Things are afoot...

So I've been busy behind the scenes. Doing book clubs, teaching classes at libraries and conferences, and writing take up a lot of my time!

I've mostly been focused on my Liz Isaacson books - which by the way, if you like clean cowboy romances, I have a plethora of them for you! Go check out her website.

Anyway. Back to Elana. I've been working on a re-brand for her for about a year. I've taken down all the science fiction and fantasy that I can and I've moved it over to Wattpad, where you can read it for free!

And I've been planning to relaunch her as a YA and adult clean contemporary romance author. And that time is ALMOST here!

I've got a few YA books out, of course. They've been doing pretty good.

And now I'm ready to show you my next project!

Introducing the Clean Billionaire Beach Romance series! Check out these pretties below. They're not quite out yet, but if you want to be notified when they hit shelves, just subscribe to my newsletter, and you'll get an email right in your inbox. :)

Happy Holidays! Get ECHOES OF SILENCE for only 99cents!

Okay, so if you haven't read my debut adult fantasy novel, there's no better time than now! Echoes of Silence, which won the Kindle Scout program and is published by Amazon's Kindle Press, is only 99 cents until the new year!

You should get a copy today. The book is also available in Kindle Unlimited.

Echoes of Silence: Her voice could unleash a war...

Twenty-three-year-old Echo del Toro doesn't know about the bride-choosing festivities the tyrannical Prince of Nyth has planned--until she's taken from her home by five armed soldiers. She's led under the cover of a magically produced storm to an opulent compound to join hundreds of girls, each vying to be chosen as the next Queen of Nyth.

As she plays the charade of falling in love with the Prince, Echo realizes three terrifying truths: He is hungry for her song-magic, he has a secret plot to dethrone his father, and he is not wholly unlikeable.

Faced with the strongest dark magician in centuries, Echo must know when to let her voice fly and when to hold her tongue, or she'll find herself caught in the lasting notes of a song that can't be unsung.

Go grab a copy now, or gift it to someone else! And Merry Christmas!

COVER REVEAL: To Be Yours

Okay, so I am super excited to be showing you my cover for my next young adult contemporary romance novel, TO BE YOURS. It's coming on January 16, and while I know the cover doesn't look like it, the MCs live in Idaho and get snowed in...

But the story goes all the way to summer, so I think the cover is still a great fit. In fact, I freaking LOVE this cover! Are you ready to see it??

Well, here it is!

And here's a little bit about the book.

TO BE YOURS: When seventeen-year-old Eden Scotson skis to the bottom of a mountain on a routine trip with her older brother's best friend, Grayson Young, they find the lift non-operational and the biggest storm of the season upon them. Compared to dealing with the complexities of friendship and more-than-friendship, overcoming grief, and learning how to forgive old wounds, physically climbing the mountain back to safety will be the easiest part of the journey for both Eden and Grayson.

I hope you'll preorder a copy today!

JUST FRIENDS is out today!

Dude, so it's true. I'm writing YA novels again. I have one out today, in fact. You may have seen it around on Facebook, twitter, or instagram. I'm not sure if people still come to blogs or not, but I figured I better put it here too.

JUST FRIENDS is a novel I poured my heart and soul into a few years ago. It made the rounds in New York, but ultimately, it went on the hard drive. Until this past summer, when I decided to resurrect it.

Kindle Scout passed on it, and I thought, "I know how to self-publish. And I know how to hire great editors." So I did the second, and now I'm doing the first.

I hope you'll go get a copy! JUST FRIENDS is told entirely from a male POV, something I've never done before. (Yes, I know ABANDON was told from two male POVs. Two. This is the first time I've attempted to have one boy carry the whole story. I think it turned out pretty well!)

About JUST FRIENDS: High school senior, Mitch Houser, is thrilled to have multiple colleges recruiting him because of his record-breaking times on the track, but Mitch hasn’t told anyone the real reason he’s been setting records.

He’s trying to outrun his girl problems.

Mitch can't keep running from his problems, and he'll have to face both Jade and Holly—and decide which one of them to put into the “just friends” category.

Go get your copy now!

