The Best Reader [Search results for news] 

Thanks everyone for taking the time to fill out my blog survey. First, I'll go over the feedback then announce the winners below.
Overall, you all said you really enjoy my blog. THANK YOU! That means so much to me!

REVIEWS — All responses were either great/average.which is wonderful to me. I sometimes struggle with reviews and, oddly enough, the more I liked a book, the harder the review is to write. I feel like I'm not doing it justice. I had some people say they wished I'd add a section to my reviews that said if I recommend the book or not, or who it would be recommended for. That is a great idea! I will start doing this. I'll try to either add (Recommended for ALL/PARANORMAL/CONTEMPORARY fans), something like that and I'll add an age range when needed.

INTERVIEWS — Most of you enjoy my author interviews. Some said they didn't read those, which I completely understand. Typically, I add interviews when I'm giving away a book by that author. I feel it's a way to explain the book better to the readers and introduce them to the person who wrote it. I always alter the questions to fit the author/book. Sometimes they are the same questions you will see on another interview, but I try really hard to not just use the same questions over and over. I'm still trying to expand on this and come up with new post ideas for authors.

GIVEAWAYS — Responses ranged on this question. A majority said the giveaways were great, some said average, and a few said bad. Which is fine. I wanted honest opinions. According to blogger (and this number isn't completely accurate), I've hosted around 193 giveaways. Most of the time these giveaways are made possible by the author or publisher. I try whenever possible to include International readers by giving away ebook copies. Giveaways are one of my favorite parts of blogging because it's nice to give people the chance to read a book they may not have been able to pick up. I would love to host giveaways more but it is expensive to package and ship the books. People may not realize it, but many times bloggers do pay for those things (any time it doesn't come directly from the publisher/author). I'd love to have more giveaways, open to everyone, but it just isn't possible. Even an event like Haunted Halloween costs us (Lisa and I together) about $400 for shipping and supplies alone during that 1 month.

EXPLORING NEW YA — This was a new feature this year and I wanted to know if people liked it. The reason being because it takes an incredible amount of time to set up: ) I post it twice a month. Some people said they haven't seen it, and others said they read it, but normally don't add any of the books to their lists. Just a note, if you haven't seen the feature at all, you can click on FEATURES then EXPLORING NEW YA at the top of the blog. Lots of people said they love it and do use it for book recommendations too. I do enjoy having a place where new releases can be featured. I'm just glad most people do see it and may find some books they'll enjoy.

MOVIE REVIEWS — This part was kinda even around the board. Some liked it, some didn't, some didn't care.: ) This is a new feature that I do think I'll have on, but only occasionally. Maybe 1-2 posts a month related to movies. I liked this idea because we all watch movies. Sometimes these movies will be related to books (like Water for Elephants). When I got the opportunity to review movies for Fox Entertainment I didn't want to pass that up. Especially since they do offer giveaways for many of these movies. This is something I'd really like to offer to readers. Plus, I really need more features on here. I know people get tired of reviews and interviews so this will give me something to break that up. Hopefully people like it!

LEAST FAVORITE POSTS — This one had a wide range of answers but a majority picked either YA NEWS, INTERVIEWS/GUEST POSTS or IN MY MAILBOX. YA News is something I post occasionally just to highlight some things going on in the YA book world. Sometimes it's cheap books/ebooks, author news, book covers, or other bookish news. It's sort of a"misc." place to put things. I would like to make it a more enjoyable thing to read, but it all really depends on what's going on right at that time. I'll try to include more interesting things as we go along. Interviews/Guest Posts are kinda part of the norm for bloggers. I mentioned interviews above and I do want to make these posts more interesting as well. Sometimes these posts are part of a tour so they are out of my hands but I do want people to enjoy what they read. In My Mailbox will be mentioned below.

FREE/CHEAP EBOOKS — Most of you said you do want to know about free or cheap ebooks. This is something I've had in YA News most of the time. I'm going to keep a look out for these books and hopefully post about them more frequently. For now, they will be with other YA news though. I don't find out about them enough to have a separate thing so be on the lookout for those.

INDIE/SELF-PUBLISHED BOOKS — A majority said yes, they do read these books. I try super hard to feature these books for a few reasons. 1- the books can totally rock! Some of my all-time favorite books are self-published or from a super small publisher. 2- the authors rock! 3- the books are normally much cheaper. This is especially true if it's in ebook form. So, an awesome book for only.99 or $2.99? Yes! And 4- because these awesome books from these fabulous authors are often overlooked. I'm not someone who will ever turn down someone just because their book is self-published or from a publisher I'm unaware of. That isn't fair. Every book deserves a chance and if it's something I think I'll enjoy, I'll read it. That's the fun part of reading. You never know where your next favorite book will come from. At the same time, it really makes me happy to know that the readers enjoy these books as well. I honestly wasn't sure if people did so I'm sure this makes a lot of the authors very pleased.

WHAT IS NEEDED? — This had a wide range of answers. CONTEMPORARY/HISTORICAL/FANTASY/MYSTERY. And this is why I loved the survey. I hadn't realized how neglected certain genre's were on here! Especially contemporary. I love contemporary books! I admit, when I first started blogging paranormal was my go-to type. Over time, I've tried to expand that a bit. This can be difficult because I'd say around 60-70% of the review books I receive are paranormal. But I will be changing this! I'm even thinking of having a contemporary week in a few months. I'm reading more and more contemp. books so you guys are in luck! I'm not a huge fan of historical and I really don't get many of those for review. Same goes for fantasy or mystery. But, I will still try to feature those books in some way. I do want to have a nice balance on here.

WHAT IS NOT NEEDED? I didn't have a ton of answers here but PARANORMAL was a common answer.: ) Sorry guys! I do have lots and lots of paranormal. Expanding my own book preferences is a goal of mine for this year. I've been surprised in the past by the books I've liked so I think it will be nice to get out of my comfort zone.

WHAT NEEDS IMPROVED? Some people commented here about the blog appearance. I do realize there is a font problem. I'm not sure why it's like that and my blog designer isn't sure either. It is small and usually I have to go back and resize each post (but then that throws the formatting off). This is something I plan to work on. Along with that, I hope to de-clutter a bit and change things around in the next few months. But it's good to hear from readers because I'm not sure how things show up or load for you guys. Others said NOTHING, so thank you!!: ) I'm so happy to see that many of you enjoy my blog and like coming here. I did see a comment about using more social media and YES, I need to do this badly. I'm naturally introverted. I do have twitter but rarely get on there. I lurk a lot: ) I do want to become more social on twitter and even have more conversations take place on the blog. Actually I'm working on this part right now (stay tuned for details on that!).

FAVORITE PART OF THE BLOG — You guys had such nice answers here! Many said reviews, that I think of international followers, that I seem to care about my readers (I do, lots!), that I'm nice (*blush*). Thank you! Sometimes it's hard to know how things come off when we are just typing them out. I never want anyone to feel ignored or like I don't care about what the majority would want. Yes, I blog for myself but I enjoy it because of you guys. Honestly, I would never do this if no one read what I wrote. The enjoyment comes from knowing that maybe at least 1 person will get joy out of a book I recommend, or out of reading about a new author. That is what makes everything worthwhile.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU COME HERE? Most said a few times a week, which is great! I know I've been slacking since October. Haunted Halloween sort of gives me a blogging hangover: ) I want to pick things back up again and I do have lots planned!

