Feature Friday: Bookcases (50)

Who said storage had to be boring?



This is... interesting... though not very functional.

Friday Fronts: Thief Eyes

Another beautiful silhouette cover! I love the animals and how the only color is on the falling leaves. I almost didn't notice the girl and her eyes in the background the first time I glanced at it, but it's cool that it's there, though I'd have to see that in person to figure out if I really like it or not!

A Few Of My Favorite Things

Thank you for having me on your blog. I’m so excited to talk about Dark Beauty, a short story and prequel to my Dark Seeker novel, along with my favorite young adult books.

I was inspired to write this series by one of my all-time favorite TV shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Like Buffy, the female characters in both stories (Isabelle and Janie) are strong, independent teenagers who don’t take lightly to assistance, especially from the opposite sex. Plus, both girls battle the undead and are tough heroines, a trait that I love in female characters. Two of my favorite series are The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. Both Katniss and Rose are examples of strong female characters who are smart, resourceful, and aren’t afraid to take chances, kick butt, and do whatever it takes to defeat the enemy.

The idea for writing a prequel to my Dark Seeker novel was in-part motivated by another one of my favorite series, The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. Like TMI, I’ve fallen in love with The Infernal Devices. This prequel series provides a unique and more in-depth view of the Shadowhunter life and a chance for readers to get to know more secondary characters like Magnus Bane. It also introduces characters that appear later in the TMI series. The blending of both series gives the reader more back-story and a greater insight into the characters’ lives. I feel like Dark Beauty does the same for Dark Seeker. In Dark Beauty, the reader is provided with a storyline that wouldn’t necessarily need to be included within the first novel in the original series, but offers a better understanding of characters such as Isabelle, Abram, and a secondary character that later takes on a major role within Dark Seeker.

This has been an amazing experience and I’m so grateful for the positive feedback I’ve received. Thank you again, Nicole, for allowing me to talk here on WORD!

Taryn Browning is the author of Dark Seeker.

For 15-year-old Seeker, Isabelle Crowe, ridding the Houston streets of the undead is an inherited duty, passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. During her first night without her mentor, she encounters Abram, a more experienced Seeker from Chicago looking to avenge his cousin's death. Isabelle quickly learns she must work with Abram to protect her city. With one Seeker already dead, Isabelle's love of the hunt becomes a fight to survive.

Interview: Cornelia Funke (& Giveaway)

This giveaway is over.

Swinging by to WORD today is Cornelia Funke. (!!!!!!!!!) Yes, you read that right - New York Times bestselling author Cornelia Funke, author of the fantabulous Inkheart trilogy and The Whipping Boy and Dragon Rider is here to talk about her newest novel Reckless!

For years, Jacob Reckless has been secretly disappearing to another world, a world behind a mirror, a world for which his father abandoned his family. The mirror world is Jacob's escape from reality. It's a place for treasure hunts and magnificent quests. A world where witches haunt the forests and giants and dwarfs roam. A world locked in a deadly war.

Jacob's secret seems safe, until one day his younger brother Will follows him, with disastrous consequence. Faced with a curse that is quickly turning Will to stone, the Reckless brothers are thrust into a race against time to find a cure before Will is lost forever.

N: Welcome to WORD, Cornelia! What was your favorite part to write in Reckless - the Goyl army? The dangerous fairies?
CF: Oh I loved it all!!! I never was as enchanted by a world as by this one. Fenoglio has the Inkworld, I am lost behind the Mirror. I wear the red fur of a fox and I am thoughtless, irresponsible and completely fearless in Jacob's skin. I love the King of the Goyl as the Dark Fairy and I am him in his fiery stone skin taking revenge on the humans. I see our own world behind the Mirror still young but learning, building machines and forgetting about magic and nature, believing in nothing but the human mind and progress. Oh yes, I love everything about it.

N: Your bestselling Inkheart series takes place in a fantasy world, as does Reckless (though the two worlds are, of course, different). How do you come up with the places and laws and characters and beings in your fantasy stories?
CF: By feeding the worlds with research about our world, about its history and myths and filling a treasure chest with all the sparkling things I find to then start telling the story


N: I can't stop staring at the Reckless cover - the eyes are haunting! What do you think of it?
CF: I did the first sketch and design for it and the stone face is based on a photo that I had on the wall while writing. I like it very much though I'd still prefer the stone face to look older. Will is after all not a boy anymore. I just saw the cover design of my German publishers for Part 2 and I think it will look very beautiful.

N: I'm excited to see it! What books are you looking forward to reading that are on your shelf right now?
CF: The Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman and a collection of short stories from different writes based on Sherlock Holmes that'll be published in October.


Can't go wrong with Neil Gaiman or Sherlock Holmes, can you?!

