* Eternal Moonshine of a Daydreaming Mind *

FOR THE LOVE OF YARA

2012-01-25T07:27:00.007-05:00

Last week, by total random selection, one of my fellow Indelibles told me the winner of my book for our Blogger Chat giveaway was a blog called Once Upon A Twilight. I researched the contact person to notify them and low and behold the blogger's name was Yara.

The main character in Tangled Tides is named Yara.

I was so excited. I told Once Upon a Twilght Yara that I felt like I was emailing my mermaid Yara. We exchanged a few emails back and forth, then some of us started tweeting about how awesome her name is--which is when I was introduced to another awesome series with a Yara as the MC, Intrinsical by Lani Woodland--and I signed a copy of my book to Yara about how happy MY Yara would be that another Yara was reading her story.

Last night I found out that real life Yara has been hit by a horrible tragedy.
Her home burned down.This message was posted by her cousin Jenny on the Twilight blog.

"As many of you may have heard my cousin and owner of Once Upon A Twilight blog Yara, has lost everything to a devastating fire that started Friday, late afternoon. The fire engulfed a second time early morning on Saturday leaving nothing but ashes behind. Although, they lost everything in this fire, my family is safe and that is what truly matters. I am grateful today and thank god everyday that my family was not hurt, at least not physically. Newspaper with Full Story

I am touched by all the kind words and support that she has received this past couple of days and how everyone has stepped up and has voiced their support throughout the Internet and phone calls. This means a great deal to Yara and she feels so loved and blessed to have each and everyone of you."

A bunch of awesome authors had joined together to help raise money for Yara and her family, and I offered to do whatever I could to help as well. One of my favorite things about being a writer is the amazing and supportive community of people I have met through blogging. When tough times hit (floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and now a fire), many writers and readers open their hearts and wallets and offer a helping hand. If you'd like to jump in and help a woman and her family who has been helping the book community for a long time, please, please do.

Donate any amount (no matter how small or large) to Yara's Fund, then forward the paypal payment email to laniwoodland at myself dot com. You can erase the donation amount. We just need proof you donated. Then we will use random.org to pick a winner. This is open Internationally. We will keep this running for the next week. Ending at 11:59 Jan 28th.

As a thank you to anyone who donates, Angela Corbett, Jamie Manning, Brenda Pandos, Kristie Cook, Trisha Wolfe, myself, Taryn Browning, and Lani Woodland will have a drawing for prize packages:

Lani Woodland is offering one copy of Intrinsical, Indelible and Transcendent. She's also including a small bag of Indelible Swag, a CD of the song Can't Stop Dreamin' of You mentioned in Intrinsical. Also, if you win, your name will be used in Inevitable, the third and final book in the Yara Silva trilogy. It may be for a character who is snobby, sweet, evil, or good, and who might live or die. You may have a street or building named after you but your name will appear in the book.

Angela Corbett is donating a copy of her book Eternal Starling to the winner and some ES swag.

Jamie Manning is donating an ARC of his upcoming debut novel Blood Born and some BB swag.

Brenda Pandos is giving away two prizes. She is donating a copy of her newest book (as soon as he has it in her hand) The Onyx Talisman. She is also donating to another local person the kindle version of the who Talisman trilogy.

Kristie Cook is donating e-books from her Soul Saver series Promise, Purpose and Genesis.

Trisha Wolfe is donating a copy of her book Destiny's Fire and swag.

Taryn Browning is donating a copy of her books Dark Seeker and Dark beauty and two signed jumbo sized bookmarks.

I am donating a signed copy of Tangled Tides along with some mermaid swag.

I can't imagine going through such a devastating loss. Please help if you can. No amount is too small and you'll get a chance at winning some great prizes. Click here to donate through Paypal.

Dear Teen Me

2012-01-18T14:36:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, the fabulous gals over at Dear Teen Me invited me to participate on their site. I knew what I was going to write about. I just didn't know what I'd tell myself about it. After days of reminiscing and crying, I finished my letter (significantly shortened from the first version) and sent it off.

I have to admit, I feel kind of vulnerable. Close family and friends know about this event in my life, and I have posted a poem about it on my blog in the past, but a letter to myself was much harder. This was a private conversation between me at seventeen and the present day me, and now it's public. Eek.

But that's why I write YA. The teenage years are so influential and, at times, very difficult. So many happy/sad/shocking/heartbreaking/life-changing events happen when we're teens. I have yet to meet a teen who says their life is perfect or easy. And I've yet to meet an adult who doesn't have some significant memories from that time in their life. We can all relate in one way or another.

Being a young adult is not all rainbows and butterflies. If you'd like to read about my darkest of days, you can read my letter to my teen self by clicking here .

Friday the 13th Winners!

2012-01-13T09:06:00.004-05:00

Happy Friday the 13th!

Friday the 13ths have always been pretty lucky for me (knock on wood) but today is definitely luck for the winners of my recent TANGLED TIDES giveaways.

The winner for my Indelibles blog hop giveaway is...
TAFFY!
*throws confetti*

The winner for my Faeries & Fantasy blog hope giveaway is...
LISA RICHARDS!
*hands everyone cupcakes*

And for those wondering, the grand prize winner of the Kindle Fire and an ebook from each Indelible author was a GUY! Congrats, Chris Fenimore. Yay for guys who love reading YA books. :)

Thanks so much to everyone who entered my contests, hopped by, followed and commented.

Introducing the Indelibles

2012-01-08T16:45:00.023-05:00

Welcome to The Indelibles Blog Hop!

In celebration of our official launch, we are giving away a KINDLE FIRE! If you’d like to start at the very beginning of the INDELIBLES ON FIRE GIVEAWAY BLOG HOP, then please start here: http://indeliblewriters.blogspot.com/

However, I'm the first stop on the Hop, so if you're starting here, then just keep going until you end up on The Indelibles blog! By following the link at the bottom of this post, you can proceed to the next author (and check out the awesome, individual giveaways we are doing along the way!). If you are entering to win the KINDLE FIRE, don’t forget to make a note of the keyword at the end of every blog post - the words spell out a phrase you will need to enter the contest on the last stop.

Who are we? Marketing guru Shelli Johannes Wells has teamed up with twenty-four other indie and small press authors to bring you the Indelibles.

“We are indie authors who write middle grade and young adult fiction.

We are dedicated to leaving a permanent mark on the world with our stories and words.

We are The Indelibles.”

Each week, we’ll explore fun, fabulous, and fierce topics for today’s teens, drawing on pop culture and themes from the books we write.

We’ll be having a “blogger” chat on January 11th and a writer/author chat on the 17th to answer questions about self and indie pubbing. See our blog for details.

And now with no further ado, I will introduce myself:

Karen Amanda Hooper

(But you can call me Karen.)

I was born and bred in Baltimore, frolicked and froze in Colorado for a couple of years and I'm currently sunning and splashing around Florida with my two beloved dogs. I'm addicted to coffee, chocolate and complicated happily-ever-afters. Due to my strong Disney upbringing, I still believe in fairy tales and will forever sprinkle magic throughout all of my novels.

I've been making up stories for as long as I can remember. In high school I discovered my passion for putting my thoughts onto paper, but it wasn’t until my late twenties that I wrote my first novel. No agent or publisher picked up that one, but last year Rhemalda Publishing offered me a book deal for my YA merfolk/selkie story, TANGLED TIDES.
Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one.

When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.

Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans.

Buy it on Amazon
Buy it at Barnes and Noble
Buy it at Rhemalda Bookstore

Wanna win a copy of TANGLED TIDES? All you have to do is be a follower of my blog and leave a comment telling me the title of the best book you read in 2011.

You have until Thursday to enter. I'll announce the winner this Friday, along with the winner of my Faeries & Fantasy Hop contest.

The keyword for this stop on the hop is: Indelibles

Continue the hop and visit the next fierce and fabulous Indelibles author: Heather McCorkle

Thanks for hopping by!

Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Hop

2012-01-05T23:40:00.004-05:00

Clap your hands if you believe in fairies!
*claps wildly*

I'm participating in the YA Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Hop. I'll give you one guess which YA fantasy book I'm giving away as a prize.

Did you say TANGLED TIDES?

If so, then you are correct!

My book contains all kinds of fun fantasy creatures and elements. Merfolk, sirens, selkies, and gorgons! A water sprite even makes an appearance--which is kind of in the fairy family.

Entering is simple, be a follower of my blog and leave a comment telling me who is your favorite fantasy character of all time.

If you want to tweet about my giveaway, that would be spectacular, but no pressure. This fantasy hop is full of chances to win lots of great books, so use your time to hop around and enter for all the magical books you want to win!

Go to Inspired Kathy's blog to enter to win more great books and get links to the rest of the blogs participating.

I will announce the winner of my giveaway on Friday, January 13th. And yes, as always, it is open to International readers. Good luck to all!
*sprinkles fairy dust on you*

For The Love of Stories--and all of the people who love them

2012-01-05T08:06:00.020-05:00

Writing this post makes me sad, but I feel like I need to publicly say why I'm stepping back from interacting with reviewers, or I'll feel like a snooty snoot.

