Showing posts with label newsletter 2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newsletter 2. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Newsletter 2 part 3

UK Book
This book sounds really interesting. Jenny sent me the info on it and either she is great at knowing how to make a book sound good or it really is. Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks.

Pete Boland was busy doing nothing that summer. Long, stiflingly hot, lazy days stretched ahead of him. Then she called. "Listen, Pete . . . you know that funfair, up at the recreation ground . . . I thought we could all meet up . . . You know, for old times' sake." But, where there are old times, there are old tensions. And as secrets, bitterness and jealousies resurface, five old friends are plunged into the worst night of their lives . . .

“Once I started this book, it was impossible for me to put down. It's one of the most suspenseful books I've ever read, and keeps you guessing until the very end. It also has a brilliant cover, which relates to the story in every way possible.”
“Kevin Brooks is amongst my favourite UK authors, as he writes gritty, realistic thrillers that stay in your head for days after finishing them.”

The Read Carpet
We successful launched our second episode after technical issues plaguing production. Our second episode tackled the all important subject of love as Valentine's Day occurred. Zombies may not fit into that topic but they do love flesh!

We have been lucky to have several authors comment, link and mention our podcast in the past few weeks. That has been beyond thrilling as has the great response from the YA community.

The third episode, to be released at the end of the month will see the return of the first group of contributors for their second segment. We would love to have some other voices in the show, so please consider calling into our voicemail or emailing in!

We want to hear your new finds; the authors that inspire you, a character that can make you melt, etc. How you think Adele's The List was a complete load of tripe! Share what you are passionate about in the YA-verse.

We're Reading...
Ashley and Katie are reading Sophomore Switch.
Lisette is reading The Elite, In Too Deep, Shadowed Summer, An Abundance of Katherines, and The Girl She Used to Be.
Hope is reading Wintergirls.
Laina is reading Vamps by Nancy Collins.
http://carriesyabookshelf.blogspot.com/ is reading Evermore.
Lisa May is reading Sliding on the Edge by C. Lee. McKenzie.
Just Listen is reading Somebody’s Crying by Maureen McCarthy.
Erika Lynn is reading Sloppy Firsts.
Steph is reading Luxe, Mrs. Perfect, and Diary of a Chav.
Renee is reading Worldweavers and thinking its hard to get through.
Shooting Stars is reading The ABC’s of Kissing Boys.
Prophecy Girl is reading Numbers by Rachel Ward.
Travis is reading Look Both Ways by Jacquelyn.
Jenny is reading The Knife of Never Letting Go.
Polo Pony is reading Cracked up to Be.
Megan is reading I heart You, You Haunt Me.
Gabrielle is reading The Boyfriend List, Lord of Misrule and The Time Travelers Wife.
Sarah is reading Envy: A Luxe Novel.
Tru Blu is reading The Center of the Universe.
Jill is Reading Just Like That.
Paper Movies is reading Tweak, The Hunger Games and The Book Thief.

releases
The Anatomy of Wings by Karen Foxlee (feb 10)
Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith (feb 10)
Fade by Lisa McMann (feb 10)
Dope Sick by Walter Dean Myers (feb 10)
Miss Match by Wendy Toliver (feb 10)
Raven by Allison Van Diepen (feb 10)
Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell (feb 10)
Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman (feb 10)
In Mike We Trust by P.E Ryan (feb 17)
It's A Green Thing (Diary of a Teenage Girl) book 2 by Melody Carlson (feb 17)
Alis by Naomi Rich (feb 19)
Great Call of China by Cynthea Liu (feb 19)
Response by Paul Volponi (feb 19)
The Season by Sarah Maclean (March 2nd)
The Amaranth Enchantment- Julie Berry (March 3rd)
Dark Guardian No. 1: Moonlight- Rachel Hawthorne (March 3rd)
Just One Wish by Janette Rallison (March 5th)
Hunted- PC Cast (March 10th)
Brutal by Michael Harmon (March 10th)