I also have one copy of Reckless up for grabs, as well as a shiny poster! This giveaway is limited to the U.S. only - sorry lovies! It'll fun from now to October 5.

Quick Recap:
[1] copy of Reckless up for grabs
[1] winner in the U.S. only
ends October 5

How To Win:
[mandatory] fill out the form below

Teendom & Books

Teendom is an amazing thing. At an age where everything is possible, the future is limitless, and you can try out anything you like, the tendency is to give all that up and just fit in. Be different, just like everybody else. Reminds me of the Monty Python joke: "We are all individuals." "I'm not," says the renegade. Yeah, that's adolescence in a nutshell. Because being part of the in crowd is hugely important. It's in our genes, people. It's how we survive as a species.

But does this herd mentality have to apply in literature as well? It certainly seems so. Over at the Finding the Write Way blog, author Jenna Cooper laments about how certain trends are saturating the teen book market. It's a real problem. Sure, there are titles available in lots of categories, but the offerings are heavily weighted in one direction. Probably, publishers and agents want to jump on whatever bandwagon has been successful and don't want to go out on a limb in a tough economy with something new. But that's a mistake. Because it's those risks that yield something rich and new. Think Harry Potter, people. Glad somebody finally took a chance on that. And Speak. Thirteen Reasons Why. The Adoration of Jenna Fox. And Oh My God funny Going Bovine.

So here's my pitch: Can't we embrace lots of styles and themes and genres? I hope so. Because it's through trying on all these alternatives that we find what really fits. What brings out our truest self. What is fresh and fierce all covered in awesomeness.

Be brave. Think beyond this year's big thing. Dystopian is great, so is paranormal romance, so is Steampunk. But there's so much more. Contemporary. SciFi. Magical Realism. And stuff that refuses to fit in any of these little boxes. Go ahead. Be different. Break out of the mold. Show us what you've got.

Callie Kingston writes novels, of the young adult variety. She writes other stuff too.
Her home is in the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her husband, children, three dogs, a couple of cats and a trio of rats. When not writing, she likes to explore the outdoors, especially the forests and beaches along the Oregon coast. She also enjoys a great cup of cappuccino, which happily is easily found in her part of the world.

Minimalist Harry Potter Posters

I'm a huge fan of minimalist artwork; I posted about the Met's gorgeous minimalist fairy tale posters a while back.

And upon creeping on Tumblr - as I do in my spare time - I discovered that somebody has made a set of minimalist Harry Potter posters! These two are my favorites:





You can check out the rest by visiting the artist's Tumblr here. Aren't they gorgeous? Too bad I have no room on my wall for more posters...

YA Covers

Let's just be honest here: awful covers are abundant in YA literature. I was browsing the MG shelves several weeks ago at one of my local bookstores and found myself stopping and picking up several titles because of their fantastic cover art.




Yet I couldn't help but think to myself, Why?! Why are so many MG covers so beautifully done, yet the YA realm gets stuck with so many fugly ones? And then I'd proceeded to fall to my knees, pull at my hair, and let out a melodramatic and incredibly pained wail.

Not really. I don't think I could pull that off in a bookstore.

I understand that each publisher chooses each and every face to grace each of its novels. Over the past year, I've had the pleasure of interviewing authors, art directors, and designers over on my little blog. I've heard stories of rejected covers and have seen dozens of revisions of cover art. I work in an industry that's used to having salespeople, creative directors, copywriters, and clients' all try to stick their finger in every single part of the creative pie.

However, in the publishing industry, my first and foremost concern is what an author thinks about a cover. No one wants to believe that they gave birth to an ugly baby. Even so, I've been tempted several times to ask authors off-the-record how they really feel about their covers. Because honestly, no author would ever say (in any public space), "Hey, check out my new cover! I hope you like it! Even though I think it's kinda MEH and doesn't really represent what the story is about AT ALL."

And while terrible cover art makes for great discussion, I also have to admit that the sheer dislikability in a cover has never completely turned me off from reading an author's work. (Hard to believe, I know.) There are wonderful books with not-so-pretty faces, rest assured. But this is what hardcover books with removable jackets are for, right? (Unless you read this book, which freaked me out as soon as I took off its jacket)

Here are a few novels that I've heard wonderful things about but their cover art wouldn't make me rush out to buy them now (or in the future) at first glance:

The bottom line: it's the kind of folks like Nicole here at WORD for Teens that are the real book-pushers that help dictate where my hard-earned cash-money goes. They're the ones that make me care more about a novel's heart than its face. My IRL friends who recommend me books are careful to preface a beloved novel with, "You may not love the cover, BUT..." It's a bit embarrassing to admit that my friends give books disclaimers before they hand them over. But on the flip side, it's refreshing to know that people are finally coming to terms with the fact that we do judge books by their covers.