I had read a post by the fabulous Roni Loren where she talked about a public discussion and how reviewers and readers said how they don't like when authors comment on reviews. Some gave very good reasons, but because of my naivety I was a little shocked. I usually don't comment on reviews of Tangled Tides on Goodreads (I may click "Like" but I rarely comment because I don't want to look like a stalker), but I do try to say thank you when a reviewer posts on their blog.

Have I been making reviewers mad? Or uncomfortable? I swear, that was never my intention. I'm the type of person who says hello, how are you, and thank you A LOT. At the grocery store, walking down the street, wherever. For over a decade I have wished I'd been born a few decades earlier. I would have fit in better during the era of slower times: when people knew their neighbors, when families sat down together at dinner and actually TALKED to each other, when relationships consisted of quality time together and people had real conversations instead of texting or emailing each other other 600 times a day.

I didn't realize I might be displaying bad etiquette by clicking the "Like" button on Goodreads, or leaving a sincere thank you comment on blogs. I assumed I was interacting with my readers, and I assumed it was a good thing. I was just being me. I read the good and bad comments about my book because I WANT to know what people liked and disliked. I want to be a better writer. I want to become better as I grow. Reviews help me with that. Have I commented on negative reviews of my book? No. And not because I don't appreciate that readers time, or their criticism. Believe it or not, I DO appreciate EVERY review--good or bad. I just knew I'd be treading on delicate ground if I said ANYTHING. Even if I clicked the "Like" button, I worried it would be interpreted the wrong way. That much I knew.

But Roni's post opened my eyes.
Many reviewers said they didn't want authors commenting AT ALL.
And then, oh my goodness, last night I read the two recent threads on Goodreads that erupted into so much anger and hurt between authors and readers. It broke my heart. It was painful to read. It was eye opening.

I read every comment carefully.
I put myself in the reviewers' shoes and the authors' shoes.
I sympathized with all parties, and understood all sides.
I wanted to scream "Can't we all just get along?!" but I stayed quiet because, well, it didn't involve me. Why add my insignificant ripple to the raging waters?

Somewhere in the midst of it all, a reviewer (maybe a couple of them) mentioned how their reviews are for readers, not authors.

That stung. Because as an author, I am first and foremost a reader. I read stories for MANY years before I attempted to write one. BUT, I also understood the other side of the argument. And, okay, I get it.

I can see how it would make readers uncomfortable to honestly discuss or comment about a book or review if they suspected the author was watching the thread. I understand that readers go to Goodreads to read honest opinions about books. I understand because I am also a reader, and I use Goodreads for that purpose too.

An author friend put it in a simplified way that made a lot of sense. I'm paraphrasing, but it was something like: once a book has been published, it's no longer the author's. It belongs to the world and the readers. They can comment and discuss it, but the author shouldn't.

Again, part of me was very saddened by that philosophy, but the other part of me understood. I agree wholeheartedly that authors should always handle themselves professionally. Reviewers should never be attacked or bullied. Ever. And I totally get why authors should not comment on negative reviews.

I didn't know we also shouldn't comment on positive reviews.

So, I have come to this conclusion--for now.
I will no longer comment publicly on reviews of my books on blogs or Goodreads.
*heart cracks a little*
I want readers and reviewers to feel free to be honest and say whatever they want about my book without worrying about me lurking in the shadows.

However, I will NEVER stop interacting with readers. Mainly, because I consider every single reader a treasure. (Whether they read my book or not, and even those who didn't like my book.) I am still here on my blog. I am still available for email. I am still on Goodreads, but with limited interaction. I am still on Twitter and I try to respond to EVERY person who tweets me. (I'm sorry if I miss someone now and then.)

Here are my biggest reasons why I refuse to stop interacting with readers... because I am STILL a reader. I am STILL a writer who is trying to learn, grow, and become better. I always will be.

My love for books and writing is not only for my own work. Part of me would die inside if I couldn't discuss this stuff with other book lovers and writers. I don't care if a person is just starting out as a writer, if they have an agent or not, if they are self-published, if they received a major book deal from a big 6, if they are an editor, or if they only read books but have never written a word.

We are all in this together.

We all have something to say, teach, learn, or contribute.

We all love stories, or storytelling in one way or another.

THAT should be what bonds us. THAT should be reason enough to befriend anyone in this infinitely big-yet-so-small world of publishing/writing/books. THAT love for books should unite us, not segregate us into different cliques and ranks with rules about who can and can't interact with each other.

*big sigh*

Once upon a time, we all lived happily ever after.

What a wonderful world that must have been.

Indie Book Fair

2012-01-02T08:14:00.004-05:00

Did you find a new Kindle, Nook, or iPad under the Christmas tree? Browse the Indie Book Fair and find a new ebook to break in that reader!

These great new books were released Nov 2011-Feb 2012 by Indie authors, priced right so that taking a chance on a new author doesn’t have to break your wallet. (Check out a previous Internet Book Fair for other great Indie finds.)

[Indie = self-published or small-publisher, for the purposes of this post, because no matter how we’re published, we’re all in this together, trying to get the word out about our books]

Note: Links are given for Amazon, but most authors publish across all e-book formats. Click on the author’s name for additional purchasing options, including paper copies.

For Your Browsing Pleasure

Contemporary (Adult)

Build a Man by Talli Roland (Chick Lit)

Slave to the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she's a high-flying tabloid reporter. Unfortunately, every pitch she sends out disappears like her clients' liposuctioned fat, never to be seen again. Then she meets Jeremy Ritchie -- the hang-dog man determined to be Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between -- giving Serenity a story no editor could resist. With London's biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy's progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success, even going undercover to gain intimate access to Jeremy's life. But when Jeremy's surgery goes drastically wrong and Serenity is ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, she must decide how far she really will go for her dream job. $0.99 on Amazon

The Golden Sky by Elisa Hirsch (Memoir)

The night I met Cade I never would’ve thought that two years later, after we were homeless street musicians in Hawaii, we would have a little girl and another baby on the way. Our son was born with the type of birth defects that make televangelists cringe. The “death home” gave him a really nice funeral, the kind I’d never wished to attend. We lost it after that, totally cemented in our grief. Cade got into drugs, joined a rock and roll band, and I kicked him out of the house. That was how I met: Earl (an old man and unlikely best friend), the “big sag” (a middle aged woman who still flashed folks), Todda (the stripper next door), and Chris (a cowboy who fell in love with me). It wasn’t until I killed a rogue skunk, and my daughter nearly choked on a fry, that I gave my husband another chance. But could our marriage recover from the death of our son? $2.99 onAmazon

Someone Else’s Fairytale by E.M. Tippetts (Contemporary Romance)

Jason Vanderholt is the hottest actor under thirty with legions of screaming fans. Chloe Winters is a college student who hasn't gotten around to watching most of his movies. When they meet by chance, he is smitten, but it just isn't her fairytale. In fact, it could be her worst nightmare as her past, attracted by the bright lights of the media, comes back to haunt her. $0.99 on Amazon

Historical Romance (Adult)

The Duke’s Divorce by Anne Gallagher Available late January 2012

A simple trip to the Scottish Highlands finds the Duke of Cantin with a bride he does not want. With her impeccable beauty and fiery disposition, Fiona takes Society by storm. As their prearranged divorce proceedings draw near, can Fiona change his mind? Check author's website.

Literary Fiction

String Bridge by Jessica Bell

Greek cuisine, smog and domestic drudgery was not the life Australian musician, Melody, was expecting when she married a Greek music promoter and settled in Athens, Greece. Keen to play in her new shoes, though, Melody trades her guitar for a 'proper' career and her music for motherhood. That is, until she can bear it no longer and plots a return to the stage—and the person she used to be. However, the obstacles she faces along the way are nothing compared to the tragedy that awaits ... $6.99 on Amazon ALSO: Music Sample!

Mystery

Sherwood Ltd. by Anne R. Allen

Sherwood. The name immediately conjures up images of Richard Greene, Michael Praed and Russell Crowe. Or maybe that sly fox in the Disney version. Only, in Anne R. Allen's latest rom-com mystery the fox is a coyote and there's no Robin Hood. Or is there? In her usual inimitable fashion Allen peels back the layers, one hilarious subplot after another, until you just never know what's real and what's not. Rather like the Robin Hood legend. When the Manners Doctor, Camilla Randall, flies into Robin Hood airport with a suitcase in one hand and a book contract in the other she thinks she's leaving all her problems behind and is about to start a new life. If you look very carefully you may just spot the Sheriff of Nottingham, Maid Marian and even Little John hidden away. But as for Robin Hood himself... You'll just have to read it and find out. $2.99 on Amazon

Short Stories and Anthologies

The Initiate (Cloud Prophet Trilogy) by Megg Jensen (YA Fantasy)

Over a thousand years ago, the gods left Eloh's people and took their magic with them. To win back their favor, her people sacrifice ten female initiates every ten years. No has ever survived. There has never been a Chosen One. Forced into becoming an initiate, Eloh will try to find a way to beat the odds, stay with her boyfriend, and survive the fires that threaten to consume her. But will her lack of faith in the gods and her disbelief in their magic doom her to a painful death? $0.99 on Amazon

Eight by Karly Kirkpatrick (YA Paranormal Short Story Collection)

Prepare to be thrilled and chilled by Kirkpatrick's eight short tales in EIGHT. These eight stories, while short, pack a big punch. There are demon spirits, zombies, and even some human baddies. Each story comes complete with author's commentary. It also includes the previously unreleased short Grenades. $0.99 on Amazon

