Blog Tour: The Undead Road by David Powers King

Okay, so I'm very excited to be talking about THE UNDEAD ROAD. I absolutely loved the book, so when David asked me to be on his blog tour, I jumped at the chance.

About THE UNDEAD ROAD: Nothing brings the family together like a zombie apocalypse …

Fifteen-year-old Jeremy Barnes would rather watch a zombie movie than shoot a real one, but he has no choice if his family wants to survive the end of the world. Their plan? Drive across the infected United States to a cabin in the Colorado Rockies without a scratch, but their trip takes a complicated detour in the middle of Nebraska when they find Kaylynn, a girl who can handle a baseball bat better than Jeremy can hold a .45 Berretta. And when they stumble into a sanctuary, Jeremy soon learns that Kaylynn is stronger than she looks—a deadly secret lies inside her.

After the radio picks up a distress call from Kansas City about a possible cure, Jeremy’s parents go with a team to investigate. They never return. The only way to find their parents is for Jeremy and his sister Jewel to rely on a dangerous girl who might just turn on them at any moment.

Buy on Amazon -- ebook or paperback (the paperback release is TODAY! Yay!) Not only that, but the book is on sale this week for only 99-cents! Get your copy while it's discounted!

Isn't the cover fantastic?! I think it is. And that's just where the awesome begins.

My review: I love a good zombie story and this one is AMAZING! Jeremy is a fun and likeable character living in an un-fun and unlikeable world. His devotion to his family is admirable, and his quick thinking saves the day quite often. Just as often, he finds himself in difficult predicaments -- you would too if you lived in a world completely infected with Vectors (zombies).

When Jeremy meets Kaylynn, he knows she's different. But it's about more than her intoxicating eyes. She's been infected, but she can control it. She's not one of the thousands of Undead walking around looking for their next snack. And both Jeremy and Kaylynn want to know why.

When Jeremy and his little sister, Jewel, get separated from their parents, they're hoping to stay safe in David City. No such luck. A Vector horde converges, forcing the kids to take the family Explorer and follow the map left by Jeremy's dad. Jeremy's parents went to get the cure that had been radioed in, and Jeremy wants it for Kaylynn. At the very least they'll get some answers.

There are tons of problems between David City and Kansas City, however, and none of them are the kind you write home about. The pacing of the novel is swift, causing readers to flip pages as fast as they can devour them. I couldn't wait to see what Kaylynn could do, and why. I wanted Jeremy and Jewel to be reunited with their parents.

And most of all, I can't wait to read the next installment in the Zombie Summer series! This is a great first book of a great new series.

About David Powers King: David Powers King was born in beautiful downtown Burbank, California where his love for film inspired him to be a writer. He is the co-author of the YA fantasy novel WOVEN, published by Scholastic. An avid fan of science fiction and fantasy, David also has a soft spot for zombies and the paranormal. He currently lives deep in the mountain West with his wife and three children.

Follow him! He's an awesome author.

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Newsletter

David is running a contest as part of the blog tour. Visit davidpowersking.com and leave and comment and/or tweet about The Undead Road (at least once) for a chance to win a free ebook. One out of every 10 comments and tweets is a winner! Use the Twitter Button below to ensure the author will see your tweet.

Tweet

Follow the whole tour here:

Alex Cavanaugh

Donna Hole

Chemist Ken

Elana Johnson (you're here!)

Nick Wilford

Susan Gourley (Jan 27)

Tara Tyler (Jan 27)

Kristin Smith (Jan 27)

Lidy Wilks (Jan 28)

Elizabeth Seckman (Jan 28)

M.J. Fifield (Jan 29)

Michael de Gesu (Jan 29)

Interview with Author of TORN CANVAS, Donna K. Weaver

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Did you like modeling?”