Capillya from That Cover Girl
While she's still not quite sure she's a legit blogger (since she doesn't own any animals nor needs coffee to function properly), her love of design and reading inspired her to create a blog dedicated to awesome (and awful) YA cover art. Her producer job helps finance her unhealthy spending on sneakers, baked goods, and of course, books.

Fire Bringer

Fire Bringer
Author: David Clement-Davies
Series: The Sight (#1)
Publisher: Firebird
How Received: own

There is a prophecy among the deer. One day, a fawn will be born with the mark of an oak leaf upon his forehead. His courage will lead the other deer to freedom; his strength will defeat their greatest enemy.

Rannoch was born on the night his father was murdered. In a herd where hunger for power has destroyed all that is good, he must escape to survive. Hunted by stags with antlers sharpened for the kill, Rannoch begins his treacherous journey. But he will return to face the destiny that he was born for; to conquer the force that drove him away.

In a dark, troubled time, the prophecy is about to come true.

David Clement-Davies' writing is some of the best writing I have ever read; obviously if you don't like the whole "animals that talk! and do human-ish things!" bit, you're not going to like Fire Bringer.

But if you like it - or, hell, if you think you can deal with it for the sake of a good book - read Fire Bringer.

There's a reason this book sits on my favorites shelf. Let's just start with the world Davies has created; it's so brilliant, so intricate, so well thought out that I can't help but be in awe. Every type of animal that Rannoch comes across has it's own well thought out culture. Even the deer aren't all lumped into one category; each type of dear has it's own way it functions, it's own belief systems. Though they think like humans, they each keep to their original animal core.

And the characters! Oh, the characters! Even the smallest characters in the story are developed to have a full personality and not just appear on the page. They're all brilliantly written. I even love the villains; Sgorr is one of the most evil little things I've ever come across, but I still love him because he's so brilliantly put together. And Rannoch! He may make me headdesk sometimes, but I love him. And Willow and Peppa and Bankfoot and - but I'm getting on a rant now.

The plot, though, may be my favorite bit about this story. There are so many little things going on that you don't pick up on until you get to the end of the story. And the overall plot is enthralling and interesting and just-

Overall Rating & Final Comments: 10/10. Love. Just... love.

Feature Friday: Bookcases (49)

Who said storage had to be boring?




I love the arrangement of this. They're SKULLS. It's so COOL.

Friday Fronts: Bluefish

I LOVE simple covers like this. It's beautiful and abstract and really makes me wonder what the story is about. The font choice is absolutely stellar!

Iron Knight Trailer Sneak Peak

Seeing as today's post was about book trailers...

HarlequinTeen makes some of the spiffiest! Here's a teaser to Julie Kagawa's new trailer for the last book in her fantabulous Iron Fey series, Iron Knight.



What do you think?! I'm excited to see the full thing...

Book Trailers (6)

Oh, who needs an intro? The title says it all.

Hooked by Catherine Greenman


I really love the imagery in this video - I just love the way it was filmed and put together. Even the voiceover is a lot better in this one than some of the other videos I've seen.


Vanish by Sophie Jordan


What?! WHAT IS THIS CRAP!? It has everything I don't like in a video! The trailer for the first book isn't my favorite, but it's really good - the video editing is clever and the voiceover isn't horrendous. But this? *shudders*

Envy by Gregg Olsen


On the down side it has pictures and text rather than video - but it's put together well enough that I'm willing to over look that. It's a creepy trailer. I kind of... love it? I didn't expect that, but I do; it's really rather cool.

What say you?

Twitterview: Scott Tracey

As part of the Witch Eyes blog tour, I got to do a Twitterview with Scott Tracey! For those of you who don't know what a Twitterview is, it's an interview in which the author can only respond with 140 characters or less - just like a Tweet!

Braden’s witch eyes give him an enormous power. A mere look causes a kaleidoscopic explosion of emotions, memories, darkness, and magic. But this rare gift is also his biggest curse.

Compelled to learn about his shadowed past and the family he never knew, Braden is drawn to the city of Belle Dam, where he is soon caught between two feuding witch dynasties. Sworn rivals Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe will use anything—lies, manipulation, illusion, and even murder—to seize control of Braden’s powers. To stop an ancient evil from destroying the town, Braden must master his gift, even through the shocking discovery that Jason is his father. While his feelings for an enigmatic boy named Trey grow deeper, Braden realizes a terrible truth: Trey is Catherine Lansing’s son . . . and Braden may be destined to kill him.

Nicole: Hi Scott! I love Twitterviews. Can you summarize your book in 140 characters or less?
Scott Tracey: Romeo and Juliet with witches in the Pacific Northwest. Also sarcasm.