SHELTER ME is here!

Okay, so if you haven't been around for a while, I've got some news for you! Number one, I mostly write romance now, though I still love my speculative fiction titles. When my publishers put them on sale, I'll be sure to let you know!

But I've been working on some beach romances, as well as some YA contemporary romances for the past several months, and there will be a few titles out in the next two months!

The first is happening TODAY, as I release my first adult beach romance in Roxanne St. Claire's Barefoot Bay Kindle World! Say that five times fast. Ha.

But when Amazon asks you to write in one of their worlds, it's really hard to say no. So I didn't. I said yes. And since I love beach romances, it wasn't a hard yes to say!

And today, SHELTER ME is out in the wild! You can read it for $1.99 or free in Kindle Unlimited. It's got cute dogs, a complex man, and a conflicted woman. And the beach! And hot air balloons! And all kinds of other things that make me smile.

So go grab a copy!

About SHELTER ME: When her high-profile relationship took a wrong turn, Abby escaped to Mimosa Key, because it barely has a grid. Noah's on the island for a veterinary conference, even if the beach is the last place he wants to be. Can Noah and Abby find shelter in each other from the storm of secrets that seem to follow them? Or will their relationship end when the conference does?

Order on Amazon now!

New YA Contemporary Romance Coming Soon!

Okay, so I know I haven't been around much, especially here on this blog. I had so much going on over the summer, from hitting the USA Today bestseller list and trying to keep up with my insane pen name publication schedule.

But somehow, during everything, I managed to get a couple of YA contemporary romances written and edited and ready for publication!

The first is called JUST FRIENDS and it's coming out on December 12. The second TO BE YOURS, will be out on January 16. I'm getting the cover finalized with my designer right now, but it should be up for sale soon!

About JUST FRIENDS: High school senior, Mitch Houser, is thrilled to have multiple colleges recruiting him because of his record-breaking times on the track, but Mitch hasn’t told anyone the real reason he’s been setting records.

He’s trying to outrun his girl problems.

It’s bad when his friend starts dating his younger, freshman sister. It gets worse when his best friend from childhood, Holly Isaacson, pulls away from Mitch. They used to switch phones during AP History and type each other random notes throughout the day, but lately, Mitch has been keeping his phone safely in his own pocket.

Lance, Mitch’s only competition on the track and good friend, tells Mitch over and over that Holly isn’t ten years old anymore, that she’s worth taking a second look at. Mitch rolls his eyes and tells his friend to shut up, the way he has for years.

And worst of all is the idea of Holly becoming buddy-buddy with Jade Montgomery, who is Mitch’s latest crush. He wants to move Jade from a girl he invites to eat dinner with his family to a girl he takes out to dinner—and maybe kisses afterward. Mitch, who isn’t a great conversationalist, struggles to find the right way to ask Jade out and explain his “just friends” status with Holly.

So Mitch runs, and he runs fast. Things progress with Jade at the same rate they fall apart with Holly. Mitch is under pressure from his parents to fill out his college applications. He’s unsure what to do about Holly. He argues constantly with his sister about her boyfriend. And Lance’s voice about Holly refuses to be silenced.

Most days, Mitch can’t change into his running clothes fast enough. But running from his problems isn’t a good solution, and Mitch has to face both Jade and Holly—and decide which one of them to put into the “just friends” category.

I hope you'll get a copy today! Available in Kindle Unlimited or for $2.99.

New #YA #scifi coming to an eReader near you!

Okay, so it's been a while since I've released any YA novels. I'm still plugging away on them. I still like writing them. I just think they require so much more brain power than I sometimes have!

 But I have a duology coming: The Rift Walkers duology will be published very soon! And they got new covers!

You can get RIFT, the first installment in the series, on October 17. That's my mom's birthday, so I was pretty stoked to release a book that day.

And the second and final book in the series, MEND, will be out on December 11. That's MY birthday, and I've always wanted to release a book on my birthday! So I am going to! It's going to be epic.

 I love the covers the fabulous and award-winning Steven Novak did for me. Don't you think they're amazing? (Lie to me!)

