaul University and she resides in a suburb of Chicago with her husband and children. Read more about her at http://www.kristinaspringer.com and follow her on twitter @TinaSpringer.

Praise For My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours…

“Irresistible as a fluffy kitten. I laughed out loud and so will you!” —Meg Cabot, author of the Airhead and Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls series

“Tori is an appealing, engaging protagonist whose peppy first-person narrative includes some introspective moments and incorporates issues that readers will appreciate, especially the importance of honesty, trust, and self-appreciation. An enjoyable, entertaining read.” —Booklist

“Friendship versus one-upmanship in seventh grade is the subject of Springer’s very funny and strongly realistic novel.” —Publishers Weekly

“The sheer exhaustion of a fake-boyfriend arms race, with the need to create fake email accounts and to come up with competing romantic gestures on the fly, is cleverly depicted.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“The themes will resonate with any girl who’s ever gone through the hardships of middle school: friendship, boys, popularity, and, most importantly, choosing to do the right, but often more difficult, thing. A fun read.” —School Library Journal

“The dialogue is realistic, and Springer brings refreshing personalities to standard character types; Tori’s parents are divorced, but both parents are active in her life, for instance, and the popular girls aren’t mean.” —Kirkus Reviews

Entangled Teen’s 12 Days of Kickass Event!!!!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Join us in celebrating Entangled Teen’s 12 Days of Kickass Event! This event is going to be a blast!

We are joining together to share some exclusive content with you all! There will be 2 teams, The Smartass Team who will post a good or swoon worthy deleted scene or an excerpt and The Badass Team who will post a villainous deleted scene or excerpt. And the cool part is we’ll be posting on each other’s blogs! The party starts on December 2nd and goes all the way to December 13th! We will wrap up the event with our monthly twitter party on December 13th 9 PM EST/6 PM PST as well! Each day will have 2 posts from us along with an EPIC giveaway!

So how do I join in you ask? It’s easy just follow along with the tour and find the hidden word (it will be highlighted) in each post and fill out the Rafflecopter form! What can I win you ask? You can win one of 2 Kindles (valued at $69) and we’re giving away 5 sets of 5 Entangled Teen Print Books US Only, and 10 Entangled Teen eBooks International! Also we will be giving away more books and Amazon and Barnes & Noble Gift Cards during the twitter party! That means 2 people will win a kindle, 5 people will win 5 of our amazing print titles, and 10 people will win eBooks!

I’m hosting the fabulous Victoria Scott for her kickass post:

Victoria Scott writes teen fiction and is represented by Sara Crowe. She’s the author of the Fire & Flood series published by Scholastic, and the Dante Walker trilogy published by Entangled Teen. Her books have been bought and translated in eight foreign markets including the UK, Germany, Turkey, Australia, China, Brazil, New Zealand, and The Netherlands. Victoria lives in Dallas with her husband and adores cotton candy. Visit her

online at VictoriaScottYA.com.

THE WARRIOR Excerpt:

I’ve pulled out all the stops tonight: dinner by candlelight, food made by my own hand, and

me as company. Pow! Charlie’s mind may be filled with sorrow, but soon it’ll be filled with

the awesome that is Dante Walker planning a date. In a Hive. Of angels planning for war. But

whatev. It’ll still be better than bacon, which is serious.

I tilt her head down and move my mouth close to hers. Then I speak so that our lips brush against

each another. “I’m going to make you forget.”

“Forget?” she says, confusion lilting her voice.

“Yeah, I want you to be with me tonight. No thoughts of what lies outside these walls.”

Sirens.

Everywhere, sirens.

Humans who work for demons, who want to steal Charlie away.

“I can forget,” she answers. “If you hold onto me, I can do it.”

I wrap my hands around her cheeks and press my mouth to hers. Her head falls back and she

mimics the movements of my lips. The warmth of her, the feel of her tongue, washes over me. It

makes my heart feel like a grenade.

Her hands climb higher up my spine, over the dragon tattoo covering my back. Her chest grazes

against me and her hips connect with mine. For a moment, I contemplate killing the date idea

and carrying her back to my bedroom. Yes, there is impending war. Yes, the girl I think of as a

sister is still in hell. But blood still burns through my body and right now—always—it burns for

Charlie.