N: Who's your favorite character and why?
ST: Lucien is the HBIC, even if he doesn't know what that means. He gives great dialogue.

N:bHow much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
ST: Magic makes chucking wood obsolete. Woodchucks are understandably anti-magic.

N: What are the thoughts on your cover?
ST: OMGEYEZ!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 (for 140 characters)

N: What's your Hogwarts house?
SE: Mine - Slytherin. Braden's-Gryffindor. Trey's-Hufflepuff. Jade&Riley-Ravenclaw. All Adults-Slytherin.


Don't forget to check out Witch Eyes, in stores now!

Thoughts On: The Library

I love the library.




For as long as I can remember, the library has been my world between worlds. It's my version of the train that takes Harry to Hogwarts, the wardrobe that brings them to Narnia.

There's something magical about walking into a place that carries so many worlds on it's shelves.

Before my to-be read pile became more than I could handle, I used to wander around and situate myself in the young adult corner of my library (or children's corner; or the adult fantasy section; it all depended on my mood) and just look through the titles and pull the books out that I wanted and make a pile twenty or thirty books high.

And then I would check them out and carry them out, barely able to see above my giant pile, and ride home and devour them all in a week or two, only to begin the process when I returned them all again.

The library was and is the place I wanted to spend all my time. I loved immersing myself in the books that they offered - it didn't matter if the story was sad or happy, a fantasy or a contemporary, an adult novel or a middle grade story. I loved it.




I don't understand people who say that libraries are bad. Is thinking bad? Loving bad? Reading bad? Do you think they're bad because they offer a wide variety of material? If you want a library designed specifically for you, you create your own with the books you buy. Don't take your hate out because they cater to everybody - that's part of what makes them so special in the first place. They don't tell somebody they can't do something or can't like something or can't read something. They don't judge.

And I don't understand people who say they "can't use library books." Why? Do you judge books that have been loved by other people before you came along? Because they're not in perfect condition or shiny new? Because there is something wrong with them? Library books offer more of an opportunity to explore than any book you can buy on a bookshelf - not because the books are different, but because they have been loved by somebody before you came along. It is a universal story, not one that you hog all to yourself. (Besides, how do you know you want to buy and keep a book until after you read it?)

Libraries, I love you. And I hate the people who dare think that it is okay to shut you down.

And librarians - you rock. Keep doing what you do.

And readers - you go to your library and give those books some more loving. There are worlds waiting for you, and nothing should keep you from them.

Fall Seasonal Reading

As the leaves curl and Dunkin Donuts begins to sell their excellent pumpkin spice coffee and stores put out the awesome school supplies (HOLLA IF YOU LOVE OFFICE SUPPLIES) alongside glittery green fake spider webs, I can’t help but think of seasonal reading.

I don’t know about you all, but I love reading books based on the season. Now, these season books could be set during the season, in this case Fall or Autumn, or they may exude a characteristic of the season. I thought instead of boring you all with a nice long essay about books and seasons, I would list the top five books for Fall reading and you can feel free to share your favorite fall books in the comments with Nicole and I.

In no particular order:

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Now, I know this is a YA blog, but guys, when I think of fall I think of the season starting to get cold and summer ending and things that are gothic, but that’s probably because of Halloween. Want a spooky atmospheric book? Rebecca is a perfect go to. You have a sinister maid, weird family, crazy people, and Europe. WIN!


Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
You want the YA version of atmospheric awesomeness? HOLY MOLY you need to lay your hands on Nevermore. It’s totally absorbing and once you go Varen, you don’t go back. Seriously, the book takes place in Baltimore and channels this old dude you may have heard of, Edgar Allan Poe in the house. Also there is a cheerleader named Isobel who is not a stereotype.


Fire Bringer by David Clement Davies
In these here parts, fall marks deer hunting season. But Rannoch isn’t a deer you’d want to hunt. If you like Redwall and epic fantasy and destiny and journeys, you need to get your hands on Fire Bringer. I haven’t seen much about it online, but it’s a wonderful book plus Richard Adams, the old dude who wrote Watership Down, blurbed it.

Silent On The Moor by Deanna Raybourn
Okay so this one is not YA either, but bear with me. Do you like Victorian England? Independent women? Sexy brooding men? Mysteries? Excellent writing? A riveting tale? Large crazy families? Tension so thick you can cut it with a knife? Then you absolutely need to become acquainted with Lady Julia Grey, and I choose this because in Fall, I like to think about Moors, it’s odd, but maybe a product of my public school years.