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

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

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

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

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

“But these photographs are to sell a product.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | iTUNES | KOBO | GOODREADS

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

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

Enter to win:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

ROCK 'N' ROLL PRINCESSES WEAR BLACK by Kelly Polark

Okay, so I'm here today with my good friend and long-time blogger, Kelly Pollark! Her debut middle grade novel, ROCK 'N' ROLL PRINCESSES WEAR BLACK, just came out! I hope you'll all get a copy to support her!

About ROCK 'N' ROLL PRINCESSES WEAR BLACK: Music class and recess totally rock, but being teased in school and ignored at home totally stinks. Stefani Lucas is a rockin’ sixth grader who loves music and dresses like a mini hipster in all black, but there's one thing cramping her style - her lame baby brother who manages to hog all the attention from her parents.

When classmates tease her about her clothes and even double dare her to (gasp!) wear another color, Stef decides a minor makeover may be in order. Can Stef change for others and still stay true to herself?

BUY:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo

About Kelly: Kelly Polark is a married mom of three and educator/author from the great Midwest. ROCK 'N' ROLL PRINCESSES WEAR BLACK is Kelly's debut middle grade novel. She is also the author of the ABC picture book, ROCKABET: CLASSIC EDITION and two Meegenius books: BIG SISTER, BABY BROTHER and HOLD THE MUSTARD! In her free time, Kelly loves to hang with her fam, read books for all ages, and sing along at rock concerts.

FIND HER, STALK HER:

Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Pinterest | Goodreads

I hope you'll get a copy of ROCK 'N' ROLL PRINCESSES WEAR BLACK!!

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.

FRIENDS AND TRAITORS by C.J. Hill

Okay, so I'm here today with C.J. Hill to celebrate the release of her second Slayers book: FRIENDS AND TRAITORS! I've met the real C.J. in real life, and she is awesome!

So let's learn a bit about the book first.

About FRIENDS AND TRAITORS: In C.J. Hill's action-packed sequel to Slayers, the group of teens known as Slayers have been betrayed—but they won’t give up without a fight.

Tori’s got a problem. She thought she’d have one more summer to train as a dragon Slayer, but time has run out. When Tori hears the horrifying sound of dragon eggs hatching, she knows the Slayers are in trouble. In less than a year, the dragons will be fully grown and completely lethal. The Slayers are well-prepared, but their group is still not complete, and Tori is determined to track down Ryker—the mysterious missing Slayer.

What Tori doesn’t bargain for, however, is the surprising truth about her powers. She isn’t just a Slayer, she’s part Dragon Lord, too. How can Tori fight to save her friends when half of her is programmed to protect dragons? And with a possible traitor in their midst, the Slayers will be divided in more ways than they ever imagined.

Sounds amazing, right? It is! I've read it, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes good writing, fun characters, and the supernatural in their books.

And now we get to have some insight into C.J. and how she started writing and of course, whether she prefers bacon or chocolate!!

The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less: Slayers are teens with superpowers to fight dragons. Which is a good thing, because dragons are back and they don't want to be our friends.

Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Yes, although I also wanted to be a ballerina, an astronaut, and an ice-skater. Thank goodness I became a writer since my astro skating ballerina ambitions didn't pay off. (LOL! It's awesome to dream.)

What made you decide to go that “extra step” and seek publication?
I joined a writers group and a lot of the women were actively sending out their stuff. I realized that if I wanted to be published I couldn't just wait around for an editor to show up at my house and ask to see my stuff. I had to send it out into the cruel, harsh world. It's a hard step--but until publishers send out roving editors--a necessary one. (So true!)

Quick! You’ve been chosen to go on Survivor. What luxury item do you take?
A notebook and pen, of course. What else would I be doing in a remote spot besides writing my next novel? (Great question!)

Bacon or chocolate?
It's a hard choice as these are probably my two favorite foods, but I'm going with chocolate. It is my happy place. (Mine too, though it is hard to beat bacon...)