 

 

Haven’t read today’s other post? Stop by Victoria Scott’s blog and check out my excerpt/deleted scene.

Giveaway Details:

2 Kindles (valued at $69) US ONLY

5 sets of 5 Entangled Teen Print Books US Only

10 Entangled Teen eBooks International!

(no purchase necessary)

Rafflecopter Code:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rafflecopter link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/shar...

And here’s the post schedule so you can follow along each day!

12/2/2013 Kendra Highley will host Rachel Harris with a Smartass post.

12/2/2013 Rachel Harris will host Kendra Highley with a Smartass post.

12/3/2013 Christine O’Neil will host Vivi Barnes with a Badass post.

12/3/2013 Vivi Barnes will host Christine O’Neil with a Badass post.

12/4/2013 Karri Thompson will host Danielle Ellison with a Smartass post.

12/4/2013 Danielle Ellison will host Karri Thompson with a Smartass post.

12/5/2013 Princess Sophie will host Cecily White with a Badass post.

12/5/2013 Cecily White will host Princess Sophie with a Badass post.

12/6/2013 Jolene Perry will host Lea Nolan with a Smartass post.

12/6/2013 Lea Nolan will host Jolene Perry with a Smartass post.

12/7/2013 Victoria Scott will host Sara Hantz with a Badass post.

12/7/2013 Sara Hantz will host Victoria Scott with a Badass post.

12/8/2013 Kelley York will host Tiffany Truitt with a Smartass post.

12/8/2013 Tiffany Truitt will host Kelley York with a Smartass post.

12/9/2013 Melissa West will host Cindi Madsen with a Badass post.

12/9/2013 Cindi Madsen will host Melissa West with a Badass post.

12/10/2013 Rebekah Purdy will host Shea Berkley with a Smartass post.

12/10/2013 Shea Berkley will host Rebekah Purdy with a Smartass post.

12/11/2013 Lisa Burstein will host Jus Accardo with a Badass post.

12/11/2013 Jus Accardo will host Lisa Burstein with a Badass post.

12/12/2013 Renee Collins will host Tracy Clark with a Smartass post.

12/12/2013 Tracy Clark will host Renee Collins with a Smartass post.

12/13/2013 Chloe Jacobs will host Brooklyn Skye with a Badass post.

12/13/2013 Brooklyn Skye will host Chloe Jacobs with a Badass post.

We’re super excited to share all of these awesome posts with you and make sure to follow along on twitter and Facebook using the hashtag #12DaysOfKickass!

$30 Amazon Gift Card…….. Giveaway!!!!!

 

 

As it’s holiday season I’m offering the chance to win a $30 Amazon Gift Card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

IN THE BLOOD………… RELEASE!!!!!

To celebrate the release of In The Blood we’re offering a Kindle giveaway. Enter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal……. Scintillate by Tracy Clark!!!

 

Today Tracy Clark and Entangled Teen  are revealing the cover for book 1 in The Key of Light Trilogy, SCINTILLATE. Coming out February 2014!

On to the reveal!

 

About the Book

SCINTILLATE

Author: Tracy Clark

Release Date: February 4, 2014

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Pages: 320

ISBN: 978-1622661459

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble

Cora Sandoval’s mother disappeared when she was five and living in Ireland. Since then, Dad has been more than overprotective and Cora is beginning to chafe under his confines. But even more troubling is the colorful light she is suddenly seeing around people. Everyone, that is, except herself—she glows a brilliant, sparkling silver.

 

Troubled by these strange flickerings and fearing she is being stalked, Cora is inexplicably drawn to Finn, a gorgeous Irish exchange student who makes her feel safe. Their attraction is instant, magnetic, and primal—but her father disapproves and Finn’s mother orders him home to Ireland upon hearing he’s fallen in love. After a fight with her father, Cora flees to Ireland, both to follow Finn and to look for her missing mother.

