Cover Reveal for NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE by Amy K. Nichols!

Okay, so I just organized a cover reveal for Amy K. Nichols and her forthcoming novel, NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE, and I thought I'd share because this book sounds like something I'd adore. I mean, it's alternate dimensions! I love that kind of stuff, and I can't wait to get my hands on this book!

About NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE: Danny and Eevee are meant to be together . . . Just not in this universe.

Eevee Solomon has high school down to a science. Get the grades. Get the recommendations. Get into an Ivy League college, and eventually land a killer job at NASA.

Then Danny Ogden enters the equation.

Danny is a street-smart graffiti artist. He’s always managed to stay out of serious trouble, but this time he’s out of luck. One minute he’s running from the cops, and the next, he jolts awake in an unfamiliar body–his own, but different. Somehow, he’s crossed into a parallel universe. Now his friends are his enemies, his parents are long dead, and coolheaded Eevee is not the brazen girl he once kissed back home. Then again, this Eevee may be his only hope of getting home.

Eevee tells herself she’s only helping him in the name of quantum physics, but there’s something undeniably fascinating about this boy from another dimension . . . a boy who makes her question who she is, and who she might be in another place and time.

Sounds amazing, right? The book doesn't come out until December, but you can add it to your Goodreads shelf right now!

So let's get to the most exciting part -- the cover!

I think it's absolutely brilliant! I mean, "When worlds collide, hearts break." is AWESOME.

About Amy: Amy has been crafting stories for as long as she can remember. She earned a Master's in literature and worked for years as a web designer, though, before realizing what she really wanted to be was an author. Her first novel, YA sci-fi thriller Now That You're Here, will be published by Knopf Books for Young Readers on December 9, 2014. The follow-up, While You Were Gone, will be published in 2015. She is mentored by award-winning crime novelist James Sallis.

Amy is represented by Quinlan Lee of Adams Literary. She's an active member of SCBWI and SFWA, as well as a member of the Class of 2k14 debut authors.

Find her on twitter, Facebook, and her blog.

And Amy is giving away a $25 cash prize for one lucky person who helps to spread the word about her new cover! Enter in the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



What do you think of the cover??

Stretching Yourself

Okay, so I've been writing for a while now. Years, even. That certainly doesn't mean I know everything; pursuing something creative is a never-ending quest to find what is beautiful.

One of the best ways for me to come back to what I love most about writing is to stretch myself. Then I enjoy the creative wrestling with figuring out the exact right word to use, finding the perfect voice for each character, and/or discovering the style each story should have.

I've gone through a couple of these "stretching periods," where I analyze the way I've been writing and desire to renew myself and my craft by trying something new.

I think employing this idea of stretching yourself is one of the best ways to combat the feelings of inferiority and jealousy that can be prevalent in this industry. I think we have to be consistently (not constantly) thinking about how we can improve ourselves.

Many of us do this in our personal lives. We try to be kinder to others; we set physical health goals; we endeavor to try new recipes or a new hobby.

We can apply this to our writing as well. It's how ELEVATED came to be. I had written about 100 pages of the book, and I was stuck. I couldn't figure out how to end it, or even where to go next.

I'm not sure what prompted me to try writing in verse, but I did. And it stretched me as a writer in ways I didn't anticipate.

I sort of feel like I'm on the cusp of another stretching period. I've written a fair few books now, and I want to try something new. A new genre. A new POV. A new style. Something. Not sure what yet, but I'll figure it out.

What do you think? Have you experienced any stretching periods? What have you done to stretch yourself creatively?

ELEVATED cover reveal!

Okay, so most of you know I'm publishing my YA contemporary novel on February 18. And if you didn't know, now you do! It's called ELEVATED, and here's what it's about.

About ELEVATED: The last person seventeen-year-old Eleanor Livingston wants to see on the elevator—let alone get stuck with—is her ex-boyfriend Travis, the guy she's been avoiding for five months.

Plagued with the belief that when she speaks the truth, bad things happen, Elly hasn’t told Trav anything. Not why she broke up with him and cut off all contact. Not what happened the day her father returned from his deployment to Afghanistan. And certainly not that she misses him and still thinks about him everyday.

But with nowhere to hide and Travis so close it hurts, Elly’s worried she won’t be able to contain her secrets for long. She’s terrified of finally revealing the truth, because she can’t bear to watch a tragedy befall the boy she still loves.

Add it on Goodreads!

I had a couple of fellow verse novelists read ELEVATED, and here's what they had to say.

