Monday, December 8, 2014

Paladin: Pawn by Michael Young

Okay, so I'm here today, climbing out of my blog hiatus, to share an amazing book recommendation with you.

PALADIN: PAWN by Michael Young is a great, fast read for middle grade and lower YA readers. I enjoyed reading about Rich (Heinrich) and his struggle to make the right choices as he tries to figure out the pieces to a puzzle he can't even see.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's find out about PALADIN: PAWN first.

When nerdy Rich Witz unwittingly becomes a Paladin, a white knight, in training, he is thrust into a world where flunking a test can change the course of history and a mysterious bully is playing for keeps with his life.

Rich’s grandmother leaves him with one thing before disappearing for good: a white chess pawn with his initials engraved on it. The pawn marks him as the next in an ancient line of white knights. He must prove himself in a life or death contest against his Nemesis, a dark knight in training, all while dealing with math homework and English projects. With the ghost of an ancestor for his guide, he has seven days to complete four tasks of valor before his Nemesis does, or join his guide in the realm of the dead.


As Rich rushes to complete the tasks, he realizes the chilling truth: his Nemesis is masquerading as someone at school and will stop at nothing to make him fail. As the tasks grow ever harder, the other knights reveal to him that his failure will break a centuries-old chain and bring the Paladin order to ruin. If he fails, the dark knights win the right to control the fate of the world, a world without hope or the possibility of a new dawn. So this is one exam Rich has to ace, with no curve and no extra credit.


Buy on Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads.

As I said, I liked the main character, Rich. He gets picked on at school, and generally doesn't have a lot going for him. This might seem like something you see in a lot of books, but here, Michael uses it to advance the plot. The fact that Rich knows what it's like on the other side of bullying helps him in his tasks.

I also liked that the tasks Rich had to complete weren't overt acts of kindness or bravery. When he tries doing those, he fails. It's the ordinary things that earn him the pieces of his medallion. I won't give too much away, but the things the make Rich grow and change aren't exactly what he thought they would be.

And I like that in a book.

I hope you'll pick up PALADIN: PAWN and give it a read. I can't wait for the next one!

What have you been reading lately? I'll admit that I haven't been doing much reading at all. I've been settling into the school year (which has been crazy!), and watching a lot of reality TV, and just living. I'm still writing, and I'm sure publishing will be in my future, but I'm finding the balance of it all.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

It's All About Perspective

Okay, so I think our view of life changes as we get more experiences behind us. I know it has for me. Sometimes in our lives, as well as in publishing, we need to gain more perspective.

Sometimes I find myself becoming impatient. I want things to happen right now, or at least as quickly as possible. Sometimes publishing moves fast, and sometimes I need to step back and gain more perspective.

So here are some things I've learned in the recent past.

1. There's not a ticking clock for getting a book published. It could be this year, or next, or the year after, on in ten years.

2. Maybe you have a book you've already written that will sell, or maybe you're writing one now. But maybe, just maybe, you haven't written the thing that's going to sell. So it's probably best to stop moping about what hasn't sold and write something else. Something you love. Something that's worthwhile whether it sells or not.

Okay, that last paragraph was a pep talk to myself. But I'm not going to erase it, because maybe, just maybe, someone else needs to read that too. And maybe they (or you!) can learn from something I've realized--however painful it may have been--in the recent past.

3. Another's success does not take a "spot" for you. Sometimes there's this underlying frustration that it's not happening for you when it is happening for someone else. We start asking ourselves, "Why? What am I doing wrong? Or what are they doing that's so right, or so much better, than me?"

These are dangerous questions, and if/when you find yourself asking them, I highly suggest reading #2 again and getting back to work on a project you feel passionate about.

Even if it's not writing.

Oh yeah. I said it.

4. Sometimes you need a break from writing. I know, I know. That goes against everything in my impatient core. I want to write the next bestseller NOW. I want my agent to read NOW. I want to query NOW. I want everything NOW! (I feel a bit like Veruca in Willy Wonka!)

But sometimes, just sometimes, it's okay NOT to write. Not to think about it. Not to let your whole life be consumed by it. <<I highly advocate this anyway, but especially during a time when you're trying to gain some perspective on your publishing journey.

So yeah. Those are some things I've realized as I've taken a few steps back and tried to find some perspective on publishing.

Anything you've learned recently? Lay it on me!

Monday, September 29, 2014

THE UNHAPPENING OF GENESIS LEE by Shallee McArthur

Okay, I got to read an ARC of THE UNHAPPENING OF GENESIS LEE by Shallee McArthur, and I just can't wait another month to talk about it. I thought the book was brilliant, starting at the premise. I mean, a whole race of people who can't store their memories in their minds? They store their memories in beads made of stone or wood (as those materials house them best) and can remember every--tiny--detail of their lives because of it.

You want to know more about this book. Here's the official blurb: Seventeen-year-old Genesis Lee has never forgotten anything. As one of the Mementi—a small group of genetically-enhanced humans—Gena remembers everything with the help of her Link bracelets, which preserve memories perfectly. But Links can be stolen, and six people have already lost their lives to a memory thief, including Gena’s best friend.


Anyone could be next. Which is why Gena is less than pleased to meet a strange but charming boy named Kalan who claims that they’ve not only met, but that Gena knows who the thief is.

The problem is, Gena doesn’t remember Kalan, she doesn’t remember seeing the thief, and she doesn’t know why she’s forgetting things— or how much else she might forget. As growing tensions between Mementi and ordinary humans drive the city of Havendale into chaos, Gena and Kalan team up to search for the thief. And as Gena loses more memories, they realize they have to solve the mystery fast.

Because Gena’s life is unhappening around her.



I absolutely loved this book. See, the main character, Gena, is one of the Mementi, and she's a victim of the memory thief. No, the thief doesn't take any of her beads, but she's siphoning off her memories.

I couldn't flip the pages fast enough to get to the heart of this mystery. I wanted to know who the memory thief was SO BAD. And the best part? I figured it out mere seconds before Gena did--and that is masterful plotting and writing. I always want to know split seconds before the MC does. I never want to be blindsided by something I didn't see coming, nor do I want to have figured it out pages and pages before the MC does.

Gena is a likeable and smart character. There's a hint of romance with Kalen, but it's not overdone, nor does it detract from the main plot of solving the mystery of the memory thief.