 

There she meets another silver-haloed person and discovers the meaning of her newfound powers and their role in a conspiracy spanning centuries—a conspiracy that could end her life and change mankind forever.

 

Scintillate is the first book in this lush and exciting new trilogy, full of romance, adventure and metaphysical mystery.

 

                                      Exclusive Excerpt 

 

 

Finn began to play.

Voices descended into a respectful hush. Soft strums of the guitar lifted and

fell on shafts of daylight from the windows. A small patch of sun warmed my

exposed neck as I listened. The orange beads of his bracelet flashed as he plucked

the strings with slender fingers. His head hung over the guitar in reverent

concentration.

His playing was

amazing, sweet and peaceful. For a while I let go of how bizarre my life had

become. I was entranced long before Finn closed his eyes and opened his mouth

to sing. His voice was rich, smooth suede, perfectly suited for the blues:

soulful and vulnerable. The kind of voice that reaches inside and squeezes

what’s tender.

When he sang an Irish

bar song called “The Wild Rover,” he got the entire crowd to join in on the

chorus. A couple of times during his performance, his gaze fell on me and

lingered as if he sang directly to me. I rested my chin on my hand, hiding my

smile behind my fingers. The last song was in a language I didn’t understand, but

my soul spoke that language. Deep inside, something cracked open so that a bit

of my truest self could peek out. His music was bluesy and mournful, eerily

familiar, and it opened my heart in locked places. A tear landed on my wrist.

When the final chord of

the last song reverberated through the coffeehouse, the audience jumped to its

feet and applauded wildly. The force of energy from the crowd knocked the

breath out of me, making me dizzy. I dared a look at the people in the room.

The colors were unbelievable! Such power. It rolled toward Finn in a wave, a

tsunami in slow motion. I had the impulse to leap in front of him, to protect

him from it.

My body jerked in

response to the thought, and I squeezed the sides of the wooden chair, willing

myself to sit still. I couldn’t trust myself and the strong urge to protect

him. But from what? The big, bad colors I could see but that were invisible to

everyone else? He’d think I was crazy.

Maybe I was.

A chill spidered up my

spine. The man with the crazy eyes and pure white aura leaned against the brick

wall a couple feet away, staring intently at me. Icy fear spiked through me,

making my fingers tingle and my breath come in quick bursts. The sounds of the

room fell away. My heart sped and my aura sparked as I saw the roiling ball of

the crowd’s energy pass over the man and collide with Finn. But rather than

crush him, the energy crashed and blended with his own bright aura, making it

grow and pulse fiercely. He seemed to absorb the light until the room grew dim

to my eyes.

Untouched by the

energy, the strange man moved closer and closer to me. I called out to Dun, but

he couldn’t hear me over the shouts and clapping. I was so small in my chair

amid the standing crowd. The man and his dark eyes were all I could see. I

tried to leap up to run, to grab Dun’s arm, to call for help, but my chest

jerked toward the stranger as if I’d been punched in the spine. I couldn’t draw

breath, couldn’t move through the thick ice of my draining energy and rising

panic. I was hit in the face with a blast of air. Then, a sudden flash of

white.

The world tilted

sideways, and I slid off.

 

 

About

Tracy:

Tracy

Clark is a young-adult writer because she believes teens deserve to know how

much they matter and that regardless of what they’re going through, they aren’t

alone. In other words, she writes books for her teen self.

She grew

up a “valley girl” in Southern California but now resides in her home

state of Nevada with her daughter and son. She’s an unapologetic dog person who

is currently owned by a cat. She is the recipient of the Society of Children’s

Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Work in Progress Grant and a two-time

participant in the prestigious Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program.

Her

debut novel, SCINTILLATE, was inspired by her enchantment with metaphysics as a

teen, seeing it as the real magic in life. Tracy is a part-time college

student, a private pilot, and an irredeemable dreamer.

Website/Blog/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

Giveaway!

1 ebook

of SCINTILLATE and a charm key US Only

 

1 eBook

of SCINTILLATE International

 

 

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

GCC Presents….. Kelly Parra!!!!