Find C.J. around the Internet:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Website
• Goodreads

Buy FRIENDS AND TRAITORS:

• Macmillan (read an excerpt here too!)
• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Indiebound

About C.J. Hill: CJ Hill is a pen name for a YA author who is best known for writing romantic comedies. (Slayers will be her 18th published book.) Her writing has shifted away from the romantic comedy genre, so her editor thought a pen name would be a good idea. (New books will include: dangerous dragons, time travel to dystopian worlds, and flesh-eating beetles.) Since the publisher refused to let her have the pseudonym : The Artist Formerly Referred to as Princess, she chose a name to honor her mother. CJ Hill was her mother's pen name, or at least it would have been if her mother had published. Her mother wrote a few children's books and a middle grade novel but was taken by cancer before she had fully learned the craft.

Most writers' first novels aren't publishable. CJ Junior's first novel wasn't, but somehow was published anyway. Now, even though it is out of print, it remains forever available on Amazon, where it taunts her with its badness. This was another good reason to use a pen name.

CJ Hill has five children, three of whom like her on any given day depending on who is in trouble. She has lived in Arizona for the last half of her life, but is still in desert denial and hopes that one day her garden will grow silver bells and cockle shells or maybe just tomatoes.

I hope you pick up SLAYERS if you haven't read it yet. And you can check out all the blog tour stops for FRIENDS AND TRAITORS over at Fire and Ice.

The Basic Marketing Plan for Authors Who Have Bills to Pay Too

Okay, so you have some marketing to do. But you also have bills to pay, or you'd like to take the family to Disneyland, or whatever. The point is, you don't want to spend your entire advance (or your hard-earned savings) or every waking moment on marketing.

So let's break it down into what you should spend a little bit of money and time on. (This is all Marketing According to Elana. Feel free to disagree.) This is the Basic Plan, and can be accomplished for under $200 and with about 20 hours of your time.

1. Bookmarks. These are a must in my marketing plan, and they're not that expensive. I get mine designed and printed through SignCity, a company my brother-in-law owns.

Cost: Low $, low time.
Uses: Online giveaways, book blogger swag, fan swag, use as business cards, put in every book at signings.

I've given away 2000 bookmarks in the past year at conferences, signings, etc.

I think you can order bookmarks and still pay the water bill. Plus, they're sort of something readers expect these days.

2. Postcards. These are another must-have in my marketing plan. Again, the cost is low. Postcard stamps are 29 cents, which means you can send 100 postcards for $29. Again, I use my cover art and get mine printed at SignCity.

Cost: Low $, low time.
Uses: Mail to booksellers, librarians, and schools. You can also use your postcards to contact specialty stores in your area where you might have a connection. Include a hand-written note and invite them to investigate your book further.

Last year, I also made postcards with the details of my launch events. I mailed them to everyone I knew, here, Texas, wherever. See, I had an online party, and while not everyone could come to Salt Lake City, they could join me online. I spent a total of $78 on postcards last year. I did have to spend some time looking up addresses and writing and addressing the postcards. The three hours was worth it.

I just ordered another set of postcards to send to the schools and libraries near me that don't have my book yet. And I'm going to use them to contact the warehouse clubs in my area, where my books are not sold. I just invested another $20 and it'll probably take me an hour or two to locate addresses and write the notes.

3. Blog Tour. Generating buzz about your book is crucial. How to do it? Use your review copies for exactly that. Reviews. Sure, it's fun to pass them to family and friends (and to hold and stroke), but ultimately, you want to get the review copies in the hands of reviewers.

Set up a tour, either a few weeks before your release or a few weeks after. (In fact, it's always a good time for a blog tour.) I think the key here is to ensure that you have UNIQUE CONTENT on each site. There's nothing I hate more than going to multiple blogs and finding the exact same content.

So make videos, do character interviews, allow them to ask you questions, get reviews, etc. But make each stop unique and fun, because the blog tour isn't about YOU. It's about the READER and engaging them.