{CoverComingSoon} In His Eyes by The Indelibles (YA Anthology) - Available February 14th

Just in time for Valentines Day, The Indelibles bring you a one-of-a-kind young adult anthology! Twenty original short stories, all from the point of view of our favorite male characters - some are old flames from our novels and some were dreamed up especially for this anthology. Let these imminently crushable, swoon-worthy guys show you what romance looks like – in his eyes. Add to Goodreads TBR

The contributors to IN HIS EYES include award winners, frequent “Top 100” placers, and hot 2011 debut authors: S.R. Wells, C.K. Bryant, Elle Strauss, Susan Kaye Quinn, Jessie Harrell, Magan Vernon, Lisa Nowak, Heather McCorkle, RaShelle Workman, Ali Cross, Karen Amanda Hooper, Cory Putman Oakes, Laura Pauling, Stacey Wallace Benefiel, Sarra Cannon, Katie Klein, Cheri Lasota

Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal by Lani Woodland, Melonie Piper, Rita Webb, Wendy Swore, Melanie Marks, Heather McCubbin and Evan Joseph (YA Anthology)

Discover the secrets of a siren, fly with a hawk girl over the mountains of Montana, and flee supernatural party-crashers as the décor comes to life in this magical journey through paranormal stories. Along the way, watch for ghosts in a haunted house, or ride through the moonlight with a stranger. Save a comatose boy who has lost his soul, and don’t forget to bring your garlic and wolfsbane—you never know when the shadows will snag you. Transcendent includes eight stories of magic, love, death, and choice by some of the newest names in young adult fiction. $0.99 on Amazon

Young Adult

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn (Paranormal/Science Fiction)

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her. $2.99 on Amazon

Bound by C.K. Bryant (Paranormal Romance)

When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia,has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive. $3.99 on Amazon

Become by Ali Cross (YA Urban Fantasy)

Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she Becomes the evil she despises and the good she always feared. When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her Choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is a reason to want to change—something she’s never had before—a friend. $3.99 on Amazon

Exiled by RaShelle Workman (YA SF Romance)

Worlds divided them. Chance brought them together. Only love will save them.
An alien princess exiled to Earth. An arrogant boy. One week to get back to her planet or she'll die. And, her only chance for survival? She must help the boy find his soul mate.
Piece of cake! $0.99 on Kindle

The Secret of Spruce Knoll by Heather McCorkle (Urban Fantasy)

Following the tragic death of her parents, Eren Donovan moves to Spruce Knoll to live with an aunt she’s never met. Little does Eren know the entire town of Spruce Knoll is filled with “channelers”—a magical group of people who immigrated to the small Colorado town when they were driven out of their own lands. Channelers are tied to the fate of the world. As the world slowly dies, so do they—and they alone have the power to stop the destruction of Earth. Soon, Eren learns she not only lives among them, but she is one. When she meets local boy Aiden, his charm convinces her that being a channeler may not be all bad though. $4.99 on Amazon

Destined by Jessie Harrell (Retelling)

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear. As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined. $0.99 on Amazon

Darkspell by Elizabeth Mueller (Paranormal Romance)

Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . . until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold. As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magickal realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own. Will love prove thicker than magick? $3.99 on Amazon

Untraceable by S. R. Johannes (Thriller)

Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival. When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him. One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father. Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves. $2.99 on Amazon

Rival Demons (Book 5 of the Peachville High Demons Series) by Sarra Cannon (Paranormal Romance) Available January 20th

After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Order of Shadows, Harper finds herself thrust into the strange and beautiful world of the shadow demons. But crossing through the portal doesn't mean she is safe. The Order of Shadows is determined to bring her home and transfer the Prima line to the Harris family. They send their most vicious hunters after Harper. Hunters who will not stop until they have found their prey. Determined to keep her safe, Jackson takes her deep into an underground world filled with dangers of its own. Here, Harper will begin a journey that will teach her more about herself and her own path than she ever imagined possible. Add to Goodreads TBR

The Legend of Victor Standish: Under a Voodoo Moon by Roland D. Yeomans (Urban Fantasy/Romance)

Can love kill? Yes ... if you love a ghoul who hungers for your flesh only slightly less than she does your heart. Yet to the lonely street orphan Victor Standish, who has risked his life for a meal, to find love (even for one magical French Quarter night) is worth dying in the morning. $2.99 on Amazon All profits go to the Salvation Army.

Getting Sideways (Book 2 in the Full Throttle Series) by Lisa Nowak (Contemporary)

Getting shipped off to live with his uncle Race was the best thing that ever happened to fifteen-year-old Cody. Then a wreck at the speedway nearly ruined everything. Cody’s making every effort to get his life back on track—writing for the school paper, searching for the perfect girlfriend, and counting the days until he gets his drivers’ license—but there’s no escaping the nightmares that haunt him. A chance to build his own car seems like the perfect distraction. Until Cody realizes he’ll have to live up to Race’s legendary status. But that’s the least of his worries, considering he doesn’t have his dad’s permission. All he has to do is the impossible: keep Race from discovering his lie until he can convince his dad that racing’s safe. Yeah, sure. That’ll be easy. $3.99 on Amazon

Tangled Tides by Karen Hooper (Sea Monster Memoirs)

Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one. When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious. Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans. $4.99 on Amazon

Here by Denise Grover Swank (SF Romance)

Sixteen year old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend Monica in a car accident. Julia awoke in the hospital with a broken leg, a new talent for drawing and false memories of the accident, in which she dies and Monica lives. The doctors attribute this to her head injury, but no one can explain how a bracelet engraved with her name ended up at the scene of the accident. A bracelet no one has ever seen before. Classmate Evan Whittaker paid Julia no attention before the accident, let alone after. Now suddenly he’s volunteering to tutor her and offering to drive her home. She can't ignore that his new obsession started after his two-day disappearance last week and that he wears a pendant she’s been drawing for months. When the police show up one night looking for Evan, he begs Julia to run with him, convincing her that Monica is still alive. Julia agrees to go, never guessing where he’s really from. $2.99 on Amazon

The Veil by Cory Putman Oakes (Paranormal Romance)

Seventeen-year-old Addison Russell is in for a shock when she discovers that she can see the invisible world of the Annorasi. Suddenly, nothing is as it appears to be—the house she lives in, the woman who raised her, even the most beautiful boy in town all turn out to be more than what they seem. And when this strange new world forces Addy to answer for a crime that was committed long ago, by parents she has never known, she has no choice but to trust Luc, the mysterious Annorasi who has been sent to protect her. Or so he says . . . $7.99 on Amazon

Embrace by Cherie Colyer (Paranormal Romance)

Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve. Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him. Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the answers, Madison seeks her own. Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover. $6.99 on Amazon

Onyx Talisman by Brenda Pandos (Paranormal Romance)

Unrest stirs deep in Scotts Valley. Filled with uncertainty, Julia anxiously awaits Nicholas’ return. Phil, holds the pieces of Julia’s fragile psyche together, secretly hoping Nicholas stays away forever. But Alora secretly conspires to reclaim her talisman and strip Julia of everything she holds dear. Little do they know, a war is coming and more than one vampire would like to see the Prince of Vampires overthrown. Can Julia bargain with fate? Find out how it all ends in this explosive grand finale of The Talisman Trilogy. $3.99 on Amazon

How to Date an Alien by Magan Vernon (Science Fiction)

High school senior Alex Bianchi's estranged father gets her an internship at Circe Operations Center to pad her college applications. But Circe isn't your typical military base. It's an alien-run operation center and not all of the aliens are friendly, especially the one that tries to kill Alex on her first day. When Ace, a dark-eyed Caltian, enters and saves the day, she can't help but be drawn to him. Can these star-crossed lovers survive when they're on the brink of intergalactic war? $2.99 on Amazon

Fireseed One by Catherine Stine (Science Fiction/Thriller)

Fireseed One is a journey into a tricked-out near-future earth where 18 year-old Varik has inherited a vast ocean farm, following the suspicious drowning of his Marine biologist father. When Marisa, a beautiful and devious terrorist, destroys the world's food source, Varik is forced to travel to a lethal hotzone, teeming with dangerous nomads and a strange cult to search for a magical hybrid plant that may not even exist. The catch? He must take Marisa along, the only person who seems to know way, way too much key information. $2.99 on Amazon

The Missing by M.A. Leslie (Paranormal)

Eight-year-old, Ethan Doyle is just a normal kid whose biggest problem in life was to fight for the attention of his busy parents from his older twin siblings. But, after his aunt and uncle tragically die, his family takes in his teenage cousin, Kelsey, and moves to a spooky old, manor house in a new town. At first, everything seems fine, but when he begins to see and speak to a spirit named Lucas, his biggest problem becomes, just staying alive. Lucas was ten years old when the spirits of the house came to him and asked him for help setting their spirits free. Unfortunately, he never made the deadline and as a result the spirits took him and made him a part of the house as well. As he soon finds out, the only way he can save his own soul is to save the souls of the missing boys in the house. With his own deadline in place, Ethan enlists the help of his cousin Kelsey to solve the twenty-year-old mystery of THE MISSING. $0.99 on Amazon

Princess Kandake by Stephanie Jefferson (Fantasy) Available February 1, 2012

In Nubia a woman can be whatever she chooses. At 14, Kandake knows exactly what she chooses...Prime Warrior of Nubia. But her grandmother has said that she will follow her father on the throne. Refusing to abandon her warrior dreams she continues to train. When her brother is kidnapped, Kandake learns she must be both queen and warrior to win his release! See Author's Website

Middle Grade

Blink of a Dragon by Eisley Jacobs (Fantasy)

Discovering she’s connected to dragons is one thing, but when another dragon is caught hanging out in the fifth grade, Meia thinks things couldn’t get any worse. Is she ever wrong! Trouble is brewing in the cosmos and Deglan believes this new dragon holds the answers, but his hopes are crushed when the leader of the exiled dark dragons ambushes them. The fate of the dragons and possibly the whole world falls to Deglan and Meia as they search for the only creature powerful

enough to send the dark dragons back into the abyss. What they encounter along the way makes the adventure worth fighting for. $6.99 Paperback preorder

Merry Christmas

2011-12-22T11:08:00.001-05:00

Oh, holy night, I've been busy. So sorry to be missing in action, but I'm sure you can understand and forgive me neglecting my blog. Book release, blog tours, trying to prepare to move (ugh) and the holidays makes for a very busy Karen.