LAYOUT — Most people said they loved it or it was average. Personality, I do love the overall look of the blog but I do plan to change things up a bit because I know it can get boring. But the design will stay the same for a while, little things may change.

IN MY MAILBOX — I know IMM is something people either love or hate. Some people picked it as a favorite post and some suggested I stop doing it. I don't do IMM each week. I'm lucky to do it once a month.: ) So if you see a ton of books on here, that's why. I DO like to do IMM occasionally because it's a way to mention books that may otherwise not be noticed. I can't read everything I get, and I'd feel bad for getting a book that never gets viewed on my blog. IMM gives me a way to show the books where hopefully some people will see them and add them to their lists. I personally love seeing people's mailbox posts because I get a lot of good book ideas myself. Plus, it's nice to see an actual copy of the book (I'm all about book covers!). So I guess I'll be somewhere in the middle. IMM won't be something you'll see here each week, but I won't be cutting it out completely. But I did want to mention it so people know why I personally do it.

RATING REVIEWS — Everyone said yes or that it doesn't matter. I wasn't sure if people liked this fact or not so I was glad with the results. I pay much more attention to reviews that are rated but I didn't know if people agreed with that or hated if a book was rated. This will be staying the same. I will continue to rate books and will be adding the recommendations I added above.

Again, thank you guys so much for participating! You all had such nice comments and suggestions. Another survey will be posted in the near future related to Haunted Halloween. Lisa and I will give more information about that soon.

Also, be on the lookout for some new features coming up!: )

Winners!
US Winner (Wins Damon.uhh, I mean Vampire Diaries season 2, UNLEASHED, and AMPLIFIED) theatredreamer@…

INTERNATIONAL Winner ambiepie@…

Other Winners from past giveaways
UNTRACEABLE Kelsey D.

HUSHED Ashley
OBSIDIAN (ebook) Kristin A.

From Amazon.com...
"It is 1940. France has fallen. Bombs are dropping on London. And President Roosevelt is promising he won't send our boys to fight in "foreign wars."

But American radio gal Frankie Bard, the first woman to report from the Blitz in London, wants nothing more than to bring the war home. Frankie's radio dispatches crackle across the Atlantic ocean, imploring listeners to pay attention--as the Nazis bomb London nightly, and Jewish refugees stream across Europe. Frankie is convinced that if she can just get the right story, it will wake Americans to action and they will join the fight.

Meanwhile, in Franklin, Massachusetts, a small town on Cape Cod, Iris James hears Frankie's broadcasts and knows that it is only a matter of time before the war arrives on Franklin's shores. In charge of the town's mail, Iris believes that her job is to deliver and keep people's secrets, passing along the news that letters carry. And one secret she keeps are her feelings for Harry Vale, the town mechanic, who inspects the ocean daily, searching in vain for German U-boats he is certain will come. Two single people in midlife, Iris and Harry long ago gave up hope of ever being in love, yet they find themselves unexpectedly drawn toward each other.

Listening to Frankie as well are Will and Emma Fitch, the town's doctor and his new wife, both trying to escape a fragile childhood and forge a brighter future. When Will follow's Frankie's siren call into the war, Emma's worst fears are realized. Promising to return in six months, Will goes to London to offer his help, and the lives of the three women entwine.

Alternating between an America still cocooned in its inability to grasp the danger at hand and a Europe being torn apart by war, The Postmistress gives us two women who find themselves unable to deliver the news, and a third woman desperately waiting for news yet afraid to hear it. "

I really wanted to love this novel. Upon opening it and reading the introduction (see Favorite Quotes), I immediately fell in love with the language and the idea of the novel.

Unfortunately, no matter what I did, I could not connect to the plot or characters. As a result, I was unable to finish this book. Reading became a chore and I found that I was picking up other books to read instead. I did stick to my Review Policy and made it through 100 pages — but I just couldn't go on. I think this has a lot to do with my inability to connect with the story, plot, or characters.

Again, I feel awful because I was so prepared to fall in love with this book. I've heard wonderful reviews! It could be because of where I'm at in my life; what with student teaching and "having" to read books that I don't choose to (such as "All Quiet on the Western Front" etc), maybe I'm just looking for something lighter and more Young Adult-ish. Because of this possibility, I'll be keeping "The Postmistress" for my bookshelves until at a later time I can pick the book up again and see if I missed the excitement due to where my life it.

I do want to say a big thanks to Lydia at Putnam books for sending this wonderful ARC. I apologize for not being able to finish it.

Favorite Quotes:
"Long ago, I believed that, given a choice, people would turn to good as they would to the light. I believed that reporting — honest, unflinching pictures of the truth — could be a beacon to lead us to demand that wrongs be righted, injustices punished, and the weak and the innocent cared for" (3).
"Every story — love or war — is a story about looking left when we should have been looking right" (3).

To the FTC, with love — this was a review copy.

The wonderful Keary Taylor is here to share with us some news about her book Eden, the bind-up of her Fall of Angels series, and her newest book being released soon!

She has also offered up a copy of Eden for one lucky winner!

1. You've had some fabulous news lately. Would you like to share that with everyone and tell us what your first reaction was after you heard?

So, that fabulous news is that KK&P has acquired the film rights to my dystopian EDEN! Mark Morgan, who produced The Twilight Saga is the producer as well as Kami Garcia, co-author of the Beautiful Creatures series! It was amazing to hear from them and that they loved Eden! It all just didn't feel real when they first contacted me and said they wanted it! I kept waiting for someone to say"Just Kidding!", lol! It's all an amazing time, and I couldn't be happier with how things have been progressing toward the big screen!

2. Your Fall of Angels series has been very popular and is now available as a bind-up of the entire trilogy. What do you think was the biggest key to your success?

Oh man, honestly I don't really know! I want to say it's because I've written a fantastic story, but really it's my readers who have to say that! I think I just published at a great time, e-readers have gone crazy and the genre I write in is huge right now. And I just have some really fantastic readers who are incredibly supportive.

3. Your new book What I Didn't Say is very different from your previous novels. Can you tell us a bit about the book and the characters Jake, and Samantha?

It really is a lot different for me. I'll be honest, when I got the idea for it, I was terrified to actually write it. It's a YA contemporary that's based on a boy who becomes mute after an accident. It's a story that has to be handled very carefully because it is based on a lot of real experiences and stories, many of them my own. It's also different for me considering it's told from the point of view of a 17 year-old boy, Jake Hayes. He's a really great kid who has a lot of amazing support around him during this difficult time, and Samantha Shay is a part of that. Maybe after all that's happened to him he'll have the guts to tell her what he didn't say before the accident; )
4. Do you have any other projects you are currently working on?
How do I answer this… umm… maybe? Haha. I have a few things that are really up in the air right now, depending on how things play out. I'm afraid I can't say anything more that than. How's that for cryptic? But I do have an idea for a YA science fiction I hope to start on once I finish What I Didn't Say. Not dystopian, but very hard core sci-fi. Think along the lines of The Matrix. I am beyond excited to start on it! As of right now I'm thinking it will be a trilogy.