Anne Of Green Gables by LM Montgomery
So, Anne of Green Gables isn’t a strictly fall book, however, it’s a year round book. If you have not met Gilbert Blythe yet or the cracked slate heard ‘round the world, you need to fix your life and download this for free because it’s public domain on your ereading device, go to your local library, paperback swap, or book store and get Anne Shirley into your life. Seriously, Anne will make you excited about things like foliage and winter and Lakes of Shining Waters.

April is 24 years old. She is an educator. In her free time she can be found reading, working out, or eating junk food. She often wears her sunglasses at night. She blogs at Good Books And Good Wine and tweets as @booksandwine.

Interview: M.J. Putney

Back on WORD is M.J. Putney, author of Dark Mirror! I really loved Dark Mirror (you can read my review here), and I'm super excited to read the sequel!

The Irregulars return home to 1803 England safely, but their worldview has changed. Not only have their heroic efforts at Dunkirk given them pride and confidence but their dangerous mission has increased their magical powers.

Tory delights in the ever deepening bond she shares with Allarde until she discovers how powerfully he is connected to his ancient family estate—the lands he will not inherit unless he denies his magical powers and chooses a nonmagical mate. If Tory really loves him, she must walk away—but does she have the strength to leave the love of her life?

Cynthia’s heroic efforts at Dunkirk have won her the respect of the Irregulars, but her sharp tongue keeps everyone at a distance. Isolated and very alone at Lackland Abbey over the Christmas holidays, she reluctantly agrees to join Jack Rainford and his family for their celebration even though they’re commoners, far below her own noble rank. The warm welcome of the Rainfords makes her feel happier and more accepted than she has ever been. But she can’t possibly be falling in love with flirtatious Jack! Can she?

Then the Irregulars are drawn into a dangerous attempt to rescue a vitally important French scientist from Nazi-occupied France. Tory and Allarde must work together because countless lives are at stake. Disaster strikes and not only is their mission threatened, but their very lives. Can magic and their loyalty to each other help them survive to return home?

Nicole: Welcome back to WORD, MJ! The cover for Dark Passage is GORGEOUS! Even prettier than Dark Mirror, I would say. Which one do you like better?
MJ Putney: I can’t choose! Dark Mirror is beautiful and really captures the time travel imagery and how Tory must deal with two worlds. The Dark Passage cover is indeed flat out gorgeous and evocative, but doesn’t say quite as much about the nature of the story. St. Martin’s did a wonderful job on both. I can’t wait to see the cover for the third book, Dark Destiny!

N: What is your favorite scene to write in Dark Passage?
MJP: Maybe the dancing on air scene between Tory and Allarde. It’s magical in all senses—and the last fun either of them have for a while!

N: Oooo. I love Tory and Allarde - I can't wait to read that! If you could choose any one of your characters to hang out with for the day, who would it be?
MJP: Maybe Rebecca Weiss. The other main characters are old friends by now, but I know less about Rebecca, and she plays a very important role in Dark Destiny.

N: What advice would you give to people who want to start writing, especially when it comes to books involving time travel?
MJP: The general advice for aspiring writers is read, read, read, and think about what you read—what works, what doesn’t. Also, write regularly because you have to have something written before you can edit and improve it.

As for time travel, a major element should be the “fish out of water.” When Tory travels from 1803 to 1940, she’s assaulted by all kinds of terrifying new machines and situations. How does she adapt? All of my time traveling mages have to deal with these differences, and some handle it better than others.

As for the physics of time travel—just thinking about that is enough to give a writer a headache. *grin* I try to keep it simple, and my characters do things that make history turn out the way we learned in school.

N: What's your favorite period in history?
MJP: The English Regency—the early 19th century—was a time of fascinating changes in society, the arts, and society in general. I love writing in that time period because of that great variety. But as for living—I like our own time best. And we have much better plumbing than during the Regency!

N: If you could eat any food once a day for the rest of your life - without gaining weight! - what would it be?
MJP: Oooh, tough choice. Really good fish and chips, or a fabulous hot fudge sundae with added chunky peanut butter????

The sad thing is that anything that is eaten every day will eventually become ordinary. That’s why wicked occasional indulgences are so delicious—because they’re occasional!

Thanks for having me back!

The Lost Years of Merlin

The Lost Years of Merlin
Author: T.A. Barron
Series: The Lost Years of Merlin (#1)
Publisher: Ace
How Received: own

This story begins when a lone, half-drowned boy washes ashore on a strange coastline. He has no memory of who he is or where he came from; even his own name is a mystery. Yet somehow, through many adventures—and the inspiration of Nature—he finds his true identity. And much, much more ...

It's no secret that I absolutely adore T.A. Barron and his Lost Years of Merlin series. It is, without a doubt, one of the most original and entertaining interpretations of the Arthurian legend that I have ever read.