I’m excited to be touring SUPERNATURNAL HUNTERS by the fabulous Kelly Parra. SUPERNATURAL HUNTERS (Buzz Books, Oct 2013) is the first novella to follow Jaz and Blake’s whirlwind, action-packed romance started in PROM DATES TO DIE FOR and SOMETHING WICKED.

Supernatural teen hunters and kick-butt couple Jaz and Blake get trouble in their own backyard, the graveyard, when a ghoul is on the loose and looking for fresh meat. When a teen hunter on the verge of death arrives at their doorstep, they realize a much greater evil is upon them.

Jaz is satisfied with their makeshift foster family and fighting monsters, but Blake yearns for adventure and the truth about his biological family. Will Blake leave Jaz to search for something more…and to fend for herself? Can a relationship survive when death is lurking just beyond the gravestones?

“Just the right combination of butt-kicking and romance to keep you on the edge of your seat.”

- Allison van Diepen, The Vampire Stalker

And now for the usual questions:

What inspired the plot for your book?

There wasn’t one thing that inspired SUPERNATURAL HUNTERS, however, I’ve loved reading paranormal stories for many years. When I was offered a chance to write a paranormal short story for the anthology PROM DATES TO DIE FOR, my characters Jaz and Blake were born. Now this is a novella-length adventure as they hunt for ghouls!

Why did you decide to write in this genre?

I guess its just fun to write out of the box. With my contemporary novels there are still rules, but with paranormal there seems to be more room to explore and write.

What is your writing process like?

I hardly ever plot, and I just go with the scene. This I admit only works out for half the novel, then I have to follow my threads. So I’ll make a chart board with plot threads and goals and personal conflicts to make sure everything ties together.

What are you working on now?

I have a couple of full length novels just waiting to be finished. I’ve been writing short fiction for the past year and its time to finish that next novel!

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Spend time with my family! We love watching movies together or off on a family adventure.

Who do you like to read?Love authors in young adult, romance, suspense and paranormal. Those are all the genres I like to write too.

Where you can buy the book:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

See the trailer:

SUPERNATURAL HUNTERS Trailer

Check out Kelly: 

Author website

Facebook

Twitter

OCTOBER CONTEST

Like Kelly Parra’s author page (https://www.facebook.com/authorkellyparra) during the month of October (and the giveaway post) for a chance to win the SUPERNATURAL HUNTERS SWAG giveaway on Halloween!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelly Parra debuted into young adult fiction in 2007 with her Latina novel Graffiti Girl, which garnered attention as a double nominee for the Romance Writers of America RITA award, a Latinidad YA top pick, as well as chosen for the California High School Reading Collection and National Book Foundation “BookUpNYC” program. Her novel Invisible Touch hailed fresh praise from bestselling author Lauria Faria Stolarz, and given the Gold Award of Excellence from TeensReadToo. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and co-author of the popular young adult blog, YA Fresh. Kelly resides in her agricultural hometown in Central Coast California with her husband and two beautiful children, where she continues to write entertaining novels for teens. Learn more at website www.kellyparra.com.

DOUBLE COVER REVEAL!!!!

Today I’m revealing not one, but two covers for my upcoming books. In the Blood releases November 5 and Will the Real Abi Saunders Please Stand Up? releases May 6, 2014.

In the Blood

For seventeen years Jed Franklin’s life was normal. Then his father was charged with the abuse and murder of four young boys and normal became a nightmare.

His mom’s practically a walking zombie, he’s lost most of his friends, and the press camps out on his lawn. The only things that keep him sane are his little sis; his best friend and dream girl, Summer; and the alcohol he stashes in his room. But after Jed wakes up from a total blackout to discover a local kid has gone missing—a kid he was last seen talking to—he’s forced to face his greatest fear: that he could somehow be responsible.

In a life that’s spiraled out of control, Jed must decide if he chooses his own destiny with Summer by his side or if the violent urges that plagued his father are truly in the blood…

Excerpt

Chapter One

Pedophile: Noun

An adult who is sexually attracted to children.

Scum.

Sleazeball.

Creep.

Loser.

Lowlife.

Asswipe.

Dad.

