Saturday, October 31, 2015

GRUDGING Hits the Lists at Goodreads

Sometimes you feel like you're a small book in a huge world. A writer is supposed to ooze confidence and charisma when talking about their creation. I'm just here to say that it can be hard. Not that I don't believe in my story. It wouldn't have gotten picked up by a publisher like Harper Voyager or such a great editor if it wasn't something special! But that I don't love talking about myself.

It ain't easy doing this promotion thing.



I think that's why the post tend to come out on Saturday when fewer people are around. ;-) But today something fun!

So I'm asking friends and fans to consider helping me out once again. GRUDGING was sweetly added to a some lists on Goodreads. That's an exciting prospect in itself! 

If you're a Goodreads fan, perhaps you'd stop by a list or two and give GRUDGING a vote. I think they are impressive lists. It's crazy to be on them. 

Can't Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2015
New Series (2015)
YA Epic Fantasy 2015
Non-Caucasian Protagonists in Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Paranormal Romance
Most Anticipated Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Novels of 2015
Best Picks: Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror 2015


Thanks to anyone that takes the time to do this.  Less than two weeks until release day!

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Nightmare on Query Street Agent Round 2015



Time for the shivers, shrieks and screams to begin!





Following this post, are the twenty Minions. 




Agents, you can head over to Mike's blogs as well to make more requests. (But don't worry, Minions will take no prisoners!) 




No commenting, cheerleading, etc. Only agents will be able to comment. IMPORTANT NOTE: Opera and Safari Browsers may NOT allow you to comment. Using another browser is HIGHLY recommended.

But cheer over on twitter. We're going to be under the hashtag #NoQS, shouting out agent appearances. So vent, be nervous, cheer each other on, and hold hands over Twitter. One of the best parts of contests is seeing how the writer's community gathers and supports each other.

For the next two days, agents will have fun ways to request in the contest.

They can SCREAM for a full request.
They can SHRIEK for a 50 page request.
They can SHIVER for a 10 page request.

And agents can make as many requests as they want! So go wild! We have some awesome talent for you to read.

I want to say a quick thanks to the mentors who all did such a wonderful job helping with revisions.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! Hope you all get a ton of frighteningly amazing requests!
 

And remember: Minions Rule!



NoQS Minion 1: KAYLEE AND THE BIG BAD AL, MG Contemporary

Title: KAYLEE AND THE BIG BAD AL
Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary
Word Count: 22,000

NoQS Minion 2: HAUNTING, MG Contemporary

Title: HAUNTING
Genre: MG Contemporary
Word Count: 35,000

NoQS Minion 3: WHEN YOUR BEST FRIEND WANTS TO BE YOUR GIRLFRIEND, MG Cont. Humor

Title: WHEN YOUR BEST FRIEND WANTS TO BE YOUR GIRLFRIEND (AND OTHER HORROR STORIES)
Genre: MG Contemporary Humor
Word Count: 30,000

NoQS Minion 4: FINDING ME, MG Contemporary

Title: FINDING ME
Genre: MG Contemporary
Word count: 38,000

NoQS Minion 5: ROBOT BILLIONAIRE BOYFRIEND, YA Science Fiction

Title: ROBOT BILLIONAIRE BOYFRIEND
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Word Count: 62,000

NoQS Minion 6: MECHANIC, YA Fantasy

Title: MECHANIC
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Word Count: 83,000

NoQS Minion 7: MEGA GIRL, YA Cont. Fantasy

Title: MEGA GIRL
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy
Word Count: 68,000

NoQS Minion 8: MISSION X, YA Science Fiction

Title: MISSION X
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Word Count: 73,000

NoQS Minions 9: NORTHERN GHOSTS, YA Thriller

Title: NORTHERN GHOSTS
Genre: YA thriller
Word Count: 64,000

NoQS Minion 10: THE GARDEN, YA LGBT Suspense


Title: THE GARDEN
Genre: Young Adult LGBT Suspense
Word Count: 63,000



NoQS Minion 11: THE CURSE OF JENNY GREENTEETH, YA Thriller

Title: THE CURSE OF JENNY GREENTEETH
Genre: YA Thriller
Word Count: 86,000

NoQS Minion 12: A COMPLEX SOLUTION, YA Suspense

Title: A Complex Solution
Genre: YA Suspense
Word Count: 79,000

NoQS Minion 13: HUNGER'S PROPHET, YA Fantasy

Title: HUNGER'S PROPHET
Genre: YA Fantasy
Word count: 95,000

NoQS Minion 14: JESSICA ROSIO, PI, Adult Mystery

Title: JESSICA ROSIO, PI
Genre: Adult Mystery
Word Count: 70,000

NoQS Minion 15: THE WRITE TYPE OF WRONG, Adult Cont. Romance

Title: THE WRITE TYPE OF WRONG
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Word Count: 76,000