I hope you all have a fabulous holiday. Eat, drink, and be merry!

Then meet me back here after Christmas because I'm gonna do some fun after-Christmas giveaways.

I leave you with this final heart-warming classic holiday quote. (I'm sure all of you can relate in some way or another. ;)

"Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny f*#@ing Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white a## down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of a##holes this side of the nuthouse."
~Clark Griswold

THE SECRET OF SPRUCE KNOLL and Loving on Manatees

2011-12-12T06:00:00.001-05:00

A special edition of Heather McCorkle’s The Secret Of Spruce Knoll is releasing from Compass Press this month and she’s doing a special tour to go along with it. A percentage of the proceeds from every special edition sold (in every format) between its release date and 12-12-2012, will go toward Heather’s favorite charity that protects endangered species. Her goal is to make at least $10,000 for the charity.

Of course there are prizes during the tour which goes from December 1^st through the 17^th. Prizes include a symbolic endangered species adoption of the winner’s choice (a $50 donation by Heather to the charity for the endangered species of the winner’s choice, and cute stuffed animal for the winner!), signed copies of her novels and great swag. For full details, and to enter, go here. http://heathermccorkle.blogspot.com

For the tour Heather has asked each blog host to pick their favorite endangered species and she will tell us a fun or interesting fact about that animal.

Being that I'm a total animal lover, I had a hard time choosing just one. But I finally decided on...THE MANATEE!

I have seen manatees in real life a few times here in Florida, and they are so flippin' cute. Like big ol' sea cows who you just wanna hug and snuggle up with.

Heather's Manatee 411: The manatee is a massive marine mammal~up to 1300 pounds~that lives in canals, rivers, estuaries, and bays from Florida to the Caribbean. Fun fact: their teeth grow back and replace themselves throughout their lifetime. How cool would that be? They are endangered mostly due to pollution and collisions with boats, which have become more and more frequent as the human population soars.

If manatees no longer existed I would be one sad, sad, ocean lover. I even mentioned a scarred manatee in Tangled Tides, and I can't help but notice that my beloved bulldog Rooney shares some similarities with manatees. They could be cousins, don't ya think?

So, go buy a fabulous book and help a fabulous cause in the process. You help two birds with one seed. (I couldn't say "kill two birds with one stone" in this situation. It just seemed wrong in so many ways.)

PURCHASE LINKS for the eBooks of

The Secret of Spruce Knoll

(print books will hopefully be linked to them by the time the post goes live):

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

VICTORIOUS

2011-12-06T07:17:00.008-05:00

On the release day of TANGLED TIDES, a bunch of blogging friends (old and new) participated in an Underwater Web War. Humans joined forces with my sea creatures and rooted for their favorite team: merfolk, selkies, sirens or gorgons. I'm sorry the results have taken so long, but so much happened between then and now. Finally, I have the results for you. Winners? Wave roll, please.

MERFOLK!

Folks have still been tweeting me with their choices, so the tally changes by at least one vote almost every day, but here's the latest...

The merfolk won with 29 votes, sirens took second place with 23, selkies had 22 votes, and gorgons solidified last place with 10 votes. But don't worry gorgon supporters, they assured me that they are too powerful to care about such meaningless statistics.

One interesting event is that Simon Larter messaged me to say he had originally voted for sirens, but after reading some of the book, he might be switching to the selkies due to their love of icy vodka.

Makes me wonder if any other readers wills switch teams after reading the story.

Also, I participated in the fantabulous YA SCAVENGER HUNT hosted by Colleen Houck, author of the awesome Tiger's Curse series. The hunt was so much fun. I met so many new peeps, and gained a bunch of new supporters.

HELLO, NEW SUPPORTERS! *waves* I hope you stick around even though the contest is over. Every once in awhile I try to say something useful or entertaining.

The lucky winner of my personal contest of the YA Scavenger hunt, including her own personal Grow Your Own Mermaid, was...
Wave roll again, please...

HEATHER! (SupaGirlBooks)

Congratulations to Heather! I wish I could give out a copy to everyone who entered, especially those of you who left me fantastic personal comments, but sadly, I don't have enough money to buy everyone a book. (As soon as I win the lotto though, FREE BOOKS FOR EVERYONE!)

Also, a big thanks to everyone who participated in the Underwater Web War, because really, you're all winners, and you all picked awesome teams. (I can say that because I'm their creator.)

And last, did you check out my post over ay YA CONFIDENTIAL yesterday? Battle of the Books. Yup, go check it out. It. Is. Awesome.

HAPPY TUESDAY!

YA SCAVENGER HUNT- Lisa T. Bergren

2011-11-30T17:54:00.042-05:00

Welcome to the awesomeness that is the YA SCAVENGER HUNT, running Dec 1-Dec 4.
It's kind of surreal that I'm participating. Mainly because I'm hosting an amazing author, but also because my book hasn't even been out a week!

My own hauntingly beautiful bonus material is out there somewhere in Scavenger Hunt land, waiting for you to find it! And let me tell you, I LOVE my bonus material. Love. Love. Love. (When you find it you'll understand why.)

Here's how the hunt works...

We’ve put together a puzzle with one keyword found on each website. Complete it and you will be eligible for a fantastic GRAND PRIZE which will include signed editions of books, signed bookmarks, jewelry, and many more exclusive gifts with at least one gift from EVERY AUTHOR!

Each author is hosting another author's bonus material AND a link to the next step of the hunt. Work your way through the circuit and collect all of the 37 words in red. At each stop, enter the author's personal contest. There's lots of great stuff up for grabs.

After you've completed the circuit, unscramble the words as you proceed through the Scavenger Hunt. When you're finished, fill out the contest entry form here.

To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed puzzle before noon on Dec 4th Pacific Time. All the keywords must be in the correct place and you must include your full name and address. Entries sent in without name and address will not be considered.

I have the pleasure of hosting Lisa T. Bergren.
(Personal note: I was very excited about this because Lisa lives in Colorado Springs, and I used to live in Colorado Springs, so yay for us being kinda-like-neighbors-once-upon-a-time.)

Lisa T. Bergren is the author of over thirty books that have sold more than two million copies combined. She’s written fiction of all sorts (romance, historical, contemporary, suspense, YA), nonfiction and children’s books. She divides her time between writing, editing, traveling and co-parenting her three children (16, 13, and 8 ) with her husband, Tim. The Bergrens reside in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

www.lisatawnbergren.com

River of Time Series

Gabriella and Evangelia Betarrini are the daughters of Etruscan archeologists. Stuck on a hot, dusty dig site for yet another long, dreary summer—far from the nearest boys—they go exploring. They enter a forbidden tomb and find two handprints among the frescoes. And when they touch them, together, they are catapulted back in time…and into the adventure of their lives.

Get your copy of WATERFALL by clicking here.

Right now, in honor of the YA Scavenger Hunt, you can get any of the River of Time series at a special sale price! Kindle copies are currently $.99 WATERFALL, $2.99 CASCADE and $2.99 TORRENT

As part of the scavenger hunt, Lisa is sharing the book trailer for WATERFALL.

The music is epic and the books sound incredible. I've already bought my copy of Waterfall. I'm so excited to read it.

Now, while you're here, feel free to enter my

TANGLED TIDES Contest

Up for grabs: A signed and personalized (if you'd like it personalized) copy of TANGLED TIDES, a booklet of fun and pretty mermaid tattoos, a Karma card (everyone should have one) and finally, a Grow Your Own Mermaid toy (I can see you splashing with excitement from way over here.)

How to enter:

follow my blog (+1)
follow me on Twitter at @Karen_Hooper (+1)
get a friend to follow me on Twitter (+1)
like me on Facebook (+1)
Leave me a comment on this blog. (+1) (Be sure to tell me how many entries you have. And be honest. Remember the karma card!)

(Open Internationally because mermaids live EVERYWHERE!)

Ready to go to the next website on the Scavenger Hunt? CLICK HERE!

UNTRACEABLE DAY!

2011-11-28T11:34:00.019-05:00

Untraceable by S.R. Johannes is being unleashed into the world today!