Chapter Two

Benjamin Franklin. My Dad.

Not that Benjamin Franklin.

That Benjamin Franklin.

Pedophile and murderer.

Freaked out?

Did you even know a bastard like that could lead a regular life?

With a wife and two children. A son and a daughter. No, nor did we. Until it was too late.

Too fucking late.

The numbing shock when he was arrested. The disbelief. The conviction that the police had gotten it wrong. Way wrong. Even in the face of damning evidence, we knew that the truth would come out. That the evidence got switched. That there was a cover up, or something.

Something.

Then the police found locks of hair belonging to each of those dead boys, so well hidden in the little trinket box my dad’s mom gave him on her deathbed.

Then we knew. Really knew.

And that’s when our lives changed.

Forever.

Add In the Blood to your Goodreads shelf.

 

Will the Real Abi Saunders Please Stand Up?

Abi Saunders might be a kickboxing champion, but when it comes to being the center of attention, she’d rather take a roundhouse kick to the solar plexus any day. So when her trainer convinces her to audition to be the stunt double for hot teen starlet Tilly Watson, Abi is shocked—and a little freaked out—when she gets the job.

Being a stunt double is overwhelming, but once the wig and makeup are on, Abi feels like a different person. Tilly Watson, to be exact. And when Tilly’s gorgeous boyfriend, Jon, mistakes Abi for the real star, Abi’s completely smitten. In fact, she’s so in love with her new life, it isn’t long before she doesn’t have time for her old one.

But when the cameras are turned off, will she discover running with the Hollywood A-list isn’t quite the glamorous existence she thought it was?

Excerpt

“Abi, for God’s sake, concentrate,” Zak shouts. “Fairies don’t look like elephants when they fly. Legs together, arms graceful, and glide. Please.”

My cheeks are crimson and I want to die. I know he’s the director and has the right to holler, but doesn’t he understand that the louder he is the worse I am? We must have gone over this move fifty times and I still can’t get it. And I know, without even looking, the other guys have lost it with me. It’s easy for them but I’m a kick-boxer, not a freakin’ acrobat.

And now Zak’s saying something to one of the crew. Let’s all guess what it is: get rid of the silly girl. We couldn’t get anyone more incompetent if we tried. In fact a monkey could do better.

Well, he’s right, a monkey could do better. Then again, a monkey wouldn’t need to wear a harness that cuts badly into its thighs so it can fly across the room. We’re doing wire work, the one thing I was looking forward to. Ha. What a laugh that is.

At least we’re not filming yet. This is just the rehearsal or, as they say, ‘prepping’. We’re in one of the studios that’s full of equipment with pulleys and wires. I’ve no idea how it all works, except that it keeps me up in the air. I thought we’d be doing this outside but it seems they film wire work stuff indoors against a big screen, and then edit to make it look like it’s outside by dropping in a background. As Mom would say: “the wonders of modern science”.

What I’m doing is really basic stuff, nothing like the things they did on the Matrix. Which it wouldn’t be, obviously. I remember reading that those actors had months and months of kung fu training even though most of the stunts were done by stunt men.

Right. This is it. I’m going to really concentrate. I will not be beaten. I can do this. It’s not hard.

I’m a graceful fairy, 

I’m a graceful fairy, 

I’m a graceful fairy. 

“Ready,” I call, for the first time feeling confident of success.

The technician holds up his thumb so I know we’re about to go. I take a deep breath, point my toes, bring my legs together and hold out my arms at a forty-five degree angle. So far, so good. I swallow hard as I begin to move.

Yay, I’m doing it. I’m actually doing it. Please let Zak say it’s ok. 

“Hu-fucking-ray,” booms Zak’s voice. “At last, she’s got it.”

I’ve done it. I’ve actually done it. I can do wirework. And even Zak’s sarcastic tone can’t spoil it.

A loud crash, sounding like someone slamming the door, gives me a start and I jerk backwards. My legs splay and I lose all control of my body, until suddenly I’m hanging upside down.

This so isn’t happening to me. My hair flops into my eyes and my arms dangle in mid-air. And let’s not even think about how shallow my breathing is.