Anyway, here's a bit more about the books, with buy links if you're so inclined to pick up a copy.

About RIFT: Seventeen-year-old Saige Phillips can’t help holding on to the hope that she’ll find Chloe, her twin who went missing five years ago. After all, Saige sees echoes of Chloe sitting in the window and skipping down the stairs. Though there’s never been any sound associated with Saige’s “hallucinations,” she’s freaked out by the breathing she hears in her bedroom.

The breathing is definitely real, and it’s definitely not coming from Saige. It’s echoing through a time rift that originates in Saige’s bedroom. Then a grayed-out guy shows up, saying his name is Price and he’s from the future. He has the same blue film clinging to him that Saige has seen on Chloe, and she seizes onto the idea that her twin went through the rift.

As Saige searches for answers in her time, she’s met with secret after secret, all coming back to one source: her physicist mother.

Price lives in the year 2073 with his Time Keeper father and a whole slew of global initiatives that regulate time travel. He knows time shouldn’t be played with. What he doesn’t know is why the rift opened now, or how he can stop it.

The deeper Price digs, the harder the truth is to swallow. His father willfully violating the global time travel initiative is one thing. Stealing the rift site from Saige’s mother is quite another. And kidnapping—or worse—to cover everything up takes things too far.

When the rift begins to show signs of overuse and instability, Price is desperate to close it before it explodes while Saige will do anything to keep it open long enough to find Chloe.

 In this dangerous game with time, someone’s bound to lose.


BUY for only $2.99 on Amazon.

About MEND: The high-octane conclusion to the time travel thriller, RIFT.

With Cascade gone through the rift, Price is determined to fix everything and find her. It doesn't matter if there's somebody that could become him--steal his life--on the other side of the rift. What does matter is that he figure out how to mend it.

But he doesn't even have access to it anymore. When he wakes up to a new, different existence than what he's used to, he realizes that everything about time is fluid. And anyone with the power to walk through time can change his entire future.

Cascade knows this all too well, having lived in dozens of realities over the years. And the one she lives in now, she doesn't want. Because it still harbors secrets about her father, who her sister Saige is determined to find.

Find him they do, but no one--not Price, not Saige, not Cascade--is prepared for what they'll find on the other side of the rift...

BUY for only $2.99 on Amazon.

Kindle Scout Nomination Giveaway!

So I'm half-way through my Kindle Scout campaign for an adult fantasy romance of mine, ECHOES OF SILENCE.

I'm excited to be trying this new way of publishing a novel. Kindle Scout is sort of like American Idol for books. You get 3 nominations at a time, and if one of the novels you nominate gets selected by the Kindle Press team, you get a copy of that novel for free!

So I guess it's better than American Idol. I mean, I'm not getting those songs for free! :)

Anyway, visit this link: https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/3DTGU0YPXT25E, and nominate ECHOES OF SILENCE for publication. If you do, and then come back here and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway, you'll be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card or Paypal Cash.

I made the cover myself -- my first attempt at such things! And here's a little bit more about the novel:

Her voice could unleash a war.

Faced with the strongest dark magician in centuries, song-magician Echo del Toro must know when to let her voice fly and when to hold her tongue, or she’ll find herself caught in the lasting notes of a song that can’t be unsung.

It's easy! Read the beginning of ECHOES OF SILENCE and vote for the book to be published by Kindle Scout.

All it takes is a couple of clicks, and I'd really appreciate it! It's FREE to vote for the book, and if it gets chosen by the Kindle Scout team, you'll get a copy of the book for FREE too! #winwin


Read and Vote here.

And here's the Rafflecopter widget so you can enter. You can also tweet out a message about the giveaway, and subscribe to my newsletter to get more entries.

You have to have an Amazon account to nominate, so you have to have an Amazon account to enter the giveaway. Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you.

The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Elana Johnson. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Cover for UNTIL SUMMER ENDS!

Okay, so my contemporary romance debut is coming in just 4 short months! At least according to Amazon, where UNTIL SUMMER ENDS is available for pre-order. I know, I know. That's super fast. I thought the book was slated for July, but it looks like May 10 is The Day!