Blog Tips
Music on your blog is cool but please none of that bang your head junk. You want me to read your full review and comment? Then don’t give me a headache.
Don’t comment someone’s blog advertising your own. If you just reviewed the same book go ahead and tell me but don’t leave me a link to your blog. Maybe I’m just picky but I feel like its downgrading someone’s work.
Not every other word needs to be bad. I get your point if you say you hate a book. No need to throw in 8 Fu**s and 6 Cra*s. (Sorry to be so blunt but I noticed this recently :( )
Sidebar etiquette is important. If your sidebars are a mile long things just look messy. No need to have 5 new release tickers, a million links and pages worth of information. Keep things clean.


Past Week
Visit The Story Siren to learn how you can win free ARCs of Lisa Mantchev's Eyes Like Stars
Win The September Sisters by Jillian Cantor at YA Book Realm
Enter to win a signed copy of Zoƫ Marriott's new book, Daughter of the Flames, at The Magic of Ink
Bookworm Chrysalis reviewed Kristin Cashore's Graceling "It was a solidly good book, but as I said above about the villain, it seemed like it lacked a level of complexity I would have liked - though I can't pinpoint what exactly I felt was missing."
Read an advance-review of Severed Ties by Kevin Krohn at Just Blinded Book Reviews "Severed Ties was so unique to me--the plot, the characters, and the writing were so original! Even though it was short-less than two hundred pages-it was filled to the brim with everything a much larger book could hold."
The Book Girl reviewed Laura Faria Stolaz's Deadly Little Secret "So this book was simply amazing. I can't believe I haven't read any of Laurie's books before this, despite the fact that I own each one."
The Book Obsession enjoyed Beastly by Alex Flinn "This novel was absolutely outstanding! One of the best novels I have read in a long time. I was so into the book I would read a hundred pages and it would seem as if only a second went by. This is the first I have read from Alex Flinn and it will not be the last. Her writing style is absolutely enchanting."
prophecygirl at Wondrous Reads reviewed Gayle Forman's If I Stay "I have a feeling that If I Stay may be one of those books that sells millions of copies, wins numerous awards, and inspires people to pick up a pen and tell a story of their own."

Monday, March 2, 2009

Newsletter 2 Part 2

*for some reason this is looking weird. I will be unable to change colors or center this all. Sorry :( *

Remember if you wanna see how cool the newsletter really is you must subscribe. Email me at princessashley9@gmail.com so I can sign you up :)

Authors
http://koriannespeaks.blogspot.com/ is planning to have Siobhan Vivian
http://www.princess2293.blogspot.com/ has Madison Scott on the 19th
http://www.princess2293.blogspot.com/ has Jillian Canter on the 24th
Adele Walsh at http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com is having Karen Tayleur (Chasing Boys) as her author spotlight this week, which includes a reader's snapshot, an interview and a guest blog.
Reyna at http://booksforteensreviews.blogspot.com/ is having Shelley Adina (author of the young adult "All about Us" novels) for a visit.
Reyna at http://booksforteensreviews.blogspot.com/ is having Sarah MacLean, author of "The Season",
Lauren at http://shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com/ had one with Janni Lee Simner, who wrote Bones of Faerie.
2/11 - Melissa de la Cruz at My Favorite Author
2/18 - Richelle Mead at My Favorite Author
2/25 - Claudia Gray at My Favorite Author


Author Spotlight
Lisa and shooting star Interviewed Jennifer Banash for us. Here is what she had to say!

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I was around 2, my father gave me a typewriter as a birthday present. I don't think I realized that I was going to be a writer right then and there (umm . . . I could barely drink from a sippy cup without making a mess), but I think the seed was definitely planted.

What inspired you to write the Elite books?
My own high school experience. I went to high school with a lot of wealthy kid that were supposed to have it all--but were actually deeply troubled, and had less than perfect home lives. While I've always been attracted to glamor, and really wanted to write an escapist series for teens, also wanted to temper it with a bit of reality in terms of the characters home lives.