I started reading this book last night on my Kindle and I'm so hooked. It's such an exciting story.

Kirkus agrees:

"This thrilling story is a dramatic entanglement of mystery, deception and teen romance. The action flows like a brisk mountain stream interspersed with rapids, holding suspense to last page."

Over the past couple months, I've been getting to know the sweet and talented author better. (We've teamed up in a secret group that we'll talk about more in 2012.) Now, I'll give you readers a chance to learn a little more about Shelli and her book.

Shelli, give us a quick summary of your upcoming book Untraceable?

It is a wilderness thriller with a missing person, a kick butt heroine, and of course – two hot boys. What else do you need? Besides Moon Pies.

Mmmm. Moon Pies. I love celestial themed desserts! Sorry, I got distracted. Hot boys are awesome, but tell us about your MC, Grace.

Grace is independent, caring but awkward. She connects with nature more than she does with people. She’s a total introvert and would be happy alone for days at a time.

I will say she is impulsive and annoyingly reckless. Exactly like I was as a teen. I didn’t think about the effects of any cause. I didn’t think of consequences, I just did dumb stuff and got lucky. That is Grace. She acts and then thinks.

But no matter what she does, her heart is always in the right place.

Speaking of connecting with nature and being alone, if you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?

Besides food and water - books, laptop (with great wireless plan), and picture of family.

Great answers. As you know, I'm a big mythology fan. If you could be one of the Greek Gods, which would it be and why?

Calliope – so I could be a muse to writers.

Oooh, good one.

S.R. Johannes lives in Atlanta Georgia with her dog, British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world. After earning an MBA and working in corporate America, S.R. Johannes traded in her expensive suits, high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing. You can find her hanging out online and visit her at srjohannes.com

Untraceable is going to be a huge hit. I just know it. Get in on the craze early by getting your copy today!

Buy the paperback or Kindle ebook at Amazon

Other ebook formats at Smashwords

WORDS CAN'T EXPRESS

2011-11-28T00:01:00.002-05:00

I'm a writer. However, I can't find the words to adequately express how grateful I am to everyone who celebrated my book release with me.
You guys and gals are the best ever. Ever. The best.

Friday, the Underwater Web War was awesome! So many of you blogged about it, chose a team of sea creatures, and tweeted about it. I saw so many comments from people who hadn't heard of Tangled Tides before reading your posts. I even saw some people commenting that they hadn't heard of selkies until reading about the war. I gained about fifteen new supporters in three days. Thank you so much.

Many of you retweeted about my contests, my updates, and all kinds of other supportive information. The #TangledTides hashtag flooded the Twitterverse and it warmed my heart to see it each and every time. Thank you so much.

The Twitter contest was such a hit that I ended up doing a second contest. The second one hit like a tidal wave and I ended up choosing two more winners to receive signed books. I gained about twenty-five new followers and met some amazing people because of it. Thank you so much.

Saturday, my paperback climbed the Amazon charts to a ranking of 36,790. I could hardly believe it.
Sunday, my ebook climbed the Amazon Kindle ranking to 8,668. (The lower the number, the better.) I almost passed out.
So many of you rewteeted the link to Amazon, or people ended up buying my book because of your blog posts and support. Thank you so so much.

Some of you posted reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and/or Goodreads. I made so many new Goodreads friends that I wanted to have a party. It was beyond exciting. Thank you so much.

But here's the thing I'm most thankful for: THE BEFORE.

So many of you have been blogging with me for months, some for years. We knew each other (even if only virtually) before I ever had a book deal. I read your posts, you read my posts. We laughed together, stressed together, struggled together, celebrated together, and LEARNED together. Sometimes we apologized for being too busy to read posts and comment (goodness knows I haven't been visiting and commenting as much as I'd like to lately.) But when my big day came, it meant the world to me to have so many of you there with me.

I am here because of you.

You have taught me, inspired me, encouraged me, comforted me, strengthened me, and humbled me. Writing, and the journey to publishing, is an emotional roller coaster. What fun is a roller coaster ride if you're on the coaster alone? Thank you for riding with me.
And please, don't jump off anytime soon. So many climbs and drops, and screams and laughs are still up ahead for all of us. It's way more fun if we ride together.

The success I had on my launch day was because of you.
I am well aware of that. I am grateful for that. I am grateful for you.

I am not a big-name author. I'm not on any Best Seller list. But some day, by some miracle, if I ever become somewhat big time, or if I ever make it onto an important list, I will not forget where I cam from.

I will remember how I got there.
I will remember all of the friends and supporters who helped me along the way.

Seriously, thank you so much. My gratitude is deeper than the oceans.

(I promise to post stats of the Underwater Web War soon. There are a lot of votes to tally!)

TANGLED TIDES WASHES ASHORE!

2011-11-25T00:00:00.039-05:00

Holy mackerel! (pun might or might not be intended) It's here.
Tangled Tides is officially being released into the world TODAY.

Anyone wanna squee with me? SQUUEEEEEEEEE!

*pinches self*
Nope, still real. This. Is. Happening.
Time to get out of bed and let it sink in. (Plenty more water puns where that one came from.)
(I don't really sleep with that giant seashell, but I might really sleep with my books. And I don't brush my hair with a fork. I was only impersonating Ariel. ((See the Little Mermaid statue on my dresser.))

The release day of my debut definitely calls for a celebration.
With that being said, the characters of Tangled Tides are magical, and some of them can be very loving, helpful, and kind most of the time. However, almost all of them are also badasses in some shape or form, and they aren't afraid to fight dirty to protect their kind. Therefore, this celebration can't be all rainbows and glittery starfish. We will be celebrating with a war.

That's right. Today is Black Friday, Tangled Tides Day, and...
Underwater Web War Day!!!

Tangled Tides contains battling merfolk and selkies, plus meddling sirens and vengeful gorgons. Someone has to triumph, or none of the sea creatures will ever return to their world--or survive in ours. War has been declared and YOU must choose a side.

Don't know enough about merfolk, selkies, sirens or gorgons to choose a team?

Here's a chart to help with your decision...

MERFOLK: of the sun, need warmth, gifted singers, can control water. Fun fact: in my story merfolk are ranked by color. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet (yes, the rainbow. And yes, my MC makes fun of it.) Each rank has a designated role and duties to their kind. Also, they must smoke C-weed to survive. You'll have to read the book to find out what C-weed is.

SIRENS: of the sun, need warmth, seductive singers, can control the weather. Fun fact: There are 3 siren sisters, one for each of the original gorgon sisters who were eternally banished to the dark and cold gorgon grotto. The sirens fly and swim between the worlds doing the gorgon sisters' dirty work, but the sirens evolved to be feisty rebels who do whatever they want most of the time--including stealing memories from humans.

SELKIES: of the moon, need cold, phenomenal dancers, can control human minds. Fun fact: selkies need the cold to survive but they're trapped in warm FL weather, so they hang out at Jack Frost's, a bar that is freezing cold and everything (seats, tables, walls, etc) are made out of ice. Their chic fur coats also help keep their bodies cool. They smoke seagarettes and have lots of scars that are invisible to humans.