NoQS 16: HOLLER, Southern Women's Fiction

Title: HOLLER
Genre: Southern Women's Fiction
Word Count: 96,000

NoQS Minion 17: THE DEATH OF US, Adult Speculative Fiction

Title: THE DEATH OF US
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Word Count: 107,000

NoQS Minion 18: BAD THINGS COME IN THREES, Adult Romantic Suspense

Title: BAD THINGS COME IN THREES
Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense
Word Count: 102,000

NoQS Minion 19: FOUR TRAGEDIES, Adult Romantic Suspense

Title: FOUR TRAGEDIES
Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense
Word Count: 80,000
 

NoQS Minion 20: THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING ON SQUAW LAKE, Adult Literary

Title: THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING ON SQUAW LAKE
Genre: Adult Literary
Word Count: 85,000

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Book Blogger Conversation with Meredith

I'm excited to start a new series of posts with a group that is under appreciated--book bloggers!

Book bloggers are obviously so important to authors. They give consistent reviews. They open their blogs to us. They are readers and fans! I think we should honor them more.

So this series of interviews was born! Hopefully it will help authors find bloggers and give everyone else a better appreciation of them.

Besides being a book blogger Meredith is also a senior publicist with Spencer Hill Press. We get double the experience from her interview!

What types of books do you review? I prefer young adult, though I do read some adult and I’m JUST getting into middle grade. I LOVE retellings of all kinds (Fairy Tale / Greek Mythology / Classic Novels / etc). I also love reading Psychological Thrillers, Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Contemporary and Historical.

Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work. I have an extensive review policy that I try to keep as up-to-date as possible. That can be found here -> http://www.pandorasbooks.org/review-policy/

 Do you post anything besides reviews—such as cover art or giveaways? I love participating in blog tours, cover reveals, author interviews and more! Giveaways are always fun and definitely draw a larger audience to a post. Really, I’m open to anything that’s fun, creative and helpful to the authors and books!

How do you find books to review or do they come to you? I like to browse Amazon and Goodreads for new releases. I also follow my favorite authors to see when they have new books coming out. A lot of what I read is recommended by friends and fellow book bloggers. I’m also on several publisher lists and I receive their seasonal catalogs and emails from publicists with review and blog tour requests – these are great ways to discover new books I might not have heard of otherwise

What got you into blogging about books? I love to read and I love spreading the word about epic books. I sort of stumbled into the book blogging world when I started using Twitter in college to chat with my favorite authors. I slowly made friends with book bloggers and was fascinated by what they did, so I decided to start blogging. It’s been a great way to make friends and even got me my first job in publishing! It’s a wonderful, inclusive community and I wish I’d discovered it sooner!

What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one? Every blogger has a different method when it comes to reviews. Personally, I’m VERY character driven, so I tend to discuss the things I liked/disliked about the characters in great detail. I also discuss the author’s writing, the pacing of the book and the plot. I’m not a very critical reviewer because I firmly believe that not every book is for every person. And just because I didn’t like it, that doesn’t mean someone else won’t. I never want my reviews to discourage someone from reading a book, so at the end of my review, I almost always recommend the book, whether I liked it or not.

As for how long it takes, it really depends on the book. Typically, it takes me an hour to write the first draft, then 30-45 minutes to edit and finalize the review. But some books take days to review because they were so epic, it’s hard to put the epicness into words!

How often do you post reviews? It depends. I’m a mood reader, so I can post as few as 2 reviews and as many as 10 reviews in any given month.

Can you think of any special methods or personality types that an author has used to really help you draw close to a character? I love fierce, kick-ass/bad-ass female characters. We don’t have enough of those characters. Think Buffy (the TV show), Celaena (Throne of Glass series) and Alina (Shadow and Bone trilogy). I also tend to fall for the bad boys – I can’t help it! :)

What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget? Definitely the characters. If I can’t connect with the characters or I don’t like them, it’s almost guaranteed I’ll have to DNF. But if the writing is gorgeous or the plot intrigues me and I’m dying to see how the book ends, then sometimes that’s enough to keep me reading. These types of books generally end up being 3-star reads for me.

