{YADP} The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala

Young Adult Debut Promotions (YADP) is a post I do to help debut authors enter the book world with a bang! It's important for readers to find new authors, but it's also important for them to connect with the authors. That's my goal with this post. And if I'm being honest, I also really enjoy working with the authors and getting to know them. Click here for more information!

Today's debut author is....

Swati Teerdhala

After graduating from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Finance and History, she tumbled into the marketing side of the technology industry. She’s passionate about many things, including how to make a proper cup of chai, the right ratio of curd-to-crust in a lemon tart, and diverse representation in the stories we tell. She currently lives in New York City.

Connect with Swati:
Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr

{YADP} The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees (Interview & Giveaway)

Young Adult Debut Promotions (YADP) is a post I do to help debut authors enter the book world with a bang! It's important for readers to find new authors, but it's also important for them to connect. That's my goal with this post. And if I'm being honest, I also really enjoy working with the authors and getting to know them. Click here for more information!

Today's debut author is....

Alyssa Wees

In between training in ballet and watching lots of Disney movies, Alyssa grew up writing stories starring her Beanie Babies. She earned a BA in English from Creighton University and an MFA in Fiction Writing from Columbia College Chicago. Currently she works as an assistant librarian in youth services at an awesome public library. She lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband and their two cats.

Connect with Alyssa:
Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Tumblr | Instagram

Authors Are Rockstars - Amy Tintera

Amy Tintera is most definitely a ROCKSTAR!  Her debut, Reboot, was so full of romance, suspense, and action.  The romance was so adorably sweet, the story was so fast-paced and interesting, the the action scenes were breathtaking.  Plus she loves Back to the Future!  Do not miss out on this book!

I wanted to read Reboot because I saw PolandbananasBOOKS do a review of it on YouTube, plus it looked really interesting and like a great idea!  So I bought it off Amazon, zipped right through it, and loved it.  Not an amazing story, I know, but good enough, right? ;P

Reboot
by Amy Tintera
Series: Reboot #1
Pages: 365
Release Date: May 7, 2013
by HarperTeen

Goodreads / Purchase

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum. The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

Bio:

Hi! I'm Amy Tintera, young adult author. My debut novel, REBOOT, comes out May 7, 2013. Film rights have been optioned by Fox.

Connect:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

Author Interview:

YOU

1. When did you start reading and writing?

I started reading at a very young age because my mom is a big reader. So there were always books around and we would go to the library almost every week. I was the kind of kid who read a book a day! Because I was such a big reader I became interested in writing very young, and I was writing novels by the time I was 12.

2. What were you like as a teen?

Shy! I’ve always been an introvert, but I was even more shy as a teen. But I found a great group of friends and I was on the dance team my junior and senior year of high school, which was a fun experience. I was also pretty busy, because of dance team, work (Old Navy, then DSW), and writing books. I’m not sure how I kept up with everything!

3. What is your favorite genre to read at the moment?

Definitely YA, and within YA I love sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal and contemporary. And some historical occasionally! I’m a big fan of the YA category and ready widely in it.

YOUR BOOK

1. When and how did you get the idea for Reboot?

I got the idea for REBOOT the day before Thanksgiving, 2010 (it’s crazy I remember the exact day, but I do!). I really got the idea for Wren first – she was in my head, saying she’d been dead for 178 minutes, and I built the idea of REBOOT around her.

2. Where did you write Reboot?

Everywhere, honestly. I wrote the first draft entirely by hand, partly because I could take the notebook with me wherever I went. I wrote on my lunch breaks, on my yoga mat while waiting for class to start, in bed, at coffee shops.

3. Did you have any say in the cover design?

I sent my editor some other covers I liked, but I have no talent for art or design. I basically just said “I want something awesome!” and luckily HarperTeen is great at doing awesome covers.

4. Is there another book in the works? If so, what can we expect?

Yes! The sequel to REBOOT comes out May 6, 2014. It’s a duology, meaning there are only two books in the series, so everything is wrapped up in this book. And all I’ll say is that the sequel picks up exactly where REBOOT left off!

THIS OR THAT

1. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

Milk, but I eat both.

2. Fruit or vegetables?

Fruit! (But I have to eat vegetables, so I do. Occasionally.)

3. Cats or dogs?

Dogs.

4. Hardcover, paperback or ebook?

Hardcover!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE?

1. Movie?

Back to the Future.

2. Ice cream flavor?

Chocolate chip cookie dough.

3. Social media site?

Twitter!

4. Animal?

Dog.

5. Book?

Tough one, but I usually say If I Stay by Gayle Forman.

THANK YOU SO MUCH AMY FOR STOPPING BY!!!! 