Eden by Keary Taylor Published: June 6th, 2011 Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 408 pages Eve knew the stories of the Fall, of a time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. She's seen the aftermath of the technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter, able to grow new organs and limbs, how it evolved out of control. The machine took over and the soul vanished. A world quickly losing its humanity isn't just a story to her though. At eighteen, this world is Eve's reality.

In their Fallen world, love feels like a selfish luxury, but not understanding what it is makes it difficult to choose between West, who makes her feel alive but keeps too many secrets, and Avian, who has always been there for her, but is seven years her senior.

The technology wants to spread and it won't stop until there is no new flesh to assimilate. With only two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction. While fighting to keep Eden alive, Eve will discover that being human is about what you will do for those you love, not what your insides may be made of. And even if it gets you killed, love is always what separates them from the Fallen.

Fall of Angels: The Complete Trilogy by Keary Taylor Published: November 29th, 2011 Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 752 pages Plagued by nightmares of angels all her life, but left with the scars to prove they’re more than dreams, Jessica has hidden herself away from the world on the shores of Lake Samish, Washington. But when caring but almost too-perfect-to-be-true Alex, and beautiful yet terrifying Cole enter her life, everything about Jessica’s world is about to change. She’ll learn that the angels aren’t content to stay in her dreams any longer and they’ll do anything to drag her into their world. The lines between right and wrong will be blurred as she fights to cling to the life she’s built and the love she’ll find.

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive a copy of EDEN.

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends March 7th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Today I have the winners for Stand Up Against Abuse. Thank you all so much for joining me in this feature and for helping spread the word about the topic. I plan to do this again next year! I also have the winner of BlogFest 2011! Sorry for the delay in picking winners. The reason for that is listed below.: )

• 1st place
• SIGNED copy of Bitter End
• Stay
• But I Love Him
• The Six Rules of Maybe

• 2nd place
• Bitter End
• Stay
• But I Love Him
• The Six Rules of Maybe

• 3rd place
• Bitter End
• But I Love Him

And the BlogFest winner is…

Abigail R (abbyra@… )
She picked a copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
News

Big news! I'm MOVING!! We bought a house and will be moving next weekend, EEK! Pretty much the only things I have packed so far are my books. Once we are settled in, I do plan to do a big giveaway to get rid of some of my extra books. I will still be posting reviews/interviews/and other giveaways while I'm moving because those will, hopefully, be set up by next week.

Guess what?!? I will be kicking off the DAMNED book tour on August 1st! You can see the full list of bloggers and other tour details on Nancy Holder's blog.

You can win a copy of DAMNED on goodreads.

And there's more!

From Nancy's blog: We will also be hosting contests online to give away special signed copies of the limited edition “rock concert style” poster for the Damned Book Tour to several lucky winners during the months of August and September. Stay tuned for details on how to win your signed copy of the poster! One hint on how to win is to visit the blogger tour stops on the dates listed.

You never know when a book or poster will be up for grabs.

To really kick off Damned‘s release, we’re also giving away free copies of “Passing,” the short story that inspired the Crusade series, to anyone who pre-orders a copy of Damned.

All you have to do to receive your electronic copy of “Passing” is to 1) pre-order Damned from any physical or online store; 2) send an email to mailfornancyholder@gmail.com; 3) include the word “Passing” in the Subject Line; and 4) tell us in the message of the email where you pre-ordered your copy of Damned.

Emails must be received by August 29th to be valid.

There is a fine line between love and sacrifice… Read the first chapter of Damned here

And, as many of you know, it is almost time for the release of CHAIN REACTION by Simone Elkeles. I am a huge fan of this series and the book trailer was just released! I also love these book trailers! I think it's so cool that they are set up like a movie and they bring in all of the characters. CUTE!

Be on the lookout for more about this new release coming up on the blog. I may have a very cool video to share with you all soon!

Chain Reaction will be released August 16th.

Big BIG news everyone!

First of all, I just finished my last day of classes. Monday I enter the classroom FULL TIME as a student teacher. I'm coming in at the right time, the end of their quarter is Friday. So next week will be mostly observing. But then starting on Monday the 8th, I am teaching an entire unit in British Literature all by myself. The book I've chosen is "1984" — if you have any lesson ideas, let me know!

So that's a pretty big deal, but it gets better.

I love my blog. But I want to be able to talk about other things than books — like my teaching experiences and my job hunt! So I've created a secondary blog, The Adventures of Miss Remmers. This blog won't be updated everyday, but I will be putting up the adventures of mine in the classroom while student teaching, different lesson plan ideas, job hunt stuff, and anything else having to do with my life in the classroom — obviously all pertinent information will be confidential, so you'll be seeing a lot of Student Y and School X ect. But hopefully it will be a good time, so I invite you all to stop by and see me struggle through life (only a little).

And FINALLY the BIG BIG news!

I have applied for two positions, same school district, one at the middle school and one at the high school. This school is my TOP choice as its the school where I'm student teaching and it's right in town next to the college. This is important because I want to continue my education, and what better way of doing so than by living in a college town, I love the area, I love the community, it's close to family, and of course it's where T (boyfriend who is a graduate student) lives. So it's an all around GREAT opportunity.

Wait for it...

I just got a call asking for an interview!

Breathe.

I go in next Tuesday (the SECOND day of student teaching).

Wish me luck. If you have any suggestions, hints, tips, or ANYTHING that would be helpful for my first interview, please let me know! I'm already getting a little bit nervous. I mean this isn't just ANY interview — this is my dream job!

From now on, anything like this post will be posted over at The Adventures of Miss Remmers. I hope to see you all there soon!

Andrew Jacobson is one of the co-authors of the middle grade fantasy adventure series, THE FAMILIARS.