"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

And now here's the cover!!

Photo and design by Erin Summerill Photography

I'm also doing a $15 PayPal cash giveaway, so help spread the word about ELEVATED's cover and enter to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


And tell me what you think of the cover!

Choosing the Best Three Things

Okay, so I've come to the conclusion that a person can only do three things really well. If we try to stuff our schedule or workload with more than three things, they all suffer.

Or maybe I can only juggle three things very well.

So for me, I'm constantly moving the third thing. See, #1 is family, and #2 is work. Those two don't move -- they can't be replaced with anything else.

But #3 is constantly up for grabs. When I'm on deadline or have revision notes, #3 is writing. For the past few months, #3 has been establishing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes #3 has to be organizing conferences, or whatever else. There are a million things to fill our time with, right?

Whenever I have to do two of those really well -- like keep going to the gym when I'm under deadline, all four things start to teeter and totter. Thankfully, these circumstances only happen every once in a while, for a limited time.

Anyway, my conclusion is we can only do three things -- well -- at one time. Otherwise we get mentally and physically taxed.

What do you think? Have you noticed this to be true in your life? Where does writing fit in?

Why I Write

Okay, so over the weekend, my husband and I went to see the movie Saving Mr. Banks. I am not ashamed to admit that I teared up a few times (okay, maybe I'm a little ashamed).

I thought it was an absolutely fantastic movie, from the brilliant acting to the progression of the plot. I'm not interested in debating the truthfulness of it, or anything like that. I thoroughly enjoyed it from an entertainment perspective.

From an author perspective, I understand how and why Mary Poppins felt like family to P.L. Travers. I found her character complex -- and at one point I leaned over and asked my husband if we're supposed to like her.

Because she never allowed anyone into her life. And she was cold, and unyielding, and sometimes I didn't like her. But by the end, I loved her and I loved that she got to see her Mr. Banks saved.

I felt a connection to her as an author. I started writing to alleviate some of the negative emotions in my life, and often that is still why I continue to craft stories. So to see her past, witness her tragedy and pain, and see how she used writing to tame those in her life reminded me so much of myself.

I am in a much better place now than I was when I started writing over 5 years ago, but I often still call on those negative emotions to help me take my characters to the brink of disaster.

I really enjoyed Saving Mr. Banks, from both a personal and writerly position. Have you seen it?

Why do you write?

My 2014 Goals, Inspired by Ali Cross

Okay, so it's the beginning of a new year. A new calendar year. I've decided to write a few goals down (mostly because I read this post by my good friend Ali Cross, spent at least 30 minutes feeling like a loser, and then decided to make my own--much less impressive--list), and I also decided to share them with all of you. Lucky ducks!

(I actually do a lot of goal-setting in August, when the new school year begins. I live my life from August - July most of the time.)

But anyway, here are some of my publishing and life goals for 2014:
Life: Continue my physical wellness pursuits. I've lost 20 pounds, which is a direct result of my healthy eating and gym attendance. I'm going to continue doing that.

Publishing: Successfully finish edits on RIFT, a YA time travel I'm currently revising for my agent.

Life: Renew my teaching certificate. I kinda have to if I want to keep my job, so...

Publishing: Draft 2 new books. I have one started, but the second? I think I'm going to have to pull up my 30-ideas-in-30-days file and see what I've got in there...

Life: Master 10 recipes for my pressure cooker. I've made a few things now--pot roast and pulled pork--and I think I've got the pulled pork down. It was delicious. The pot roast... not so much. Needs some more work there.

Publishing: Edit/polish 4 already-written novels and prepare them for either submission or self-publishing. Don't be impressed. All 4 novels have been through quite a bit of revision already. Maybe one more round? Maybe two...

So those are the goals. I think they're pretty do-able. I also have a couple of marketing strategies. I've been sort of, I don't know, burned out (?) on marketing in the past several months. I'm honestly just not sure what works and what doesn't, and I'd rather spend my time writing. Thus--

Marketing Strategy #1: Write and publish more books. 

That's it. I'm not worried about posting on Facebook or twitter or tumblr a certain amount of time or every day. I'm looking to be more spontaneous and authentic.

So I'm going to spend my time writing, polishing, and publishing more books. Right now, I only have one scheduled (ELEVATED, February 18), but I may put out another one in the fall.

Marketing Strategy #2: Post entire works and excerpts on Wattpad.

Possession is already there, and I'm going to be uploading part of both SURRENDER and ELEVATED, as well as a new fantasy.