Any marketing tips you’ve noticed work really well for authors? Authors who interact with readers on social media tend to do very well, in my opinion. If all an author does is tweet about their book and ask people to read it, they won’t get much of a response. But if they interact with readers and build that relationship, then it means the world to me (and other readers).

Favorite books you’ve reviewed. Favorite books I’ve reviewed throughout my entire blogging career? Oh wow, that’s a giant list! I just binge-read/reviewed all of Leigh Bardugo’s books and I’m pretty sure it’s my favorite trilogy ever! I’m also a huge Sarah J. Maas, Richelle Mead and Claudia Gray fan, so their books are always fun to review. I wouldn’t have discovered Heather Lyons without blogging, so definitely her books, as well. I could keep going, so I’ll just stop there for now! Haha :)

Books you are looking forward to in the next year. Remembrance (Mediator #7) by Meg Cabot, Throne of Glass #5 by Sarah J. Maas and Heartless by Marissa Meyer are definitely my top 3!  

Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading? Definitely actual books! It’s much easier to read and I love holding a book in my hand!

If you could only purchase one book, what would it be? Ouch! This is a mean question! Haha :) I guess... Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, because I never get tired of reading it! (Without exaggeration, I’ve read it 27+ times!)


What’s your favorite spot to read? On the couch in my living room

---------------------------------



My name is Meredith. I’m a Senior Publicist at Spencer Hill Press and Spencer Hill Contemporary. I’m also a YA book blogger and a contributing writer for YA Interrobang. I love to read YA, but sometimes I venture out into other genres. I love to write – I’ve been writing since I was in middle school. I prefer creative writing, but I also did journalism for many, many years throughout high school and college.

Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Blog|Twitter

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Countdown Widget for GRUDGING/ EDELWEISS ARC

I saw this idea from the brilliant Brenda Drake. She had a very cool countdown widget on her blog. So I tucked that link away in hopes of one day using it. And ta da! I got to use it!






It's just so cool! After years of work, it's one of those special days when you can just enjoy it, without all those dark doubts. Those days are sort of few and far between. It wonderful to just hold on to the moment.

If you'd like a copy of my countdown widget for your blog, you can get one at this link. Or perhaps you'd like a widget for your own book. I highly recommend it as a little treat for yourself.

Also the ARC of GRUDGING is now up on Edelweiss. Edelweiss, for those unfamiliar, keeps catalogs of books by publisher as well as digital copies of books for review. Signing up to be a member is free! 

Any book bloggers interested in reviewing GRUDGING who is not a member, can let me know and my publicists can provide copies. Thanks everyone! 

Friday, October 23, 2015

Book Blogger Conversation with Megan McDade

I'm excited to start a new series of posts with a group that is under appreciated--book bloggers!

Book bloggers are obviously so important to authors. They give consistent reviews. They open their blogs to us. They are readers and fans! I think we should honor them more.

So this series of interviews was born! Hopefully it will help authors find bloggers and give everyone else a better appreciation of them.


What types of books do you review?
I love all types of books but have a particular passion for YA in many genres but particularly PNR. I have also recently got into reading and reviewing New Adult books and adult reads.



Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you?
I do you can check it out at this link

Do you post anything besides reviews—such as cover art or giveaways?
I post a lot of things other than reviews which are all book related. I take part in blog tours with interviews with authors or guest posts. I take part in book blitzes, I take part in popular book memes weekly as well as host giveaways. This year I have also been posting discussions on book related topics as well as taking part in fun book tags. I enjoy posting all these "extra things" it keeps the blog from feeling stale and there also fun to take part in :)

How do you find books to review or do they come to you?
I find a lot of books am interested in though other book bloggers, publishers and using Good reads. I also get review requests from authors and publishers. And then again I pick up books in stores a few times a month that interest me.

What got you into blogging about books?
I have loved books since I can remember. In 2008 I started to find out about book blogging through loving Twilight by Stephanie Meyer as I was seeking out all the information I could get about the books and came across some blogs. From there I thought why not spread my love of books online and it went from there.

What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one?
I am still trying to prefect "a good review" 5 years on. Everyone is different and everyone likes different types of reviews. It can take different amounts of time depending in the person. It's a learning curve that doesn't stop. I tend to have short reviews with 3-5 paragraphs or less. This year I have been trying to make them fun with adding GIFS or writing them in different ways. It takes me about 30 -45 minutes to get everything done for a review including scheduling it on the blog.