Young Adult Debut Promotions: Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor

Young Adult Debut Promotions (YADP) is a post I do to help out debut authors, and to get them noticed.  My posts will definitely include a feature of the book, a feature of the author, and a giveaway, with an interview, guest post, or excerpt optional.  If you would like more information about YADP click here and scroll down until you come to the section talking about it.

Today I am featuring...

Kara Taylor
And she will be doing an interview and giveaway!

Prep School Confidential

by Kara Taylor

Series: Prep School Confidential #1
Pages: 304
Release Date: July 30, 2013

by St. Martin's Griffin

Goodreads / Purchase

In this breathtaking debut that reads like Gossip Girl crossed with Twin Peaks, a Queen Bee at a blue-blooded New England prep school stumbles into a murder mystery. Anne Dowling practically runs her exclusive academy on New York’s Upper East Side—that is, until she accidentally burns part of it down and gets sent to a prestigious boarding school outside of Boston. Determined to make it back to New York, Anne couldn't care less about making friends at the preppy Wheatley School. That is, until her roommate Isabella’s body is found in the woods behind the school.
When everyone else is oddly silent, Anne becomes determined to uncover the truth no matter how many rules she has to break to do it. With the help of Isabella’s twin brother Anthony, and a cute classmate named Brent, Anne discovers that Isabella wasn’t quite the innocent nerdy girl she pretended to be. But someone will do anything to stop Anne’s snooping in this fast-paced, unputdownable read—even if it means framing her for Isabella’s murder.

Author Interview:

1. Why did you decide to become a writer?

Becoming a writer actually happened by accident! I always loved writing, but I knew I had to have a practical career plan as well. I was actually going to college and studying to be an English teacher when I wrote my first book and wound up signing with an agent and getting a deal.

2. Who were your biggest influences?

My grandparents always encouraged me to read and write at a young age. My 101-year-old grandma still has the first picture book I wrote! But my biggest influence was my 11th grade English teacher, who before I graduated, told me "I want a shout-out in your first book." Before then, I never thought I had what it took to sit down and finish a book. Her words helped me realize I had a story in me after all.

3. Where do you like to write?

I'm most comfortable in my room, at my desk. But I'm most productive somewhere quiet, like my college campus library, where I wrote most of PREP SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL.

4. Do you have a special routine you like to do before you write?

I have to make myself a cup of coffee from my Keurig machine!

5. When and how did you get the idea for Prep School Confidential?

I always loved the boarding school setting, and procedural mysteries. Anne's voice came to me first, then I was really inspired by shows like Veronica Mars/The Killing/Twin Peaks.

6. Is there another book in the works?  If so, what can we expect?

Book 2 of the PREP SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL series is complete, and I'm working on Book 3 now! You can expect lots more mayhem at the Wheatley School, as Anne investigates a decades-old cold case and unearths some secrets that she wishes had stayed buried.

THIS OR THAT

1. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

Milk!

2. Cats or dogs?

I have both, but I am a dog person.

3. Hardcover, paperback or ebook?

Depends on where I'm reading. If I'm traveling, e-book. If I'm at home relaxing, a paperback.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE?

1. Movie?

Almost Famous

2. Ice cream flavor?

Rocky Road

3. Animal?

I want a teacup pig so badly! Pigs are so cute.

4. Book?

That's like picking a favorite child! To Kill A Mockingbird is my all-time favorite classic, but my favorite book in recent years is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

5. Actor and actress?

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschannel.

6. Fictional character?

Anna from Anna and the French Kiss. She's my girl!

Giveaway:

THE RULES:

~There will be 2 winners

~Giveaway ends on August 6, 2013 @ 12:00 A.M.

~This giveaway is US/CAN

THE PRIZE:
The first winner will receive a finished copy of Prep School Confidential.

The second winner will receive an awesome prize pack!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO MUCH KARA FOR STOPPING BY!

Catherine Blog Tour Stop

Catherine
by April Lindner
Pages: 320
Release Date: January 2, 2013
by Poppy (an imprint of Little Brown)

Goodreads / Purchase

A forbidden romance. A modern mystery. Wuthering mHeights as you’ve never seen it before. Catherine is tired of struggling musicians befriending her just so they can get a gig at her Dad’s famous Manhattan club, The Underground. Then she meets mysterious Hence, an unbelievably passionate and talented musician on the brink of success. As their relationship grows, both are swept away in a fiery romance. But when their love is tested by a cruel whim of fate, will pride keep them apart? Chelsea has always believed that her mom died of a sudden illness, until she finds a letter her dad has kept from her for years—a letter from her mom, Catherine, who didn’t die: She disappeared. Driven by unanswered questions, Chelsea sets out to look for her—starting with the return address on the letter: The Underground.
Told in two voices, twenty years apart, Catherine interweaves a timeless forbidden romance with a compelling modern mystery. 