I grew up in the same house my entire life. It was a brown and white, two story colonial in the suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Save for the white picket fence, Norman Rockwell himself would have approved. Like any kid, I feared the basement laundry room, and the old heaters made some awful noises, but I knew those noises well. I didn't imagine monsters under my bed. I slept with the lights off.
Then one night, when I was 14, I found myself running down the upstairs hallway into my parent's bedroom, screaming bloody murder.
My older brother was a freshman in college, and had returned home for the weekend. He and I were having a late night chat in my bedroom, catching up on all things into the wee hours. As we whispered in the dark, the closet door — which I always kept securely shut — creaked open. My brother and I tip-toed out of my bed and walked over to the now ajar door. I reached out and pushed it shut again.
As we turned back for my bed, the door creaked back open. And that's when I ran screaming. The next thing I remember is my mom and dad waking in a panic, and my brother standing in the hallway behind me looking at me as if I had lost my mind.
After that, my closet door would creak open on its own periodically, and whenever it did, I felt a cold chill. What lurked among my plaid button downs and doc martens? A ghost?
I have never been able to sleep soundly in any bedroom since unless all the closet doors were closed tight.
… Now, that might be my scariest paranormal experience, but for those of you who don't believe in ghost stories, here's a different kind of scary story…
I still remember the summer afternoon in 1991, when as a grade schooler in Milwaukee, I came home to the news that a man named Jeffrey Dahmer had been arrested for the murder of 17 men. It was one of the most gruesome serial killing sprees in history, and it had all happened just a few minutes away from my sheltered little house in the suburbs.
This would have just been a footnote to my otherwise idyllic Midwestern upbringing, but for the fact that my father, an attorney, represented nearly all of the families of the victims of Dahmer. Together, they sued Dahmer and won settlements totaling tens of millions of dollars — not a penny of which Dahmer would (or could) ever pay. So my dad got creative. He decided to go after any profits that Dahmer or anyone else tried to make off the exploitation of his murders. This included comic books, movies, and even trading cards. Really sick stuff. It also included a book that Jeffrey Dahmer's father wrote about the murders, which he was going to make a healthy payday from.
That's when my dad decided to sue Dahmer's father so the money he was making would go to the victims' families. And this is when the story gets scary. I'm not talking bump in the night scary, or I think there's a ghost in the closet scary, or I heard something in the attic scary. No, this is the worst serial killer in history threatened to make my dad sorry scary.
Although Dahmer was locked up in a maximum security prison for life, it was no less unsettling when I returned home from school that fall to learn that my dad had received a letter from Jeffrey Dahmer. It was typed on a typewriter, and was actually quite polite. But there was no mistaking the subtext of his note. In essence, he was warning my dad that if he went after Dahmer's father, he would be very, very sorry.
My mind raced, as any 13 year old boy's mind would. What if Dahmer escapes from prison, or gets out one day? What if he comes after my dad or my family… or me?! This was a guy who dismembered people and cannibalized them! I was terrified.
And then, a few months later, news broke that Jeffrey Dahmer was shanked in a prison laundry room, murdered and left dead on the floor. I'm not going to lie. I was relieved.
Happy Halloween everyone!

The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson Publisher: HarperCollins (September 7th, 2010) Hardcover: 368 pages After three young wizard apprentices are kidnapped by the evil queen of a distant land, it is up to their familiars, their magical animal companions — a street smart alley cat, a precocious blue jay, and a bumbling tree frog — to save them.

Thank you so much Andrew for the story!

Find Andrew Jacobson
The Familiars / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
Purchase The Familiars
Amazon / The Book Depository / Barnes and Noble

*Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.

Welcome to the Back to the Basics class! If you missed a previous class, here are the links:

• Insert an HTML direct link to your blog into comments
• Comment Etiquette

Okay... back to the point. Many people would have you believe that Twitter is very much like Facebook's status updates where you can type what you are doing in 140 characters or less. The reality of Twitter, and I think that those who use it religiously would agree, is that it is much more of a message service (like MSN Messeneger, AIM, or Yahoo Messenger) where you can communicate with hundreds of people who have the same interests as you. For instance, I follow all my favorite blog reviewers, authors, publishers, etc on Twitter. It's also a great marketing tool (again, here's a for instance, all of my posts are automatically fed to my Twitter account with a link and the title). In my opinion, as all of these classes are, Twitter is a great tool to "put yourself out there" and get involved in the book blogging community.

I am currently following 514 people on Twitter — most are book bloggers, many are authors, and the rest my favorite publishers and agents. Because I live in the Midwest and the Twitter craze hasn't exactly caught on yet — my Twitter account is solely for books and blogging. Does that mean I don't send random "tweets" (I hate that word) about my life or the wedding? No, but the primary focus is books and marketing.

If you don't use Twitter (again, to each their own) I think you're missing out on a lot. By "tweeting" back and forth with different authors and reviewers your begin to build relationships that you don't necessarily get from commenting on a post. The response is obviously quicker and you can have more in-depth conversations, despite the character limit. I have received books from authors, publishers, and other reviewers because of Twitter. I've been more aware of what is happening in the book blogosphere because of Twitter. Sheila and I were also the one of the few who attended the first debut author get together at BEA last year due to a quick tweet from Shannon Delany (author of "13 to Life ")! We had the opportunity to talk to so many authors one on one! It was fantastic!

Yes, I'll admit it: I've become addicted to Twitter! I love the conversations, the ability to "stick my nose" in other people's business, to find out the latest bookish news, to connect with bloggers I read consistently, to connect with authors I love... etc. But there's also the business/marketing side to Twitter that is extremely beneficial to blogging.

First of all, before I forget — quick plug to "follow" me on Twitter via @google, send me a quick tweet by putting "@google" at the beginning and mention that you read this post so I can follow you back!

If you've bought into the concept of Twitter, after you've signed up and installed the Twitter app to your desktop for easy and consistent viewing, find a Twitter Button to add to your blog. Mine can be found in the right sidebar. Then, if you really want to go all out, add your Twitter updates as well (again, mine are posted on the right sidebar).

This next part is vital and one of the best parts about Twitter: synch your blog feed to Twitter. Meaning, every time you post (even if it is a scheduled post and you aren't at your computer), the title and link to your post will be automatically tweeted to all your followers. This is a great way to get yourself out there even if you, like most people, are at work or school during the day and can't be on Twitter to get your link out there. I use (and LOVE) Twitterfeed. Another great service that I've used in the past is Google's FeedBurner. Both services are free and easy to use and, like I mentioned, can do wonders for marketing your posts and blog.

You can also synch your Goodreads account to Twitter so that every time your rate, review, or mark to read a book it posts to Twitter automatically as well. You can do this by going into "My Account" and then into "Feeds." Again, this is a simple but extremely effective way to market yourself and your product (blog, reviews, posts, etc).

The next step (if anyone is still reading) is to go out and begin following people. Don't know where to start? Who to follow? Here are a few of my favorite "Tweeters" (link goes to Twitter page):

• @BookaliciousPam from Bookalicious
• @BookJourney from Book Journey
• @MichelleBall from Hooked To Books
• @GReadsBooks from GReads
• @brokeandbookish from Broke and Bookish
• @thestorysiren from The Story Siren
• @shanynlee from Chick Loves Lit
• @booksandwine from Good Books and Good Wine

• Shannon Delany — author of "13 to Life "
• Lauren Oliver — author of "Before I Fall " and "Delirium "
• Julie Kagawa — author of "The Iron King "
• Denise Jaden — author of "Losing Faith "

As always, if you have a question please leave it below!

Haunted Halloween
Jennifer R. Hubbard www.jenniferhubbard.com

I didn’t go Trick-or-Treating when I was little, because my mother said there were crazy people in the world who poisoned candy and put razor blades in apples. Years later, I learned that such stories were largely urban legends, until a few people capitalized on the legends with true crimes. (See http://www.snopes.com/horrors/mayhem/needles.asp and http://www.snopes.com/horrors/poison/halloween.asp. And by the way, I never knew anyone who gave or received apples as a Halloween treat. We were all about the sugar.) For me, Halloween was a night for staying home, handing out candy to others, getting to see everyone’s costumes, and eating whatever we didn’t hand out.
I don’t know if feeling like an outsider on Halloween, or having the specter of a hypothetical mad-poisoner-crazy-neighbor hanging over my head, led to my own particular brand of fear. “Scary” movies didn’t scare me because I knew they were make-believe. The news, on the other hand, chronicled real events—real events in which real people were hurt or killed. I did not worry about a werewolf coming to my window; I worried about dying in a car accident or getting a fatal case of meningitis.
And when I look at Halloween, and scary movies, and ghost stories, I see them largely as a safe way to deal with fear. Make-believe allows us to deal with fear’s adrenaline without being truly threatened. Halloween allows us to scare and prank others without serious consequences, to face our fear of the dark. We all know, underneath, that it’s a game, a prelude to orange cupcakes and “fun-size” candy bars.
We all know that true horror is on the nightly news.