GORGONS: of the moon, need cold, slithery dancers, can control the sea creatures (the original 3 gorgon sisters are like the gods of their world). Fun fact: Just like Medusa, the gorgons can turn any living thing to stone, but they aren't the heartless evil monsters that are portrayed in most legends. They are wicked smart, fast, and powerful. The male gorgons are tough as rock.

~~~~~~~~~~

I'm giving away a signed copy of my book and some other sea creature themed prizes. To enter, join the Underwater Web War on Twitter. Tweet which sea creatures you’re rooting for and why. Include the hashtag #TangledTides and you could win!

And, just so it's easy for others to see which side is winning, please leave a comment telling us which sea creatures you're fighting with.

Some awesome and badass human bloggers have already joined the war. They are posting their favorite sea creature image to show their support, so go check out their post today and see who they're siding with. They might even tell you why. (Insider tip: This knowledge may win you a prize on Twitter later!)

Alexandra Shostak
Ali Cross
Alison Miller
Amanda Johnson
Becca Brown
Cambria Dillon
Christa Desir
Christy Trujillo
Copil Yanez
CYP
DL Hammons

Elle Strauss
Erica Chapman
Garrett Powell
Harley May
Heather McCorkle
Jen Daiker
Jessica Love
Kelly Lyman
Kristin Rae
Matthew MacNish
May-Day Aura
Medeia Sharif
Michelle Argyle
Natalie Bahm
Patricia O'Brien
Sara McClung
Sarah Ahiers
Shannon Messenger
Simon Larter
Steena Holmes
Tere Kirkland
Tiffany Reisz
Zoe Rain

Wanna show your favorite sea species some love? Post your choice on your blog, sidebar, or on Facebook or Twitter, and earn extra entries in the contest. Feel free to snag one of the pics from below. (These were created by the amazing and talented Alexandra Shostak--AND 3 of the four images appear in the book!)

Fantasy SIRENS Tangled Tides SELKIES young adult MERFOLK romance GORGONS

What's that, you ask? Who am I rooting for?
I am the author. Therefore, I get to root for all of them. ;) Merfolk, selkies, sirens an gorgons FTW!

Thanks so much for stopping by to celebrate my big day.
My gratitude is deeper than the oceans.
Help yourself to some cake! :)

LINKAGE:

ebook at Amazon (Read the first few chapters for free!)
Ebook and sample also available at Barnes & Noble.com

Paperback at Amazon

Rhemalda Bookstore

Barnes & Noble

BELIEVE IT

2011-11-21T07:33:00.010-05:00

Tangled Tides releases on Friday. This Friday. That's like 4 more wake-ups.

I signed the book deal for it less than 5 months ago (July 8th). Rhemalda knew aiming for a November release date was a bit on the insane side. They warned me that it would be A LOT of work in a VERY small window of time. They warned me there could be setbacks, mishaps, unexpected delays, and who knows what else. From day one they asked if I thought I could handle it, and assured me it was okay if I couldn't. From contract signing to launch day in 140 days is unheard of in the publishing world.

At one point, during a gray and hazy period, a major player at Rhemalda said there just wasn't enough time. There was no way it could be done.

Another major player said, it could. And it would.

So, together, we did.

Six months ago, I had nothing but files full of agent rejection letters for two different projects. Today, my story is a real live book. (And a pretty one at at that.) Some readers have already held it, some have read it, some have posted reviews which touched me so deeply that I cried happy tears. It's very surreal.

Five months ago, if a future-telling fairy had told me that I would have a published book out in November of 2011, I would have laughed and told her she was insane. But what did I know? The universe works in mysterious and unexpected ways.

This wasn't the path I expected. I have been a blogger for years, but I always read about how writers had to have an agent first, and then go into submissions, and then if the story got picked up, it would be slotted a year or two (maybe even more) from the signing date.

No one ever told me that it could all go so very differently.

I never imagined I'd pull a shelved manuscript out of its drawer, submit it directly to a publisher, get an offer a few weeks later, and be asked if I could handle a mad and chaotic dash to publication within 140 days.

I didn't imagine it, because I didn't know or believe it was possible. But it is. It happened. Many days, I still pinch myself to make sure it really is happening. So far, I haven't woken up. I hope I never do.

I couldn't have done this alone. These past few months have been chaotic, but I've still managed to find many quiet moments when I sit alone, close my eyes, and reflect on every single person that contributed to making my dream possible--to making my dream turn out better than I ever could have imagined. I constantly say prayers of thanks for them, for this journey, for everything.

SO many people were involved in making Tangled Tides become a reality. It's like the universe provided me with the perfect dream team, and each person magically appeared at the exact time I needed them, able and willing to do the exact thing (or things) needed to link the next piece of the puzzle together. Together, we all managed to create a fantastic and complete picture.

One day soon, I'm going to do a post about all of them, and show you exactly what I mean. You will be astounded. Until then, I leave you with this: BELIEVE.

Wherever you are in your journey, whatever your dream is, believe. Believe in yourself. Believe in your abilities. Believe in every single person that has or is helping you along the way. Believe that the universe knows what it's doing. Believe that you dreams will come true.

Wherever you are at this moment, is exactly where you are supposed to be. (Even if you're frustrated, worried, stressed, self-doubting, been rejected, feel like the low man on the totem pole, or whatever else. It's all okay. It's all happening for a reason.)

Believe in where you can go. Believe in beautiful outcomes. Believe in the future. Believe in your dream team. Believe in your dreams. Because, I'm here to tell you firsthand, your dreams can and will come true--if you believe.

Just believe.

The universe will take care of the rest.

TANGLED TIDES TRAILER

2011-11-18T14:40:00.005-05:00

One week until the official release of TANGLED TIDES!
I can hardly believe it.

In honor of reaching the one-week-to-go mark I'd like to share the TANGLED TIDES book trailer with you. This is trailer #1. We've got trailer #2 in the works.

I hope you enjoy!

HUGE thanks to everyone who helped make this trailer possible. Alexandra, John, Andrea, Becca, Steve, Mike Hoover and Hannah the mermaid (hannahmermaid.com).
Thank you times infinity.

BOOKSTORE BANDIT

2011-11-15T08:30:00.007-05:00

Maybe I shouldn’t publicly admit this, especially since I have a novel releasing in ten days and I wouldn’t want bookstores shunning me, but I recently went into a bookstore and caused a ruckus.

Let me explain.

I was searching for Rae Carson’s book, The Girl of Fire and Thorns. I searched and searched the shelves, but it was nowhere to be found. Then I spotted one of those rolling book cart thingies sitting at the end of an aisle with books stacked up chest-high. (The real cart was narrower and had a much higher stack of books.)

I started at the top and scanned all the way down to the bottom. And there, at the very bottom of the cart, were four copies of TGOFAT. Me, being the big TGOFAT fan that I am NEEDED to see the new cover in person. I read the ARC which had a totally different cover. I needed to see the hardcover--the new cover--so I tried to wiggle the books out from the bottom of the very tall stack. However, I didn’t realize how iffy those carts are and, in ultra-slow motion, it rocked backward. I reached for it, but it was too late. The cart tipped back and crashed onto the floor. Thirty or so books went flying all over the aisle. It was loud. I actually shushed myself immediately after it happened. The five teens sitting at a table ten feet away all giggled and stared at me as I apologized and frantically tried to right the book cart dolly and stack up all the books again.

I’m sure I was ten shades of pink. I think I shushed myself and apologized until every last book was back in its place. I kept waiting for an employee to question me and threaten to kick me out. I was prepared to apologize profusely and explain what happened. I’d buy TGOFAT just so they’d know I didn’t create a scene for no good reason. I figured if nothing else, one bookstore employee would definitely know that a customer went to great lengths to get a copy of Rae’s book.

No one ever came. The teens eventually lost interest in the clumsy woman talking to herself and they went back to their laptops and conversation.

As I stood there with Rae’s books in my hands I figured I might as well do some good for the world and help out the employees, so I put them on the shelf that seemed like the best place for them. TOP TEEN PICKS. Woot!

For the record, I did not take any other author’s books down, I just squeezed Rae’s books into some empty shelf space. If any bookstore employees are reading this, please accept my apologies for interfering with your shelving system. I was frazzled from the book crash incident and jittery from the delicious salted caramel mocha latte that I ordered from the café. I can’t be held responsible for my actions.

Have you ever moved a favorite book so that it has more visibility?

Am I the only one who acts like a hoodlum (not really) in bookstores, or do you have your own story to share?

STRING BRIDGE by Jessica Bell

2011-11-10T12:24:00.008-05:00

Jessica Bell tore out my heartstrings.

String Bridge is one of those books. It’s a story that I had to read in one sitting because I felt an immediate connection to the characters. I read Melody’s story and kept thinking, “This could have been written about me.” Minus the adorable daughter, Tessa, and the fact that I’m not married, but all the thoughts, the insecurities, the internalizing, the fights, the emotions—all me. I think that’s what separates the good books from the great books for most readers. If the reader can see themselves on the pages, if they can nod along with every thought or sentence because they get it on a personal level, then BAM—magic.

String Bridge was magic for me.

I felt Melody’s pains and emotions as if they were my own. I wanted to beat the crap out of Alex and scream at him. I wanted to rush innocent little Tessa to the hospital and erase any bad feelings or scars she received. I wanted to rewind time and demand a do-over.

I won’t say why or give away too many details because if you enjoy emotional books about regular people (no supernatural powers, or paranormal creatures in this book) then I highly recommend reading String Bridge, but I don’t want to ruin any of its greatness for you.

I will warn you to have tissues on hand. I’ll admit that I’m a sap and have been known to cry (happy tears) at sentimental Christmas commercials. It doesn’t take much to make me reach for the tissue box, but you’d have to be heartless to not tear up while reading this book. It plays at your heartstrings, then it rips at them, then it tears them to pieces. You can't read this book and not be moved.

I’ll leave you one example of the many beautiful and poetic passages from the story…