Author Interview:

1. Why did you decide to become a writer?

I’ve wanted to be a writer ever since I was little.  There were other things I wanted to be as well—a rock star, a painter, a tight-rope walker—but writing was the one that stuck.

2. Who were your biggest influences?

Over the years, I’ve been in a lot of creative writing classes, and have had many amazing teachers.  In college I took a poetry workshop with the wonderful poet Mekeel McBride, and her playful way of looking at world really won me over; I primarily wrote poetry for a long time after that and studied with a series of poets—Andrew Hudgins, Charles Simic, Thomas Lux—more than I could list here.  But I’ve always read novels and wanted to write one of my own, so I’ve taken fiction classes too, with the late Thomas Williams and Charles Wachtel.  When I sit down to write I still sometimes hear the voices of my teachers in my head, telling me what’s working and what isn’t, urging me to do better.

3. Where do you like to write?

There’s a coffee shop a few blocks away from my house and I write there at least half the time.  Writing can be a lonely endeavor; it helps to be surrounded by people, even if you’re not interacting with them.  And the baristas all know me by name, which is nice.

4. Do you have a special routine you like to do before you write?

No…and that’s deliberate.  I used to have a whole ritual for writing.  I’d decorate my desk at home with sea glass and bouquets of herbs from my garden, and I would light a candle—everything had to be just so!  Then I had a really bad period of writer’s block, and I haven’t been able to bring myself to sit at that desk since then.  I now associate that spot and those rituals with feeling tense and blocked.  Ever since, I’ve tried to keep things casual and shake it up a bit.  When I get tired of writing at the coffee shop, I write on my front porch or even in bed.  Now there are only two things I need when I write—quiet and coffee.  And even the quiet part is optional.

5. When and how did you get the idea for Catherine?

After I wrote my first novel, Jane, a modernization of Jane Eyre, I knew I wanted to write another retelling of a classic novel.  Wuthering Heights was the most obvious choice, since it’s my other all-time favorite novel.  But I had trouble settling on how to make the story contemporary.  I knew I wanted the setting to be as important as any of the book’s characters, as in the original source material, and I started out by setting a few chapters in the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire, a place that can feel almost as stark and remote as the Yorkshire moors—but that’s not my world.  I’m a city girl, and I just wasn’t feeling it.  Then one night I was seeing a rock show at the legendary Stone Pony—a nightclub in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and I felt more energized, more electric, than I had in a long time.  That’s when I came up with the idea of setting my story in a punk rock club on New York’s Lower East Side—a place that has a lot of character and edge of its own.  I’ve never lived there, but I’ve always wanted to.

6. Is there another book in the works? If so, what can we expect?

I’ve been working on a third contemporary retelling, this time of E. M. Forster’s A Room With a View.  I came to this novel by way of the delightful Merchant-Ivory film adaptation, starring a very young Helena Bonham Carter.  I loved it so much that I went right out and read the novel, and fell equally in love with it.  It’s the story of a conventional young British girl who goes on a tour of Italy and falls in love with a freethinking young man, an experience that throws the rest of her whole life into question.  In my retelling, a young American girl takes a backpacking trip through Europe.  In Italy she falls in with a street musician from New Jersey, and all the careful plans she’s made for her future start coming unglued.

THIS OR THAT

1. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

Dark

2. Cats or dogs?

Dogs!

3. Hardcover, paperback or ebook?

Trade paperbacks

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE?

1. Movie?

It’s still A Room With a View

2. Ice cream flavor?

Peppermint Stick—especially if I can have hot fudge on top

3. Animal?

How to choose?  I love them all—but I have a particular soft spot for deer.  They’re so graceful, delicate and shy.  And I’m a sucker for those big brown eyes!

4. Book?

Jane Eyre will always be my first love.

5. Actor and actress?

Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn.  (You can probably guess that Roman Holiday is another of my favorite movies.)

6. Fictional character?

I wish my answer wasn’t so predictable…but I cannot tell a lie.  Jane Eyre!

Get to know April Lindner:

Bio:

April Lindner is the author of two novels, Catherine, a modernization of Wuthering Heights, and Jane, an update of Jane Eyre.  She also has published two poetry collections, Skin and This Bed Our Bodies Shaped. She plays acoustic guitar badly, sees more rock concerts than she’d care to admit, travels whenever she can, cooks Italian food, and lavishes attention on her pets—two Labrador retriever mixes and two excitable guinea pigs.
A professor of English at Saint Joseph’s University, April lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons.

Connect:

Goodreads | Website | Blog | Twitter

Giveaway:

A hardcover copy of CATHERINE by April Lindner to THREE (3) winners.

It is a tour-wide giveaway shared across all the stops via a common Rafflecopter.

Giveaway is US only.

Must be 13 or older to enter.

Giveaway ends July 4 at 11:59 p.m.

Winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter and contacted by email.

Mandatory requirement is to leave a comment. Optional entries are to Like the CATHERINE Facebook page, follow the author on Twitter and Tweet (daily) about the tour/giveaway.

All giveaway options are weighted evenly.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour:

Week One

June 17th – Bewitched Bookworms – Review + Interview

June 18th – Jessabella Reads – Guest Post

June 19th – Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews – Interview

June 20th – Romancing the Dark Side – Guest Post

June 20th – Between the Pages – Review

June 21st – Emily’s Crammed Bookshelf – Interview

June 21st – A Little Shelf of Heaven – Review

Week Two

June 24th – Parajunkee – Guest Post

June 25th – The Book Belles – Interview

June 25th – The Bookmark Blog – Review

June 26th – Curling Up With A Good Book – Review

June 26th – Ink Skies – Interview

June 27th – BookHounds – Guest Post

June 27th – To Read or Not To Read – Review

June 28th – Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Guest Post

Young Adult Debut Promotions: The Symptoms of My Insanity by Mindy Raf

Young Adult Debut Promotions (YADP) is a post I do to help out debut authors, and to get them noticed.  My posts will definitely include a feature of the book, a feature of the author, and a giveaway, with an interview, guest post, or excerpt optional.  If you would like more information about YADP click here and scroll down until you come to the section talking about it.

Today I am featuring...

Mindy Raf
And she will be doing an interview and giveaway!

The Symptoms of My Insanity

by Mindy Raf

Pages: 384

Release Date: April 18, 2013

by Dial (an imprint of Penguin)

Goodreads / Purchase

A laugh-out-loud, bittersweet debut full of wit, wisdom, heart, and a hilarious, unforgettable heroine. When you’re a hypochondriac, there are a million different things that could be wrong with you, but for Izzy, focusing on what could be wrong might be keeping her from dealing with what’s really wrong. But Izzy’s sense of humor can only get her so far when suddenly her best friend appears to have undergone a personality transplant, her mother’s health takes a turn for the worse, and her beautiful maybe-boyfriend is going all hot and cold. Izzy thinks she’s preparing for the worst-case scenario, but when the worst-case scenario actually hits, it’s a different story altogether—and there’s no tidy list of symptoms to help her through the insanity.

*A copy was provided by Penguin for review purposes*

A lough-out-loud, bittersweet debut full of wit, wisdom, heart, and a hilarious, unforgettable heroine.

Yep, that about describes this book.  End of review.

Just kiddinggggggg. ;P

This was such a fun, entertaining read!  The writing was really good, the idea was awesome, and the story line was interesting and engaging.  It was a very heartwarming story, but also had streaks of sad events and heartbreak.  I really loved the ending as well, and how it was a happy, satisfying one.

I have to say, I really enjoyed watching Izzy grow and develop over the course of this story.  She was such a lovable, believable, realistic character, and so in-tune with teenagers these days, that I think she is really inspirational and interesting.

I’m really sorry for the short review it’s just that I just finished reading the Hunger Games Trilogy and I’m still recovering and can’t quiet put into words what I’m thinking right now haha.

But, all in all, this was a very enjoyable, fun debut novel, and I can’t wait to see what Raf has in store for us in her next book!

4 pink flowers

Quotes:

I panic and perform spontaneous karate on their genitals.

“Izzy Skymen,” she says, her eyes still on my canvas, tilting her head to the side, “you’ve got some huge girl-balls!”

Author Interview:

1. Why did you decide to become a writer?

I think writing chose me. I grew up performing comedy and musical theater, but I was always writing my own sketches, stories, songs.

2. Who were your biggest influences?

Oh so many. I loved, and still love: Bette Midler, Barbara Streisand, Gilda Radnor, Amy Poehler, Nora Ephron, Judy Blume, Steve Martin, Carol Brunette.

3. Where do you like to write?

Super loud coffee shops, diners, &bars for drafting. Super quiet libraries, office buildings late at night, my apt for revising.

4. Do you have a special routine you like to do before you write?

Drink coffee, disable wifi, listen to some music to get me in the right mood.

5. When and how did you get the idea for The Symptoms of My Insanity?

I’m not an outliner. I free write mostly to start. The first scene I wrote for Izzy (long before the idea of a book) was about a girl talking to a boy in a cafeteria about his cookie being raw and how he might get salmonella. I think that scene definitely jumpstarted Izzy and her world.

6. Is there another book in the works? If so, what can we expect?

Yes, I’m working on a couple different things right now. Hope to be able to share details on them soon.

THIS OR THAT

1. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

Dark.

2. Cats or dogs?

Cats.

3. Hardcover, paperback or ebook?

Hardcover.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE?

1. Movie?

Too many, too many. Um, I’m in a romantic comedy mood right now so: When Harry Met Sally.