How often do you post reviews?
I try for at least one or two a week but sometimes it doesn't happen as I get easily distracted but if requested for a review for a certain time I can make it happen.

What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget?
Engaging characters, a unique voice and storyline as well. Also tackling a tough topic gets my attention.

Any marketing tips you’ve noticed work really well for authors?
It's a very obvious one. Interacting with people who read your books through social media. I have made friends with so many authors though social media. Social media is the way to go. I encourage all authors to use as many platforms as you can. It is such a great advantage and weapon to have in your arsenal.

Favorite books you’ve reviewed.
So many, this year I have loved reviewing Undertow by Michael W Buckley it's my favourite book of the year. I also loved my reviews of The 5th Wave and the Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey they where such fun to write. You can check out my reviews
Books you are looking forward to in the next year.
There is so many. However I am excited for another book from Cassandra Clare as well as reading a lot of YA debuts.

Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading?
I prefer actual books. I tried to get into e books but it just never happened. I will still read them but I tend to not read them as much as actual physical books.

What’s your favorite spot to read?
My room it's where I get peace and quiet :)

Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger. 
Interact with other book bloggers and authors, don't be afraid. Post what you want to read not what you think others want you to read. If you want to review older books do it :) it's not all about popularity.

-----------------------------------------

I'm Megan, a 26 year old red head from Northern Ireland! In the day am a child care worker and at night I love curling up all night  with a good book!

Thursday, October 22, 2015

New Release WOLF BY WOLF


I am so excited that WOLF BY WOLF by Ryan Graudin releases today and that I get to share the news, along with an awesome giveaway!
If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Ryan, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a signed finished copy of the book with a special WOLF BY WOLF pin! US only. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.


Special intro from the author:

"Once upon a different time, there was a girl who lived in a kingdom of death. Wolves howled up her arm. A whole pack of them--made of tattoo ink and pain, memory and loss. It was the only thing about her that ever stayed the same.

Her story begins on a train."

And so begins the story of Yael, a girl who can change her appearance to mimic any other female. A girl who must win a 20,000 kilometer cross-continental motorcycle race from Germania to Tokyo so that she can have an audience with Adolf Hitler. A girl who has every intention of killing him.

Whenever I describe the premise of WOLF BY WOLF to people, the reactions I get are quite similar. It's the "are-you-insane-or-are-you-onto-something" face: dropped jaw, squiggly eyebrows. I must admit, I felt many of those same feelings when I first started penning Yael's story. Alternate history + sci-fi + epic motorcycle journey felt like a strange recipe for a novel. But I pushed through my fears and kept writing, and I couldn't be happier with the result. I, for one, don't think I'm insane, but I'll let you, dear reader, come up with your own conclusion.

Happy reading!

Ryan Graudin



About The Book:
Title: WOLF BY WOLF
Author: Ryan Graudin
Release Date: October 20, 2015
Pages: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Code Name Verity meets Inglourious Basterds in this fast-paced novel from the author of The Walled City.
The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule the world. To commemorate their Great Victory over Britain and Russia, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor's ball.

Yael, who escaped from a death camp, has one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year's only female victor, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin's brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael's every move. But as Yael begins to get closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission?




About Ryan:
Ryan Graudin grew up in Charleston and graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in Creative Writing in 2009. She is the author of All That Glows and The Walled City. She resides near Charleston with her husband and wolf-dog. You can find her online at www.ryangraudin.com.





Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive a signed finished copy of the book with a special WOLF BY WOLF pin. US Only.
Ends on October 26th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Release Week: TOUCHING FATE




Touching Fate
Release Date: 10/13/15
Entangled Teen: Crave

Summary from Goodreads:

Aster Layne believes in physics, not psychics. A tarot card reading on the Ocean City Boardwalk should have been a ridiculous, just-for-fun thing. It wasn't. Aster discovers she has a very unscientific gift—with a simple touch of the cards, she can change a person's fate.

Reese Van Buren is cursed. Like the kind of old-school, centuries-old curse that runs in royal families. Every firstborn son is doomed to die on his eighteenth birthday—and Reese's is coming up fast. Bummer. He tries to distract himself from his inevitable death...only to find the one person who can save him.

Aster doesn't know that the hot Dutch guy she's just met needs her help–or that he’s about to die.

But worst of all…she doesn't know that her new gift comes with dark, dark consequences that can harm everyone she loves.


