The Future is NOW!

Okay, so I am participating with dozens of other Young Adult Science Fiction authors in a newsletter campaign that starts tomorrow!

We are banding together to talk to fans of YA sci-fi, and we're doing it through our newsletters. Most of us -- me included! -- will be offering our YA sci-fi novels for FREE or a REDUCED PRICE tomorrow, Friday, March 13!

Not only can you get some amazing YA sci-fi novels for very little money, but we're giving away 2 Kindles and a load of cash in gift cards.

The ONLY way you can get access to the free and reduced price books and enter our giveaways is through one of our newsletters. You can sign up for mine here.

I don't send a newsletter very often. Once a quarter, or a little more often if I have news. Never more than once a month.

So sign up today, because this HUGE celebration of YA science fiction is happening tomorrow!!

Oh, and you can join us in our public Facebook group to talk about YA sci-fi and stay connected with your favorite YA sci-fi authors!

You Never Know What Can Happen, Even at the Seventh Rung of the Post Office

That's right, the post office. I generally abhor the place. There's always forty thousand people there, and the line? Long.

But you never know what can happen, even at the post office. Nothing has ever really happened to me, except for Lael, Thomas, and Merlin all know me by name and they know all my packages are media mail. They actually ask me now, "Media?"

It's mildly embarrassing. Thus why I've been putting it off for the past few weeks (the fact that I'm one breath away from complete and utter exhaustion has nothing to do with it... Nah, nothing).

Anyway, I go in yesterday with my billionty packages, and about 5 of them are my book. They're all stacked there, and this mom comes in with her teenage daughter. She asks me if I'm an author. I'm like, "Yeah, this is my book." They pick it up and peruse while I'm labeling the aforementioned packages.

They say it sounds interesting, ask a few more questions, and move on down the line. No problem. I still have about four thousand envelopes to address, and I can't find the addresses I need on my phone.

I really dislike the post office.

Anyway, I swear this story has a point. The mom checks out, and I'm still searching my phone, and she stops again and asks me if I have a group I attend. Yada, yada, yada, I find out she's an author, and is trying to find a critique group for her chapter book!

So I do what any shameless self-promoter would do. 1) I referred her to WriteOnCon, and 2) I gave her my card, and told her to email me if she has any questions.

It was awesome. Made the whole trip to the post office worth it--even though I seriously spent my life savings on postage.

Where's the strangest place you've made a connection with another author?

Authors Are Real People

Well, now that POSSESSION is out into the world, I hope you're ready to settle back into just, well, this.

"Never before have so many people with so little to say said so much to so few."

Exciting, I know.

I've been thinking a lot, and you all know what that leads to. That's right: blog posts.

Today's is about book reviews/feedback. See, now that my book is out there, I've been getting some feedback. Let me clear about a couple of things:

1. I don't read reviews. I'm too emotionally intense. If I think it will be a good review, I *might* click on it. Or if you're my friend, I *might* click on it. I'm grateful for all the reviews, good--bad--whatever, but I just can't stomach reading them. (Don't hate me!)

2. The Internet is virtual, but I'm still a real, live person.

That said, I've been getting feedback. This usually comes in the form of an email. And it's not all good. I'm not saying it has to be, but I'm wondering at what point do people realize that authors are, in fact, real people (as stated in #2 above)? At what point do you, as readers, keep from sending an email to an author, and instead just talk to your real, live friends about the book you may or may not have liked?

I don't want to discourage anyone from emailing me, ever. But surely readers understand how much work goes into a book. How many hours. How many buckets of tears, and countless sleepless nights, and maybe even 20 (okay fine, 25) extra pounds.

Readers do know that authors slave over their books, right?

I'm not saying they have to like it. I'm not even saying they shouldn't voice their opinions--whether positive or negative. I am a voracious reader, and when I love a book, that's when I *might* email an author.

So yeah. I don't know.

So what am I saying? I'm not really sure. Maybe just that I am a real person, too.