I saw the cover last month, but I just noticed that it's out in the wild! So I thought I'd show it here on my blog! I'm super excited about this novel, because it's my first successful attempt at writing straight-up romance. I'd tried a couple of times previous to this, and well, those novels weren't, well, let's just say that they won't be getting published.

But hey, practice makes perfect, right?

Anyway, here's a bit about UNTIL SUMMER ENDS, as well as it's super-awesome, super-romancy, super-beachy cover!!

UNTIL SUMMER ENDS: Sophie Newton is determined to prove herself to her father, who insists she could never run a successful business. She opens a beachside taco stand called The Sandy Tortilla and plans to make her own way, one burrito at a time.

When she loses her summer help, Sophie rushes to find somebody to help take orders. She finds that somebody in Montgomery Winters, a struggling actor from LA. Mont takes the job; the money's useful, though he finds that his curvy boss is what really keeps him around.

As Sophie and Mont work together, they discover an intense attraction between them. But when Mont's agent calls him about a career-making audition, he decides he must pursue the opportunity, even though he can't get Sophie out of his head. Now, Sophie must choose between chasing after the man she's falling in love with and the business she's fought so hard to build.

Pre-order on Amazon | On B&N | On Indiebound | On Book Depository (they ship anywhere!) | Add to Goodreads (you can vote for the book in a 2016 most anticipated romances list too!)

What do you think??

This is a "sweet" romance, which means it's friendly for most ages. I think it's probably cleaner than my YA stuff! So don't be afraid of the label "romance." It's not that kind of romance. It's more like one of those holiday Hallmark movies. Set in the summer. On a beach. With tacos. Maybe I should put that as the description... Haha!

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.

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.

Amazon | B&N | Kobo

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

• Amber Argyle
• Angela Corbett
• Christy Dorrity
• Tamara Hart Heiner
• Cindy M. Hogan
• Laura Howard
• Elana Johnson
• Rachel Morgan
• Lee Strauss
• Lani Woodland

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.

• Amber Argyle
• Angela Corbett
• Christy Dorrity
• Tamara Hart Heiner
• Cindy M. Hogan
• Laura Howard
• Elana Johnson
• Rachel Morgan
• Lee Strauss
• Lani Woodland

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?

ELEVATED release day!!

Throughout the years, I have visited your blogs. You've read mine. Or I've taught a class you attended, or attended a class you taught. Or maybe I've read your books and you've read mine. Maybe you've participated in the many blog tours, blitzes, or cover reveals I've organized. Maybe we're twitter or Facebook friends, or maybe we share a deep love of bacon.

Whatever our connection, I hope that today, I can solicit some support from you. See, my debut YA contemporary novel is releasing this very day, and I'd like to make a big splash in the huge pool of contemporary novels. ELEVATED also marks my entry into the Indie realm of publishing.

I hope you'll help me celebrate both of these landmarks by buying a copy of ELEVATED -- it's only $4.99, and would really make my day!

Celebrate by buying the book!

• Kindle
• Nook
• iPad / iPhone
• Kobo

Celebrate by reviewing!

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Goodreads
• Your blog -- I can provide you with a media kit to make this easy, peasy. Just ask!

Celebrate by recommending ELEVATED to a friend -- it's easy! Just tweet or Facebook or link to this blog post.

Tweet: Buy ELEVATED, a new #YA #contemporary novel from @ElanaJ today to celebrate the release! http://amzn.to/1jnTY4F

Facebook: Buy ELEVATED, a new YA contemporary novel from Elana Johnson today to celebrate the release! http://amzn.to/1jnTY4F

You can find out more about ELEVATED -- and what people have to say about it -- on Goodreads. I, of course, think it's fabulous, but you can read the reviews -- and the author endorsements below -- and decide for yourself if it's worth your $5.

"ELEVATED will take you on an emotionally gripping journey through the highs and lows of first love."
~Carolee Dean, author of Take Me There and Forget Me Not

"Poignant, raw, and intense, ELEVATED is a novel that will grip your heart and linger in your mind long after you turn the last page."
~Stasia Ward Kehoe, author of Audition and The Sound of Letting Go

Thank you, and I hope you have a great day!