"Imagine that you are the Earth and he is the sun, that silence is tangible, and the stars are the souls of your previous lives. Imagine distance is the place you’ll find life and death, where soil is your skin, and the dry fields your bones. Imagine love is the desert."

Jessica is a gifted writer, but she's also a gifted musician. Go check out Matthew McNish's badass and brilliant review of the String Bridge album: Melody Hill: On the Other Side, by Jessica Bell.

eBook:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/String-Bridge-ebook/dp/B005Y48DF6
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/String-Bridge-ebook/dp/B005Y48DF6

Paperback:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/String-Bridge-Jessica-Bell/dp/0984631747
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/String-Bridge-Jessica-Bell/dp/0984631747/

The Making of the TANGLED TIDES Cover

2011-11-08T22:24:00.009-05:00

Today I'm posting over at the YA Confidential blog about the making of my TANGLED TIDES book cover. Check out how me, my publisher Rhemalda, and my cover artist, Melissa Williams, went from this...

to this!

Check out the step by step transformation (it's pretty neat).
http://yaconfidential.blogspot.com/2011/11/undercover-wednesday-tangled-tides.html

COOLEST HALLOWEEN EVER

2011-11-01T08:12:00.009-04:00

Due to a computer crash this weekend I didn't do anything for Halloween. I was busy uploading programs to my new MacBook Pro. Woot! My incredibly generous and supportive boyfriend bought it for me and said it was "his contribution to my writing career. *tears up* I'm VERY grateful. Like, beyond words grateful.

And then, to add to the amazingness of getting a new computer, my awesome book-loving friend sends me a text of her dressed up as a character from Tangled Tides. I about wet myself. (Pun intended.)

Here she is as Nixie, one of the three sultry sirens in my story...

She needs some shimmering red wings, but other than that her costume is very accurate. (Notice all the males behind her? Even that is appropriate.) The best part was she texted me this, "I figure next year this is gonna be a very popular costume so I was first!"

I had NO idea she was doing this. But what a fun and shocking-in-a-spectacular-way surprise.

I have some seriously amazing and supportive people in my life. I love them to pieces and don't know what I'd do without them.

Did you dress up? Did you see any super cool costumes?
Hope you all had a fantastic Halloween and didn't get seduced by any soul-sucking sirens!

ONE MONTH

2011-10-25T09:35:00.006-04:00

The release date for Tangled Tides is November 25, 2011.
That's exactly one month away. CRAZY.

*pinches self*

Yup, it's still real.

November 25th is a new moon. I think that's a good omen. It's also Black Friday. I think that's a good omen too. I know Black Friday doesn't sound like it would be a good omen, but on that day I'm always with my mom shopping (and we always hit a Barnes & Noble) and find great deals. I have fond memories and feelings about Black Friday--especially this year.

If anyone would like to pre-order a copy, you can do so here.
http://tiny.cc/BuyTangledTides

Let the countdown begin! :)

DOWN BY THE SEA

2011-10-21T09:32:00.003-04:00

Happy Friday!

Just wanted to show you what I did yesterday. I played at the beach! Well, it wasn't really playing. More like standing around and smiling while a friend took a hundred photos of me. (I mean, Tangled Tides is about merfolk, selkies and sirens. A beach photo was only appropriate.)

This one ended up as my new author photo for my book...This one is my favorite because you can see the beach and my feet in the water/sand...These others were just fun shots and I'll probably never do anything with them except share them here...
Do I look like an authentic mermaid author?
It was an overcast day with fast-moving clouds so the lighting kept changing, but it made for some cool shots.
I hope you all have a lovely weekend and get in lots of playtime!

Giveaway & Guest Author: Christy Trujillo

2011-10-18T07:00:00.005-04:00

Today I'm hosting a super sweet author, Christy Trujillo. Her newest book, True North, released on October 1st and we're celebrating by giving away some fantastic prizes! To enter just leave a comment below and vote Land or Sea, and be sure to follow Christy's blog because she's beyond adorable.

Goodies up for grabs: eCopies of all of Christy's books (her entire Maldito series as well as True North) and a $15.00 gift card to Amazon or iTunes (winner's choice).

Now I'll turn it over to Christy...

Hi, everyone! First, I’d like to tell Karen thank you for allowing me to have some space in her world. I’ve actually been following her blog for a very long time and felt a kinship with her immediately. Not only because she’s a fellow Floridian, but also because when she described how she met her characters the first time as a Mack truck crashing through her wall and they began to step off, well, let’s just say I was relieved I wasn’t the only one.

A little about me – Christy Trujillo/Jacksonville, FL/Four published novels with www.extasybooks.com / www.christytrujillo.blogspot.com for everything else.

I told Karen I would do a post on sea creatures vs. land creatures and which ones were better, but for the life of me I can’t seem to make a case for either side.

The ocean scares me. The waves are rough and I don’t like the taste of the salt water in my mouth, so when I dream, it’s on dry land. I write about vampires because they are the perfect metaphor for life in my opinion. Beings who are constantly fighting their animalistic nature to do the right thing, say the right thing. I write about shape shifters, because frankly I love animals and would give anything to be able to talk to them, be one with them, and know what they’re thinking.

Now, when I look at Karen’s cover, my heart soars. I want to feel the water splashing me from her hair and jump right in. The Little Mermaid is my favorite move of all time and when I watch dolphins jumping in the Saint John’s River, I think about swimming with them and how happy they must be. It’s one of earth’s last great, real-life mysteries, don’t you think? There are miles and miles of ocean that we’ve never laid eyes on, much less explored. Perhaps somewhere in their depths King Triton sooths the sea and another world waits patiently to be discovered.

Now, how can one possibly pick the better of those two? I sure can’t. I think most people who enjoy paranormal/fantasy stories would agree with me that getting lost in either world would prove to be a great adventure. Throughout my life I’ve been told to get my head out of the clouds many times. I get the reference; stop flying high above reality and walk on land, in the real world. I just want to shake them and ask, “Why?” Why would I want to live my entire life without a little cloud in my hair, or sea on my toes, as the case may be? That sounds…awful. And boring. And sad. We all have to go to work, and pay our bills, and follow all the rules. That’s being a grown-up. But what I absolutely refuse to be, is grownup.

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope to see you around on my side of the web. =)

UPDATE! : The winner of Christy's prize pack is... MATTHEW MACNISH! CONGRATS!

THIS IS NOT FOR YOU

2011-10-14T08:29:00.009-04:00

I post this every October 14th.
It has become a tradition.
I wish that it never had to be written...but our life experiences are what make us who we are. The good, bad, happy and sad moments give us the knowledge and passion to put words onto a page and make those feelings authentic.
Even the authentically tragic ones.

Alas...

This is not for you.

This is not for family, or friends, or writers.
These words are not advice, or wisdom, or to be critiqued in any way.
This is not proper punctuation, or grammar, or sentence structure.
This is expression, emotion, and raw reverie.

This is for an eighteen-year-old man,
driving too fast from a story he knows every side of.
Wishing tonight she’d finally choose love instead of lies.
With eyes like stars and a heart bigger than the moon,
who had no idea his midnight ride would be his last.

This is for a seventeen-year-old girl,
sitting beside a wrecked car on a dark winding road,
whispering I love you and promising it will all be okay.
With no idea she is holding a last chance in her arms,
who fifteen years later, is still waiting to say I’m sorry.

This is for a night that loops repeatedly through my mind.
With his mother’s tears forever falling upon the hospital floor,
while his big brother’s scream eternally echoes down a hallway.
Where fifteen years later, a part of my soul still stands in that ER,
begging him not to go.

This is because it is October 14th.
Every year on this day, I yearn to bake a birthday cake, find the perfect gift,
and attach it to 888 balloons,
so it will float up to Heaven,
and show him that I haven’t forgotten.
That I will never forget.

This is for him. And for me. And for them.

This is for anyone who knows this feeling.
Who is haunted by a number, a date, a song,
or a place and time you can’t reach.
Who incorrectly assumed there would always be tomorrow.
For those who talk to the stars, and pray an angel is listening.

This is for everyone who has ever loved, or lost.
Who has experienced the beauty of this world, or the ugliness.
Who understands the meaning of tragedy,
but hopes to be spared from it--again.
For those who brave the path of healing,
even when it seems an impossible journey.

This is for anyone living their story.
To anyone who believes in happily ever after, or fears a nevermore.

We are countless characters, with infinite backstories,
creating never-ending plots in this book called life.
We are the sum of our parts, our people, and our experiences.
Moments hidden away in almost forgotten pages,
fluttering like angel wings as the chapters of our life rapidly flip by.

This is not for you, or for him, or for me.
This is for each and every soul who has ever felt sorry, guilty, lost, afraid, abandoned, insecure, unsure, self-doubting, self-loathing, self-sacrificing, misguided, misunderstood, unknown, unseen, unheard, unkind, loved, hated, hurt, confused, or alone.

We are all in this together.
We all have a him, her, them, me, or us.
We all live with a mistake, a regret, a burden, a broken promise, or a shattered heart.
We are all living this life one page at a time,
and we all have a story to share.
This is for the stars, the moon, and the angels.

This is for all of us.

TANGLED TIDES ARC SIGN-UP

2011-10-06T11:29:00.014-04:00

Hey, book reviewers, wanna read Tangled Tides before it's officially released?
My publisher has started taking requests for ARCs for my blog tour.

EEEEKKKKK! My story is going to be out in the world soon! People will give it bad reviews and say negative things on places like Goodreads and Amazon! *cries* No, I'm not being pessimistic. I'm being realistic. EVERY book gets a mix of good and bad reviews. It's just too subjective of an art. But still, eeeeeeeeeekk!
Also, yaaaaaaaaaay! My story will be out in the world soon! People will give it good reviews and say nice things about it. No, I'm not being cocky. EVERY book gets a mix of good and bad reviews. Mine has to get SOME people who like it.
*prays to the heavens and all the gods, including Medusa and Poseidon, to PLEEEASSE let some readers love it*

Okay, stressed-yet-excited rant over.

Just go here if you'd like to sign up for the Tangled Tides book tour.