GIVEAWAY:

Fire HD 7, 7" HD Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB US/Canada or $100 Amazon Card if the winner is international



a Rafflecopter giveaway


------------------------------------------

About the Author

Brenda Drake grew up the youngest of three children, an Air Force brat, and the continual new kid at school. Her fondest memories growing up is of her eccentric, Irish grandmother’s animated tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling. So it was only fitting that she would choose to write stories with a bend toward the fantastical. When she’s not writing or hanging out with her family, she haunts libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops, or reads someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).

Author Links:


Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Gorgerous Cover Reveal for ACNE, ASTHMA, AND OTHER SIGNS YOU MIGHT BE HALF-DRAGON

Rena has been my friend for a number of years and was a slush reader for Nightmare on Query Street this year. She was a pick in an earlier contest. I have to say this is the best looking cover I've seen all year. Check it out!


On to the main event!



-


-

--



---









Allyson fights acne, not trolls. As an inhaler-carrying member of the asthma society, she just wants to meet the father who turned her mother into a paranoid, move-across-the-nation freak. Now she’s trying to fit in at yet another school, but for the first time in her life, she has a best friend, Beth. When Allyson accidentally spits fire at kidnappers in the mall, she realizes why her father isn’t in the picture: she’s half dragon. Her acne? Emerging scales. Her asthma? The side effects of her dragon’s fire breath. Instead of freaking out, unflappable Beth reveals her own troll heritage and explains how things work with the supernatural creatures hiding within the modern world of smartphones and skyscrapers.

When trolls kidnap a unicorn, Beth gets blamed. Allyson is determined to prove Beth’s innocence and keep her friend off the unicorn chopping block. When they start looking for the kidnappers, they get a call from the last person they expect: Allyson’s father. He tries to warn them off, but he’s been put under a spell by the kidnappers to keep the victims from escaping. Nothing short of death can stop him. Now Allyson must choose between killing the father she’s always dreamed of, or letting her best friend die for a crime she didn’t commit. 





Like most mad scientists, Rena Rocford’s early works were largely met with scorn and mockery, but she bided her time. After all, what did her fellow kindergarteners know about literature? From that day forward, Rena kept her writing on the mythical back burner as she pursued more logical goals. Today, crayons. Tomorrow, the world. She moved on to essays and egg drops, followed by experiments in shady laboratories. She tried her hand at everything, learning from anyone who would teach her. She even moonlighted as a horseback riding instructor.

 Admittedly, living as a muggle brought Rena some levels of success such as completing her master’s degree, but always the stories returned, calling her to the keyboard in the dark of night. Now, having built armies from words, Rena has set her sights on world domination, one book at a time.

From her secret base in the wine country, Rena has enlisted the help of her cats, her loyal dogs, and her family―who can be relied upon to hide the launch codes at a moment’s notice. You can find Rena at her blog, follow her on Twitter, GoodReads, or find her on Facebook. Her debut novel, Acne, Asthma, and Other Signs You Might Be Half Dragon comes out November 23rd, 2015.

Monday, October 19, 2015

2015 Team Minions!


Taking on the slush pile is a daunting task. With a limited number of slots to fill, SO many good entries went unchosen. I know the last word anyone wants to hear is 'subjective', but that's truly the best word to describe how we have to approach slush with so many contenders.


Without further ado, it's time to reveal the Minions of Nightmare on Query Street 2015!







In no particular order:


Kaylee and the Big Bad Al
When Your Best Friend Wants to Be Your Girlfriend (And Other Horror Stories)
There's Always Something on Squaw Lake
Mega Girl
A Complex Solution
Finding Me
Bad Things Come in Threes
The Curse of Jenny Greenteeth
Hunger's Prophet
The Death of Us
Mission X
Haunting
Robot Billionaire Boyfriend
Holler
The Write Type of Wrong
Mechanic
The Garden
Four Tragedies
Northern Ghosts
Jessica Rosio PI



Be sure to check Michael's Blog for his picks.




Keep an eye on your inbox. Mentors will be contacting you through the email you used to enter the contest. If that's not your actual email because a friend mailed yours in, you'd better let us know. Each entry will get one mentor assigned to them. 

Please return your revised entry using the same format to the contest email by 8pm on October 26th. We need that time to swat down unruly formatting and create the posts before the agent round. Please do not be late. We will go live without you.




Come back on October 29th to see the agents Shriek, Scream and Shiver!