The world-building is pretty flawless. I felt like I existed inside Havendale, Arizona, and that I could join that city as one of the ordinary humans (obviously!).

THE UNHAPPENING OF GENESIS LEE comes out on November 4. If it's not on your radar yet, this should be your warning to put it on!

Have you read anything spectacular lately? What?

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

A Few Thoughts on Validation

Okay, so I've had an interesting year. It was almost exactly a year to this date that I decided to break up with my first agent and seek a second. That process took a couple of months, and during that time, I decided to self-publish a novel that my first agent and I had submitted to publishers in New York.

That book was Elevated, and I think it's done pretty well out there. Since then, I've published two more novels and two novellas. I've had another book out on submission with my new agent that didn't sell.

I'll admit that it's getting a little...I don't know the right word. Taxing? Tiresome? Something along those lines. It's getting a little tiresome to keep beating my head against this wall of publishing.

Here's the thing: I think my stories are good. I've even had agents who thought they were good enough to submit to editors. Both of those are validating things, but for some reason, I still want that publishing contract. I want that validation with an editor, a marketing team, with readers, and with my author friends.

I've struggled with this for a while. I'll have weeks where I'm like, "Who cares? I'm still the same person no matter what. I don't care what people think." Then the next day, sometimes the next hour, I'm like, "I need the validation from All The People."

It's sort of a sickening seesaw. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this. Maybe just wondering where you get your validation from? How can I gain more internal validation? Or maybe I have enough and that's why I haven't quit trying yet? 

Monday, September 15, 2014

Release Day for SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE!

My newest novel, a YA contemporary romance in verse, is available today! I hope you'll take a few minutes and just four bucks to support me and my new release.


SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE is my second YA contemporary romance novel-in-verse, and I hope you love it as much as you did my first (Elevated).

What people have said about SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE:
"Hooray for another fantastic YA contemporary verse novel from Elana Johnson!" ~Hazel @ Stay Bookish (see full review)

"Something about Love is an exceptional read." ~wrecked_life (see full review)

About SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE: High school senior Olivia Winging gave up her love of photography when she gave up her boyfriend, Trevor Youngblood, a year and a half ago. She broke things off with Trevor because her mom married his dad, and dating your step-brother? Creepy.

Livvy hasn’t been on good terms with her mother since, and one of her stipulations for staying at the Youngblood’s every other weekend is that Trevor can’t be there. When she gets nominated for the Junior Photography in Excellence award, Trevor insists she enter. She agrees—only if every photo in the portfolio can be of him. Knowing that Livvy can capture a person’s deepest secrets through her lens, Trevor hesitates before accepting the deal.

As Livvy gets behind the lens of her camera again, her love of photography is rekindled. Unfortunately, the time she spends with Trevor also re-ignites the old flame for him she’s kept smothered for so long.

In order for Livvy to finish her portfolio, she’ll have to face her feelings for Trevor as well as deal with the animosity between her and her mother. Livvy’s always been able to capture a person’s soul from behind the camera—but she’s not sure she likes it when the lens is suddenly focused on her. If she can’t find a way to forgive her mother and admit how she feels about Trevor, Livvy may end up losing more than just the photography contest. She could lose her heart. 






And ELEVATED, my first novel-in-verse that came out earlier this year is free this week! So be sure to get your copy of that too.

Friday, September 12, 2014

Dual Cover Reveal: HALF-LIFE by Tina Ferraro and RACING HEARTS by Laura Lascarso

Okay, so I'm participating in an awesome dual cover reveal today for two amazing NA novellas, coming in 2015 from the Shine line at Leap Books. This is a novella-only line, and I'm excited to read these two stories!

About HALF-LIFE: Probably not a good idea to take advice from your dead twin sister.

High school sophomore Trisha Traynor and friends have played the Halloween mirror game for years, the one that’s supposed to show a glimpse of the guy they’ll marry. But no one’s ever seen anything.

Until tonight—when Trisha is gob smacked by the candlelit arrival of her long-deceased twin sister, instead of her crush, Kirk Maxwell.

In a voice and vision that only Trisha can hear and see, Chessie claims to be back on a compassionate journey. Trisha fears she's gone nuthouse crazy. But she nonetheless follows the instructions Chessie outlines in their nightly conversations, until she finds herself stepping across some ethical lines, and probably ending all chances with Kirk.

When a sisterly showdown ensues, resulting in the shattering of the mirror, Chessie’s gone again, and a heartsick Trisha sets about righting her recent wrongs. That is, until she stumbles upon the real reason Chessie had come back and the most important glimpse yet that the mirror could never predict.

About Tina Ferraro: Tina Ferraro been writing since she learned to hold a pencil, and sold upwards of a hundred short stories to national magazines before turning to novels. She is the author of three Random House novels, The ABC’s of Kissing Boys, How to Hook a Hottie and Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress, which have received distinctions such as the ABA Book Sense Award and two RITA nominations.

Her fourth YA, The Starter Boyfriend, has spent time on Amazon’s Top 100 Lists. She lives in Los Angeles with her rocket scientist husband, two cats and whichever of their three young adult children is in town. When not writing, she enjoys playing Facebook Scrabble, swimming, and chasing coyotes out of her neighborhood.

Watch for Tina’s title with Shine….HALF-LIFE which follows Trisha in the days before her 15th birthday, as her long deceased identical twin makes appearances in mirrors to help prevent her similarly early demise. (ETA, Fall 2015)

Find Tina online!
Web: www.tinaferraro.com
Facebook: tina.ferraro1 (and) Tina Ferraro’s Books
Twitter: @PromMom3


About RACING HEARTS: He wants to honor his father’s legacy; she wants to prove her father wrong.

18-year-old Jesse is still grieving from the loss of his father to cancer when he learns his mother has lost her job. All too soon, Jesse, his little sister, and his mother might be put out on the streets.

Jesse hears of a local car race sponsored by his father's nemesis, Shep Bradley, and the prize money might be enough to keep Jesse’s family from losing their home - if he can win it.

When Shep’s own daughter Brooke asks Jesse to build her a racecar against her father’s wishes, Jesse accepts. After all, he needs the money.

About Laura Lascarso: Laura Lascarso strives to craft stories that are honest and real with characters who must overcome great odds. Her debut novel Counting Backwards (Atheneum 2012) won the Florida Book Award gold medal for YA literature. RACING HEARTS is Laura’s first e-series with Leap Books. She lives in North Florida with her darling husband, two children and a menagerie of animals.

