[Guest Post] Dualed Blog Tour, Interview with Elsie Chapman + GIVEAWAY!

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2013, author, book, books, dystopian, fighting, giveaway, interview, sci-fi, writing, young adult, young adult fiction

Dualed (2013)
by Elsie Chapman
Publication Date: February 26, 2013
Goodreads.
Amazon.
Barnes and Noble.
IndieBound.

I’m very excited to be featuring Elsie Chapman today as part of the Dualed Blog Tour!

Two of you exist.
Only one will survive.

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Q: Share with us some of the inspiration behind DUALED! How long did it take you to write and sell DUALED? And now that you are a 2013 debut author, how does that effect your writing schedule??

The first draft of DUALED took me five weeks, but revisions and took me much longer. In the end, almost everything evens out, it seems. And I think it took me about three months to sell DUALED.

I couldn’t be happier with how it all worked out! But I’m definitely feeling more of a time crunch now that there’s one book already in the works. Because with follow-up books that you might be drafting or editing, you’re still having to edit or promote your first book at the same time. I’m still struggling with better time management, and I’ve learned it is wholly possible to survive on four hours of sleep a night.

Q: You or your Alt? If you lived in Kersh, who do you think would win the dual? What would you use to fight your Alt (weapons, strategy, fighting skills)?

I hate to say it but I think my Alt would probably kick my butt. Not only do I know my own tendencies and weaknesses, I also couldn’t imagine she’d be any worse. But of course it would still have to come down to a battle, so I think if I stood any chance at all, I’d probably have to rely on doing something sneaky.

Don’t forget to check out the other blog tour stops and enter the tour-wide giveaway for a finished copy of Dualed (open internationally, as long as The Book Depository ships to your country.)

Click here to go to Rafflecopter giveaway!

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[Guest Post] Harken Blog Tour, Interview with Kaleb Nation + TWO GIVEAWAYS!

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2013, author, book, books, conspiracy theory, giveaway, interview, writing, young adult, young adult fiction

 Harken (2013)
by Kaleb Nation (twitter.)
Publication Date: January 13th, 2013
Read a 3 Chapter Preview.
Goodreads.
Amazon.

I’m very excited to be featuring Kaleb Nation today as part of the Harken Blog Tour!

After surviving an assassination attempt, teenager Michael Asher discovers that he is at the center of a worldwide conspiracy reaching higher than any earthly power. A supernatural organization desperately wants him dead. He doesn’t know why. Everyone who might have the answers has already been killed.

Q: Will Harken be translated into other languages? What language would you most like to see Harken translated into?

HARKEN is in English right now, but hopefully we’ll see some other translations soon. I’d love to see it translated into Japanese! I haven’t had any of my books in that language yet.

Q: What was the cover choosing process like?

The first cover designs looked nice but didn’t really capture the feel of HARKEN. You can see some of the rejected covers here.
I wanted a cover that captures something iconic from the book. What sets HARKEN apart from everything else out there?
Meanwhile, my readers were anxiously waiting to read HARKEN, which at that time was known as the #SecretKalebBook on Twitter. Some of them started to write #SecretKalebBook on their hands to show their support as I wrote. That got me thinking. How could we design a cover that shows something special from the book but also gives a nod to the people who’ve been waiting for years to read it? That’s where the idea of using Michael’s scale-covered hand came from… and as an added bonus, the word HARKEN is over his hand, just like my readers had been doing! 

Q: Do you think you will have the urge to “fix” or tweak some things in Harken the more you read it?

YES! I am a perfectionist. I was altering tiny details all the way to my deadline. Books are such massive projects that it’s impossible to get everything entirely perfect, and yet I still find it hard to let it go. Because of this, I’ve never fully read any of my books after they were published – I know if I open it, I’ll want to change things!

Don’t forget to check out the other Harken blog tour stops and enter the tour-wide giveaway for a Harken themed Kindle Paperwhite and a Harken prize pack! I know I want it!