Marketing Strategy #3: Use my established newsletter.

I checked, and yeah. Not a good year in 2013. I think I sent 4 newsletters--the last one in June. So I'm going to try to be better about doing the newsletter thing, but I'm not going to go crazy. I'm thinking quarterly is a good start. I've already done the redesign, and the first newsletter went out yesterday.

And that's it. I hope to have a couple of books out this year, maybe some news of a deal (fingers crossed!), and most of all, a renewed enthusiasm to be an author in 2014!

Did you post goals for 2014? I'd love to go visit your blog and see them, so link me up in the comments!

DEFY by Sara B. Larson

Okay, so I've known Sara for about 5 years now. She lives here in Utah with me, and we get together for parties, dinners, launches, write nights, conferences, and various other things. When a fried organized an ARC tour, I signed up.

Then DEFY came up on NetGalley, so I snagged it there too. It's easier for me to read at the gym on my Kindle, and this way, when the ARC finally came, all I had to do was sign it and go through and tell Sara all my favorite parts.

And there were many favorite parts. I absolutely loved DEFY. It's a YA fantasy that fits into the genre very nicely. Let's explore a little bit.

About DEFY: Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

I have also written a (trunked) novel about a girl who pretends to be a boy, so I loved this aspect of it. I liked how Sara handled the delicate issues of female body parts while still making this girl a boy on the outside. But Alexa is a girl, and she has female internal reactions, worries, and thoughts. This can be tricky to do, and Sara did it well.

I loved the jungle setting. I don't know why; maybe because I haven't read anything like that for a while. It was different, and for me, different in a book is always good.

DEFY is a fantasy, so it has danger, intrigue, wicked kings, and magic. And there's some kissing, which you know I'm fond of. If you like fantasies like THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS or GRACELING, you'll like DEFY.

It comes out on January 7, so be sure to get your copy!!

Also, I am woefully out of the loop. What should I be looking forward to reading in 2014??

A Story With No Words (Okay, Some Words)

Okay, so there's a couple of things going on today, and I thought about writing them all out. I am an author, sometimes. However, I think sometimes pictures speak louder than words, so I'm opting for an image-fest today.

Now I'm not very good at this kind of stuff, so it'll probably be lame. Judge me if you want.

First, there's this:

That's right! I survived 2013! It feels goooood, too. 

And then this:

Yes, that is my school shirt. Vikings, FTW! Don't judge.
And yes, that looks like me signing something, right?
I AM signing something -- a new agency contract!

This is where I sent the signed agency contract.
I am now represented by Victoria Marini at Gelfman Schneider!

I feel like I could do this:

Because, seriously. 

Or this:

Invincible!

And strong!

And I definitely want to go here:

The adventure of a lifetime! 

And if that weren't enough, this girl and I are meeting today:

This is the world-famous photographer, Erin Summerill.
We're meeting to SHOOT THE COVER OF ELEVATED (my next book, coming February 2014).
I could not be more excited.

So what do you think of my image-fest? Pretty awesome, no? It's okay if you hated it. I'll like you anyway. 

ALL SHE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS

Okay, so my daughter wrote a letter to Santa this year, outlining all the things she wants. I think gift-giving is one of the most fun things of the holidays. And there's a book that has a hero that believes the same: ALL SHE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS by Sara V. Olds.

Sara is one of my critique partners, and she just released her holiday romance last week. It's a super-fun, fast, and perfect holiday read. I hope you'll consider gifting it to yourself this Christmas, or to someone else who likes to read clean, witty, and swoon-worthy romance.

About ALL SHE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS: Saving Christmas will take more than Magic.

George Clauson is Santa's daughter, but she can't stand Christmas. All that ho-ho-hoing, caroling and people's greedy wants? No, thank you. She's left the family business and struck off on her own in the human world finding her niche as a humble second-grade teacher.

Ebenezer Herod is a descendent of King Herod. His family has never stopped trying to destroy Christmas. This year they may actually get their wish, but not if Ben can help it.

George wants nothing to do with restoring balance to the Christmas season, and she certainly isn't interested in the shockingly handsome and devilishly rich Ben. A determined do-gooder, Ben's used to saving the day, but he can't rescue Christmas alone. Can George and Ben find a way to work together despite their opposing heritages to make the Season bright?

Buy:

I hope you'll consider getting ALL SHE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS as part of your holiday season. 

What great read should I get for myself?