Crap.

After what seems like an eternity (which is probably only a few seconds) someone starts a slow handclap. And here’s me thinking it couldn’t get any worse.

I figure it’s Zak and wait for everyone to join in. Except they don’t.

The silence is deafening. Until…

“Look at that crazy bitch. You’re surely not expecting her to be my double.”

Tilly Winters in the flesh. And none too happy to see me!

Amazon | B&N

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Giveaway

In celebration of the reveals, Sara is giving away a $50 Amazon giftcard! Use the rafflecopter below to enter.

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GCC Presents……….. Debbie Rigaud!!!

Welcome Debbie Rigaud and her short story VIOLA in OPEN MIC: RIFFS ON LIFE BETWEEN CULTURES IN TEN VOICES (Candlewick Press) Edited by Mitali Perkins

About OPEN MIC

Listen in as ten YA authors use their own brand of humor to share their stories about growing up between cultures. Edited by acclaimed author and speaker Mitali Perkins, this collection of fiction and nonfiction embraces a mix of styles as diverse as their authors, from laugh-out-loud funny to wry, ironic, or poignant, in prose, poetry and comic form.

About “Voila”

Thanks to overprotective parenting, Simone’s elderly great aunt Ma Tante has more of a social life than she does. But one afternoon, Ma Tante’s social scene awkwardly intersects with Simone’s in the unlikeliest of places.

And for the questions:

What inspired the plot for your story?

My story “Voila” was inspired by real-life experiences of–as a teen–accompanying a beloved family elder to her doctor’s appointments in order to serve as her translator. And let me tell ya, just like in the story, those office visits had ridiculously long wait times.

Why did you decided to write in this genre?

Early in my career, I held freelance and staff positions at various magazines, but being a staffer at seventeen and Twist felt like the best fit. I really bonded with teen readers back then, and naturally I wanted to continue that relationship when I made the transition into book publishing.

What is your writing process like?

I always seem to have tons of story ideas buzzing in my head, but few make it to the plotting out stages. Those that do become a 5-10 page story summary, which I use as a guide for when I start writing. Recently, I’ve started to explore writing software like Scrivener to help me outline character details and figure out plot pace. All this fleshing out helps me be me productive when it’s time to write.

What are you working on now?

I just completed the editing phase of my first YA e-book. Titled TURFQUAKE, the story follows one city girl’s reluctant (and awkward) switch to a suburban school at the same time her cousin from earthquake-ravaged Haiti moves in and faces greater challenges adjusting to life in the US.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

After living in Bermuda for the past five plus years, my husband and I recently moved back to the States! We’re settling into life in Atlanta, so we’ve been busy exploring this city, its restaurants (yum!), and various events (the Decatur Book Festival was awesome!). There never seems to be a dull moment out here.

Who do you like to read?

I’ve just finished reading a few Lois Lowry books, which I found interesting. I’m also diving into the second book in Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha Trilogy.

Rave Reviews for OPEN MIC:

“[Open Mic] will leave readers thinking about the ways that humor can be a survival tool in a world that tends to put people in boxes.” –Publishers Weekly

“Naomi Shihab Nye offers an eloquent poem about her Arab American dad, whose friendliness made him ‘Facebook before it existed.’ David Yoo, Debbie Rigaud, Varian Johnson and Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich also contribute stories to this noteworthy anthology, which robustly proves Perkins’ assertion that ‘funny is powerful.’”

–Horn Book Magazine

“Teachers will find some powerful material here about how the young can become discomfited and find solace in their multifaceted cultural communities.

–School Library Journal

For more about OPEN MIC, like our page www.facebook.com/openmicanthology

Debbie Rigaud (www.debbierigaud.com)

Debbie Rigaud began her writing career covering news and entertainment for popular magazines. Her YA fiction debut, HALLWAY DIARIES/Kimani Tru was followed by the fish-out-of-water romantic comedy PERFECT SHOT/Simon Pulse. Since then, Debbie’s non-fiction essays have been published in anthologies IT’S ALL LOVE/Broadway Books and DEAR BULLY/HarperTeen. Her short story “Voila!” is featured in OPEN MIC/Candlewick Press, and TURFQUAKE, her first YA e-book will be released late 2013.

