Upcoming Awesomeness You Won't Want to Miss

... For real this time. Yeah, last week blogger decided it knew when to schedule my post, and it didn't. I swear there was NO user error there...

Anyway, a couple of things!

1. The cover for ABANDON is coming out next week! Yes, I've seen it, and yes, it's pretty fantastic. YOU can sign up to help reveal the cover on YOUR blog! It's an easy post, and you'll get to see the cover a bit earlier than everyone else, and yeah.

Sign up here. Cover goes live on Thursday, September 20.

I'm going to run a Pinterest contest with the cover. (I've recently discovered the amazingness of Pinterest. Watch for a blog post on that to come soon!) So even if you don't sign up to help reveal the cover, be sure to come here on Thursday and pin it to your board for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card!

2. October is coming! Which means there's going to be a Review Drive for Possession and Surrender. What is a Review Drive, you ask?

Well, it's quite simple. Leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads for either Possession or Surrender (or both!) and enter to win amazing books all month long! You can leave the reviews now, could've left them a year ago, or do it any time before October 26*.

The Review Drive will be run through my Facebook fanpage, so be sure to click over there to keep up with everything. You can see the official rules right now, and get ready to participate to win amazing signed copies of books all month long in October!

3. You can enter to win an amazing dystopian prize package from Simon Pulse -- which includes POSSESSION!! My book is situated right next to Scott Westerfeld's PRETTIES, which makes me insanely happy. Some of you may remember that his Uglies series inspired me to write my own dystopian novel.  GO HERE to enter -- by Sept. 17!

What awesome things do you have coming up? Are you excited to see the cover of ABANDON?

*Positive reviews are not required for contest entrance.

Kindness Begins With Me

Okay, so I'm not really sure if the Kindness Project is up and running this month or not. It's entirely possible that I missed it. I'm going to post today anyway, because it's always a good time for kindness.

And kindness begins with me. As a mother, a teacher, a friend. Sometimes it's easy to delve into gossip. Oh, how easy. But gossip is one of the most damaging things to engage in, and it's so unkind. It's sort of like this:

Source

I'm guilty of gossiping from time to time, but as soon as I realize how sticky/gunky my hands are, I try to get out of whatever conversation I've gotten into.

Because no matter what, I'm responsible for what I say, whether in person or in an email or wherever. And kindness begins with me, and usually with what I say. It's a good reminder for me right now, and a perfect way to practice kindness.

How do you practice kindness?

Be sure to follow--and join!--The Kindness Project around the web today, using the Linky list below.

Sheri's Ultimate Giveaway!!

Okay, so it's one of my favorite things to hear. You know, when someone signs with an agent. I distinctly remember that thrill, that joy, that overwhelming sense of relief. And my friend Sheri Larsen has had the opportunity to experience that! I'm letting her take over the blog today in a special celebration!

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Today, I invite you to celebrate with me!! I've signed with Literary Agent Paula Munier of Talcott Notch Literary! And because our literary community is so freaking fabulous and generous, I'm having a Bigger-Than-A-Shopping-Mall GIVEAWAY!! The giveaway consists of:

• Two separate Rafflecopters with multiple giveaways 
• One grand prize Rafflecopter giveaway - to enter for the grand prize, you must enter either giveaway #1, #2, or both. 

There's only one mandatory entry. Everything else is up to you!! The giveaway is open until September 27th. WINNERS will be announced on September 28th. (Entrants may win more than one prize!)

Thank you so much for entering, spreading the word, and celebrating with me!!

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So here's your Rafflecopters to enter. And please drop a comment of congratulations for Sheri!!

Giveaway #1:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway #2:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Grand Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Congrats, Sheri!! Can't wait to follow you down this new road!

Sometimes...

Okay, holy brown cows. I'm back in school and doing a million+one things, and it seems like the pace of life is streaming, screaming, bolting by. I feel like everything has to be done now (whether that's true or not), and I can't keep up.

It's the speed of life.