The Secret Year by Janenifer Hubbard Publisher: Viking Juvenile (January 7th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 192 pages Seventeen-year-old Colt has been sneaking out at night to meet Julia, a girl from an upper-class neighborhood unlike his own. They’ve never told anyone else about their relationship: not their family or friends, and especially not Julia’s boyfriend.When Julia dies suddenly, Colt tries to cope with her death while pretending that he never even knew her. He discovers a journal she left behind. But he is not prepared for the truths he discovers about their intense relationship, nor to pay the price for the secrets he’s kept.

The paperback version of The Secret Year will be available December 23th!

Thank you Janenifer for the story and for the bookmark donation!
Find out more about Janenifer Hubbard Janenifer Hubbard / Blog / Twitter / Goodreads

Purchase The Secret Year Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

* Check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post with Sara Bennett Wealer and a giveaway for a signed copy of Rival.

*Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.

Once upon a time in the kingdom of Taylor, Michigan, there was a lonely girl named Beth who longed for someone to love her. Despite studying hard in school and working to support herself, she very rarely found herself enjoying life and wondered when people would stop disappointing her.

Then one day, in the neighboring kingdom of Dearborn, Beth attended a yearly music competition. While there, she sat next to an acquaintance she’d known for years who noticed she seemed a little down in the dumps. The acquaintance, whose name was Wendy, said she had just the thing to cheer Beth up — she was going to set her up with her good friend Johnathon.

Plans were made a few weeks later to have a group go see a concert together. It was there that Beth and Johnathon hit it off immediately and a few days later, Johnathon called Beth to ask her on another date the next week.

It was on that date that Johnathon talked excitedly about some news he received at work that day. He was a few months away from graduating from college and his boss called him into his office right before the end of the day to ask if he’d like to go to Germany for three years after graduation. The details of the offer were still to come, but from the way he was talking, Johnathon appeared to already be packing his bags in his mind.

Beth knew at that moment that she shouldn’t fall for someone who was probably leaving the country in a few months, but fall she did, and that proved to change the course of her life forever.

Not long after Beth and Johnathon began officially dating, Johnathon accepted the job offer to go to Germany. Because of this huge, life-changing move, he knew that if he didn’t do something even more life-changing, he was going to let the love of his life slip through his fingers.

So four months after they began dating, Johnathon proposed to Beth. She of course said yes, and despite the short amount of time they had been together, when they shared the news with everyone, most people were supportive since they decided to set their wedding date for a year and a half later on June 7, 2003 so that Beth could finish college.

This meant that the newly engaged couple would be spending a year and a half an ocean away from each other. So web cams were purchased and trips back and forth from Germany to Michigan — and vice-versa — were planned. The couple always appreciated the time they were together but it was always too short.

Finally, a year and a half passed and it was their big day. Family and friends from far and wide came to share in their joy. It was truly the best day of their lives, one that they would always treasure.

*~*~*~*~*
In fairy tales, this is normally where the story ends, but you see, eight years later, and the story is still going strong. Beth and Johnathon have lived in Germany and since moved back to the states. Their life together is happy and fulfilling. They will always remember their wedding day, and equally they’ll remember the time they spent living in Germany and traveling through Europe. But ultimately, they continue to look forward to what other exciting adventures life will bring. That is what marriage is about, that despite the difficulties, you are always looking ahead and seeing a happy and contended future with the person you promised to love forever. It won’t always be “happily ever after.” There will be times when you wonder how you’ll get through that rough patch, but keep looking forward. The future should always be hopeful.

Happy (Belated) Wedding Anniversary on June 7th to Beth and Johnathon! What beautiful pictures and what a wonderful story! Thank you so much for sharing with us! Beth blogs at A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust — stop on by and congratulate her and her wonderful husband!

The cover of Destined, House of Night book 9, was just released and oh la la, HOTNESS! I am still a fan of this series and even Heath (who is on this cover). I mean c'mon, he's HOT! This series lost me somewhere around the middle but don't give up! It does get better (in my opinion) so if you are thinking of picking these books back up, do it!

Destined (House of Night #9) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast Publisher: St. Martin's Press (October 25th, 2011) Hardcover: 336 pages Add it on Goodreads
In Destined, the forces of Light and Dark collide as their epic struggle focuses on Tulsa's House of Night. Zoey is home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side and preparing to face off against Neferet. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, he and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together if Rephaim can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow.

But is Zoey really safe? Does she truly know those who are closest to her? And will love win when it is tested by the very soul of Darkness? Find out what s destined in the next thrilling chapter of the House of Night series.

Here is the cover for A Beautiful Evil, book 2 in the Gods & Monsters series by Kelly Keaton. Very spooky!

A Beautiful Evil by Kelly Keaton Publisher: Simon Pulse (February 21st, 2012) Hardcover: 320 pages Add it to Goodreads
A power she can’t deny. A destiny she’s determined to fight.

When Ari first arrived in the dilapidated city of New 2, all she wanted was to figure out who she was. But what she discovered was beyond her worst nightmare. Ari can already sense the evil growing inside her—a power the goddess Athena will stop at nothing to possess.

Desperate to hold on to her humanity and protect her loved ones, Ari must fight back. But Athena’s playing mind games, not just with Ari but with those she cares about most. And Athena has a very special plan for the brooding and sexy Sebastian.

Ari is determined to defeat Athena, but time is running out. With no other options, Ari must unleash the very thing she’s afraid of: herself.

And a section of this post I will title "Book I Just Want to Talk About 'Cause it Sounds Amazing"!
I picked up, and finished, Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles on Tuesday and Wow, it is awesome! The Perfect Chemistry series is one of my all-time favorites! I realized that I love that type of love story. When I went looking for more like it, I discovered KISS CRUSH COLLIDE by Christina Meredith. First, let's check out the cover.

*fans self* loveeee it! And now, the summary.
Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith Publisher: Greenwillow Books (December 27th, 2011) Hardcover: 336 pages Add it to Goodreads Leah has the life most high school girls would kill for—popularity, glowing grades, a rich, athletic boyfriend. So why does she feel like she can’t breathe? And why can’t she stop thinking about the boy from the country club? The one who isn’t her boyfriend, the one that her mother would never, ever approve of, the one that her perfect older sisters would never, ever look at twice. The one who is always looking back at her. Irresistible attraction, smoldering glances, the bad boy and the good girl—Kiss Crush Collide has everything that a steamy forbidden romance should, and then some.

With graceful and honest writing and an electric love story, this is a book about growing into your own skin. For fans of Perfect Chemistry ( <---THAT'S ME!), Sarah Dessen ( <--- THAT'S ME TOO!), and John Green (<--Haven't read anything by him yet).
Gotta love a good forbidden romance! So how many of you want to get your hands on this book???