Watch for Laura’s series with Shine which follows a pair of star-crossed lovers. He wants to honor his father’s legacy; she wants to prove her father wrong in this modern-day Romeo & Juliet set in the world of competitive car racing. (ETA. Fall 2015)

Find Laura online!
Web: www.lauralascarso.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laura.lascarso
Twitter: @lauralascarso
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/lauralascarso


Awesome, right?? I can't wait to read them!! What books are you waiting on right now? 

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Insecure Writer's Support Group

Okay, so I've posted a few times with the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Just a few, but I often relate to many of the posts I read on the first Wednesday of each month. And this month, just after their third anniversary, I have a guest post over on their main site!

Be sure to go check it out and leave me a comment over there. I will be checking throughout the day (and coming days) and interacting with you all!

Monday, September 8, 2014

When You Just Don't Care

Dude, okay, I have a confession to make. I've been writing for about 7 years. I've had a few periods of writer's block, or times when I've been so busy I don't have time to write. I've given myself permission to take a break and not work on anything writing-related.

But I've never felt this complete apathy I feel now. I don't have writer's block. I'm not too busy to write--the dozens of TV shows, movies, and sports I watch can testify to that. (And the zillions of games of Scramble with Friends and Memory...) I don't feel burned out, so I don't feel like I need a break.

I just don't care to write right now. I have things to work on--several in fact, and my writing partners probably hate me for not sending my chapters back to them. I feel bad about that, but not bad enough to get some words on the page instead of watching Project Runway.

So yeah.

I've wondered why I feel like this, and some people have given some suggestions. Maybe the projects I have aren't the right ones. Maybe I am burnt out. Maybe I could do some research and get inspired. Maybe I just need to force myself to write. Maybe this. Maybe that. Some encourage me to enjoy the break--and I am!

But maybe, just maybe, it's okay not to care right now. I can still be a real writer. I can still be considered an author. I don't have to write every day to be legit.

Have you ever felt like this? Did you embrace it or freak out?

Friday, August 29, 2014

Pre-Order SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE!

Okay, so I am self-publishing another novel! The official release date is September 15, and you can pre-order the book now!

Cover by Erin Summeril Photography
This is my second novel-in-verse, and I loved writing this one as much as my first (Elevated). It's called SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE, and here's what it's about: High school senior Olivia Winging gave up her love of photography when she gave up her boyfriend, Trevor Youngblood, a year and a half ago. She broke things off with Trevor because her mom married his dad, and dating your step-brother? Creepy.

Livvy hasn’t been on good terms with her mother since, and one of her stipulations for staying at the Youngblood’s every other weekend is that Trevor can’t be there. When she gets nominated for the Junior Photography in Excellence award, Trevor insists she enter. She agrees—only if every photo in the portfolio can be of him. Knowing that Livvy can capture a person’s deepest secrets through her lens, Trevor hesitates before accepting the deal.


As Livvy gets behind the lens of her camera again, her love of photography is rekindled. Unfortunately, the time she spends with Trevor also re-ignites the old flame for him she’s kept smothered for so long.


In order for Livvy to finish her portfolio, she’ll have to face her feelings for Trevor as well as deal with the animosity between her and her mother. Livvy’s always been able to capture a person’s soul from behind the camera—but she’s not sure she likes it when the lens is suddenly focused on her. If she can’t find a way to forgive her mother and admit how she feels about Trevor, Livvy may end up losing more than just the photography contest. She could lose her heart.


I started writing this book way last year, when my husband started taking pictures professionally. I'd help him on his shoots, and listen to the language he used when he edited pictures, and watch a lot of YouTube videos with him on apertures, and light settings, and types of cameras, and exposures.

It was a fascinating thing. While I'm not into that line of creative work, I decided to take some of his life and put it into some of mine: a novel. I finished SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE last winter, and I had my husband read it for me to make sure all the photography stuff was accurate.

So yeah. You can pre-order SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE here and get it delivered to your device on Monday, September 15. 


Help spread the word! Enter to win $15 Paypal cash by doing any or all of the items in the Rafflecopter widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


If you're a writer, have you ever taken part of someone else's life and put it in a book?

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

I Am Who I Am

Okay, so I think we're constantly growing and changing. We may think we know who we are, and what we stand for. In a lot of ways, we do. We each have "lines" we won't cross, or things we won't say, or other such things.

But from time to time, we're made aware of some things about ourselves that we thought we were okay with, only to find that we are, in fact, not okay with them.

It's a hard thing to face, especially as an adult--someone who shouldn't worry about what other people think about them.

But -- *whispers* -- we still do to some extent. And over the past several months, I've been wondering about myself.

See, it's pretty hard for me to open up to people. I have this wall up between me and others, and I actually like it. I don't like to hang out with large groups of people -- or even one-on-one is hard for me. It takes years for me to really come to be friends with people.

I care about them (I'm not a sociopath!), and I call them my friends, but I don't share personal information very often. I don't talk about personal things. As I've watched others, I've wondered, "Why don't I want to stay here and talk while my kids play?" or "Why don't I want to go to girl's night?" or "What's wrong with me that I'd rather be at home with my computer rather than hang out with my family?"

I've decided that there isn't anything really wrong with me. I took a personality test as part of my back-to-school activities, and I was labeled an "Achiever." I like to make lists; I like to get a lot of things done in a day; I like to do everything as efficiently as possible.

One of the characteristics of Achievers is that we constantly struggle to "get the next thing done," or "spend time with family and friends."

And it was comforting and eye-opening, because that is so me! I don't want to hang out while my kid plays, because I can get a lot done during that two hours! I can answer two dozen emails, organize a blog tour, format my next book, or write 2000 words in that two hours. I have things TO DO, you know?

So I've decided that it's okay that I like to get things done, but that all things need balance. And I do force myself to attend social situations, and be more friendly and open up more to trusted people. It's hard, but I can do it--I'll just add it to my list. *wink*

Have you ever had an eye-opening realization about who you are? Are you okay with it? We are, after all, who we are.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Keepin' It Real

Okay, so I've blogged about songs before. A lot of songs. Songs and lyrics that influence me as a writer, a person.

This is one of those posts. :)

This time I'm pondering Shaggy (a rapper!) and his song from the Holes movie soundtrack, Keepin' It Real.