And sometimes it's really nice to leave it behind. Close the front door of my house, draw all the curtains (as if they aren't already closed! Ha! I'm like a vampire), and ignore the Internet. 

Sometimes I crave that quiet. That release from the Words With Friends games, and constant status updates, and ultra-fast stream of tweets, and even my inbox (which I usually adore).

Sometimes I sit in my house with the TV off, the lights off, and the laptop closed.

Sometimes I crawl into bed with a good book -- printing on real pages -- and escape between the covers.

Sometimes I think about what my life was like before I started writing and publishing.

Sometimes...

What would you put in that pause? How do you keep up with the pace of life? 

RECAPTURED DREAMS by Justine Dell

Okay, so here I am, on Bookanista Thursday! Stop the presses! (I've always wanted to say that.) Anyway, I'm here today with a longtime blogging buddy, Justine Dell. Her book, RECAPTURED DREAMS, is coming from Omnific Publishing on September 18.

First, a bit about RECAPTURED DREAMS: Ten years, the Atlantic Ocean, and several rungs in society have kept Xavier Cain from having Sophia Montel. Now twenty-seven, he’s spent his entire adult life building a fashion empire that could finally prove his worth to her family. When fate reunites him with Sophia at London’s premiere fashion show, one problem lodges in Xavier’s path: Sophia doesn’t remember him.

The only obstacle that has kept Sophia from Xavier is a horrific car crash that erased her memory at seventeen. She’s spent the last ten years fighting to reclaim a sliver of her past that her mother refuses to help her remember. When Sophia meets Xavier at the London show, however, all her fantasies come to life in one night of passion. Discovering he is the missing link, she is determined to find all the pieces to their love story and her memory.

Xavier wants forever. Sophia wants her memory. If they take this chance, they’ll have to start over. How far are they willing to go get what they want? And when the past catches up to them, can they handle the truths it has hidden?

Let's here what Justine has to say about her book and her writing!

The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less: Boys loves girl, loses girl, then spends 10 years looking for girl. Boy draws girl back with fashion. BUT…she doesn’t remember him. Drama ensues. (oooh, drama ensues. I've said that before about my books, but I think I say "choas".  LOL!)

Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Actually, no. I only started writing three years ago and even then it was only because I read a book that made me think: “Hey! If this person can pen a love story that’s uber popular, then I can surely write down the one that’s been floating around in my head for years.” That unleashed a crazy passion I didn’t even know I had. Writing for me is like a release. Then it became an obsession. Publishing wasn’t even an option. I just wanted to write. And write. And write. ☺

What made you decide to go that “extra step” and seek publication?
After writing a book…or two…or was it three?…I realized that’s what writers did. (Profound. Writers write.) I would have been perfectly happy writing my little fingers to the bone until I learned that writers, uh, seek publication. Insert another obsession.

Quick! You’ve been chosen to go on Survivor. What luxury item do you take?
Well, I would say my Kindle hands down if I had a way to charge it! But since that’s probably not an option, I would say a pen and HUGE notebook. Oh, that’s two things, isn’t it? (You could probably fool Probst.)

And the most important of all: bacon or chocolate?
CHOCOLATE COVERED BACON. #Epic win! (Yesss!) 

About Justine: Justine lives in the Midwest, happily catering to her family, which consists of a horse-obsessed teenage daughter and four crazy dogs. She’s never moved from her hometown, but hopes to grow old in a much warmer climate. 

She started writing three years ago after seeing a movie that set off a chain reaction she couldn’t have stopped if she’d wanted. It’s not a hobby for her; it’s an obsession. One she loves and one she loves to share.

Contact Justine by email: dell.justine@gmail.com
Recaptured Dreams on Goodreads.
Recaptured Dreams on Facebook.
Friend her on Facebook
Check out her Blog.
Find her on Twitter.

As if that weren't enough, you can enter to win an e-copy of RECAPTURED DREAMS and a set of matching bookmarks simply by commenting on this blog post! You can also enter to win a copy of the book on Goodreads. And Justine has a par-tay going on over at her blog all month long! So saddle up!