GCC Presents…… Diana Rodriguez Wallach

I’m very happy to be touring Diana Rodriguez Wallach and her short story REFLECTING EMMY which comes from the short story collection MIRROR MIRROR:

Eighteen-year-old Emmy is in the family business-trapping vapid narcissistic souls into her silver compact mirror for all eternity. It’s what the Rhamnusia family has been doing for thousands of years, all under the direction of Great Grandmother. Only Emmy’s latest assignment, Nara, is about to prove more challenging than she ever expected.Gorgeous and self-absorbed, Nara is unflinchingly cruel to her classmates. Even her boyfriend, Luke, can no longer tolerate her actions–much to Emmy’s relief since she finds Luke a little more than intriguing. But when Emmy tricks Nara into gazing into her mystical mirror, what she finds there is not what she’s expecting.

What People Are Saying:

“A fun, fresh and thoroughly entertaining modern twist on the Narcissus myth. Readers will love Emmy and her (mis)adventures. Wallach packs a lot of story into a small packing–romance, friendship and the power of one person to make a difference. The only thing missing… is more!”

~ Tera Lynn Childs, award-winning author of Oh. My. Gods., Forgive My Fins, and Sweet Venom.

“Diana Rodriguez Wallach’s Mythology High is too much fun. Emmy collects narcissistic souls for the family business but after making one tiny little mistake she finds her life turned upside down. These three stories are a must for anyone who loves Greek mythology, feisty heroines and second chances. My only complaint is that I didn’t want them to finish.” –Amanda Ashby, author of Fairy Bad Day and Demosity

And now for the usual questions:

What inspired the plot for your book?

Reflecting Emmy is the first short story in my Mirror, Mirror trilogy, which is based on the myth of Narcissus. I wanted to reimagine a myth that most people, and teens, would know very well. And honestly, within seconds of my brain contemplating Narcissus, I came up with the idea of a paranormal organization that traps Narcissistic souls by judging their reflections in mirrors. I wish I could pinpoint what part of my brain came up with this idea and how it happened so quickly, because there are times when I’m slugging through a revision and would love to manually click that switch.

Why did you decide to write in this genre?

I love YA. I vividly remember waiting for the release of every Christopher Pike book when I was a teen. I was obsessed. Then, one night many many years later, I had a dream that I was a young adult author. I dreamt the concept for an entire series of books, and when I told my husband about it, he reminded me of a Salem, MA psychic who had once predicted I would write children’s books. I had never considered writing a book before that dream, or before remembering that silly psychic visit, but I took it as a “sign” and wrote my first novel. You can read a much more in depth account of this story on my website: http://www.dianarodriguezwallach.com/...

What is your writing process like?

I’m the working mom of a toddler, so it’s hard to say I even get a traditional “writing process” anymore. Ahh, memories. But most weeks, I have a nanny who comes three days, and I immediately leave the house and write in my community’s makeshift library/game room. While I’m there, I write nonstop, completely focused. Honestly. That’s the biggest difference now that I’m a mom, when I have time to write, I WRITE. Facebook is for after dinner while I’m watching the So You Think You Can Dance.

What are you working on now?

I am revising, revising, revising a manuscript I started writing five years ago. It’s my first crack at a YA mystery, and I’m still learning how to properly craft a good mystery/thriller. Thankfully, I have a very generous editor/beta reader who is offering support as I muddle through this learning process. Hopefully, one day I will finish this book and see it in print.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

I’m one of those moms who’s at playgroups, music classes, the swimming pool, or the park. But during those moments when I get to leave the diaper bag at home, I practice yoga, play fantasy football, read YA, and watch General Hospital.

Who do you like to read?

I read anything in the YA genre from romance to scifi. Also, I’m reading a lot of adult mysteries and thrillers as research for my current work-in-progress. I just finished Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and I’m currently reading Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult.