2. Ice cream flavor?

Strawberry

3. Animal?

Cats

4. Actor and actress?

Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters in “The Jerk.” Together, just the best!

6. Fictional character?

Miss Viola Swamp/Miss Nelson

Giveaway:

THE RULES:

~There will be 1 winner

~Giveaway ends on June 16, 2013 @ 12:00 A.M.

~This giveaway is US/CAN


THE PRIZE:
A finished copy to one lucky winner!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get to know Mindy Raf:

Bio:

Mindy Raf is a writer, comedy performer, and musician based in Brooklyn, NY. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan, and grew up in a Detroit suburb right around here (visualize someone pointing to the inner part of their thumb). She has written for VH1 and CollegeHumor.com. The Symptoms of My Insanity is her first novel. 

Connect:

Goodreads | Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO MUCH MINDY FOR STOPPING BY!

Addicted to You Blog Tour

Today I am participating in the Addicted to You Blog Tour!  It is a book written by a fellow blogger, which I think is AWESOME!

Addicted to You
by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Series: Addicted #1
Pages: 320
Release Date: July 1, 2013
by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Add on Goodreads

No one would suspect shy, Lily Calloway’s biggest secret. While everyone is dancing at college bars, Lily stays in the bathroom. To get laid. Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own. Loren Hale’s best friend is his bottle of bourbon. Lily comes at a close second. For three years, they’ve pretended to be in a real relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. They’ve mastered the art of concealing flasks and random guys that filter in and out of their apartment. But when they go on a family boat trip, surrounded by open seas and limited male bodies in sight, Lily’s confronted with a big fear. Only one guy onboard can fill her addiction, and she’s sworn off going there with Loren Hale ever again. Now the only person who can truly help her, can barely help himself.

Interview

1. Why did you decide to become a writer?

Becca: I started writing when I was 12. I had a story in my head that in retrospect sounded a lot like an episode of One Tree Hill, which hadn’t aired yet (I believe). I scribbled it on pen and paper, and eventually turned to a hefty laptop. When I was 14, I self-published a YA book and the sequel. I adore all the people who read it, but it shows off my awkward teen writing phase. I’ve grown so much now, and reviewing books has certainly given me some perspective, as well as going through high school and college as an English major.

Krista: I never thought I’d be a writer, honestly. Being a twin, sometimes you unintentionally give up some of your interests for the sake of individuality. So Becca wrote stories first and I always thought “well that’s Becca’s thing. I can’t do it too.” But I did start writing after she began (in middle school), and most of my stories were just for us. Nothing special or publishable. Over the years, I started to realize that I may actually love writing, despite her love for it too. And if I practiced and tried hard I could be just as good as her. Long story short, it was a gradual process until I decided that this is something I really wanted to do.

2. Who were your biggest influences?

Krista: Even though Addicted to You is an NA book, I’ll always consider Young Adult books to be my greatest influence in writing. But I also think that (don’t laugh) television and movies play an important role in our work. We’re big TV buffs and there’s nothing better to show you how to create tone, plot, and superb characters.

Becca: Superheroes! No really, I agree with Krista. There’s so many authors that I love and cherish, but there are great storytellers in film and television that I look up to as well—like Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class). We’ve watched his commentary in films just to learn more about his process.

3. Where do you like to write?

Krista: At home on a comfy chair or couch.

Becca: Home as well. On a bed, surrounded by thousands of pillows.

4. Do you have a special routine you like to do before you write?

Krista: Since we’re sometimes writing the same story, we usually like to sit down and discuss direction and character motivations before we write a particular scene.

Becca: What she said. We usually make long drives together, and during that time, we’ll brainstorm in the car and make sure our characters are on point.

5. When and how did you get the idea for Addicted To You?

Krista: I throw out concepts all the time, and usually they’re so awful that Becca just rolls her eyes. But I knew I wanted to write a contemporary book dealing with female sex addiction, and so I just kind of played around with scenarios.

Becca: Oh yes, she’s given me concepts since we were kids. Some of them are terrible, no offense Krista. I think she had one about the Earth being so hot no one could go outside and everyone lived in a bubble…watch, that’s probably already a book.

6. Did the fact that you are a blogger help you at all while writing your book?

Krista: I think it helped a lot. We wanted to write a book that we would read and give 5 stars. If us, as book reviewers, wouldn’t rate our own book 5 stars then something is wrong. So during editing we would read with that critical eye and ask ourselves if this is something we’d dock a star for. Obviously, those parts were either cut or put through the grinder.

Becca: Knowing bloggers like you helps as well. When I published my other book, Krista hadn’t started Nawanda Files yet, and there’s a sort of veil between blogger and authors that you can’t quite cross. There’s still that support, but there’s not that friendship and coalition. So we’re really lucky to be experiencing both.