All of the characters in this story are absolutely brilliant. Emrys (or Merlin, to those who want to know - it's not much of a secret) is a bit of a downer at the beginning of the story, but let's be honest - he has every right to be. (Think Harry Potter when his emotions are being corrupted by Lord Voldemort. Slightly and annoyingly angsty, but understandably and in a way that doesn't affect your love of the story.)

And as for the other characters! Rhia is one of my favorite female characters of all time; she's absolutely charming and amazing and funny and lovely. I want to be the female version of Cairpre. Shim needs to be my best friend. I have nightmares about Rhita Gawr.

And as for the plot! It's so intricately created that it has no problem stretching through all five books (though this review does focus on the first book) and is simply enthralling. I love all the little things that go on as Emrys goes to becoming the Merlin we all know and love. The subplots - especially anything involving the Druma Wood - are some of my favorites.

And the main reason to read this series is simply for the setting. Fincayara is one of the first fictional places I would ever want to visit.

Overall Rating & Final Comments: 10/10. An absolutely brilliant world with fantastic characters. There's a reason this is on my favorites shelf!
Author Notes: T.A. Barron is AWESOME. Not just because he writes awesome things! If you play the games on his website based on the Merlin books and get a perfect score, he'll send you a signed map of Fincayara. I have two.

Top Ten Things People Say To Me... (& Firelight Giveaway)

This giveaway is over.

Sophie Jordan

TOP TEN THINGS PEOPLE SAY WHEN THEY DISCOVER I’M A WRITER:

1) You write books? Real books?
2) That’s so cool!!
3) Where could I find these “books”? (Said with skepticism).
4) I’ve always wanted to write a book, but I just don’t have the time.
5) How much money do you make?
6) Where do you get your ideas?
7) Do you write every day?
8) Did you design the cover, too?
9) Do you know Stephanie Meyers?
10) Oh, listen to my idea … maybe you could write it for me?

Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she's not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet cherry Coke preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-TV shows.

The newest novel in her Firelight series, Vanish, just came out! Don't forget to check it out in stores now - and if you haven't read the first one, go get it! I loved it.

Oh, and did I mention she's giving away a signed copy of Firelight, the first book in the series, here on WORD?

Just fill out the form below to enter!

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Quick Recap:
[1] signed copy of Firelight up for grabs
[1] winner in the U.S. or Canada
ends September 23

How To Win:
[mandatory] fill out the form below

A Resurgence of Dark (Teens Aren't Stupid)

If you take a stroll down the YA fiction aisle in any bookstore these days, you’ll be inundated with dark. Dark covers. Dark stories. Vampires. Werewolves. Other creepy paranormal. Dystopian sagas. Shockingly brutal contemporaries dealing with real life issues like addiction and eating disorders. It’s as if, all of the sudden, after a multi-decade diet of Disneyfied, watered-down stories where happily ever after was too easily won or the result of a deus ex machina, teens are rising up and saying NO! We want more to our fiction than fluff. We want something real. Real may not mean real life in the sense of exactly how things tend to go in the real world—as evidenced by the insatiable popularity of all things paranormal. Real, in this case, means real challenges, real emotion, real conquest. And you know why?

Because teens are a heck of a lot smarter than most grown-ups give them credit for.

I’m not sure at what point it was decided that the dark needed to be taken out of fairy tales (and young adult stories in general). Some well-meaning grown-ups wanted to extend childhood innocence, I guess. Probably the point at which child labor was outlawed and teens became students rather than workers. They became lumped in with the children instead of the adults, but nobody took into account that they were closer to one than the other. And then there was that hideous trend that swept the genre when I was a teen, where books were seen as a means of moralizing and lesson teaching rather than entertainment, and teen characters more resembled twelve year olds in adult bodies. It’s no wonder we all skipped YA books and jumped straight from Nancy Drew to adult fiction.

But here’s the thing: Teens aren’t stupid, and they don’t appreciate authors who treat them so. They know that life is hard. They know that sometimes it sucks and is downright brutal. What they want is fiction that recognizes that. That personifies that.

They want heroes and heroines they can identify with, who feel like every bit as much of a freak as every teenager on earth feels. Heroes and heroines who get thrown into impossible, awful situations and work their way through them. They want heroes and heroines who are strong or who manage to find their strength over the course of the story such that they overcome horrific odds and challenges to triumph in the end.

They want hope.

That has always been one of the primary functions of fairy tales. Apart from the usual implied moral or lesson built into the tales that have been passed down generation to generation for centuries. Apart from the entertainment. Most of these original fairy tales, in their un-watered-down versions, were intended to show that light conquers dark. That there is an order to the world. Bad things happen, yes, but heroes acknowledge that and conquer. Because audiences need to believe that they themselves can overcome their personal challenges or that someone will save them. They need that hope.