Bookperk News

You all probably know I'm a huge fan of the Bookperk site from HarperCollins. I've purchased a signed (by the movie cast) version of I Am Number Four and a signed copy of Guy Fieri's cookbook from them already. They add new offers all the time and I just wanted to mention a few of the new ones.

You can USE GOOGLE to see the current deals going on. If you haven't signed up, you can use that link as well. It's good to at least be signed up because amazing deals pop up all the time and sometimes they have very limited quantities.

I have Lorraine Zago Rosenthal here today to talk about her newest book, New Money.

I'm part of the blog tour and I have an exclusive excerpt from the book below.

Tina had a constant cash flow, but unlike most of the girls I’d grown up with, she’d never been snooty about the fact that I didn’t. She nodded, the light changed, and she hit the gas. “You mean you need money to get your car fixed? Don’t worry about that… I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”

“I know. I appreciate it, but I’m not going to keep imposing on you. I need my own car, and I also need to help Mom. Business has been slow… the bills are piling up.”

Tina drove me to an upscale outdoor mall where I handed in applications at Sephora and Banana Republic and eight other stores before catching up with her at the bridal shop where we’d planned to meet. She was leaning against its front window and twirling her hair.

“Maybe I should apply here,” I said, peeking in the window. Tina was covering part of it, and all I could see was half of a mannequin dressed in a white organza gown.

She shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

I kept trying to look into the store, but she blocked me. “Why isn’t it a good idea? And what are you doing?” I asked impatiently. “Get out of the way.”

She folded her arms over her low-cut blouse and didn’t move. “Forget this place, Savannah. It’s filled with snobby women like my stepmother. You don’t want to work here.” She draped an arm around my shoulders, shoved my head down so I was staring at cement, and led me away.

The smell of her mango perfume was suffocating in the heat, and I wasn’t in the mood for whatever game she was playing. I disconnected myself from her and headed back to the store.

She tried to stop me, but it was too late. I stared through the bridal shop’s window at a pretty redhead admiring her reflection in a full-length mirror. She wore a flowing wedding dress, and her mother and a saleslady beamed at her. She looked like a princess. Cinderella. Somebody’s dream.

I swallowed. This was why Tina had tried to keep me away.

She was beside me. “It doesn’t matter. It isn’t what you wanted.”

That’s what I’d thought two years ago, when Jamie bought a diamond ring and asked me to marry him. He was in law school at the University of South Carolina then. He’d wanted to tie the knot when he graduated, buy a house in a fancy area nearby called Mount Pleasant—where Tina lived—and have babies, in his own words, ASAP.

Only that wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to go places, see things, and write award-winning novels that would fly off bookstore shelves. I’d thought that none of those things would happen if I became what he expected: a stay-at-home mom who ate lunch with attorneys’ wives and spent her free time getting massages and manicures.

It had been so hard to end it. But he just wouldn’t wait, and I couldn’t blame him. I knew how it felt to want things. The problem was that lately, I’d been thinking that everything I wanted was never going to happen. I’d been wondering if I’d made a terrible mistake.

“I didn’t know they were getting married so soon,” I said, my voice raw and tight. But I should have known. Jamie had graduated recently. Maybe I’d been blocking it out.

I’d heard about the engagement a while back. The bride was a girl from my high school class who’d been on the cheerleading squad with me and Tina, but Jamie was a year ahead of us and had barely known her then. Now she worked as a paralegal at a law office downtown, and the rumor was that they’d hooked up when he clerked there.

“Yeah,” Tina said. “I heard about it last week.”

I turned away from the window. “Thanks for not telling me.”

She smiled. The bells on the bridal’s shop door jangled, the door swung open, and there was the redhead with the saleslady calling after her, nervously warning against stepping outside because the sidewalk would dirty her hem.

The bride went by two first names. She’d been one of those pageant contestants with a pushy mother who’d dressed her up in high heels and a thick layer of makeup like a six-year-old prostitute. She’d also been my nemesis from eighth through eleventh grade. Now she gave me a phony smile and spoke in a sugary voice as she lingered in the doorway.

“Savannah, are you stalking me?” she asked.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Eva Lee,” I said.

“Seriously,” Tina added. “Savannah has better things to do.”

Sure, I thought. I have better things to do, like resume my desperate search for a minimum-wage job while this empty-headed debutante gets ready to marry the only guy I’ve ever loved.

New Money by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal
Published: Thomas Dunne Books (September 10th, 2013)
Reading Level: Adult
Hardcover: 336 pages
Summary:

A young Southern woman of modest means suddenly finds herself thrust into New York's high society when she discovers that she is the illegitimate daughter of a recently-deceased billionaire.

Savannah Morgan had high hopes. She dreamed of becoming a writer and escaping her South Carolina town, where snooty debutantes have always looked down on her. But at twenty-four, she's become a frustrated ex-cheerleader who lives with her mother and wonders if rejecting a marriage proposal was a terrible mistake. Then Savannah's world is shaken when she learns the father she never knew is Edward Stone, a billionaire media mogul who has left Savannah his fortune on the condition that she move to Manhattan and work at his global news corporation. Putting aside her mother's disapproval, Savannah dives head first into a life of wealth and luxury that is threatened by Edward's other children--the infuriatingly arrogant Ned and his sharp-tongued sister, Caroline, whose joint mission is to get rid of Savannah. She deals with their treachery along with her complicated love life, and she eventually has to decide between Jack, a smooth and charming real estate executive, and Alex, a handsome aspiring writer/actor. Savannah must navigate a thrilling but dangerous city while trying to figure out what kind of man her father truly was.

New Money is a keenly observed, exciting peek into a world of privilege and glamour with a spirited and charming heroine at its center.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

I am "stealing" this from The Story Siren. If you want to find out more about it click here . Anyway, these are books I got this week at the bookstore, library, and in the mail, of course.

Since I'm back at school, I've decided to do this post on Saturdays. Sundays is my Salon day (my favorite meme) and I don't get any mail on Saturdays because the Post Office at school isn't open.:)

For Review:

Thanks to the publisher, I received an ARC copy of "On the Bluffs" by Steven Schindler. Thank you! Check out my review here!

From Amazon.com...

"SOMETIMES THE BIGGEST LIES ARE THE ONES WE LIVE.

While Brian DeLouise was working the graveyard shift at a conspiracy theory-crazed radio station his wife was alley-catting around Washington, DC. But a cheating wife and a dead-end job no longer made him angry or depressed. He was just numb. It took a daring brush with death to awaken his senses and a few clicks on Google to begin a journey to recapture a love he believed was gone forever. Brian finds his lost lover in a rundown mansion on the windswept bluffs of Cape Cod, where he must confront a fast approaching evil while he risks losing everything he now cherishes."

And thanks to Bancroft Press I received two ARC copies of "Thanksgiving at the Inn" by Tim Whitney. Thank you!