Cost: $0, many hours. Be ready to coordinate emails, physical addresses, produce content, fix mistakes, etc.
Uses: Expanding outside your readership, generating buzz. Remember that it takes on average 5 times to influence someone to purchase your book. Or at least remember it next time they're at the store.

I think if you do just these three things, you'll be well on your way to launching your book into the world with what it needs to be successful. It is my opinion that jewelry, pin buttons, wrist bands, T-shirts, stuffed animals, etc. are fun, but not necessary. If you'd like to pay your cable bill, scratch all that other stuff and go with well-crafted bookmarks and postcards, and put together a unique, engaging blog tour.

The end.

What do you think? Can you do these three things? What else would you have on your Basic Marketing list?

Stick around for next week's marketing installment -- the Basic+Plus Marketing Plan For Those Who Are Nearing Wealth. (Ha!)

An Experiment I Want to Try, If Only I Weren't A Chicken

Okay, so prepare yourself for me to talk about my books again. I swear I'm not trying to spam you here on the blog. But if you don't want to read about my promotional stuff for POSSESSION, you can stop reading now.

No one will blame you.

So last year, about this time, I had bookmarks made for POSSESSION. And stickers. And jewelry. I was planning countdown giveaways each month from March - May. I had forms made for ARC requests and for people who wanted to host me on their blog for the release.

This year, I have nothing. None of that. Not one thing. (Okay, I do have an ARC request form. But that's it!)

Is this what happens to the second book? Is it "second child syndrome"?

I don't know, but I do know one thing. With POSSESSION, I didn't want to look back and go "I could've done more."

I can do that. I can look back and go, "I did everything I could've possibly done to ensure the success of my book."

With SURRENDER, I almost want to do the exact opposite. That's right. DO NOTHING. I want to see if it makes a difference. Does the blog tour really matter? Do people really care about stickers and bookmarks and jewelry? Will my sales be affected because I didn't answer five thousand interview questions?

I have a theory about what makes books sell, and I want to do this experiment to see if I'm right. But I am a huge chicken (which is ironic, because I'm terrified of all feathered animals. Especially ducks and chickens).

I'm not sure I can do it. I'm not sure I can just sit back and DO NOTHING. I keep putting it off, but I know that unless I make a commitment, eventually I'll DO SOMETHING.

So...should I commit to doing nothing? What do you think about promotion these days? Blog tours? Swag? All that jazz?

SHIFTING ARC Tour

Dude, I have an ARC that everyone needs to read.

It's SHIFTING by Bethany Wiggins. I was lucky enough to get a copy from her publisher at ALA.

Let me just start off my saying that I love Bethany. She's been a friend of mine for a few years now, and we sold our books at the same time. SHIFTING comes out on September 29, and I'd like to do an ARC tour for her over the next two months.

If you'd like to participate in this tour, I've made a Google form for people to sign up.

First, a little bit about the book, so you can decide if this is even something you'd like to read. (And trust me, it is.)

After bouncing from foster home to foster home, Magdalene Mae is transferred to what should be her last foster home in the tiny town of Silver City, New Mexico. Now that she's eighteen and has only a year left in high school, she's determined to stay out of trouble and just be normal. Agreeing to go to the prom with Bridger O'Connell is a good first step. Fitting in has never been her strong suit, but it's not for the reasons most people would expect-it all has to do with the deep secret that she is a shape shifter. But even in her new home danger lurks, waiting in the shadows to pounce. They are the Skinwalkers of Navajo legend, who have traded their souls to become the animal whose skin they wear-and Maggie is their next target.

Full of romance, mysticism, and intrigue, this dark take on Navajo legend will haunt readers to the final page.

Isn't that cover gorgeous?? I love how blue-gray it is, with that green snake... Creeptastic.

Second, I'd really like as many people as possible to be able to read SHIFTING, and I'd like the participants to blog about the book after they've read it. So you have to commit to reading really fast, mailing to the next person priority mail ($4.95, free envelope), and then blogging about the book and what you liked about it.