Major Awesomeness Ahead

Okay, so you know when your book comes out? It's pretty amazing.

But when someone you've known for years? Read several of their books over a year's time, critiquing every two weeks, 10 pages at a time? Someone you've seen wait for months and months and months for an answer? Someone who is extremely talented, and has wondered when their break will come?

That's enough to reduce you to tears. (I may or may not be crying writing this.)

Enter Stacy Henrie. She's been in my critique group for years. I've read several of her books, 10 pages at a time, critiquing every two weeks. I've seen her go through a whole pregnancy while she waited to hear from a publisher.

She is extremely talented. (Visit and follow her blog.)

And her book, LADY OUTLAW, hit shelves yesterday! I read the book way back when, and I recently read it again with all the changes. It is a brilliantly plotted story of how love can be found, even in the wild west. Of how love can overcome the biggest odds.

I've always loved Jennie as a spunky stage-coach-robbing heroine who is desperate to save her farm. But in LADY OUTLAW, you'll fall in love with Caleb--the reformed bounty hunter looking for a fresh start--too.

Stacy does a great job with the development of Jennie and Caleb's relationship, a mark of an awesome romance. The writing is beautiful in every way, and the plot is fast-paced and action-packed.

Get your copy of LADY OUTLAW at Harlequin, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble. You won't regret it.

About LADY OUTLAW: No one would ever imagine a fresh-faced young woman could be robbing stage bandits of their ill-gotten fortunes. But Jennie Jones is desperate to save her family's ranch from foreclosure. And the risks seem worth it, until her upright new ranch hand offers a glimpse of how much is really at stake.

Former bounty hunter Caleb Johnson is ready for a new, clean start. With a woman like Jennie, he could build a future there in Utah territory. But only if his gentle faith can guide her in a choice between the land she's fought so hard to save and a future by his side.

And I'm giving away three copies! Right here, right now. And they're all signed too! Enter in the Raffley thingy below. Contest open through Sunday night. Winners will be announced on Monday.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Eliminating Doubt

Okay, so I always attend some professional development before school starts. Last week, I had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Craig Manning. He was a professional tennis player in Australia, and he's now a performance psychologist and works with Olympic athletes.

He said that when artists and athletes allow doubt into their minds, that's when they can't perform. It rang true to me at the moment, and I still believe it's true. If I sit down to write and find that everything I've done feels like garbage, that's because I'm doubting myself. My ability to craft a story with an arc, my desire to create three-dimensional characters, even things on the line level.

So how does one get over this doubt?

Craig said something that made sense to me. He said that when he was coaching girl's tennis at BYU, and the match wasn't going well, he'd go out on the court and instead of focusing on all the things the player had done wrong (which they were already obsessing over!), he told them to tell him three things they were doing well.

Three things.

And if they muttered about it, he'd say, "Name three things, or I'm forfeiting the match." (And he has a cool Australian accent, so imagine this threat in that.)

So that's something I've started doing in my writing. If I feel like nothing's going right, and every word on the page should be deleted, I stop. I focus on three things I do well, and use those things to drive the doubt away.

Because I don't want to forfeit the match.

Do you experience doubt? How do you overcome it?

Waiting On Wednesday

It seems like no matter how many awesome books I read, there are more and more and MORE to look forward to! Here are some that have caught my eye.

CREWEL by Gennifer Albin. I admit, I have this ARC and I just need to find a moment to devour it.

What a tangled world she weaves...

For generations, Spinsters have been called by Arras’s Manipulation Services to work the looms and determine what people eat, where they live, how many children they have, and even when they die. Gifted with the rare ability to weave time with matter, Adelice is exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But once you become a Spinster, there is no turning back. Now caught in a web of lies and intrigue, Adelice must decide who to trust: her kind mentor, Enora; the handsome and mysterious valet Jost; or the charismatic Guild ambassador Cormac Patton. They each have secrets, but Adelice is about to unravel the deadliest one of all, a sinister truth that could destroy reality as she knows it.