I couldn't find an official music video, but the lyrics are the most powerful part anyway. You might want to listen here though. It's a great song! Very motivating to keep going (or as Shaggy says, "Keep on keepin' on), to persevere, and to be happy for everything you have RIGHT NOW, not what you don't have yet.

I love these lines the most:
"Not everything you want is everything you really need,
The standard of society's motivated by greed.
Are you prepared to follow,
Tell me, you prepared to lead?
So persevere and you'll succeed."

I love being reminded to be grateful for what I have, and to keep working hard for what I don't. What do you think? Inspiring lyrics? A song you can get behind?





Wednesday, August 20, 2014

WriteOnCon 2014!


Dude, so WriteOnCon is happening again this year! I have been on-board with the planning of this amazing, free, online conference for five years running. We have decided to scale things back quite a bit this year.

We will have Ninja Agents and Editors in the forums, so if you're an aspiring author looking for feedback on your query letters, first five pages, or just want to catch the eye of an agent or editor, post there! I love watching the Ninja's come into the forum, and the excitement of people as they comment and request pages.

We will be doing only live events this year. Twitter pitch chats, live chats, and some twitter chats too. Our agents and editors are awesome with their time. I know we'll be putting up a schedule in the next few days, but mark your calendars now for next Tuesday, August 26, and Wednesday, August 27 for the fifth annual WriteOnCon!

Have you attended WriteOnCon before? I hope you'll join us this year!

Monday, August 18, 2014

End of Summer, End of Hiatus

Okay, so I've been gone for a while! It feels a bit like I've abandoned the blog, but I assure you I haven't! I've just been taking a little hiatus while I "summer" properly.

I decided to make "summer" a verb this year. I've been doing all the summery things that should be done, like writing by the pool, catching up on reality TV, taking the kids to amusement parks, hiking to waterfalls, the whole kit 'n kaboodle. (Do people use that phrase anymore? I feel like I'm eighty years old! Haha.)

But anyway, school starts this week, and I'm back into full swing. I have a few exciting things coming up book-wise, and I'm excited to be back on the blogging train with you all! I have been blogging over at the League this summer, but I'll be back on my own blog now, all rejuvenated and ready for an exciting autumn!

Did you summer properly? I hope you did!

Monday, July 7, 2014

New Release: COLLIDE by Christine Fonseca!


Okay, so yay! My good friend Christine Fonseca has a new book out! It's titled COLLIDE, and it looks really good! (I already have my copy, and I'll be reading and then posting a review this week.)


About COLLIDE: The most dangerous secrets are the ones that kill.

When a surprising mental breakdown draws too much attention from a secret government group call the Order, 17-year-old Dakota discovers that her so-called boring life isn’t so boring after all. Between the lies, secrets and assassins out to kill her family, Dakota discovers there’s more to paranormal activity than ghosts and cheap mind tricks. Now she must uncover the truth before a new breed of terrorism takes everything away – including her life.



Buy!!

About Christine: Critically acclaimed nonfiction and YA author Christine Fonseca is dedicated to helping children of all ages find their voice in the world. In fiction, she explores the darker aspects of humanity and delivers gothic thrillers that take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

In addition to writing, Ms. Fonseca is a frequent presenter and trainer on subjects ranging from writing to behavior and understanding the unique needs of gifted children. She blogs regularly on many sites and participates in events throughout the country. See the News/Events page for upcoming events.

When Christine isn’t crafting her next book and working with kids, she can be found sipping too many skinny vanilla lattes at her favorite coffee house or exploring the world with her family.

Find her online!
Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

There's a fabulous giveaway going on during the release blitz! Be sure to enter below for a chance to win a $25 gift card, fabulous books by Christine and a few other authors, including my new futuristic fantasy, Elemental Hunger!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thursday, July 3, 2014

Fireworks in July!

Okay, as we head into the 4th of July weekend, I hope you'll pencil some time on Monday, July 7 for an amazing Facebook event -- Fireworks in July!



A bunch of clean romance authors, yours truly included, are hosting a party where we'll have giveaways all day as each author hosts. You'll get to chat, comment on photos, win books, and enter to win a $100 Lindt chocolate gift basket!! JOIN THE EVENT HERE.

It is going to be awesomesauce. It's "Fireworks in July" because it's romance, and holidays, and fun!

I hope you'll join the event and come chat with me on Monday between 1 - 2 pm eastern time.

Friday, June 20, 2014

EuphorYA Scavenger Hunt + Giveaway!

Okay, so today I'm part of the EuphorYA scavenger hunt! There are five bloggers today, each of us spotlighting another author on the hunt, and each of us providing you with a word you need to build a phrase that will allow you to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a $75 Amazon or Nook gift card! There are three days of fun planned, with a different phrase each day!

I'm hosting Jadie Jones, author of MOONLIT, the first book in a YA fantasy trilogy. Jadie has some exclusive content that goes with her post and book, so keep reading!

We are also running a Facebook event tomorrow, Saturday, June 21 from 10 am - 10 pm Eastern time. I'll be online during the 6 pm hour to chat and answer questions, so be sure to stop by!


-----------

Hi everyone! I'm thrilled to be a part of this event, and even more excited to share a scene I wrote exclusively for the EuphorYA scavenger hunt. I'm currently working on book #3 in the Moonlit trilogy, which is told from multiple points of view. For the scavenger hunt, I rewrote the moment Tanzy meets Lucas for the first time, which appears in Moonlit (book #1 in the trilogy), from Lucas's perspective. Lucas has been keeping watch over Tanzy for years, unbeknownst to our leading lady, but has never approached her before now. It was a little overwhelming to step inside his mind and take a tour... I'm usually focused on his many other attributes... but I digress... (and if you want to digress too, check out the inspiration board for Lucas's character on my Pinterest page - or Tanzy's inspiration board for the fellas.)

Anyways, here you have it - Boy meets Girl, through the opposite pair of eyes.

P.S. Don't forget to read all the way to the bottom for two giveaway opportunities (including PayPal cash) and the full EuphorYA schedule.

Boy meets Girl – from Lucas’s POV
Tanzy’s truck is in the driveway. She’s stayed at Wildwood this late before, typically when the veterinarian’s truck has made an appearance earlier the same day. Still, something's not right. The farm has had more than its fair share of unexpected visitors today. None of them were human, much less a large-animal vet.