If you can do all of that over the next two months, click here to sign up.

What book are you eagerly anticipating in these last several months of 2011?

Deep Inside Jonathon Arntson

Okay, so today is the last pre-launch blog tour stop for POSSESSION! I hope you've had a good time over the past month, learned something new about me or Possession, or just won something cool.

Today, I'm at Jonathon Arntson's (whose name I still never spell right), answering some questions his blog readers asked me. And it's not too late! You can still ask me stuff. I'll be hanging around there all day.

It is freaking exciting, so get excited, and get over there!

Everything You're Dying to Know

Yeah, as if my life isn't already a pretty open book. I mean, seriously. But today, Beth Revis and I got together for a little interview. And it's pretty awesome. Head over here to check it out!

Also, I'm hoping you're not sick of me yet, because I have a whole new blog tour starting on Monday. There will be a post, a video, a tens list, or something along those lines every day. I'm going to put the link at the top of my page, under my header, so you can check out all the amazingness at your leisure, okay? Okay.

*squee!* Release day is almost here!

Let's Hear It For The Boys!

Okay, so the blog tour is taking a detour over to An Avid Reader's Musings. I'm going to be spilling some secrets about the two guys in POSSESSION.

Funny story first: I asked Jenna to be on the blog tour back in January. She'd signed up on my form. She was enthusiastic. Then I went to New York and met her at a blogger lunch.

I didn't know it was her (cause I am lame). But she is fantastic, and was very complimentary of POSSESSION.

I get home, and start following up with people, and I see her post about POSSESSION on her blog.

I'm like, "What a second..."

I finally made the connection that I'd met her! Here we are at the restaurant in New York City. (And you can read her post about that here.)

Anyway, go check out this stop on the tour that deals with all things male.

Playing God

Dude, today we're discussing world building in science fiction and fantasy -- and POSSESSION.

But not here. Over on Jemi Fraser's blog. She's hosting me today while I dish about how I came up with the story world for POSSESSION.

I'll also be giving some tips to those of you who are contemplating playing the role of the ultimate Creator. Go check it out!

Guestanista Review of POSSESSION

Okay, so today on the POSSESSION pre-launch blog tour, we have Matt Rush. Sort of. He's over on his blog, dedicating his time and space to a grown man's review of POSSESSION. (*gulp*)

Here on my blog, we agreed to publish his teenage daughter's review of POSSESSION. (*double gulp*)

So here we go! I'm turning over the reins to Kylie, who is fifteen--and a straight-A student!
__________

Possession by Elana Johnson is fast-paced, action-packed, and totally exciting. Seriously, it's like an Anime movie, guys.

Violet Schoenfeld, a troublemaker in a world of stupid rules, is a plot-perfect protagonist. In a dystopian society, Vi is not pleased with the strict guidelines, not pleased at all. She's outspoken, and has some rather suspicious capabilities. I loved reading her story because even though Vi wasn't the most experienced or knowledgeable person about her world, she still wouldn't stand for the rules, or she wouldn't take them sitting down, or whatever. She lived by her own set of morals, and followed her heart.

Possession speaks to any teen who feels oppressed by society (or their parents, or teachers) and I could really relate to the frustration Vi felt while just trying to be herself. I can't wait for the sequel. There is going to be a sequel, right?

__________

Uh, I'm taking the fifth on the sequel issue. Thanks Kylie, for a great review!

I guess I better head over to Matt's blog to see what he has to say... Wait. I better put my bullet-proof vest on first...

Gadgets, and Gizmos, and Tech, Oh My!

I've revealed a little bit about the technology of POSSESSION, but for today's blog tour, I'll be going a little deeper into how I developed the tech for the novel.

And the best place for deep is on Shannon O'Donnell's blog. So that's where I am! Come check it out.

Salted, Cured Meats

So you know I like them, right? You want to win some, don't you? And maybe an ARC of POSSESSION? And maybe some other cool stuff?