Do you view your "friends" on the Internet as real people? Do you view authors as breathing humans, with feelings and goals and families? Or has this virtual world made us less sensitive?

DON'T FORGET: The POSSESSION virtual launch party is this Thursday, June 16. Festivities are happening all day long here on my blog, on twitter, and on the fansite. Don't miss out!

Click me. I'll take you to the fansite.

The Book? Or the Author?

So I've been doing some thinking lately. I know that's always a scary thought. But whatever. You guys get to spend some time in the pink folds of my brain today.

And the great debate I want to bring up is this: Do we promote books? Or authors?

I've been wondering how much of a book's success is dependent on how good the book actually is, and how much author influence weighs. And I don't want anyone to bring up Suzanne Collins. I'm not talking about established authors. I'm talking debuts.

I'm sure we can all think of "big buzz" books. These are the ones we hear about on twitter, facebook, and blogs. These are the ones being talked about at book shows. It seems everyone is buying them, reading them, raving about them.

So is it a coincidence that these books also have authors that are accessible online? Likeable? Funny? Friendly?

Do we feel like we have to like the book because we like the author? How much does an author influence you in your decision to purchase a book? And after you read the book, how much does knowing the author/the author's personality influence your opinion of the book/the rating you give said book?

Are we promoting good books? Or nice/friendly/accessible authors? Can they be separated?

And...does it matter?

And dude! Go check out the WriteOnCon site today! Major announcement!

Goin' George (Again)

Holy brown cows!! Wasn't the awesome, well AWESOME, yesterday?? I hope you found a lot of books for your TBR pile and entered contests like crazy.

There's no way I'll ever top my post on Friday or yesterday's epicness (yes, it's a word). So I'm not even going to try. I feel like George Costanza in that episode where he's always ducking out of the room at the high point. And yes, I could quote from a Seinfeld episode in every blog post I write. Can't you? (lol!)

But seriously, a huge thanks to everyone who spread the awesome with me yesterday. Otherwise, it would've been me spreading the a--. YOU are what made it awesome. Well, you and some amazing authors.

*cue cheesy music*

And that's my signal to leave.

I just have one question: What should we do in June???

Blog Chain - I Love Me Some Books

Okay, Kate started this chain with this: This time...I'd like to focus on the flip side of the writing coin - reading. Specifically, what books have influenced you? This can be books that influenced you as a writer, or simply books that touched you as a human being. If you want to talk about one book, a top three, ten, or even twenty go right ahead.

Annie posted before me and Terri is up next. Everyone's been going all crazy about how they could go on and on about this topic.

Um, me? Not so much. See, I don't read to learn something new. About life, about the chemical reactions of copper and peroxide, about myself, about anything. To me, that's not what reading is for. I can Google if I want to learn something new. Or ask someone who already knows. Or just by trial and error. But reading? Pshaw. That takes the whole point of reading away. Because reading should be...well, keep reading. *winks*

I'm what you'd call a shallow reader. I read for fun. The end.

So books that have touched me? *scratches head*

Influenced me as a writer? *panic face*

Don't get me wrong, I love me some books. I've always loved books, but not in the way that they can teach me a lesson and/or influence my life. More like in the way that I can escape to a new place, experience something cool or get caught up in a romance that leaves me breathless. Reading, for me, has never been about the writing. It's been about the stories, the people, the places.

Only recently (translation: when I tried writing myself) did the books I read have any other purpose other than to entertain me. So if you're looking for something deep here, um, maybe you better go back to Archy's post. Or Christine's. Or Annie's. Or pretty much anyone else in this chain.

My list of books I love randomly changes based on what I've recently read that I love. Ha! Go figure. I've blogged about some of these before, but here's my best shot. You should note that these books are on my list for their entertainment value. Now, before you go all ballistic on me, that doesn't mean they're not written well. I just didn't happen to be paying attention to that at the time.