Click here to go to Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win your very own HARKEN KINDLE PAPERWHITE!

And to thank you for reading (or scrolling) this far here’s a SECOND giveaway for a Harken prize pack right here on the blog!

• – a giant HARKEN poster (signed)
• – a HARKEN glow-in-the-dark wristband
• – a Kaleb Nation postcard (signed)
• – a HARKEN glow-in-the-dark silver ring

HOW TO ENTER:
Want to win a Harken Prize Pack? Leave a comment telling me if you’ve read Harken yet. (mandatory entry)
1 Winner, INTERNATIONAL, giveaway ends on February 26th, 2013 midnight EST, Good luck!

OPTIONAL Extra Entries (please list them in the same comment, don’t worry–I can do math):
+1 Like the Harken fanpage (leave Facebook name)
+1 Follow Kaleb Nation on Twitter (@KalebNation) (leave Twitter username)
+1 Follow me on Twitter (@noveltoybox) (leave Twitter username)
+1 Follow by email/Wordpress (leave the email/username you used in your subscriptionn)
+1 Share giveaway on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or Blog Post (one entry per share, leave me a link)

[Interview] The Author Behind The Book, Margaret Frazer

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blog tour, book, dystopian, fiction, futuristic, giveaway, interview, sci-fi, technology, YA, young adult

Circle of Witches (2012)
by Margaret Frazer
Publication Date: May 19th, 2012
purchase a copy via Amazon.
purchase a copy from Smashwords.

Today I’m interviewing Magaret Frazer as part of her Circle of Witches blog tour!

A GOTHIC ROMANCE. MISTY MOORS. ANCIENT SECRETS. FORBIDDEN PASSIONS.

Her mother had always been afraid. That’s what Damaris remembered. From the time she was a little girl until the day her mother died, she had seen the fear in her eyes.

But now she understood. Now she was afraid, too.

Young Damaris wanted more than anything to be happy at Thornoak, the ancient manor owned by her aunt and uncle. Adventuring through the wide, open beauty of the Dale in the company of her rambunctious cousins she rediscovered a joy she had thought lost with the death of her parents. And in the deep, storm-tossed eyes of Lauran Ashbrigg she was surprised to find an entirely new emotion.

But even under the warm and inviting sun, Damaris is chilled by the undeniable fact that the family which claims to welcome and love her is hiding truths from her: The truth of the Lady Stone. The truth of the Old Ways. The truth of moon and star and witchcraft.

The truth of her mother’s death.

Has being a writer changed the way you read? Are you more critical of other’s writing? Or have you become more appreciative of it?

Both. I’m more appreciative of books that I can simply relax and enjoy for their strength and their grace and their storytelling, but I’m also become more critical of people whose storytelling suffers because you can tell that they didn’t put their whole soul into it.

But the main problem I have is that when I read anyone’s book I tend to be editing: There should be a comma there; a semi-colon would have been nice. I’ll find myself saying to myself, “Please stop doing that! Just read the book!” But it can be hard to get out of perpetual galley-proofing.

Who do you envision reading Circle of Witches? What kind of reader do you wish to impact the most with your story?

Well, I hope that anyone who reads it will be impacted and drawn in. I’m not someone who tends to categorize by age. But because it’s more of a gothic romance than anything I’ve written before, I’m hoping that younger readers will come to it. Young adult books are filled now with magic and otherworldly action, and I think Circle of Witches offers a different way of looking at those things. An understanding of magic that’s deeper; that’s rooted in the world around us and the way that people relate to each other.

What book of yours should a casual reader start with?

It’s very hard to say because readers are so different. They take different things away from your books. For example, I’ve previously written two series and, ideally, you’d start those series with the first book. But both of my series got stronger (according to reviews) as they went along and new elements developed in them. Do you want royal intrigues? Then you’d want The Maiden’s Tale or The Bastard’s Tale. Do you want something that goes deep into ordinary medieval life, getting a feel for a different way of life and a different approach to living than is familiar now? That would be The Servant’s Tale or the The Reeve’s Tale. Or if you want to go adventuring with traveling players and spies, then there’s the Joliffe series.