Updated ELEVATED cover!

Okay, so a few weeks ago, I released the cover to my forthcoming novel, ELEVATED. It was a fabulous cover! But based on some feedback, my designer and I decided to do a little updating with the fonts, sizes, colors, and images.

Since this is a digital-release only, there are different things to think about than with a print title. I am new to navigating the Indie publishing waters, so everything has been a learning curve. Creating a cover has been one of the most rewarding and also one of the steepest curves.

The new cover for ELEVATED is below. I think it's close enough to the first one that it is still recognizable. What do you think?

I am so excited to unleash this book on the world! Less than a week now!!

Inside Elana: Everything You Maybe Wanted To Know

So I totally stole this post idea from Ali. She did a great one on herself, sort of as an introduction to new people on her blog.

Well, I thought, I have new people on my blog all the time! Maybe they're not used to my bacon obsession, and hey you haven't talked about Adam Lambert for a long time...

So here we go.

I am Elana Johnson.

I have lived in Utah my whole life. From as far north as Newton (pronounced New-uhn in a traditional hickville accent, about 5 miles from the Idaho border) to as far south as St. George (no accent neccesary, about 5 miles from the Nevada border).

I have been married for 14 years to the same wonderful man. I don't talk about him much here, except when he says/does funny things. (Remember that whole butt/bat incident? Hilarious.)

I attended four universities before graduating with an Elementary Education degree from Southern Utah University. It's not like I got kicked out or anything, my husband just moved me around a lot. The last year and a half of college, I drove 100 miles round trip with my 4-month old son in the backseat to attend classes.

Speaking of kidlets, I have two though I've been pregnant four times. One boy, one girl. Boy is 12. Girl is 6. I don't talk about them much here, except for funny things they say or do. I adore them most of the time.

I have many more kids in my life. About 700 more. At my elementary school of 11 years, where I am the technology specialist. That's code for "computer teacher" or "glorified babysitter who sometimes teaches typing and forces the kids to play math games." Take your pick. I don't talk about school much here either. I mean, how exciting can typing instruction be? (Don't answer that...)

I am religious, and serve as a leader in a world-wide women's organization. I don't talk about that much here.

So what do I talk about?
Bacon. Adam Lambert. Music. Survivor. Books. School visits. My hair. Friends. Writing. Not writing. Blogging. Query letters. Conferences. Twitter. WriteOnCon. Whatever I feel like. Sometimes all at the same time. With me, you just never know. Strap in.

Miscellaneous:

• I have a book coming out on June 7. It's called POSSESSION. It's dystopian. Brainwashing. 
• I'm highly sarcastic. I need my own font, because sometimes that doesn't translate into type.
• I love to laugh.
• I cry at some commercials, the Food Network, and most songs.
• I am not an animal lover. Anything with more legs than me freaks me out. All geese and ducks, and every known species of snake. 
• I like to drive really fast.
• I have one sister, and no brothers. I do not get boys.

So, did you learn something new? I know I did.

*mumble* *wheeze* *gasp* COVER *cough* *choke* *dies*

Dude, you guys! The cover. MY cover!

I present *clears throat nervously* POSSESSION:

In the words of Stevie Wonder, isn't she lovely? Okay, I'm off to die now. Or maybe just smile a little more.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Book Day Giveaway! Day Five

Before we go all crazy for the final day of the giveaway, be sure to check out my query for CONTROL ISSUES on Matt's blog.

Yes, someone's going to publish my book. I can barely contain the tremors, trust me. Since you guys have been around for a lot of my journey, I'm giving away some Super-cali-fragilistic-expial-i-docious stuff. And if that's not epic, I don't know what is.

My book is a young adult dystopian novel in the vein of The Giver and The Hunger Games. Therefore, my giveaways are young adult/middle grade dystopians.

Each day this week there will be two prize packages available. The rules to enter are super-simple.
1. Go to The League of Extraordinary Writers blog. (I'm a co-author.) Follow.
2. Leave a comment ON THIS POST.
3. NEW RULE: You must follow Christina Lee's blog, as she's giving away a major amount of amazing jewelry!