Uneasiness makes a home in my chest. I step forward, the toe of my boot skirting the edge of the shadows, and search the air for two primary scents: Tanzy’s, and Asher’s, an Unseen creature who will lead her to grave again the moment he has an opportunity. I will not gift him a single moment to do so; I cannot watch her die a second time.

The faint smell of her rides my breath, a combination of weathered cedar and fresh alfalfa warmed by the sun. She’s in the barn somewhere. Do I dare approach? What if she sees me? I’ve never been so close to her new incarnation before. Then again, neither has Asher. She’s not safe here. Not tonight.

I ignore every hesitation blaring within, and stride across the dark parking lot. The first door on the right is closed – it always is at night – but the light on the other side is still on, illuminating the narrow gap between the door and the concrete floor. There’s a note from Dana stuck to the wood with a tack. She says animal control found something, which they didn’t, and tells Tanzy to ride Hopewell, which she shouldn’t. A surge of protectiveness rolls through me. No, Tanzy shouldn’t ride tonight.

I use a deep breath to steady myself. Her earthy scent is stronger here. My hand is fast on the door handle. The slight pressure sends the door inward, and there she is, sleeping on a beat-up couch. Her small hands are curled to fists beneath her chin. Her eyes are crushed closed, her jaw tensing and shifting with a bad dream. She rolls over, and her dark hair fans across the balled-up sweatshirt she’s using for a pillow. Then she cries out, fear and anger rolled into a single note. I can’t stand the thought of hearing it again. I have to wake her up.

I lean into the doorway a little further and clear my throat. “Pardon me.” It seems like an innocuous thing to say.

Her expression bursts to waking and she gasps an inhale. She sees she’s not alone, and her lips part, a flash of paralysis holding her for a millisecond before she bolts upright and tugs her jacket straight. Her shaking hands shoot to her hair, and she hastily ties it back.

“I’m sorry. Are you with animal control?” she asks, keeping her gaze low. I don’t know how to respond, standing this close to her too overwhelming to strategize through. In her vortex, I’m a compass with no recognition of North. I want to comfort her, to hold her until the trembles reside. At the same time, I want to have never opened that door. Here she is, in the flesh, speaking to me, her voice a familiar melody, even if this new body gives her a different sound. It’s so strange, to know so much and yet so little about this girl, this young woman, whose soul I have loved for a thousand years, but who, in this incarnation, has known of my existence for roughly five seconds.

She looks up, blinking, and I realize I haven’t offered an answer, and that perhaps it’s been a touch longer than five seconds.

Her eyes narrow, and then wander my face, pausing on the two scars claiming most of my cheek. Hope ignites within me. Could some piece of her remember me? Has my voice or the scars or my name triggered an ancient memory? She looks at me, through me, her amber eyes flecked with gold, and in this moment I see the soul of my beloved peering back at me, wholly unaware.

“Can I help you, Lucas?” she asks, hugging her arms across her front.

I realize how far I’ve leaned into the office, how strange I must seem to her, and straighten through my spine. I don’t have a single explanation for being at her farm at this hour, and I can’t lie to her, not when we’re face to face. I can’t tell her the whole truth, either.

“Actually, I was just checking on you,” I offer.

“Why?” she demands, a flush of pink touching her cheeks. Her flash-burn temper makes me smile. Tanzy doesn’t physically resemble her first incarnation much, but clearly some of her personality transcended hundreds of years.

“I understand you’ve had a rather interesting day,” I say, pressing to see how much she’ll tell me… and if she’ll trust me quickly.

She doesn’t. Panic opens her face and yanks her shoulders straight. She fidgets in her low seat, her hands returning to her hair.

“Well, the manager is in the pasture with the other Animal Control officers and she’s probably who you’ll need to see,” she says, and plasters on an awkward smile. She clearly has no idea what time it is or how long she’s slept. I decide against mentioning it. Hopefully once she realizes it on her own, she’ll be unnerved enough to decide
against riding, and see herself home.

“You’re welcome to wait in the lobby by the wash racks. It’s right down the hall. Can’t miss it,” she adds, her eyes moving to the door in suggestion. The distance she wants has the opposite effect. It’s been a thousand years since I held her in my arms and tasted her. She was mine, once. Could she be again? No. She’s safest this way, hidden from the truth, hidden from who I really am, and who she really is. Tanzy can go on working with horses and helping maintain the old farm, and I will continue keeping watch over her from the woods that line the pasture. She has the best chance of surviving if we never see each other again.

“And I’m fine, thanks. Never better,” she adds, her voice shattering my thoughts. I am dazed in the aftermath, and catch myself staring openly at her. I’ve waited so long to find her, wanted nothing more than to make amends for failing her all those years ago.

A feathery, fast sound draws my attention to the barn aisle, and my pulse skyrockets. A large rat scampers from a row of tack trunks into an open stall. I scan the rest of the perimeter to be sure, but nothing else moves.

I return my gaze to Tanzy, and grin at the sight of her studying my boots, which are caked with mud from today’s patrol. She raises an eyebrow, and the corner of her mouth draws up, too. I think I just won some points.

“Be seeing you,” I murmur, our old parting words resurfacing in her presence. And there it is: a spark of recognition, which sets her face aglow. My heart swells, but chilly dread is quick to squeeze it down. Will this foolish encounter alter her chance for survival? Furious with myself, I step back and pull the door shut before I cause any more harm.

Moonlit, Book #1, and Windswept, Book #2, are written from Tanzy's perspective, and are now available for Kindle. Moonlit is available in print where ever books are sold, and Windswept will be released in print on July 8th. Check out covers and blurbs below! Thank you so much for taking part of the EuphorYA scavenger hunt, and good luck!

Moonlit, Book #1 in the Moonlit Trilogy: Eighteen-year-old Tanzy Hightower knows horses, has grown up with them on Wildwood Farm. She also knows not to venture beyond the trees that line the pasture. Things happen out there that can't be explained. Or undone. Worse, no one but she and the horses can see what lurks in the shadows of the woods. When a moonlit ride turns into a terrifying chase, Tanzy is left to question everything, from the freak accident that killed her father to the very blood in her veins. Broken and confused, she turns to Lucas, a scarred, beautiful stranger, and to Vanessa, a charming new friend who has everything Tanzy doesn't. But why do they seem to know more about her than she knows herself?

Click here to go to Moonlit's listing on Amazon.