From Amazon.com...
"Ever since his mother left, life has't been easy for Heath Wellington III. Between his father's (Junior's) bouts with alcoholism and literary rejection, and Heath's own wrongful suspension from school, there hasn't been all that much to be thankful for.
But following the tragic death of estranged grandfather Senior, father and son alike stand to inherit a life-changing fortune... with one catch.
Heath and Junior must spend the next three months managing Senior's bed and breakfast, located in the same Massachusetts home Junior has spent the last eight years trying to escape.
Upended from his everyday life and relocated to a town where everyone knew and loved the grandfather he can't even remember, Heath finds an inn full of some of the strangest people he's ever met, such as:
* Winsted, the old, wise Jamaican man who used to lead the prayers in Senior s factory;
* Mrs. Farrel, an elderly woman giving away her late husband's fortune letter by letter;
* Mustang Sally, the muscle-bound, tattooed grease monkey who doubles as a children's author;
* And Carter, the silent TV news junkie and secret Harvard graduate.
And, at a nearby school is Savannah, Junior's first love, and her adorable, autistic daughter, Tori.
But most of all, there's Junior himself, vinegar to Heath's oil. As Heath adjusts to his new world, what he needs most is to start anew with his father, to understand that Junior, too, is dealing with loss, and to realize that, even in the most tragic of times, there's a lot in life to be thankful for.
Thanksgiving at the Inn is a beautiful story of family and forgiveness, and a sure holiday classic. Tim Whitney's fantastic, heartwarming debut is one you'll want to read with the whole family for years and years to come."

Thanks to the author, I recieved a copy of "Frozen Tears" by Mary Ann MacAfee. Thank you!

From Amazon.com...

"In Alaska's stunning but brutal interior, where white and Native cultures clash, Kale Weaver struggles to survive a devastating tragedy that becomes the genesis for her allegiance to wolves and the circumstances making her target of a primitive superstition. Aided by her best friend, a worn-out helicopter pilot, and the bond shared with a wolf shaman, she then struggles against what follows: the bigotry and rejection imposed on her and her half-breed son,until she is challenged by the ultimate ordeal. Whatever the risks, she must fulfill a wish for her young son that she had never imagined for him. But above all, Kale's page-turning journey shows that love can triumph over life's most dire challenges and painful losses."
To Giveaway:

I received directly from the Author, Barry Lyga, a signed copy of "Boy Toy" to give away.

From Barry Lyga's website...

"Five years ago Josh’s life changed. Drastically. And everyone in his school, his town—seems like the world—thinks they understand.
But they don’t—they can’t.
And now, about to graduate from high school, Josh is still trying to sort through the pieces. First there’s Rachel, the girl he thought he’d lost years ago. She’s back, and she’s determined to be part of his life, whether he wants her there or not.
Then there are college decisions to make, and the toughest baseball game of his life coming up, and a coach who won't stop pushing Josh all the way to the brink.
And then there’s Eve. Her return brings with it all the memories of Josh’s past. It’s time for Josh to face the truth about what happened.
If only he knew what the truth was... "

Won:

I haven't won anything recently — but I figure I'm due.:)

You can win a few books here too! Currently I am giving away a copy of "My Name is Will", "Boy Toy", and "Dancing with Ana".

From the library:

• "Eighth Grade Bites: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod"
• "Ninth Grade Slays: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod"
  

Until next week — Happy Reading!

Hello Dauntless fans! Today we have an incredible giveaway for you. The poster below is SIGNED by Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. It came from the red carpet premiere of Breaking Dawn: Part 1. In addition to this fabulous prize, the winner will also receive an exclusive, limited edition Mockingjay pin from comic con!

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive a Breaking Dawn: Part 1 poster signed by Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner from the red carpet premiere and an exclusive Mockingjay pin from Comic con.

• You must be at least 13 (or have permission) to enter.
• Name and email must be provided.
• Contest is International and ends April 30th .
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The rafflecopter form must be filled out to enter.
• Lots of extra entries possible.
• You can come back and enter each day!

Good luck and thanks again for helping spread the word about #TeamDauntless.

"If you enjoyed 'Across the Universe,' you'll hands down devour 'A Million Suns.'" — Miss Remmers

Release Date: January 10th, 2012
Publisher: Penguin
Challenges: 75+ Challenge

"Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos. It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision — no more Phydus, no more lies. But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart. "

While it took me a while to remember all the twists that were revealed in "Across the Universe, " once I caught on (with a bit of help from Michelle Ball — Hooked to Books) I found myself enveloped in the story and characters once again. I read the first four chapters and then had to put the book down to focus on school but this weekend, as the semester ended, I read the rest of the book in one sitting snuggled up in a blanket with hot chocolate into the wee hours of the night. It's been such a long time since I've been able to do that and I enjoyed every minute of it.

This time around Amy is on a journey to find clues left behind for her while Elder struggles to maintain order on Godspeed. I loved the intricate levels of the ship descriptions and enjoyed the alternating perspectives. I felt like "A Million Suns" and so many more levels (no pun intended) and much more revelations than before. If you enjoyed "Across the Universe," you'll hands down devour "A Million Suns."

-Visit Beth around the web here: Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter
-BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook

To the FTC, with love: ARC received from Publisher

1. You have written about characters ranging from psychics, aliens, and ghosts to clones. Where did you first get your interest in the paranormal?
When I was little I loved to watch any TV shows with magical characters; witches, ghosts, superheroes. I’ve always felt like there was more to life than what we see and was intrigued by psychics who claimed to know about the Otherside. I like to hear lots of different opinions so I can decide for myself what is possible.
2. In the Dead Girl trilogy, Amber finds herself jumping into other bodies, what would you do if you had that ability?
Tough questions because I’m basically a nice person who wouldn’t want to cause trouble for anyone else. But I also would love to live a lot of different experiences; to really understand other people and lifestyles. So I might jump into different bodies for quick trips, like getting in a car and taking a weekend vacation. But I’d always return to my real life and self because I like who I am.

3. The Dead Girl trilogy has now been optioned for TV. What did it feel like when you heard the news? If it were completely up to you, who would you cast in the show?

I was thrilled that a small production company bought the option and I hope they’ll go to the next step and make a pilot. That would be amazing! I have to be realistic, though, and accept that most options don’t go very far. Still if I could choose, I’d love for the producers to cast all unknowns (except maybe for the adult parts – it would be cool to have some major stars as parents, teachers, etc.). But when I create characters, they don’t look like anyone on TV to me. The images in my head are of unique people that I’ve created. Like Amber has curly dark hair, a pretty smile but otherwise average shape and looks, maybe a little hippy. I’d love to see who the producers would cast.

4. The Magician’s Muse is book

6 in The Seer series but it is out three years after book. Was there a reason for the longer wait for this book?
Yeah, the reason was the editor and publisher felt that five books are enough. They hired me to write the DEAD GIRL trilogy and I worked on that for 2 years. I really wanted to write another SEER, though, and when I had the chance to propose one more book, I was thrilled when they agreed. So I did my best to put in mystery, murder, romance, danger, and an ending that ties up lots of plots. It’s out Oct. 1^st. Then in 2011 there’s a spin-off with Thorn as a main character solving a murder mystery.
5. What projects do you have in the works right now?
I’m finished rewrites for a middle-grade novel then I hope to write another Thorn book. No word yet, though, if Flux will ask for another one. If they don’t, there’s a futurist book I’d like to write. I always have at least one book churning in my brain. And next year I have two essays in YA anthologies coming out, which excites me. One is a Harper non-profit book about bullying where YA authors share stories, poems, experiences, etc. The other is GIRL ON FIRE, an anthology about HUNGER GAMES with 13 YA authors writing essays on the trilogy. I’m so honored to be included in these books and can’t wait for them to come out.