And that’s why I think young adult as a genre has exploded with such raging popularity. Because all these dark stories give that hope in new and inventive ways that appeal to teens and grownups alike.

Long live the dark. Long live the light.

Kait Nolan is stuck in an office all day, sometimes juggling all three of her jobs at once with the skill of a trained bear—sometimes with a similar temperament. After hours, she uses her powers for good, creating escapist fiction. The work of this Mississippi native is packed with action, romance, and the kinds of imaginative paranormal creatures you’d want to sweep you off your feet…or eat your boss. When she’s not working or writing, she’s in her kitchen, heading up a revolution to Retake Homemade from her cooking blog, Pots and Plots.

Kait's debut YA paranormal, Red, is currently available from Smashwords, Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Barnes and Noble, the iBookstore, and All Romance EBooks.

Giveaway Update: Even MORE books!

The lovely people at Fiction Express are expanding the giveaway to include 4 runners up who will win one e-book (10 credits) each!!! GO! ENTER! EVEN MORE CHANCES TO WIN!

Waiting on Wednesday: Clockwork Prince

Because we all have something we're waiting for.

Clockwork Prince
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Infernal Devices (#2)
Release Date: December 6, 2011

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, but her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Not gonna lie - I'm really excited for this, mainly to learn more about Will. (He's ridiculously intriguing.) And I love the steampunk world in which it's set, so that always makes me happy.

Who else is waiting for this? I'm sure there's quite a few of you Cassandra Clare fans who are WAY more ridiculously excited than I am.

Author Event: Laini Taylor (Daughter of Smoke and Bone)

I would love to make it to the one in Boston or Conneticut, but sadly, I'm in school. Maybe one of y'all can go and tell me how awesome it was!?

Do you live in the Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle or LA areas? If you live anywhere near any of the cities where Laini is touring, you won't want to miss her events! Laini will talk about her inspiration for Daughter of Smoke and Bone, answer questions from the audience, sign books and give out special prizes (with maybe even a special treat for bloggers)!

CHICAGO, IL
September 27 at 7:00 PM
Barnes & Noble – Oakbrook, IL

September 28 at 7:00 PM
Two Doors East – Naperville, IL
@andersonsbkshp

ANN ARBOR, MI
September 29 at 7:00 PM
Nicola’s Books – Ann Arbor, MI

BOSTON, MA
September 30 at 7:00 PM
Wellesley Books – Wellesley, MA
@wellesleybooks

CONNECTICUT
October 1 at 6:00 PM
R.J. Julia Booksellers – Madison, CT
@rjjulia

More events and dates to come; they'll be added over at Laini's blog.

Interview: Sharon Gosling (& Giveaway)

This giveaway is over.

Update:
The lovely people at Fiction Express are expanding the giveaway to include 4 runners up who will win one e-book (10 credits) each!!!

Swinging by WORD today is Sharon Gosling, author of the rather interesting Remy Brumel and the Ocean of Light.

No-one performs on the circus trapeze like sixteen-year-old Rémy Brunel. But when the circus closes for the night, Rémy leads another life, as a cat burglar and jewel thief. Forced by the evil circus owner Gustave to attempt the theft of one of the world's most valuable diamonds, Rémy thinks it will be just another heist, but when she meets determined young detective Thaddeus Rec, her life changes forever. Will Thaddeus manage to rescue the jewel from Rémy’s nimble fingers? Or is it really Rémy that he needs to save?

N: Welcome to WORD, Sharon! The main character of your story, Remy, is a jewel thief and a circus performer. Where did you come up with that?
Sharon Gosling: I wanted a strong female character who could be feisty and independent but still believable within the confines of the era in which I wanted to set my story – the late 1800s. Circus life, especially high-wire acts from that period, have always fascinated me. It seems very glamorous, the idea of living on the road and performing amazing feats for crowds every night, but it was a very deprived, difficult life. You had to be able to look after yourself to survive. So making Rémy a high-wire performer instantly gave her an interesting – and tough - background. From there, it wasn’t much of a leap to imagine that she might use her skills to supplement her income in nefarious ways!

N: Now, you used to write for Stargate and Battlestar Galactica! What was that like?
SG: I didn’t write for the shows themselves – that really would have been cool! I wrote tie-in books about the series, and also wrote some audio dramas based on Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis for a company called Big Finish. That was great, because I got to write for the characters I’d watched on screen for so many years.

N: You wrote a paranormal romance under a pen name. I won't ask what story - but have you read any paranormal YA romances you really liked?
SG: I like mysteries, spooky stuff and adventure stories rather than straight romance – and if there’s a bit of romance mixed in, that’s brilliant! My favourite YA author is Graham Joyce – Do The Creepy Thing and Indigo are both excellent. His adult novels are great, too.