Windswept, Book #2 in the Moonlit Trilogy: Tanzy's journey continues in Windswept, the second installment of the Moonlit Trilogy...

Tanzy Hightower is the key in an ancient prophecy pivotal to the existence of all beings, both Seen and Unseen. Unseen who have waited a millennium for her birth are relentless in their efforts to see the prophecy fulfilled--whether for good or evil, depending on which side of the conflict one stands. Others have sworn an oath to end Tanzy's existence, permanently. Already, Tanzy's body has been compromised by her enemies, her veins now home to the blood of a wild horse whose instincts are becoming impossible to control. While Tanzy's Unseen enemies work to draw her out of a remote safe house, her friends beg her to stay in hiding. Tanzy is torn, wanting to reunite with Lucas, who has loved her since her first incarnation, yet unsure whether fulfilling the ancient prophecy will protect those she loves or destroy them.

Windswept is newly released for Kindle on Amazon, is available at a very special introductory price for a limited time! Click here to go to Windswept's Kindle listing on Amazon.

Georgia native Jadie Jones first began working for a horse farm at twelve years old, her love of horses matched only by her love of books. She went on to acquire a B.A. in equine business management, and worked for competitive horse farms along the east coast. The need to write followed wherever she went.

Jadie Jones currently lives with her family in the foothills of north Georgia. When she's not working on the next installment of the Moonlit trilogy, she is either in the saddle or exploring the great outdoors with her daughter. Learn more on her website: www.JadieJones.com.

Now then - the hunt is continues! Here's the schedule for the EuphorYA Scavenger Hunt. Each blog stop features exclusive content from one of our authors as well as a giveaway. Collect the blue colored words to make the daily secret phrases. Then enter for your chance to win the Grand Prize Giveaway--$75 Amazon / Nook gift card (first prize only), books and swag (first, second and third prizes).

Day One Stops, Friday, June 20 - Blue Phrase
Anna Silver | Chloe Jacob's World | Elana Johnson | Books By Intisar | Ali Cross

Day Two Stops, Saturday, June 21 - Red Phrase

Elisabeth Wheatley | T.L. Shreffler | RaShelle Workman | Kelly Walker | Hannah L. ClarkChristy Dorrity

Day Three Stops, Sunday, June 22 - Pink Phrase

Rhiannon Hart | Natasha Hanova | Tracy E. Banghart | KaitlynDeann | Jadie Jones



Who wants to enter a giveaway or two?! Here's what's up for grabs for my personal giveaway: a Moonlit swag pack, a copy of Moonlit and Windswept (you can choose between an eBook or print copy for both) and $25 in Paypal cash (value in US dollars - contest open internationally).

Enter via Rafflecopter: a Rafflecopter giveaway


And don't forget to enter for a chance to win the EuphorYA Scavenger Hunt Grand Prize giveaway on Rafflecopter: a Rafflecopter giveaway.


Thursday, June 19, 2014

Interview with Author of TORN CANVAS, Donna K. Weaver


Okay, so I'm here with author and friend Donna K. Weaver for her blog tour of TORN CANVAS! I cornered her and asked her some questions, and I can't wait to share them with you.

1. So TORN CANVAS is a sequel. Or a companion? Tell us about the first book, A CHANGE OF PLANS, and how TORN CANVAS fits into the series.
It's a companion novel since it has different main characters. It actually begins about 80 pages into A CHANGE OF PLANS, the first book in the Safe Harbors Series, when the main characters of the two books part ways (by force, due to those dang modern-day pirates). Lyn and Braedon from ACoP end up missing at sea, while Jori from TORN CANVAS is rescued and returned to American Samoa where their cruise ship had been docked.

Jori, a hot model, receives a wicked face wound during the fight with the pirates. Kind of messes up his life. He's a bit of mess anyway, something his beauty hid. In TORN CANVAS, we follow him through his journey of healing, both physically and emotionally. Toward the end, we get to see Lyn again. TC finishes a few days after the end of A CHANGE OF PLANS.

Some of the challenge with this story is that anyone who's read A CHANGE OF PLANS knows that Jori doesn't actually meet the love interest, Olivia Howard, until nearly the end of the book. Since the two books follow almost the same timeline, Jori's growing relationship with Olivia is a very different kind. And considering his character arc, that distance is important.

There's also a short story/novelette, HOPE'S WATCH, which is set during that week in American Samoa when the Coast Guard is searching for the missing catamaran. The main character is Elle, Lyn's best friend and cabinmate on the cruise. Jori, while he's in the hospital, gets a small role. It's a nice lead in to TORN CANVAS.

2. When did you write TORN CANVAS? What's one scene that you can still remember drafting for the first time?
TORN CANVAS was my NaNoWriMo project in 2012. (Yes! I love NaNo novels that get published!) I like to do my first draft fast, so I love the NaNo experience. Once I have my outline (that first, very rough draft), I can take my time to work through the story some more before I send it to my beta readers. My editor had some great suggestions, so I ended up doing a major rewrite to add Olivia's point of view.

A memorable scene, for me, is one that's actually the basis for the book's cover picture. When Jori loses his looks and has to pursue another career, he decides to try art which he had studied in college. The following scene is when Jori's interviewing with the man who becomes his art agent:

“Did you like modeling?”

“No.” Jori reminded himself this was an interview for a job. “Because it’s fake.”

“How so?” Mr. Schulze raised his brows.

Opening his mouth, Jori paused and snapped it shut, not sure how to put it into words. “That didn’t come out very well. I don’t mean to dis digital artists. I should have said it’s not real.” Jori leaned forward in his seat, clenching his fists. “It was all make believe. They would dress us up and use makeup to enhance us and when that wasn’t enough …,” Jori scowled, “and it was never enough, they would edit the pictures.”

“Not real?” Mr. Schulze shifted in his chair, a hint of disdain in his narrowed eyes. “How is that any different than, say, a Picasso?”

“Picasso knew people recognized his painting as his artistic interpretation, his abstract vision. That’s not what my modeling photos were about.” Jori flicked a finger at the pictures on the desk, unable to keep the anger from his voice. “That’s fine, as long as everyone knows that what they’re looking at is fantasy.”

“But these photographs are to sell a product.”

Rising, Jori riffled through the glossies until he found an especially sexy one of him in a loose bowtie hanging with an open dress shirt. It hung over his tanned and ripped chest and abdomen, his designer slacks riding low on his hips. He remembered the oil on his skin to make it shine—and the waxing to remove every speck of body hair.