1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
2. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
3. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. Heck, anything this man writes is pure entertainment for me. (And good writing.)
4. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
5. Percy Jackson and The Olympians by Rick Riordan
6. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
7. Maximum Ride by James Patterson
8. Alcatraz and the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
9. The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud

These books I love because of the way the author wove words together. Some of them I didn't actually finish, because I wasn't entertained enough to do so. But the writing? Brilliant. I have pages folded down, images I've scrawled on post-its and happy faces in the margins of especially poignant sentences. This all came about after I decided to be a writer. I do think these books have helped me become a better writer, simply by helping me define what kind of writer I want to be.

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
2. Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
3. Anything by Nancy Farmer or Cornelia Funke
4. Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith
5. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
6. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Notice there are no classics in either list. Um, that's not fun reading. At least not for me. Heck, I was on the Academic Olympiad in high school *insert geek song of your choice*. We even had these totally schweet T-shirts and everything. I don't think any of my former geekalicious Olympiad's read this blog so I can say this out loud: I didn't read the books we were supposed to for the competition. Why? Cuz A Tale of Two Cities and Huckleberry Finn are NOT entertaining reading! That is not my idea of a fun time.

But reading about magic and moving staircases and hoverboards? Oh, yeah. Djinn and faeries and alternate realms? Bring it on. The first kiss and riding in the Sun God's chariot and jumping out the window of a fifty-story building and unfurling your wings? Yes, yes, YES!

There are also only young adult and middle grade books on my list. That's what I like to read (and write), because it's fun.

So I read for entertainment. Funnily enough, that's also why I write.

Can you answer Kate's question? What books have influenced you? And maybe just because they were a good yarn that kept you turning pages way past your bedtime.

Contest Winners! And So Many New Books to Read

Wow, you guys are so full of awesome. There were so many comments on last Friday's call for the best books and authors on the planet. I carefully typed them all up in a fancy Word document and did some serious printage and scouring at the library. And then I'm going to head to the bookstore. And then maybe Amazon. One can never have too many books. Or amazing authors to emulate. But enough babbling about my future plans which may or may not come to fruition (challenge: use this word in a sentence today! ha ha!).

So on to the winner!

It's Sandra!

And you can email me with your prize choice.
1. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
2. Looking for Alaska by John Green
3. Or a critique of the first ten pages of your novel

And the second place winner! You didn't think I was going to have more than one, didja? Ha! I like to keep you on your toes.

Sara Tribble can email me what she wants, in list form, please. Like, "1. Looking for Alaska 2. Critique 3. Wicked Lovely" Then whatever Sandra doesn't pick, I'll give you your top choice if it's available. Does this even make sense? It does inside my own brain, but you never know on the outside.

And the third place winner is Windsong. Just email me. You'll get what you get and you won't throw a fit. Oops! My inner teacher/mom just surfaced.

Email: elanajohnson (at) gmail (dot) com

Thanks for suggesting the great reads! I went to the library yesterday and they had some Patricia McKillip and some Bernard Cornwall. I put Tad Williams on request, same with Cassandra Clare (which I already had on request). And I've had Suzanne Collins' on request for like, two weeks, so we'll see if I ever get that. And I have Diana Gabaldon's book in my closet...I've really got to read that...

Contest - Who Do You Love To Read?

Okay, since my readage and postage on The Book Thief, I've been wondering what other super-stud authors there are out there. So here's the deal. Leave me a comment, telling me who (the author's name) and what (the book) that you read that made you shake your head sadly, wondering how you could ever learn to write like that.

I actually have more than one. In no particular order:

Scott Westerfeld, So Yesterday. I adore everything Scott Westerfeld. I have yet to read his Midnighter's series, but it's on my list. I just find his young adult writing fresh and current and relevant. *sadly shaking head*





J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter. And not for the reason you think. I think she's brilliant, of course, but the reason why I find myself shaking my head sadly is because she "gets" boys. She doesn't try to make Harry a girl. As a woman author, I find this beyond awesome. And I marvel every time I read a scene where she captures the boyness of Harry. *stewing on how to know how a boy would react to things when I am not a boy*

Then The Book Thief, for reasons I already pontificated on in the post on Monday.