N: In your bio, you're surrounded "by books and Daleks." Doctor Who fan much? Who's your favorite Doctor?
SG: My husband is the Doctor Who fan! To be honest, I’m hoping that at some point I can swap the Daleks for a cat, although I imagine I’ll probably have to settle for both. I never really liked Doctor Who... although I’m slowly coming around. Matt Smith, the current Doctor, is great. My favourite Doctor would probably have to be David Tennant. I liked the relationship between the Tenth Doctor and Rose.

N: I'm a Matt Smith fan meself! Speaking of Daleks and Doctor Who - what's your favorite part of living in London?
SG: I love the history of it – the fact that it has been here for so long, and has so many stories of its own. The city is a character in itself. I also love the fact that there are so many mysterious things that have happened and are still happening beneath London. Did you know that there was a miniature train that ran right under the city from Paddington to Whitechapel? Construction started in 1915 – it was built to carry mail, but they did actually try putting passengers in it, too. It was so small, it must have been like lying in a coffin! The most amazing thing about it, though, is that it operated (on and off) from 1927 right through until 2003!

N: Oh, that would have been fun - and terrifying - to ride. Back to your story! Who is your favorite side character?
SG: I love J – which is interesting, because he only came into being because of the way the readers voted. It made sense for Remy to have an ally in the East End, and suddenly, there was J. It was as if he’d just walked up to my desk and tapped me on the shoulder. I also love Claudette – I’d like to explore her story more. I think she’s had quite a mysterious past, that one.

N: If you could, would you become a circus performer? (Or, er, a jewel thief?)
SG: I’d give it a try – well, the circus perfomer bit, anyway!

N: If you had to hunt and kill an animal (real or mythical) with your bare hands to protect somebody you loved, what animal would it be?
SG: I’m not sure I’d be much of a hunter, whatever the circumstances. I wish dinosaurs still roamed the earth, though, and if they did I’d have to be able to defend the people I love. I can just imagine me going ten rounds with a T-Rex!



And the lovely people at Fiction Express have offered a great giveaway to one lucky reader - the ability to download 5 free e-books of their choosing (that's 10 FE credits) from their website! All you have to do to enter is fill out the form below.

Quick Recap:
[5] e-books/[10] FE credits up for grabs
[1] winner
[4] e-books/10 FE credits up for grabs
[4] winners
ends September 20

How To Win:
[mandatory] fill out the form below

Karen Kincy's Library

My library currently consists of one extremely overburdened bookcase, since I recently moved to a new apartment, and many boxes of more books that I have not yet deemed worthy for display (i.e., I need to buy a new bookcase). I’m actually going to take a picture of the bookcase and make a diagram of it, since that’s much more fun.

Click to enlarge.

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Let’s take a closer look at my books (my books, the ones I wrote), which consist of an ARC of Other, a finished copy of Other, and an ARC of Bloodborn. Note how these books are infested by plush microbe toys my mom gave me. They are, from left to right, mange, krill, louse, bed dub, ear ache bacteria, and a flea in the lower right corner. I doubt you’ll want to borrow my books any time soon. It’s obvious that Bloodborn has lice, though I can’t say Brock is happy.





I have a fantastic organizational system for my bookcase. It’s called cram everything where it fits, aka book Tetris. Right here we have Parlor Cats, which is an exploration of the Victorian obsession with LOLcats and kittehs, right next to my Chambers Dictionary of Etymology. I’ve talked about it before, but this is one of my favorite linguistic nerd loves. I <3 word origins.



Let’s look inside that Dictionary of Etymology and see what we find. Oh, look, necromancy! And it’s apparently derived from the Greek nekros, which means “dead body” and mantis,which means “prophet.” I don’t know about you, but that sounds like an Ancient Greek zombie novel waiting to happen.





Finally, I found a lot of bookmarks while poking around the bookcase and photographing stuff. I really have no excuse using pieces of random paper as bookmarks or trying to memorize my page numbers.





Now, if I were to recommend any of the books on my shelves right now, I would totally suggest Ash and Huntress by Malinda Lo. Fantasy adventure novels with kick-ass girls, written in a lyrical fairy-tale way. Also, I mentioned I wanted to read some girl-falls-for-girl novels, and these are them. I haven’t written a proper review of them yet, but I give five stars to both and thoroughly enjoyed reading them.

Karen Kincy lives among countless trees, some of which—her pet kumquats and oranges—have lovingly invaded her apartment. Unlike her characters, she has never been on the run from the law or bitten by a werewolf, though she has been known to howl at the moon.

The newest novel in her Other series, Bloodborn, just came out - don't forget to check it out! If you haven't seen me rave about Other, the first in the series, click here to read my review.