http://tiny.cc/TangledBookTour

Oh, and the fabulous Sarah Lapolla of Curtis Brown interviewed me. I'll be on her blog today discussing what it was like to get a book deal without an agent. Check it out: http://bigglasscases.blogspot.com

SWIM WITH ME

2011-09-27T08:34:00.006-04:00

A fellow mer lover, Garrett, asked if he could interview me for his Merblog and I was flattered and thrilled to answer his fun questions about Tangled Tides.
Swim on over and find out some fun facts about how the idea came about, the characters, and more. Just click here.
Also, the uber cool DL Hammons invited me to participate in a post about voice.
Go check out several writing samples and see if you can tell which one is mine.

Happy Tuesday!

Win MONARCH by Michelle Davidson Argyle

2011-09-20T07:35:00.015-04:00

Most of the books I read are YA, however I do read adult novels too and my latest grown-up pleasure was Monarch by Michelle Davidson Argyle.

Personally, holding Monarch in my hands was a thrill in itself. See, I read some of Michelle’s story years ago while she was still writing and revising parts of it. I remember sneaking onto Gmail messenger at work so that Michelle and I could chat about her manuscript. Fast forward a couple years and it’s a real published book with a fantastic yet kind-of-creepy-but-in-a-cool-way cover. How exciting!

But not as exciting as the story itself.

Talk about a page-turning cozy thriller. Cozy thriller? I know. Such an oxymoron but Michelle pulled it off. The few thriller books I have read seemed to mostly rely on action and shock value to keep the reader engrossed, but Michelle went above and beyond great action scenes. She made Monarch cozy by creating a cast of characters I genuinely cared about. I even sympathized with the villains (and the people I suspected as villains but later found out they weren’t—or were they? Depends who you ask!) The location jumping from the Monarch Inn which was quaint and snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug (pun intended) to the dangerous and deadly Brazilian jungle left my emotions seesawing. One minute I felt comforted and wished I was a vacationing guest at the inn, the next minute my blood pressure was through the roof and I was giving thanks for my safe and quiet lifestyle.

Michelle managed to juggle several complex relationships and I was never bored with ANY of them. (Seriously, how’d she do that?) Just like the Monarch butterflies that remained a beautiful theme throughout the story, Michelle’s characters were sometimes fragile and in jeopardy in one way or another (even the tough and deadly ones), but they persevered and went through a metamorphosis of some kind. She tied everything and everyone together at the end and provided realistic endings with satisfying closure. Those are my favorite kind of stories.

Monarch was an intense and well-told story with a variety of elements, plots and relationships that make it an enjoyable novel for readers of many genres.

Now is the best time to order Monarch. Rhemalda Publishing is offering 40% off their books at the Rhemalda bookstore. Click here to get your copy of Monarch and check out the other great books in their lineup.

I'm giving away a copy of Monarch to one lucky winner! Just be a follower and leave a comment answering one or all of the following questions, or just say you want to win! The winner will be chosen at random. (Open to International as always.) Contest closes this Friday, 9/23/11.

Have you read Monarch yet? Do you follow Michelle's awesome blog? What do you think of that fantastic yet kind-of-creepy-but-in-a-cool-way cover?

Add Monarch on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10558689-monarch

Michelle on Twitter: @LadyGlamis

Michelle's blog: http://theinnocentflower.blogspot.com

UPDATE: Random number generator selected #11 which was CHRISTA!

Congrats, Christa. I will ship MONARCH to you right away.

IT KEEPS GETTING BETTER

2011-09-16T13:23:00.014-04:00

Just when I thought my cover couldn't get any better my publisher calls to tell me that my cover artist didn't feel the old title lettering did the cover justice. My incredible and talented cover artist, Melissa Williams, went above and beyond to make the cover of Tangled Tides even better than it was before. Wanna see?Isn't it magical and spectacular? The mermaid's tail texture has now been incorporated into the lettering. And see the tail coming off the "g"? Brilliant.

Here's the old version because I'm sure no one remembers what it looked like...
It wasn't bad, but compared to the awesome new version...
I love it so so much. Rhemalda Publishing has been so freakin' fantastic throughout this process. Today is one of those days (there are many) when I'm extremely grateful and happy that my first novel is being published by them. They really do treat me like family and go out of their way to make sure I'm in love with my book. (Not just pleased, but ecstatic and in love.)
I. Am. Grateful.

Which version do you like better?

Also, in case you haven't heard, Rhemalda is giving away several copies of Tangled Tides over on Goodreads. If you're interested you can enter here: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/14623-tangled-tides

For all my International peeps you can enter Rhemalda's eBook giveaway by following this widget and entering.

Countdown Creator Progreat free widgetsWidgetboxMore info

Also, TODAY is Sara McClungs's birthday! Go over and send her birthday wishes!
Happy Birthday, Sara! xoxo

CELEBRATE AND WIN CRITS AND ARCS

2011-09-14T08:22:00.003-04:00

All week I've been telling you about YA Confidential.
Now, it's time for you to REALLY get excited.
We're giving away crits from stealth agents: Sarah LaPolla and Vickie Motter.
We're giving away ARCS. (Lots of amazing ones)
We're giving away operative fav prize packs that include all kinds of fun stuff.

Pretty awesome, huh?

Come on over and enter to win lots of great prizes. Oh, and have a slice of Spy cake. It's delicious.

TEEN SPIES

2011-09-13T08:13:00.009-04:00

Yesterday, I told you about YA CONFIDENTIAL and introduced you to the operatives.

Today, you get to meet the TEEN SPIES.

Real teens. The ones out there on the front lines, reporting the nitty and the gritty, no matter how dangerous or shady the mission may be.

They'll sacrifice their time, opinions, and sometimes their safety (okay, not really) to dig up the truth and deliver the lowdown on everything YA and teen related.

Head over to the site and meet them, but do not--I repeat, DO NOT--provoke or threaten them. They are highly trained spies with stealth skills and lethally brilliant minds--and they aren't afraid to use them.

No, but seriously, please stop over and say hello to our teen spies. They are made of awesome and deserve a heartfelt welcome.

Oh, and here's some top secret scoop: Operative Cutta Mutha (aka Cambria) will be giving away 2 of Ally Carter's teen spy books, The Heist Society, to one lucky winner. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to leave a creative comment for the spies on their intro post. Best comment wins! Go!

Revealing YA CONFIDENTIAL

2011-09-12T10:38:00.015-04:00

"The great advantage of being a writer is that you can spy on people. You're there, listening to every word, but part of you is observing. Everything is useful to a writer, you see - every scrap, even the longest and most boring of luncheon parties." Graham Greene

I've always considered myself a professional people watcher, and maybe even a little bit of a spy, but now it's official: I'm an operative.

Check out YA Confidential and my top notch partners in crime as we seek out and report the inside scoop on all things YA! http://yaconfidential.blogspot.com

PS...Be sure to follow us because we're giving away TONS of ARCs, books, gifts, and agent critiques as part of our launch!

We're also on Twitter: @YaConfidential

RIDING THE WAVE OF A TREND

2011-09-07T08:14:00.012-04:00

No, I don’t write about unicorns. The wave of unicorns in varying degrees of visibility represents a trend in the book world. (However, if you look carefully, there is a mermaid sitting on a rock watching the magical scene. Yay!)

The wave of mermaid books is upon us.

I had no idea mermaids would be a “big thing” when I first started writing my merfolk/selkie story back in early 2009. I wrote about my fantastical and tormented sea folk because I loved them. I have loved them since I was two years old. (I have pics to prove it.) Like any other manuscript of an aspiring author, I had no idea if my story would ever be published, but I wrote it anyway. I couldn’t not write it. I loved it too much.

When I queried agents in the spring of 2010 many told me they already had a mermaid manuscript.

Slowly, I heard about one mermaid book deal after another. More and more mer tales popped up on Goodreads. People started tweeting about mermaids being the next big thing. USA Today even published an article saying mermaids are the trend in paranormal this summer, and that yes, Stephenie Meyer is working on a mermaid story too. *sigh*

As an author of a soon-to-be-released merfolk novel, I can’t help but worry. What if Tangled Tides is too late? There are so many great mermaid books out there. Some have been out for months, a year, or even longer. More are already scheduled to release throughout the next year or two. By the time mine releases will readers be tired of reading about merfolk, selkies, sirens and such?

So many times I’ve heard the success of a book depends on many factors: timing, marketing, competition, etc. I have stayed awake many nights wondering whether my timing is bad or good. Since signing my contract for Tangled Tides, I have seen new mermaid stories popping up on a regular basis.

The wave is getting bigger. The trend is picking up strength.

How do I not end up like one of those unicorns in the above photo that you can hardly see? Or, worse yet, one of the unicorns you can’t see at all? How do I keep from being invisible in the crowded wave?

How do any of us authors not get lost in a tidal wave of books? So many great novels are out there begging to be read. With self-publishing becoming more popular, it makes that number even higher. So how does a book or author—especially a debut—stand out in the crowd?

A good friend gave me a simple answer: Have faith in your story.

Sometimes that’s easier said than done. As writers, we love our characters, our worlds, and our plots, and if we’re lucky enough to get published that means a whole team of people have faith in them. That’s a great feeling. But it’s easy to lose confidence when you realize you’re going to have A LOT of competition.

I keep trying to remind myself that strangers believed in my story, so maybe readers will believe in it too, and actually buy it. Actually read it. And maybe, if I’m really lucky, some will love it. Oh, how I hope so.

I also hope the wave of mermaid books doesn’t come crashing down anytime soon. Not just because one of the latecomer novels will be mine, but because I genuinely love sea folk. I’m excited to read all the different twists and takes that fellow writers come up with. I believe the ocean is big enough to hold all of our stories. And even though I have my moments of worry, I am happy and grateful to be part of such a fun and magical trend.

What about you?

Do you have faith in your stories?

Do you worry about trends when writing?

Would/have you ever read a mermaid book? ;)