So that's it. I'm opening the comments from now until midnight Sunday, April 5, so you have about 72 hours to figure out which authors and books have you sadly shaking your head. Cuz I want to do that, too.

What will you get? I have a couple of books that had me shaking my head. Looking for Alaska by John Green and Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. Or I'll take a critical look at the first ten pages of your book. You choose.

Book Reportage

I'm happy to report that I've read real, published books since last we talked! I also made the realization that I do quite a bit of beta reading and critique group reading and that those reading activities shouldn't be discounted. True, they are not published books, so they don't contribute to my yearly totals, but it's still reading.

3. The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney. This was a great read. Fast, too, because I got completely sucked into the world of being a Spook's apprentice. Very nicely done, Mr. Delaney. Very nicely done.

It's the story of a 13 year old boy who's learning how to deal with witches, boggarts and other things that go bump in the night. An exciting read.

4. So then I read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It was pretty good. I was intrigued for the first 200 pages or so, and then it sort of stalled for me. But the narrator was interesting and the story was compelling enough to keep reading. The thing I liked the most was the literary style of writing. For example:

It felt as though the whole globe was dressed in snow. Like it had pulled it on, the way you pull on a sweater. Next to the train line, footprint were sunken to their shins. Trees wore blankets of ice.

As you might expect, someone had died.

I've really been paying attention to what I read, what strikes me, what I really, really like. And sentences like these are brilliant. I really need to learn to write like this. I love it. Here's another bit from The Book Thief.

The last time I saw her was red. The sky was like soup, boiling and stirring. In some places, it was burned. There were black crumbs, and pepper, streaked across the redness.

Both of those passages conjured such great imagery for me. Other moments of brilliance were sprinkled throughout, so while I grew tired of plot at about page 200, I was able to press on and finish.

Because of the writing itself.

I read Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr last year, so it doesn't count, but she had this same style of literary writing mixed with an interesting story. Not too purple, but enough to stun you with the power of the words.

I so want to write like that.

5. Maximum Ride, The Final Warning by James Patterson. Okay, okay, I admit, I still have about 50 pages in this one. But it's a fast read, so I'll be done by the end of the day. I love the way Mr. Patterson weaves together the present tense commentary of the narrator with the past tense telling of the story. This is something I *love* and am trying to do in a novel I've written.

So here's my question, and it's really several. What books have you read where you fold down the pages because of the writing? Not necessarily the story, but the actual writing on the page? I need to read those books. Also, how have you decided what kind of writer you want to be? Do you want to write the gripping passage about a single color? Or are you the type that just writes what needs to be written? I'm a little of both. I'm trying to be more literary, but sometimes that's a hard mix with the sarcasm I've got going on.

*Snarf, snarf, snarf*

So how to you balance what you're writing? Some of everything in the book? Different styles for different stories?

See? Told you I had a lot of questions.

Buying Books

There's nothing better than buying books. Nothing.

My husband and I went to the BYU bookstore today and bought four new books! I love getting new books. We bought the second book in the Cronus Chronicles by Anne Ursu, The Siren Song. I'm going to start that one first. A lover of anything Nancy Farmer writes, I bought The House of the Scorpion. My husband's already claimed that one. The next two will be brand new for both of us. Quantum Prophecy: The Awakening by Michael Carroll and The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney. They are both the first in a series and I'll see if I like them enough to buy the next in the series.

There were so many more books I wanted. Like Libba Bray's Rebel Angels, the sequel to A Great and Terrible Beauty. But I decided I better finish the first one before I buy the second one. I wanted Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer, but they didn't have it. Nor did they have Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr. Oh, and The Final Warning by James Patterson. They had that one, but it was hardback, and expensive, and I already had four I was dying to have...so I didn't get that one either.

Reading: THE SIREN SONG by Anne Ursu