Magician's Muse by Linda Joy Singleton Publisher: Flux (October 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Series: The Seer, book #6 The Final Book in Linda Joy Singleton's Popular Paranormal Series, The Seer

A whisper, too soft to swirl wispy candle smoke, carried across time, beyond life and death—and was heard."Our bargain is sealed. My secrets will be yours-when the girl dies."

In the thrilling climax to The Seer series, Sabine's psychic abilities, sleuthing skills, and courage are pushed to a dangerous edge as she deals with the mysterious disappearance of her ex-boyfriend Josh, a new threat against her boyfriend Dominic, evil magicians (both living and dead)—and a coldblooded murder.

To find out more about Linda Joy Singleton Linda Joy Singleton / Blog / Goodreads / Twitter

Purchase Magician's Muse Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

I will be giving away a signed copy of Magician's Muse during the tour!

TOP 6(66) CHILDHOOD TERRORS
by
Elizabeth Richards

Here are the top 6 things that kept me up at night as a kid…

6: THE KANDY MAN – ‘HAPPINESS PATROL, DOCTOR WHO’

I don’t think any television show scares the heebie-jeebies out of kids more than Doctor Who. From Cybermen to the Weeping Angels, the writers certainly know how to create the perfect bogeyman to keep kids up at night. But it was the Kandy Man from the episode ‘Happiness Patrol’ that scared me the most as a kid. In this episode The Doctor and his companion Ace visit a colony on Terra Alpha, where all the citizens are forced to be happy all the bleeding time. If they’re caught being a ‘Killjoy’ by the secret police (known as the Happiness Patrol), they’re arrested and fed to the Kandy Man – a sweet-based robot who looks oddly like the Bassett’s Liquorice Allsorts man. As a little girl who loved her sweeties, the idea of a candy that bit back did not sit well with me. I still keep a wary distance from liquorice allsorts… you know, just in case.
5: ‘REMEMBER ME’ BY CHRISTOPHER PIKE

In my early tweens, I was a massive fan of horror authors like Christopher Pike, RL Stine, and James Herbert. One of my all-time best reads was Remember Me – a story about a girl named Shari Cooper, who is murdered and has to solve the mystery of her own death. It had ghosts, murder, cheating boyfriends, and a shocking revelation. But it was the Shadow that gave me chills, and makes this number 5 in my list.

4: GHOSTWATCH

On October 31,1992, the BBC ran a mockumentary called Ghostwatch, starring popular children’s TV presenter Sarah Greene. It was shot as if it were a live news broadcast, covering a ‘live, on-air investigation’ of a house in Northold, which was reputably haunted by a poltergeist called Pipes. Now at the time, I had NO idea this was a drama. I thought it was real, and sat down to watch it with my buddies, thinking we were about to witness a real-life ghost hunt. What larks! Erm… no. It turned out to be 90 minutes of the most TERRIFYING TELEVISION I HAVE EVER SEEN. If you can get your hands on a recording of it, I highly recommend you view it. Then show it to your kids and tell them it’s real, and sit back and watch the hilarity unfold.

3: ‘LITTLE MY’ FROM THE MOOMINS

Back in the 1980s, there was a very popular television show in the UK called the Moomins, which featured these unbelievably cute trolls which—for some random reason—looked like white hippopotamuses, with wide eyes, round snouts and pudgy tummies. I loved them. They were adorable. What I didn’t love was their side kick Little My. She was supposed to be brave and fearless. All I knew is she wanted to eat my soul.

2: SPIDERS

I absolutely and utterly refuse to believe that something with four eyes, eight legs, drains all the blood out of its victims, and can kill me with one bite is ‘more scared of me, than I am of it.’

1: PENNYWISE THE CLOWN

Black City by Elizabeth Richards
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons (November 13th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 384 pages
Series: Black City, #1
A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive some SIGNED bookmarks!

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends November 6th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.

Hosted by Sheila — Thank you!

What a week! Thanks to everyone who stopped by with Blogoversary or Birthday wishes! It was an amazing week! This week my husband and I are celebrating our marriage and finally taking our honeymoon (more of a mini-moon) to the Twin Cities to watch the Boston Red Sox play the Twins! I'm a huge Twins fan whereas D prefers the Sox — so we'll see how this works out! I am hoping to get a few hours of reading done while we're away though as it is a 7 hour drive.

This week I'd like to read:

"The Power of Six" by Pittacus Lore

"I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me... he's one of us.Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another... but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.
I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.
And I'm ready to fight."

Hello Dauntless fans! Today we have an incredible giveaway for you. The poster below is SIGNED I Am Number Four movie poster by Alex Pettyfer and Dianna Agron. It came from the Hot Topic Mall Tour in 2011. In addition to this fabulous prize, the winner will also receive an ARC of the Power of Six.

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive an I am Number Four movie poster signed by Alex Pettyfer and Dianna Agron from the Hot Topic Mall Tour 2011 (limited signing) and an ARC of The Power of Six.

• You must be at least 13 (or have permission) to enter.
• Name and email must be provided.
• Contest is International and ends April 30th .
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The rafflecopter form must be filled out to enter.
• Lots of extra entries possible.
• You can come back and enter each day!

Hello everyone. Each day this month a member of Team Dauntless will be posting a new book giveaway. Some of these will be posted for only 24 hours and others will be up a little longer.

Today I am hosting the giveaway and it will be up for just 4 DAYS. So be sure to sign up early. If you are on the street team, or want to be, please help us by spreading the word about the giveaway if you can. We really appreciate all the hard work you all are putting into this.: )

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive an ARC of Balthazar by Claudia Gray.

• You must be at least 13 (or have permission) to enter.
• Name and email must be provided.
• Contest is US only and ends April 24th .
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.
• Lots of extra entries possible.

Good luck and thanks again for helping spread the word about #TeamDauntless.

Team Dauntless is hitting the road! We're going to be at Romantic Times Teen Day on 4/14 and TXLA in Houston 4/18-20! And we have a mission for you! Some of us will be wearing Team Dauntless T-shirts. If you find one of us and tell us that you're Team Dauntless we'll give you one of the AMAZINGLY COOL Buttons made by Nancy from Tales of a Ravenous Reader!

Here's what the t-shirts and the buttons look like! Be sure to tell your friends and we hope to see you soon!!!

Have you missed any of our Divergent Nation Posts? Click HERE to catch up and learn how you can enter to win an a NOOK by supporting Team Dauntless. Be sure to check out http://bit.ly/dauntlessfaction for all the latest Dauntless News and http://bit.ly/choose_dauntless to learn more about Insurgent! And contact Anderson's to pre-order your signed copy of INSURGENT out May 1st and help FREE FOUR!

Remember: Tweet #FINDTHEDAUNTLESS!