Winners will be chosen from the comments of this post. I will check to make sure the winner has followed the League blog AND Christina's blog.

What can you win? What can you win? WHAT CAN YOU WIN??

THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES prize package:
1. A copy of The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan (hardcover)
2. Matching bookmark created by Elana
3. A box of peanut butter patties -- Girl Scout Cookies!
4. $5 gift card to Barnes & Noble
5. Handmade, personalized (non-scribbled upon, I promise) notebook for all your artistic needs (6 x 9 inches)
6. Copy of From the Query to the Call OR a query critique by Elana
7. A $35 gift certificate for a piece of jewelry from Christina Lee (click here for her jewelry site)

THE MAZE RUNNER prize package:
1. A signed copy of The Maze Runner by James Dashner
2. Matching bookmark created by Elana
3. A box of peanut butter patties -- Girl Scout Cookies!
4. $5 gift card to Barnes & Noble
5. Handmade, personalized notebook for all your writing needs (6 x 9 inches)
6. Copy of From the Query to the Call OR a 10-page critique by Elana
7. A $40 gift certificate for a piece of jewelry from Christina Lee

Again, all you have to do to win is 1) Follow The League of Extraordinary Writers and 2) Leave a comment on THIS POST. (Tell me which prize package you'd like most. If possible, I'll give it to you.) and 3) Follow Christina Lee's blog.

This giveaway will remain open for 24 hours! That's it. You snooze, you lose. Winners will be announced at 3:00 PM tomorrow. Phew! This concludes the Book Deal giveaway extravaganza!!

Thanks for celebrating with me! And next week is going to feel so lamesauce. Le sigh.

Book Deal Giveaway! Day Four

TODAY'S CONTEST IS OPEN UNTIL NOON (mst).

And my query letter for CONTROL ISSUES is being broken down on Matt's blog today. Go. Follow him. Read. Comment. Whatever.

Yes, someone's going to publish my book. I can barely contain the tremors, trust me. Since you guys have been around for a lot of my journey, I'm giving away some mind-blowing loot (oh, man. *hangs head in shame*).

My book is a young adult dystopian novel in the vein of The Giver and The Hunger Games. Therefore, my giveaways are young adult/middle grade dystopians.

Each day this week there will be two prize packages available. The rules to enter are super-simple.
1. Go to The League of Extraordinary Writers blog. (I'm a co-author.) Follow.
2. Leave a comment ON THIS POST.

Winners will be chosen from the comments of this post. I will check to make sure the winner has followed the League blog.

What can you win? What can you win? WHAT CAN YOU WIN??

GONE prize package:
1. A copy of Gone by Michael Grant (paperback)
2. Matching bookmark created by Elana
3. A box of peanut butter patties -- Girl Scout Cookies!
4. $5 gift card to Barnes & Noble
5. Handmade, personalized notebook (sans scribbling *embarrassed* You would not believe what my kids do to their notebooks! Don't they know they're like, sacred artifacts or something?) for all your writing scribbling needs (6 x 9 inches)
6. Copy of From the Query to the Call OR a query critique by Elana

ENDER'S GAME prize package:
1. A copy of Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (paperback)
2. Matching bookmark created by Elana
3. A box of peanut butter patties -- Girl Scout Cookies!
4. $5 gift card to Barnes & Noble
5. Handmade, personalized notebook for all your writing needs (6 x 9 inches)
6. Copy of From the Query to the Call OR a 10-page critique by Elana

Again, all you have to do to win is 1) Follow The League of Extraordinary Writers and 2) Leave a comment on THIS POST. (Tell me which prize package you'd like most. If possible, I'll give it to you.) and 3) Tell me my hair looks great. (Ha! We'll see who's reading carefully!)

This giveaway will remain open for 24 hours! That's it. You snooze, you lose. Because tomorrow, I have TWO more prize packages to give away! Winners will be announced at 1:00 PM tomorrow. And the new giveaway will go live at 2:00 PM.