THIS OR THAT

1. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

Krista: Milk Chocolate!

Becca: Milk Chocolate. Both of us hate dark, way too bitter.

2. Cats or dogs?

Krista: Dogs!

Becca: Dogs, preferably small, the ones you can pick up and cuddle :)

3. Hardcover, paperback or ebook?

Krista: This one’s hard…Hardcover because they look pretty on the shelf ;)

Becca: Ebook. Don’t laugh, but I start to fall asleep when I read hardcover and paperbacks almost immediately when I crack them open. No matter what type of book it is!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE?

1. Movie?

Krista: Dead Poets Society. My blog is named after it after all!

Becca: X2 (X-Men: First Class almost beat out, but January Jones ruined Emma Frost for me.)

2. Ice cream flavor?

Krista: Coffee

Becca: Chocolate. Strangely, Krista loves coffee ice cream but hates drinking coffee.

3. Animal?

Krista: I think Narwhals are pretty cool. They’re like whales with a unicorn horns.

Becca: Fox, ‘cause they’re cute and clever.

4. Book?

Krista: Only one?! This is too difficult, so I’ll choose the first book that I think of…Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins.

Becca: Ah, this is tough. I’ll pick an underrated high fantasy that I recently loved: Cadet of Tildor.

5. Actor and actress?

Krista: Tom Hiddleston. Loki from Thor and Avengers. Have you seen all those gifs with him? They’re awesome!

Becca: Joseph Morgan who plays Klaus on The Vampire Diaries and his co-star Candice Accola who plays Caroline. Go Klaroline!!

6. Fictional character?

Krista: Peter Pan

Becca: Peter Pan (our twin moment)

That has got to be the funnest interview I've ever had on the blog.  These girls are so awesome!  And I love Tom Hiddleston too Krista, but I Hawkeye (from Avengers) is my man.  I'm kind of obsessed lol.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get to know Becca and Krista:

Bio:

Becca Ritchie is a carnivore of pop culture, television, film and of course YA and NA books. While in college, she worked at The CW television network and put her vampiric knowledge to good use, blogging about hit series and swooning over actors’ abs. When she’s not blogging, she writes novels and has teamed up with her twin sister for their New Adult novel ADDICTED TO YOU. Available July of 2013.

Krista Ritchie is the mind behind popular trading website YA Book Exchange and created Nawanda Files, a book blog that also features books into movies news. When not pouring over entertainment news and the newest releases, she spends her time conducting research in a genetics lab. She’s happy to join forces with her sister, harnessing their twin powers to produce the first in a New Adult series.

Connect:

Krista: Goodreads | Website
Becca: Goodreads | Nawanda Files | YA Book Exchange

Follow the Tour:

May 27th: 
Nawanda Files - Tour Kick-Off
Christy’s Book Addiction – Teaser
Dana Square – Interview

May 28th:
Emily's Crammed Bookshelf – Interview
Icey Books – Excerpt

May 29th:
The Book Slayer – Guest Post

May 30th: 
The Book Babe – Excerpt
Proserpine Craving Books – Interview + This or That

May 31st:
Books and Insomnia – Teaser

June 1st: 
Gabic Reads – Guest Post

June 3rd: 
Abibliophobic – Excerpt

June 4th:
Forever 17 Books – Excerpt

June 5th: 
She Reads New Adult – Interview

June 6th: 
Fiction-Freak – Interview

June 7th: 
Pen and Muse – Interview

June 8th: 
Nawanda Files - Closing + Extra Giveaway

THANK YOU SO MUCH BECCA AND KRISTA FOR STOPPING BY!  IT WAS A TOTAL BLAST AND I WISH YOU BOTH THE BEST OF LUCK!!! <3

See Book Feature

Today I am featuring the awesome book See, and I will be doing an interview and giveaway with the author!!