But I think Circle of Witches is also a strong choice for new readers. It’s an exciting story, set in a beautiful part of the world (the Yorkshire dales), centered around a heroine who is desperate not to learn the truth of the lies that have surrounded her for her entire life. And I think readers will find it an intriguing problem – most people go seeking the truth, but this is a character who will challenge them in unexpected ways as things go right and things go wrong in her life.

Someone Actually Wanted to Interview Me! (She was probably bribed with cookies, but still.)

Amelia over at The Authoress interviewed me for her Saturday Spotlight feature last month! It’s a weekly feature where she picks the brains of fellow book bloggers through an interview (although I can’t imagine why me, so I’ll assume it’s because I’m cool.)

So drop by and check out my interview if you are inclined to be my #1 fan. I talk about my fourth grade pedophile lurer/hunter aspirations (and how Pokemon made me a avid reader.) No joke. I told you I was cool.

[Guest Post] K. Reed, Author of Dark Inheritance + GIVEAWAY

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apocalypse, ebook, free, free book, giveaway, post-apocalyptic, regency romance, romance, zombie apocalypse, zombies

Today I’m lucky to feature K. Reed for a guest post on surviving a zombie apocalypse. Obviously I had to call in an expert since my zombie-surviving plan is to die my hair platinum blonde. So after you finish packing those AK-47s and building a bomb shelter, be sure to check out K. Reed‘s new post-apocalyptic regency romance, Dark Inheritance and enter the GIVEAWAY for an e-book copy.
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How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse. Or why I’d either be the first to die or that person you seek out for refuge.
by K.Reed

Let’s face it. Surviving an apocalypse (environmental, zombie, vampire, Cylon, whatever) isn’t exactly easy. No one is ever ready for The End. We go through our lives expecting tomorrow to be much the same as today. The recent power outage on the East Coast USA is a prime example. I was one of the many without power, people I work with still don’t have power.

We don’t like surviving without our comforts. Sure, we can say how prepared we are, but give people a weekend without TV, Internet, or lights, and see what happens! Let’s not even go to showers, hot water, flushing toilets, and coffee.

[Interview] The Author Behind The Book, Jacqueline Abelson

Tags

blog tour, book, dystopian, fiction, futuristic, giveaway, interview, sci-fi, technology, YA, young adult

Hear (2012)
by Jacqueline Abelson
Publication Date: May 19, 2012
get yourself an ebook copy via Amazon for just 99cents!
synopsis from Goodreads.

I’m very happy to be featuring Jacqueline Abelson, who is the 19-year old author behind her debut novel, HEAR.

Lots of people can hear, but how many really listen?

At the age of 17, Charlotte Goode has issues. Serious issues. Despite countless surgeries, her parent’s panic attacks, and a well-meaning oncologist, a rare genetic disorder means Charlotte must live with recurring tumors. Life isn’t supposed to be this way.

And just as Charlotte is learning to cope, she gets some devastating news: Tumors are growing on her auditory nerves. But, the necessary surgery will leave her completely deaf.

With the operation scheduled in a month, Charlotte prepares herself for a world without sound. A world without the violin she loves, without her best friend’s laugh, and even without her boss’s irksome tone. Charlotte’s on a mission to take it all in, while trying to hire a band to play a benefit concert. Will it be The Bond Boys or Lennox?

Counting down the days until everything goes silent, The Bond Boys’ lead singer, Ron Cam, sweeps Charlotte off her feet. He’s pure charisma. Then there’s Matthew Lovelace of Lennox , who captures Charlotte’s attention with his music and “that” voice. What will she do?

Time is running out. Charlotte must find a way to leave the hearing world on a high note without missing a beat.

What inspired you to write Hear?