Thanks for celebrating with me!

Book Deal Giveaway! Day Three

Yes, someone's going to publish my book. I can barely contain the tremors, trust me. Since you guys have been around for a lot of my journey, I'm giving away some cray-zy amay-zing stuff (okay, that's worse than epic. Srsly, people! We need another word for epic).

My book is a young adult dystopian novel in the vein of The Giver and The Hunger Games. Therefore, my giveaways are young adult/middle grade dystopians.

Each day this week there will be two prize packages available. The rules to enter are super-simple.
1. Go to The League of Extraordinary Writers blog. (I'm a co-author.) Follow.
2. Leave a comment ON THIS POST.

Winners will be chosen from the comments of this post. I will check to make sure the winner has followed the League blog.

What can you win? What can you win? WHAT CAN YOU WIN??

THE GIVER prize package:
1. A copy of The Giver by Lois Lowry (paperback)
2. Matching bookmark created by Elana
3. A box of peanut butter patties -- Girl Scout Cookies!
4. $5 gift card to Barnes & Noble
5. Sweet shoulder bag - fits a trade paperback!
6. Copy of From the Query to the Call OR a query critique by Elana

UGLIES prize package:
1. A copy of Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (paperback)
2. Matching bookmark created by Elana
3. A box of peanut butter patties -- Girl Scout Cookies!
4. $5 gift card to Barnes & Noble
5. Handmade, personalized notebook for all your writing needs (6 x 9 inches)
6. Copy of From the Query to the Call OR a 10-page critique by Elana

Again, all you have to do to win is 1) Follow The League of Extraordinary Writers and 2) Leave a comment on THIS POST. (Tell me which prize package you'd like most. If possible, I'll give it to you.)

And I'm not expecting you to congratulate me over and over. I mean, I like it, but yeah. You can just tell me what you had for dinner or your favorite flavor of bubble gum or whatever. Or just a :) works. I swear I'm not groveling for congrats.

This giveaway will remain open for 24 hours! That's it. You snooze, you lose. Because tomorrow, I have TWO more prize packages to give away! Winners for Day 3 will be announced at 11:00 AM tomorrow. And the new giveaway will go live at Noon (all times MST).

Thanks for celebrating with me!

Book Deal Giveaway! Day Two

Yes, someone's going to publish my book. I can barely contain the tremors, trust me. Since you guys have been around for a lot of my journey, I'm giving away some epic stuff. At least I think it's epic.

My book is a young adult dystopian novel in the vein of The Giver and The Hunger Games. Therefore, my giveaways are young adult/middle grade dystopians.

Each day this week there will be two prize packages available. The rules to enter are super-simple.
1. Go to The League of Extraordinary Writers blog. (I'm a co-author.) Follow.
2. Leave a comment ON THIS POST.

Winners will be chosen from the comments of this post. I will check to make sure the winner has followed the League blog.

What can you win? What can you win? WHAT CAN YOU WIN??

THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX prize package:
1. A copy of The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson (paperback)
2. Matching bookmark created by Elana
3. A box of peanut butter patties -- Girl Scout Cookies!
4. $5 gift card to Barnes & Noble
5. Sweet shoulder bag - fits a trade paperback!
6. Copy of From the Query to the Call OR a query critique by Elana

FEED prize package:
1. A copy of Feed by M.T. Anderson (paperback)
2. Matching bookmark created by Elana
3. A box of thin mints -- Girl Scout Cookies!
4. $5 gift card to Barnes & Noble
5. Handmade, personalized notebook for all your writing needs (6 x 9 inches)
6. Copy of From the Query to the Call OR a 10-page critique by Elana

Again, all you have to do to win is 1) Follow The League of Extraordinary Writers and 2) Leave a comment on THIS POST. (Tell me which prize package you'd like most. If possible, I'll give it to you.)

This giveaway will remain open for 24 hours! That's it. You snooze, you lose. Because tomorrow, I have TWO more prize packages to give away! Winners will be announced at 9:00 AM tomorrow. And the new giveaway will go live at 10:00 AM.

Thanks for celebrating with me!