Releases October 16!

ASHEN WINTER by Mike Mullin. Again, this ARC is sitting on my table, mocking me. Why does teaching elementary school take so much time??

It’s been over six months since the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano. Alex and Darla have been staying with Alex’s relatives, trying to cope with the new reality of the primitive world so vividly portrayed in Ashfall, the first book in this series. It’s also been six months of waiting for Alex’s parents to return from Iowa. Alex and Darla decide they can wait no longer and must retrace their journey into Iowa to find and bring back Alex’s parents to the tenuous safety of Illinois. But the landscape they cross is even more perilous than before, with life-and-death battles for food and power between the remaining communities. When the unthinkable happens, Alex must find new reserves of strength and determination to survive.

Comes out October 16!

TEN by Gretchen McNeil. I am terrified of horror, and I can't wait to read this!

In this horror novel loosely inspired by Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None," 10 teens head to a house party at a remote island mansion off the Washington coast . . . only for them to be picked off one by one by a killer.

Comes out September 18.

BAD HAIR DAY by Carrie Harris. I loved BAD TASTE IN BOYS, and I really admire someone who can combine humor with werewolves. So yeah. Can't wait!

Kate Grable is geeked out to shadow the county medical examiner as part of her school's premed program. But after he's arrested for murder, she's left with the bodies. And when Kate's brother, Jonah, stumbles upon a dead gamer girl, Kate realizes that the zombie epidemic she cured last fall was only the beginning of the weirdness taking over her town. Someone—or something—is murdering kids. Something really hairy. And strong. Possibly with claws.

Could it be werewolves, like Jonah and his dorktastic friends think? Kate's supposed to be a butt-kicking, zombie-killing genius . . . but if she can't figure out what's behind the freakish attacks, the victims—or what's left of them—are going to keep piling up.

Comes out November 13.

HYSTERIA by Megan Miranda. I loved FRACTURE, and though this isn't the sequel, I can't wait to read it.

Mallory's life is falling apart. Her boyfriend was stabbed. He bled to death in her kitchen. Mallory was the one who stabbed him. But she can't remember what happened that night. She only remembers the fear . . .

When Mallory's parents send her away to a boarding school, she thinks she can escape the gossip and the threats. But someone, or something, has followed her. There's the hand that touches her shoulder when she's drifting off to sleep. A voice whispering her name. And everyone knows what happened. So when a pupil is found dead, Mallory's name is on their lips. Her past can be forgotten but it's never gone. Can Mallory live with that?

And we have to wait all the way to February 5, 2013 to read it!

What are you waiting for?

Announcements!

Okay, so I've renamed and re-released my short story, what was once called INSIDER INFORMATION.

It's now called RESIST, and here's the new cover, with the new blurb.

About RESIST: Zenn Bower has spent his life falling in love with Violet Schoenfeld. After he turned twelve, he learned his father was part of an underground revolution called the Resistance, a group of free-thinking citizens fighting against the mind controlling governement. He joined, putting his considerable talents to use: lying, flying, and voice control.

He wishes life inside the Resistance could be easy. He yearns to tell Vi what he's doing in the middle of the night. He wants cocky leader of the Resistance Jag Barque to back off.

Zenn runs a mission with Blaze, Jag's older brother, to Freedom. It's a simple get in, get out procedure. But things go wrong when Blaze breaks protocol and Zenn uses his voice to detain him. Zenn's met by Thane Meyers at the drop location, and he has an interesting proposal for Zenn. 

Ultimately Zenn has to choose: Violet or the Resistance. 

This 20-page short story takes place before events in the full-length novel, POSSESSION, and provides insider information into the Resistance, as well as Vi and Zenn's stormy relationship. 

RESIST is just as FREE as ever, and you can download it here or here, as well as read it online here.

Also, you may have noticed me tweeting about Entangled authors a lot lately. That's because I've joined them as a junior publicist! 