See

by Jamie Magee

Series: See #1
Pages: 323

Format: Ebook

Release Date: May 5, 2012

by Jamie Magee

Goodreads / Purchase

Forgetting who you are, your ambitions, your passions is crippling….but remembering – embracing your purpose with a new sense of determination is more than empowering….it's life altering. Charlie Myers is on a life altering path that will cause the dammed to humble in silence. One night…just a few friends, how could it go so wrong? That was the question seventeen year old Charlie Myers was asking when she found herself in the ER. Outwardly nothing was wrong with Charlie, she was a vision of perfect heath, internally she was battling a raging headache…one the doctor told her she would overcome shortly, but Charlie knew something else was wrong …very wrong. Part of her had been stolen…she was missing memories. Those memories were sacred. They held the key to her sanity. They told her that the sinister whispers, the shadows that came to life before her were not as ominous as she felt they were. They held the bond with her late father, a famed musician. They caused her to forget the one talent that allowed her to face the darkness that haunted her every waking hour. They also masked a much deeper bond, the face of the one that had stolen her heart, long before the age of seventeen. Sitting in the ER with her angry mother she couldn’t figure out what she was missing, or even how. Her thoughts told her that she needed to protect Britain, a friend of hers, but that didn’t make any sense – Britain didn’t need to be protected from anyone, he was strong, young, and absurdly wealthy. Charlie also knew that even though her friend Bianca called Charlie her best friend, she didn’t trust her …she was almost sure she despised her, but she couldn’t figure out why, or understand how random thoughts were telling her that she adored both Britain and Bianca – that they were her saviors – that they brought silence to the unstoppable whispers, but the silence scared Charlie. In her mind anyone or anything that could bring silence to something that dark could not be good. Charlie wanted to stay in NY, figure out what she was missing, why, and who was behind it all, but her mother had other plans. Against her will, Charlie was sent to Salem to live with her sister, within that small town Charlie found her memories and so much more. Her story begins now.

Interview:

1. Why did you decide to become a writer?

I can’t say that it was ever a decision. I was just a daydreamer -- one day a daydream came along that I just could not fight the urge to put to paper. I never dreamed of sharing this with the world!

2. Who were your biggest influences?

My answer may not make any sense but I would have to say Joseph Campbell. His vast outlook on our world and his style of communicating is something I adore.

3. Where do you like to write?

Anywhere I can find a place to settle down with my laptop and headphones. Oddly the more insane it is around me the faster the story flows.

4. Do you have a special routine you like to do before you write?

Beyond a quick run through facebook I don’t. Caffeine, good music, and a keyboard is all I need to get started!

5. When and how did you get the idea for Insight and See?

A few years ago I was daydreaming while wrapping Christmas presents. Willow, my green-eyed girl, flashed a scene full of emotion before my eyes. I mulled over that daydream until the New Year came. On January second I decided to chase this scene, figure out how it came to be in the first place.

As the Insight story grew the story of SEE came into view and before I could even fathom the scope of this massive daydream two different series had emerged.

6. Is there another book in the works? If so, what can we expect?

My See series will have a fourth book release on June 10th:Redinfined. This fall I have a new series coming out as well!

THIS OR THAT

1. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

Dark!

2. Cats or dogs?

Love both – but I do have more dogs…

3. Hardcover, paperback or ebook?

Ebook, just because I can take all my books with me everywhere.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE?

1. Movie?

The Notebook.

2. Ice cream flavor?

Cookies and cream.

3. Animal?

Elephant.

4. Book?

I can not choose!

5. Actor and actress?

Morgan Freeman can't decide on the actress...

6. Fictional character?

Harry Potter :)

Giveaway:

THE RULES:

~There will be 3 winners

~Giveaway ends on May 24, 2013 @ 12:00 A.M.

~This giveaway is INT

THE PRIZE:
3 ebooks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO MUCH Jamie FOR STOPPING BY! YOU'RE WELCOME BACK ANY TIME!! :)

Young Adult Debut Promotions: Parallel by Lauren Miller

Young Adult Debut Promotions (YADP) is a post I do to help out debut authors, and to get them noticed.  My posts will definitely include a feature of the book, a feature of the author, and a giveaway, with an interview, guest post, or excerpt optional.  If you would like more information about YADP click here and scroll down until you come to the section talking about it.

Today I am featuring...

Lauren Miller
And she will be doing an interview, excerpt, and giveaway!

Parallel
by Lauren Miller
Pages: 432
Release Date: May 14, 2013
by HarperTeen

Goodreads / Purchase

Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned twenty-two. But one tiny choice—taking a drama class her senior year of high school—changed all that. Now, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten. With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met. As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach.

Author Interview:

1. Why did you decide to become a writer?

I'm not sure it was ever a decision.  Writing has always just been my thing.  In elementary school, I'd start a new "novel" every other week.  Decorate the cover of a spiral bound notebook, spend hours coming up with the perfect title, then start writing.  I'd get about four chapters in and discover that I had no idea where my story was going and abandon it.  I did this over and over again, for years.  Afraid that I'd never finish anything, I decided to give up my writing dreams and do something practical, so I went to law school.  The only problem was, I didn't like practicing law.  So a few years into my career, I started writing again.  This time it was TV scripts!  Amazingly, I had no trouble finishing these.  Parallel was actually the first script I ever wrote.  When it didn't become a television show, I decided to turn it into a novel.

2. Who were your biggest influences?

My dad.  My love of storytelling came from him.  Instead of reading stories to me when I was a kid, he'd make stories up.  My favorites involved a character named "Debbie Dixon" who solved crimes like Nancy Drew.