Yes?

Well, then go here. It's Paul Greci day on the blog tour! (Thank you for hosting, Paul! And if you're not already following and reading his blog, you should be. Just sayin'.)

And make sure you come back tomorrow, because I have a ton of amazing things to tell you about!

Music for POSSESSION

Dude, I spend way too much money on iTunes, downloading the songs that really speak to me about my story and character.

The writing of POSSESSION was no exception, and Nichole Giles is here to tell you all about it.

Or rather, she's here to tell you all about it--on her blog. Go check it out, and don't judge me too harshly... No, seriously, please. And don't be drinking anything. You've been warned...

Writing Out Of Order

So today I'm going to be talking about my messing drafting habits. But not here.

HERE -- on Roni Loren's blog. Go check it out!

Blog Tours!

Okay, so I'm sort of giddy (read: nauseous) about the next several weeks. Hopefully you won't get too sick of me. See, several fabulousities out there in the blogosphere have agreed to host me and/or my book on their blog.

Now, I don't take this lightly. A blog is a serious thing. People give time and effort to their posts. They have loyal readers. I'm hoping to add to their blogs as much as possible.

So each time I'm "stopping" on someone's blog, I'll link to it from here and turn off my comments. The entire schedule is below, and I've created a page here on my blog where I'll update the links and add the video content (yes, I said video content; get ready) as it goes live.

Today's kick-off stop is with THERESA MILSTEIN. So go there! I'll be hanging out most of the day, checking on the comments, and interacting with her commenters.

Can't wait for the rest of the tour. It's going to be EPIC!

Pre-launch POSSESSION blog tour:

May 2: Theresa Milstein
May 9: Roni Loren
May 11: Nichole Giles
May 16: Paul Greci
May 18: Shannon O'Donnell
May 20: Matthew Rush
May 23: Jemi Fraser
May 25: An Avid Reader's Musings
May 27: Beth Revis
June 1: Jonathon Arntson

The Teen {Book} Scene POSSESSION blog tour:
May 30 - June 17. More info here.

PERSONAL DEMONS Prize Package!

Okay, you guys. Today, I'm launching a blog book tour with epic prizes for Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers. I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this book, and I pretty much only have one thing to say: I've never met a bad boy this bad and liked him so much.

I really enjoyed this book, with it's quick pacing and fresh spin on demons. Even if you don't think you'll like demons, you'll like this. And hey, it's got an angel too if that's more your type. *bats eyelashes*

Lisa's crafted herself a real winner here. And to celebrate her book birthday (oh my heck -- a book birthday!) next Tuesday, September 14, she's giving away two prize packages, one for Heaven and one for Hell. And dude, each package includes a signed copy of PERSONAL DEMONS (excellent), an iPod shuffle loaded with PD's playlist (that's right -- A SHUFFLE), some swag (one can never have too much swag), and a few other Heaven/Hell-related items (ooh, surprises! Fancy).

All you have to do is visit each stop on the tour, collecting the two words in the post that are clearly marked (like the two marked in pink in my post). Lisa will have the entry form on her blog on the book-birthday, where you'll have to take the gathered words and arrange them into a sentence to enter.

Not only that, as if that isn't enough, but someone who comments here on my blog today wins the below PERSONAL DEMONS prize package! You would like to win that, right? Right. So leave a comment here, collect the words, and visit every blog on the tour to enter the grand prize drawing.

Here's the rest of the schedule, so make sure you visit these blogs throughout the tour.

Thursday: Carrie Harris
Friday: Myra McEntire
Saturday: Lisa and Laura Roecker
Sunday: Beth Revis
Monday: Andrea Cremer
Tuesday: the fabu author of Personal Demons herself, Lisa Desrochers

And now, seriously, which would you choose? Demon or angel? Heaven or Hell? Are you sure about that? Maybe you should buy and read Personal Demons first... *wink*