Blog Tours by Elana

Okay, so I've been putting this off for a while now. Mostly because I'm lazy. Ha! But I've gone ahead and done it--created a new site just for the blog tours, cover reveals, and book blitzes I do.

This way, each author I work with will have a place they can direct their friends/family for sign-ups, and I can keep this blog separate for my writing ramblings, news, book reviews, and other more authorly things.

BUT -- you should go check out all the things I have going on! There are some amazing authors who are gearing up for the releases of their books, and I have cover reveals coming, and book blitzes, and blog tours!

INCLUDING -- a cover reveal for my own ELEVATED, a YA contemporary novel-in-verse I am self-publishing on February 18, 2014. So go here to sign up for that.

And poke around the site to find other opportunities to feature new covers and participate in blog tours and book blitzes.

These are my current sign-ups:
Cover reveal for BLOOD CROWN by Ali Cross
Cover reveal for PARIS CRAVINGS by Kimberley Montpetit
Book Blitz for Ann Stampler's AFTERPARTY
Book Blitz for Donna K. Weaver's HOPE'S WATCH
Blog Tour for Derick William Dalton's HOUSES OF COMMON

I have four more tours upcoming (Ali Cross's BLOOD CROWN, Donna K. Weaver's TORN CANVAS, Lee Strauss's SUN & MOON, and Christina Farley's GILDED) that will be announced soon. So please consider checking out my new site, subscribing to my blogger list, and signing up for a blog tour or two, or the chance to help reveal a cover.

Books to Give This Season: TAKEN by Erin Bowman

Okay, so I loved this book. I don't even think "love" is strong enough a word. I L-O-V-E-D this book! I bought it many months ago when it first came out, but I just read it recently.

The book in question? TAKEN by Erin Bowman. If you haven't read it yet, you need to get it, stat. And then you need to buy a copy for someone you love. Because there's nothing better than books for Christmas.

About TAKEN: Gray Weathersby has grown up expecting to disappear at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. They call it the Heist—and it happens to every boy in Claysoot. His only chance at escape is to climb the Wall that surrounds Claysoot. A climb no one has ever survived . . .

Why this book works for me:
1. Super unique concept. A closed society, with a wall that no one has ever made it over? That's full of mystery and intrigue right there. 

2. A main character to root for. I loved Gray, and his steadiness. I loved that he knew what he wanted -- not only a girl he loved, but a brother to save -- and that he went for it. He wasn't overly emotional, something I think sometimes happens to male narrators, and he had a perfect voice for the story.

3. The twists and turns. There's so much more to this book than what's listed in the description. There's the wall, yes. But that's just the beginning. There are secrets Gray doesn't know (no spoilers here!), and I thought the world-building was spot-on. The information was delivered to the reader at just the right time to keep the pages turning. And the set-up for FROZEN, the second book? Brilliant. 

4. The writing. I'm a fan of good writing, and while I can't really explain it, I know it when I see it. And TAKEN has it. I like smart verbs, and smart characters, and a swift plot. TAKEN delivered.

So if you're looking for a great read, pick up TAKEN.

What's on your holiday wish-list? What books are you giving this holiday season?

Everyone Deserves A Chance to Fly!

Okay, so I've been listening to a lot of WICKED in the car recently. You know how you turn it up really loud and scream-sing along with, pretending you're even half as good as Kristin Chenoweth? Yeah, maybe that's just me.

But anyway, my favorite song of the show is "Defying Gravity." It just seems to fit a lot of what I've been feeling, thinking, and going through lately.

So Glinda has told Elphaba that she "can still be with the Wizard. What you've worked and waited for." (Tell me that doesn't apply to publishing!)

And Elphaba says:
"I know:
But I don't want it -
No - I can't want it
Anymore.

Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes and leap!

It's time to try
Defying gravity
I think I'll try
Defying gravity
And you can't pull me down!"

I love that. You can't pull me down!

Then Glinda says:
"Can't I make you understand?
You're having delusions of grandeur." 

(Also, publishing. Who among us doesn't have delusions of grandeur? I'm totally guilty as charged.)

To which Elphaba replies:
"I'm through accepting limits
'cause someone says they're so
Some things I cannot change
But till I try, I'll never know!
Too long I've been afraid of
Losing love I guess I've lost
Well, if that's love
It comes at much too high a cost!
I'd sooner buy
Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I'm defying gravity
And you can't pull me down."

See? See how this applies to publishing? "I'm through accepting limits, 'cause someone says they're so." I absolutely love that line. And there are things in publishing that we don't understand until we try them. And things we're afraid of, and things we miss out on because of those fears.