About the Author

Diana Rodriguez Wallach is the author of Mirror, Mirror, a short-story collection based on the Narcissus myth, that includes Reflecting Emmy, Nara Gazing, and Shattering GiGi (Buzz Books 2013). She is also the author of three award-winning YA novels: Amor and Summer Secrets, Amigas and School Scandals, and Adios to All The Drama (Kensington Books).

In 2011, she published a highly regarded essay in Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories (HarperCollins), and in 2013, she will be featured in the anthology Latina Authors and Their Muses (Twilight Times Books). In 2010 Diana was named one of the Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch by LatinoStories.com, and she placed second in the International Latino Book Awards. She hold a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University, and currently lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter.

Links

Website: www.dianarodriguezwallach.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/dianarwallach

Facebook: www.facebook.com/diana.rodriguezwallach

Tumblr: http://dianarwallach.tumblr.com

Pinterist: http://pinterest.com/dianarwallach/boards/

GCC Presents…………………… Amanda Ashby!!!

I’m so excited to be touring my very good friend and critique partner Amanda Ashby and her latest (and most fabulous) book DEMONOSITY : (And don’t you just LOVE the cover!!)

The Black Rose–a powerful ancient force–has been let loose and has taken up residence in Celeste Gibson, popular girl at Cassidy Carter-Lewis’ high school. Thomas Delacroix is the spirit of a fourteenth-century knight who is devoted to protecting the Black Rose, but he needs a contemporary living being to take on the challenge. That’s where Cassidy comes in.

She’s a quirky high school junior who just wants to dress in her vintage clothes, hang out with her best friend, and take care of her father, who is recovering from surgery. She’s the last person who would ever volunteer for such a task, but no one actually asked her. Now, like it or not, she finds herself training before dawn and battling demons at parties, the mall, and even at school. But hey, no one ever said high school was going to be easy.

And now for the usual questions:

What inspired the plot for your book?

Like so many things in life, Demonosity was a total accident! I was researching something else and stumbled across an article on a secret society, a bit like the Freemasons, called Rosicrucians. Anyway, it had such a cool sounding name that I was intrigued and started reading more about it. It had a lot to do with alchemy (and secrets) and was hooked on trying to include it in a book. It took quite some time before I finally found a plot, but the start definitely came from

Why did you decide to write in this genre?

Short answer is Buffy! I’ve always loved fantasy books but when I first watched Buffy many moons ago I fell in love with the idea of paranormals because it was like a secret that was sitting right under our noses. I’ve been hooked ever since!

What is your writing process like?

As my critique partner you will know that I’ve very structured, very organized and once I make up my mind I never change it under any circumstances. I am also prone to lying about certain things!

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a new MG idea and two YA ideas that have been sitting in my mind for a long time.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Talk to Sara Hantz on the phone and watch television!

Who do you like to read?

My must reads are Richelle Mead, Raymond E Feist, Janet Evanovich, George R. R. Martin, Jill Mansell, JK Rowling

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

“With interesting characters and a fresh plot, this absorbing read addresses everything from peer pressure to intelligent guy pals to self-reliance, with just enough paranormal activity to maintain an edge. The message never overwhelms the fun in this frothy paranormal romp.” Kirkus Reviews

“Ashby’s frothy romp percolates with lighthearted humor and droll dialogue, while an involving plot and themes exploring friendship and self-reliance add satisfying substance.” School Library Journal

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amanda Ashby was born in Australia and after spending the last sixteen years dividing her time between England and New Zealand, she’s finally returned home for some sunshine. When she’s not moving country, she likes to write books (okay, she also likes to eat chocolate, watch television and sit around doing not much, but let’s just keep that amongst ourselves, shall we?)

She has a degree in English and Journalism from the University of Queensland and is married with two children. Her debut book, You Had Me at Halo was nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice award. Zombie Queen of Newbury High was listed by the New York Public Library’s Stuff for the Teen Age 2010. Fairy Bad Day was selected by Voya as one of their Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2012 and was a SCBWI Crystal Kite Award finalist for the Australia/NZ region.

FIND HER

http://www.amandaashby.com

https://twitter.com/amandaashby