I've loved organizing events and blog tours for myself, and it seemed a natural fit for me to continue in that vein with other authors. I'm certainly learning a lot, and this new venture into the marketing side of publishing flexes a different muscle than writing--and I like it!

I'm back to teaching now, and that means back to blogging! I've enjoyed my break, but now I'm back! 

Fill me in on EVERYTHING I missed!

Thoughts About How We Talk About Books

Okay, so I'm getting back into the land of the living. Sort of. Not really, since I'm back at work now. But hey, I just traded WriteOnCon for keyboarding instruction, except for the WOC attendees are so appreciative! (Thank you to all who came and participated!)

Anyway, today I wanted to talk about recommending books. First, several months ago, my friend Beth Revis did a post on the subjectivity of books. If you haven't read that, you should.

Second, I want to add to her post a little bit. She says that for all the things we might love, there's a lot of people who don't like them at all. She's right. (I might be the puppy-hater mentioned in her post...) It goes for books too.

But I want to extend it to the way we talk about books with others, either online or in person. Whenever someone asks me if I liked a book I didn't particularly love, I tell them they should try it. Because, really, not everyone is going to dislike what I dislike. Just not everyone likes what I like.

I think it's fine to rate books, and discuss them, and leave reviews (good or bad). In fact, as an author, I highly recommend doing just that!

But I think it's dangerous to tell people not to buy a book because you, personally, don't think it's good. I think there's a better way to talk about books, either online or in person, perhaps by saying what you didn't like, specifically, about the book. Then the reader considering a particular title can decide for themselves if those things turn them off too. 

I think it's more beneficial to encourage readers to read books and add their opinion to the discussion. 

What do you think? 

Inspirational Message of a Lifetime

Okay, so I've been busy with WriteOnCon for the past several days (weeks, months, whatever -- what day is it today?). If there's only one thing you read from WOC, let it be this, this amazing article on "the invisible, essential thing" by editor Molly O'Neill.

There are so many parts of Molly's article that resonated with me, mostly because I have experienced what she's talking about first hand.

I could quote the whole thing, but I won't. Just go read it. Comment over there. Allow yourself to be inspired.

And if you're a writer and not on the WriteOnCon forums, you're really missing out! Go forth and join!

WriteOnCon is Tomorrow!

WriteOnCon officially starts tomorrow! The full schedule is here. The submission schedule for the forum is here.

And we've got you all here in this amazing Welcome Back video. A huge thank you to all the agents, editors, authors, and participants who sent in pictures!



Ahhh! It's here! It's really here! Hope you'll join me at WriteOnCon this year!

Late Bloomer Online Guest Post

Today, I'm one of the stops on the Possession series scavenger hunt! I'm glad to welcome author Elana Johnson to my blog today with a guest post about her series. The third and final book, ABANDON, hit shelves June 4!

Take it away, Elana!

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Okay, so one of the most frequently asked questions I've received is this: Will ABANDON end? You know, like, will I know where everyone is, and what they're doing, and that they're safe?

These questions are usually accompanied by great fear, and people clutching their chests. Ha!

And the answer is fairly simple: Yes. I know Possession and Surrender didn't "end" the way people perhaps wanted them to. We don't know where some people are, and we're worried about others.

But I think ABANDON ends. Like, ENDS. You will know where everyone is, and you will be able to decide if you think they'll be safe and happy. It is a war, though, so I don't want you to think everyone is going to come out unscathed. I mean, it's a war.

There are some new characters to love, and one of those is Saffediene. She's Zenn's first recruit, and they get paired up on the prime traveling team. We get to see how they're fighting against the Association as they fly to various cities and implement their war tactics. One of my favorite cities (which I've discussed in a couple of previous posts on this scavenger hunt) is Cedar Hills.

I think what happens in Cedar Hills is a crucial turning point for both Saffediene and Zenn, and a moment when they both realize that hey, this really is a fight to the death -- and neither is sure how it will really end.

Today's scavenger hunt can begin here! Somewhere on this map of the Association is the winning city. I've mentioned here in this post, and you can find references to it in all of today's posts. (See complete blog tour here.)