Then Elphaba and Glinda have their little goodbye, and Elphaba sings:
"So if you care to find me
Look to the western sky!
As someone told me lately:
"Everyone deserves the chance to fly!"

And if I'm flying solo
At least I'm flying free
To those who'd ground me
Take a message back from me

Tell them how I am
Defying gravity
I'm flying high
Defying gravity
And soon I'll match them in reknown
And nobody in all of Oz
No Wizard that there is or was
Is ever gonna bring me down!"

Again, love. Because everybody DOES deserve the chance to fly, even if it's solo.

So today, I am getting on my broom and hoping it'll fly. I'm letting you know that I will be self-publishing a novel of mine on February 18, 2014. It's called ELEVATED, and it's about a girl who gets stuck in an industrial-sized elevator with her ex-boyfriend. It's a YA contemporary novel-in-verse.

That's right. Poetry. Every word.

And my good friend, Erin Summerill is making the cover with some exclusive photography she shot--and she is brilliant!

And in case you haven't heard of WICKED or Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, you really should watch it.

Don't you think everyone deserves a chance to fly?

How Do You Know If You're Good?

Okay, so many of you know I'm querying. And if you didn't, you do now! Of course, I'm getting rejected. It's part of the business. But as the rejections have been coming in, I'm always left with one question: How do you know if you're a good writer?

Is it because people tell you you are? Is it because you have an agent? A lot of sales? A deal?

I'm not sure, because I've read books that win big, major awards and I walk away from them because I don't like them. I've read books that are brilliant that no one else seems to be talking about. I've read books that sold for a lot of money and found them boring.

So how do you know if you're a good writer? What's the measurement?

I hate stuff like this, because I am a concrete person. I want a plan, a method, to know. Like, I can count my calories and know how much I've eaten. I can see the weight coming off the scale (BTW, I'm down 10 pounds now! Just started a couple of weeks ago). I know how to measure the success.

But with publishing, I don't.

I think that might be the most frustrating thing of all. I don't want to publish something bad, something poorly written or imagined, something poorly executed. But I don't know how to tell what's "good" and what's "bad."

So how do you know if you're a good writer?

Pushing Past the Subjectivity

Dude, this business is SO subjective. If you didn't know that yet, I hope I'm not revealing anything too heart-breaking. Because this publishing thing? It has the power to rip your heart out and trample on it.

And it's because of the subjectivity of the art. Writing is art. Books are art. I know intellectually that not everyone will "connect" with the art I produce. But emotionally, this is a much harder fact to internalize. Because, if the writing is good, and the plotting is smart, and the characters are well-developed (all compliments I've gotten), why exactly isn't this book for you?

Subjective tastes.

And that's hard to stomach, because I don't know how to revise to fix that. It's impossible. We can't revise our books for every reader who comes along, be them agents, editors, or fans. Maybe if you're writing a Choose Your Own Adventure (remember those?).

But seriously, the subjectivity of this industry is demoralizing. It makes you question your ability, and allows your mind to wander into Forbidden Territory: Doubt.

At the same time, this subjectivity is what's so great about publishing. There literally is a place for everyone, all stories, all types.

So each time I get a rejection that doesn't resonate with me, or with the reasons I wrote the story I did, or the vision I have for my story, I have to push past the subjectivity of it. Sometimes it's hard -- oh, so many times. But in the end, I have to create the art I love and believe in.

How do you push past the subjectivity?

NaNo Check-In!

Okay, I realize I've abandoned the blog for a little bit. It's because all my time is sucked up in teaching, mothering, and writing. And it's exciting! I haven't written a book since April, and for a few days there, I seriously thought I'd forgotten how.

But isn't that always how it goes? Sure, I've been spending a lot of time on writing-related things. Revisions. Social media. Editing. But the actual drafting a book doesn't happen as often. Not nearly enough.

So this NaNo-ing has been good for me. Very therapeutic. I'm a bit ahead of the curve right now, but I still need to be writing about 1400 words each day to finish on time.

The real problem came yesterday when I wrote during my lunch hour (gotta grab the minutes when you can, you know?). I think I may have written myself into a corner. I usually write again after my kids go to bed, but I just couldn't. I wasn't sure how to get out of what I'd gotten into.

So I'm stewing on that today, and I might have to do one of those fillers. You know, the "stuff happens here" highlighted in yellow so I can keep getting the words on the page.

Are you NaNo-ing? How is it going?