3. Where do you like to write?

Either in my office at home or at the coffee shop up the street from me.  It really depends on what stage I'm in with a story. In the early stages, I like to be out in the world. When I'm rewriting, I like to be at home where I have two gigantic monitors so I can put the old draft on one screen and the new draft on another.

4. Do you have a special routine you like to do before you write?

Nope. I wrote Parallel (the novel version, not the TV script) while I was home on maternity leave with my daughter. Because she kept me so busy, I had to learn to write in every spare minute I had, so I couldn't waste time preparing to write -- I just had to get right to it.  These days, I still treat writing this way, as something I have to just dive into whenever a free moment arises.

5. When and how did you get the idea for Parallel?

PARALLEL was the answer the the questions I was asking myself the year I got married.  What if my husband and I had never met?  Would our paths have crossed some other way?  Parallel was the story that came out of those questions.  When I first began, it wasn't a sci fi story at all.  It was more like the movie Sliding Doors, where you don't really know why Helen's life splits into two versions.  But the further I got into it, the more I felt like I owed my readers an explanation.  So I started reading about parallel universe theory, and the more I learned, the more excited I got about the idea of grounding my book in real science.

6. Is there another book in the works? If so, what can we expect?

Yes!  It'll be out next year. Like Parallel, this book has a slight sci fi aspect, but its tone is a little darker.  It's more of a thriller.  I'm really excited about it!

THIS OR THAT

1. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

Dark, definitely.

2. Cats or dogs?

Dogs.  Sorry kitties, I'm allergic.

3. Hardcover, paperback or ebook?

Paperback.  I like my books dogeared and water stained!  Used books are my favorite.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE?

1. Movie?

Beaches.

2. Ice cream flavor?

Mint

3. Animal?

When I was little, I was obsessed with the yak at the Turtleback Zoo in New Jersey where we lived.  He had this enormous red tongue and reminded me of a creature from Where the Wild Things Are.

4. Book?

Hardest question ever.  There are too many!  And my favorites span the genres.  The ones that top the list are A Wrinkle in Time, Madame Bovary, The Turn of the Screw, Frankenstein, and The Prince of Tides.  Oh, and anything by John Irving.

5. Actor and actress?

Brit Marling.  She's the star of Another Earth and its co-writer, and she's amazing.

6. Fictional character?

She's not very likable, but I have a soft spot in my heart for Emma Bovary of Madame Bovary.

Excerpt:

“Abby? Abby, honey, wake up.”
My eyes fly open. My mom, still in her pajamas, is sitting on the edge of my bed, her face the picture of calm. I appreciate her effort, but I know instantly that something is wrong. There is much too much sunlight in my room.
“What time is it?”
“Five till eight.”
I blink. For a moment I am still, calculating the exact number of minutes between now and the time the late bell rings.
Thirteen.
“Abby?” My mom is clearly confused by my stillness. We both know there’s no way I’m making it to school on time, which means I’ll miss the beginning of the senior parking lottery. They start at the parking spot closest to the building and work their way toward the street, drawing names from a box at lightning speed. In order to claim your space, you have to be present at the drawing when they call your name.  If you’re not, game over.  You’re automatically relegated to the annex lot across the street.
I spring out of bed.
“Why didn’t my alarm go off? And why is my alarm clock on the floor?” I point an accusing finger at the base of my nightstand, where my clock radio is lying facedown on the carpet.
My mom bends to pick it up.
“There was an earthquake last night,” she replies, setting the clock back on my nightstand. It’s blinking 12:00. “At least, they think it was an earthquake.”
“There was an earthquake? In Atlanta?” I stare at her.
“How is that possible?”
“Apparently, it’s not the first time it’s happened. And it wasn’t just here, either.” She presses the radio button on my clock. The familiar sound of my favorite morning news program fills the room.
“No significant damage or injuries have been reported, but people are reporting power outages in various parts of the city. This is the third earthquake to hit the Atlanta area since 1878. Seismologists are baffled by the quake, which, despite its relatively small size—only five point nine on the Richter scale—appears to have triggered seismic activity all over the globe.”
I wonder briefly if I’m still asleep. An earthquake felt all over the world?

Giveaway:

THE RULES:

~There will be 1 winner

~Giveaway ends on May 23, 2013 @ 12:00 A.M.

~This giveaway is US/CAN


THE PRIZE:
A signed finished copy to one lucky winner!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get to know Lauren Miller:

Bio:

I couldn't find her bio, but I really recommend you check out her website and also her other one that, Embrace the Detour.  I just read through it (gosh I sound like such a stalker.  But I'm not!) and I really have a new respect for her.  I found it very interesting, and I really think you guys should make sure you follow her on Twitter, Facebook, ect because I certainly am.

Connect:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO MUCH LAUREN FOR STOPPING BY! I'M GONNA GO STALK YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR A WHILE NOW ;p