In the summer of 2008, when I was fifteen–years–old, the TV morning news program, Good Morning America had a story about a woman named Jessica Stone, who – like Charlotte – suffered from neurofibromatosis type II. Jessica’s story was different from anything that I’ve ever heard of. She was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when she was 15 and had more than 20 surgeries to remove the benign tumors that grew along her nervous system. She had an estimated 80 tumors throughout her body. After watching this women being faced with this unthinkable obstacle, was the sole inspiration for HEAR. I wanted a character who was just as strong as Jessica Stone who was able to overcome the impossible. It wasn’t that simple though. I began writing HEAR while I was on Coronado Island (in San Diego) and found myself putting my character in an environment where I took the sounds of the waves and the seagulls for granted. I just couldn’t imagine a world without sound.

Is there a character in Hear that you feel most resembles you?

I would say that every author feels a certain kinship or resemblance to their main character. I know that in the four years I spent working on this novel, I inserted some of my own qualities into Charlotte. So for example, in Chapter 3, the first five sentences in the beginning of the chapter are just some of the traits that I find myself doing from time to time. I love french fries dipped in chocolate milkshakes, spraying whipped cream into my mouth from the can, I’m still a huge Spongebob Squarepants fan, I always thought that the Shamwow commercials were entertaining to watch, and from time to time I’ll be with my friends and we would prank call people asking if they would like to donate a dollar to the Ice Skates for Ostriches Campaign. And these are the things that Charlotte finds herself doing as well. Plus, Charlotte has this cynical approach to life, which is something every teenager (like myself) has been through at some point or another.

What was the writing process like? Did you do any special research for it?

The writing process wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. In the first couple of drafts, I was more interested in how I was going to pull the story off than the scientific aspects behind Charlotte’s disease. Afterwards, once the draft was completed, I researched more upon neurofiberomatosis type II. When I learned more about the disease in depth, then I went back and filled in the scientific portions of the novel. As for, what kind of special research I had to do, it was a mixture of taking what Jessica Stone (the women whom Charlotte is based off from) had experienced from living with neurofiberomatosis, as well as the mechanics behind the genetic disease. So in a way, my research entailed both a personal component and a neurological component. I had to keep myself up to date with the encounters Jessica had to face through her blog, as well as visiting various websites that touched upon the properties of neurofiberomatosis.

[Socialpunk by Monica Leonelle: Blog Tour] Interview + IPad / Kindle Fire Giveaway

Tags

blog tour, book, dystopian, fiction, futuristic, giveaway, interview, sci-fi, technology, YA, young adult

Socialpunk (Socialpunk #1) (2012)
by Monica Leonelle
Publication Date: April 17, 2012
get yourself a copy via Amazon.
Goodreads.

I’m very happy to be featuring Monica Leonelle as part of her Socialpunk (Socialpunk #1) blog tour this month. I am ending the month with an intreview with Ms. Leonelle herself where she shares some of her marketing and writing insights. Many thanks to Monica for taking the time to answer these questions and joining us today!

Monica Leonelle is a well-known digital media strategist and the author of three novels. She blogs at Prose on Fire and shares her writing and social media knowledge with other bloggers and authors through her Free Writer Toolkit.

1. Would you ever write under another name?

Sure, I already write under Monica O’Brien and Monica Leonelle.

2. Does being a novelist change the way you read? (Are you more critical of others?)

Yes, unfortunately. I’m an editor myself (specializing in the marketability of books), and I’m really big on creating fascinating hooks. (If you are a writer you can find out if your first 1000 words are hooking here: http://proseonfire.com/post/20340477218/prose-on-fire-first-1000-free-email-consultation.) I definitely find myself editing a book as I read it, sometimes. There are a couple books in the last year that have not made me feel this way, specifically Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. It’s so romantic and lovely and sweet, and I completely got lost in it! So I wasn’t mentally editing as I read it and couldn’t even tell you now about the story structure. The book just worked.

If anyone wants to read it, it’s actually the second book in the Infernal Devices, so start with the first one, Clockwork Angel.