Jori stabbed the picture with his finger. “Yes, they’re to sell a product, but they’re also selling a logical fallacy. ‘Buy this shirt and you can be as hot as Jori Virtanen.’ Hell. Even Jori Virtanen could never be that hot.” He pointed to his cheek. “Even before this.” Jori went silent and dropped his hand, his flushed cheeks making the still tender scar burn a little. “Sorry.”

3. How much research have you had to do for the series? Or are you a seawoman at heart?
I do a lot research, though I was a Navy brat growing up, so I've had a lot of opportunities to see places. By the time I was 13, I'd sailed the Pacific three times and lived in Asia nearly five years. I've never been to American Samoa--though I want to visit there very badly now--but I have lived in the Philippines and been to Hawaii many times, including spending the summer I was 16 there. I know the tropics well.

4. When you're looking to decompress by reading, what book do you reach for?
That kind of depends upon my mood at the time. Since I write adventure romance, I find myself picking up more romances lately. (I've also written but not yet published a YA fantasy series and I'm working on a SciFi trilogy--all with heavy romantic elements.) (Publish these, Donna! Stat!)

I've always preferred my romances with a dish of something else; that's why I write adventure romances or romantic suspense. One of my favorites is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The story, set right after the end of WWII, touches on some heavy topics but manages to be uplifting and a delight to read.

If I'm not in the mood for a book with a heavy romantic element, I can pick up anything by Brandon Sanderson and get lost in his stories. The man's writing is amazing and complex.

5. If you could be a contestant on Survivor, what's the one item you'd take with you?
After all the research I had to do for the shipwreck section in A CHANGE OF PLANS, I realized that I would only need one thing in order to survive in a survival situation--my husband. He is Mr. Handy.

Somehow, though, I don't think the producers for Survivor would let me bring him. I'd have to be satisfied with a Swiss Army Knife. Very versatile.

6. A guilty pleasure?
Don't tell my husband. He hates zombie anything--he's so tender hearted. We watched the first episode of WALKING DEAD, and he was ready to turn it off when the main character had to shoot a child zombie while the opening credits were still running. (I'm with your husband. I tried Walking Dead -- didn't make it through the first episode.) I made him watch the rest of the episode, but he was so done. I haven't done it yet, but I think I'm going to go back and watch a few more episodes when he's not around. We left the main character in a terrible situation, after all. :D

7. Bacon or chocolate?
This is easy for me. I know you're a huge bacon fan. Me, not so much. (Oh no! It's okay, we can still be friends!) It's okay sometimes. So chocolate for me. DARK chocolate.

Isn't she the best! She totally is. Here's a bit more about her and her book, TORN CANVAS.


About TORN CANVAS: Modern-day pirates took more than Jori Virtanen’s friends; they stole his face. Not only does the twenty-four-year-old former model have to confront months of reconstructive surgery, he discovers his previous life was as superficial as his looks. Jori struggles to make a new life for himself as an artist while evading the press. They expect a hero, but he knows the truth. His beauty masks a beast.

Olivia Howard’s given up a normal life for her job, and the sacrifices are finally paying off. The twenty-six-year-old talk-show host’s ratings are heading to the top of the charts. Her dream is to make a difference in people’s lives, but the studio wants mind fluff—like interviewing hot model Jori Virtanen. When Olivia learns the guy helped rescue passengers on a cruise excursion from kidnappers, she knows this is the story she needs to make her case. The only problem is the hero was injured, and now he’s disappeared.

The more Olivia learns about the man behind the scar, the more intrigued she becomes. But Jori is no girl’s happily ever after. Once she finds him, Olivia has to free his heart and help heal the beast.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLEiTUNESKOBO | GOODREADS


About Donna: Author of the Safe Harbors series and Second Chances 101, Book 5 in the Ripple Effect series. A wife, mother, grandmother, Harry Potter geek, Army veteran, and karate black belt.

Find Donna on:
Blog | Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube | Google+

Enter to win:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

ELEVATED is a Winner!

Okay, so I'm super-excited to announce that the cover of ELEVATED won the Judges' Choice Award during the Indie Author Hub's Indie Rev Awards cover contest! (I know that's a lot of words. Basically, the cover won. *grins*)

The cover of ELEVATED was chosen as the winner from dozens of Indie-published titles, by giants in the Indie cover-creating world Damon Za, Fiona Jade, Covers by Ramona, and Dane Low.

You can see all the winners of the 2014 Indie Rev Award cover contest here.



The genius Erin at Erin Summerill Photography shot and designed the cover.

Monday, June 16, 2014

GIRLS ON FIRE now available!!

Okay, so remember last week when I showed you the cover for the GIRLS ON FIRE boxed set? Well, you can buy it now!


Here's what the boxed set is about: Ten powerful YA heroines kicking butt and fighting for love.

10 novels. 1 buck.

Do it.




Click on each author's name to learn more about them and their individual books.


Thursday, June 12, 2014

Announcing: My New Fantasy Series!

Okay, so for the past few months, I have been preparing to release a new fantasy series. It's a futuristic, elemental fantasy series, and it's a little bit unconventional.

See, there's only one novel. I know you're going, "Elana, one novel does not a series make." And you would be right. My Elemental series has three titles, but two of them are longish novellas.

Download free here:
iTunes | Amazon (99 cents)
B&N (coming soon!)
Kobo | Smashwords

Also find on:
Wattpad | Goodreads
The first novella is titled ELEMENTAL RUSH, and it is free everywhere, except Amazon. It's still 99 cents there until I can get Amazon to price match it to be free. 


About the novella: Eighteen-year-old Adam Gillman has trained for twelve years to earn a coveted spot on the Supreme Elemental’s elite sentry squad. His brother, Felix, is the commander, but Adam is still thrilled when his official assignment to serve Alexander Pederson comes.

He moves into nicer quarters and can stop getting up at four a.m. to complete his mandated work out time. He still rises early though, because he needs the solitude of early morning to practice his airmaking Element—something that Adam has kept secret from everyone, even Felix, because he can’t be both an Airmaker and a sentry.

When Alex assigns him to kill a group of rogue Elementals, he balks at completing his mission for the first time. See, his only friend is Isaiah Hawking, and he’s the Earthmover on the accused Council. When faced with the prospect of killing him, Adam finds he can’t do it.