When you know today's scavenger hunt city, enter it in this form for a chance to win one of six Possession series paperback packages and a $50 Amazon gift card!

Continue the scavenger hunt at Manga Maniac Cafe, where Julie has an exclusive excerpt from Zenn--and another clue for today's city!

As if that weren't enough, there will be a daily winner of Possession series swag! Enter in the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


If you get lost, you can always go to Elana's blog to find your place. Happy hunting!

Book Junkie Scavenger Hunt Post

Today, I'm one of the stops on the Possession series scavenger hunt! I'm glad to welcome author Elana Johnson to my blog today with a guest post about her series. The third and final book, ABANDON, hit shelves June 4!

Take it away, Elana!

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Okay, so yesterday we spotlighted Zenn Bower, one of the narrators of ABANDON. He's had a long journey from Possession--and even before that in RESIST.

But today, we're talking about Jag Barque. We first meet him in prison, and he spends a large part of Possession with Vi, first leading her through his hometown of the Badlands. He's less-than-forthcoming with the information, but as the saga progresses, readers learn in the short story REGRET, through Jag's previous girlfriend, that he's the leader of the Resistance.

Being the leader of a huge group of teenagers spread out across a huge geographical space would be tough for anyone. Jag is no exception, though he's learned to distance himself from everyone emotionally.

Until he meets Vi, of course. Then everything changes, and Jag finds himself working with a new urgency to bring freedom to his countrymen.

Writing from Jag's point of view felt effortless to me. He's emotional, so it's okay for him to cry. He's hot-tempered, so it's okay for him to freak out and fly off. He's smart, and he's quick, and his voice has been in my head for a long, long time.

So when it came time to write a Book 3, I knew it would be Jag's story. I did give him a chance to be on the page more when I wrote REGRET, but that was still someone else's perception of him--and someone, Indy Blightingdale, who wasn't real happy with Jag during the story.

Who better to narrate the third and final book in a battle for freedom, but the person who's been fighting on the front lines?

That person is Jag Barque. Sometimes I find him utterly calculating, and other times he's a complete mess. But he knows what he wants, and he's willing to give everything he has to win.

I hope readers will follow him and Zenn in ABANDON as they work together--though in very different ways--to achieve their ultimate goal.

Today's scavenger hunt can begin here! Somewhere on this map of the Association is the winning city. I've mentioned here in this post, and you can find references to it in all of today's posts. (See complete blog tour here.)

When you know today's scavenger hunt city, enter it in this form for a chance to win one of six Possession series paperback packages and a $50 Amazon gift card!

Continue the scavenger hunt at Stacy Clafin's blog, where she has an exclusive excerpt from Indy, Jag's former girlfriend--and another clue for today's city!

As if that weren't enough, there will be a daily winner of Possession series swag! Enter in the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


If you get lost, you can always go to Elana's blog to find your place. Happy hunting!

Yes, There Will Be a Book 3!

We interrupt this blogging break to say: THERE WILL BE ANOTHER POSSESSION NOVEL.

That's right.

Here's the deal from Publisher's Marketplace: Elana Johnson's ABANDON, the third book in the dystopian series that also includes POSSESSION and SURRENDER, again to Anica Rissi at Simon Pulse, for publication in Summer 2013, by Michelle Andelman at Regal Literary.

I cannot tell you the relief and joy associated with this news.

A couple of things about ABANDON:
1. Same story world as both POSSESSION and SURRENDER.
2. Narrated by two new characters. Okay, not new. Two characters you've seen in both POSSESSION and SURRENDER. So who could that be? Who's in both the first and second books? Hmm...
3. This is book three, people. It's a war. With kissing.
4. It will be published next summer, in a simultaneous hardcover and paperback release.
5. I love Book 3. Hopefully you will too! I can't wait to see what will be on the cover. Like, literally, I can't even imagine what it might look like. *bounces with excitement*

So let's celebrate!!