He’s well trained in assassination, but he thought he’d be murdering bad guys—not innocents.

When Alex buries the Elemental Academy—and kills over one thousand Elementals—in a fit of rage, Adam’s loyalty cracks. When he discovers that Alex is really a woman, and his brother’s lover, he defects. He hops from city to city, from Elemental school to Elemental school, always escaping only minutes before Felix can embed a knife in his heart or a tsunami can make a classroom his watery grave.

He tries to fight back, but he’s just one Airmaster with exceptional tracking skills. He does his best to warn those in danger, but as the last Elemental school goes up in flames, he knows he needs to get some real firepower on his side.

ELEMENTAL RUSH is a prequel novella to the full-length futuristic fantasy novel, ELEMENTAL HUNGER, which is coming on June 12, 2014.

This technically makes the series new adult, but the novel is narrated by a different character--and she's only 16. So I'm calling it a young adult/new adult crossover fantasy series.

Buy here:
iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords | B&N | Amazon

Also find on Goodreads
Here's what Elemental Hunger is about: The second installment in the Elemental series, a new futuristic fantasy for young adults and new adults, ELEMENTAL HUNGER is a full-length novel.

Sixteen-year-old Gabriella Kilpatrick can shoot fire from her hands, which would be great if she didn’t get blamed for a blazing inferno that kills 17 schoolmates. When Gabby is commanded to Manifest her Element, everyone knows what she is: a genetic abnormality. Not to mention guilty.

So she does two logical things to survive.
1. She runs.
2. She hacks off her hair to assume a new role—that of “Gabe”, because in her world, only boys are Firemakers.

Not only does she have to act like a guy, she has to pretend to know everything a Firemaker should know. When Gabby meets Airmaster Adam Gillman, he believes her act and pledges to serve on “Gabe’s” Council. But Adam has the mark of a sentry and spent years obeying Alex, the Supreme Elemental. And Alex wants Gabby-the-genetic-freak dead and gone before she can gather the magical protection of a full Council.

With Adam’s lies that sound like truths and rumors that Alex isn’t really a Firemaker—or a man—Gabby sets out to charter a Council of her own. In order to uncover the truth, Gabby will have to learn who she can trust, how to control her own power, and most of all, how to lead a Council of Elementals, most of whom have more control over their power than she does. If she can’t, she’ll find herself just like those 17 schoolmates: burned and six feet under.

Look for the third and final installment, ELEMENTAL RELEASE, an Elemental novella, coming on July 2, 2014.

I don't have a cover for the third installment--another novella which will also be free--but the entire series will be out by July 2. (It is here on Goodreads.) And I'm so excited to share it with you! So I hope you'll add these books to your Goodreads list, or order them, or download the first free novella, or pin the covers, or whatever you'd like!




Monday, June 9, 2014

Cover Reveal: GIRLS ON FIRE boxed set

Okay, so there's an amazing boxed set coming out next Monday, June 16. The reason I know it's amazing? I know all of the other nine authors, and I've read several of their books!

The tenth author and book is mine. A title I've never released before--one I'm announcing tomorrow (so stay tuned for that!).

Here's what the boxed set is about: Ten powerful YA heroines kicking butt and fighting for love.

Today we're revealing the cover for the boxed set. Here it is!!



About the novels in the GIRLS ON FIRE boxed set:
WITCH FALL – Amber Argyle
High Fantasy
Supreme in their dominion over seasons, storms, and sea, the witches have forgotten the unmatched destructiveness of mankind. And among the weapons men seek are the magical songs of the witches. Born of witches but raised among their enemies, Lilette searches for a way to heal the rift between mankind and the witches. But it may be too late to save either. For if there is one thing Lilette has come to know for certain, it’s that all things fall.


ETERNAL STARLING – Angela Corbett
Paranormal Romance
For centuries, Alex Night and Emil Stone have yearned for Evie Starling. When both men claim to be her soul mate and tell her about an unbelievable past, Evie learns that she’s not the person she thought she was, and her soul is about to become the rope in an eternal tug-of-war.


AWAKENING – Christy Dorrity
Fantasy
When an ancient curse threatens McKayla McCleery's family, she must decide what in her life is real and what is fantasy. Based in Celtic mythology, Awakening is a gripping young adult fantasy that is rife with magic, romance, and mystery.


INEVITABLE – Tamara Hart Heiner
Suspense
Visions of death plague Jayne, who thinks watching her sister die is the worst that could happen to her. But when she witnesses a murder, Jayne realizes that the next death she sees might be her own.


WATCHED – Cindy M. Hogan
Romantic Suspense
Change. She longed for it.
A murder. She will never be the same.


THE FORGOTTEN ONES – Laura Howard
Fantasy
Allison O'Malley doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his fairy tale about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.


ELEMENTAL HUNGER – Elana Johnson
Futuristic Fantasy
Sixteen-year-old Gabriella Kilpatrick can shoot fire from her hands, which would be great if she didn’t get blamed for a blazing inferno that kills 17 schoolmates. Gabby will have to learn who she can trust, how to control her own power, and most of all, how to lead a Council of Elementals, most of whom have more control over their power than she does. If she can’t, she’ll find herself just like those 17 schoolmates: burned and six feet under.


THE FAERIE GUARDIAN – Rachel Morgan
Fantasy
Kickbutt faerie Violet is about to graduate as the top guardian trainee of her class, but when an assignment goes wrong and the human boy she’s meant to be protecting follows her back into the fae realm, a dangerous plot is set in motion.


PERCEPTION – Lee Strauss
Dystopian/Romance
Eternal Life is to Die For.
A spoiled genetically altered girl needs the help of a jaded “natural” boy to find her missing brother.


INTRINSICAL – Lani Woodland
Paranormal
The gene that allows the women in Yara’s family to see and communicate with spirits seems to have passed her over. Until the night she rescues a local hottie from an attacking ghost. Her act of heroism attracts the attention of the evil spirit, and she finds herself entrenched in the middle of a sixty-year-old curse that haunts the school, threatening her own life as well as that of her friends.


Publication date: June 16, 2014
Price: 99 cents for 10 amazing YA novels!

Add the boxed set on Goodreads.

And click on each author's name to learn more about them and their books.


I'm very excited about being included in this amazing boxed set, with these amazing titles and authors! What do you think of the cover?

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