What do you think makes a good story?
I think drama, romance, and intrigue make a good story! Writing what you know doesn't hurt either :)

How long did it take you to write each book?
I wrote all three books in about 9 months. Yes, I was tired afterwards!

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I'm kind of Facebook obsessed, so I hear from readers a good deal. Mostly they just tell me that they love the books, or ask for tips on getting published themselves. I love hearing from readers--it's the best part of the job!

Who is your favorite character you've created?
My favorite character I've created is Madison Macallister. Yes, she's a drama queen, diva-bitch, but she's just so much FUN to write! I literally giggle in my chair like a maniac when I'm writing her story arc.

What book are you currently reading?
I'm currently reading I KNOW IT'S OVER, by CK Kelly Martin. It's fantastic.

What's your all time favorite book?
Arrrrgh . . . I hate this question! I'm indecisive and could never choose just ONE. Some of my favorites are: A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, LESS THAN ZERO, TO THE LIGHTHOUSE, and I love anything that Carole Maso writes--not many people read her--but they should. As far as strictly YA goes, SISTERS OF MISERY by Megan Kelley Hall is the best book I've read in a LONG time--hands down.

And finally, what's your opinion of book bloggers? :)
I love book bloggers--so much so that I thanked them profusely on the acknowledgments page of IN TOO DEEP! I think bloggers do an excellent job of raising the visibility of YA--a genre that doesn't really get many print reviews in general. If any bloggers out there still haven't reviewed the first two ELITE book, let me know! I'll be glad to get you copies.

If you had to live in the shoes of one of your characters in the Elite series for a whole year, who would you pick and why?
I would pick Madison, because even though she's a complete bitch, it would be really liberating to tell everyone exactly what I thought of them 24/7 without holding back. I'm the type of person who always wants to please EVERYONE--often at the expense of my own sanity, so to spend a year as Madison, doing and saying exactly what I wanted, would be very liberating for me.

Have you ever had an idea for a character to include but ultimately left them out? If so, can you tell us anything about these "cut-out" characters?
Hmmm . . . I had an idea for a character in THE ELITE that was physically abused by her parents, but at the end of the day her story arc was just too realistic and TOO much of a downer for the series itself. I'm all for realism, but she just didn't fit. I definitely want to write a book about child abuse at some point, but this just wasn't the right series to include it--As it was, I had to fight my editor tooth and nail to include Sophie's problem with cutting.

Since you have Drew in the series, do you feel that boys could read your books as well as girls and get something out of it?
Definitely. In fact, guys write me all the time on MySpace or Facebook and tell me that they love the series, and that they can really relate to Drew as a character. I'm especially proud in those moments because writing from a guy's perspective is incredibly difficult for me, and thus, those kinds of comments are incredibly gratifying to me as a writer.

The Blog to check out
Nineteen Teen (http://www.nineteen.blogspot.com)

YA authors Marissa Doyle and Regina Scott talk about the lives, loves, and interests of teens in nineteenth century England. With pictures from the time period, quizzes and guessing games, themed giveaways, posts by characters from YA novels about the nineteenth century, and interviews with other authors, this is the place to be if you like your skirts long and your men dashing. They’re in the middle of a series of posts on English Country dancing, including how to flirt while dancing. Over 1,300 visitors a month can’t be wrong! Come join the fun.
Thanks to Regina for sharing that info with us!


Reviews
•Ashley is reviewing New Moon at booksaremylove.blogspot.com
•Booksaremylove.blogspot.com will review Frenimies.
•Booksaremylove.blogspot.com will review sophomore Switch.
•Booksaremylove.blogspot.com will review In Too Deep
•Booksaremylove.blogspot.com will review Bloom.
•My Favorite Author is reviewing The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Newsletter 2 part one

Remember the real thing is much cooler looking :) You also dont get to know about things first if you just see it here. Please email me at princessashley9@gmail.com to be signed up. Also thats where you email me if you wanna be involved :)

Who's who:
Ashley and Erica are putting the stuff together.
Taylor S. told us what was coming up on blogs.
Jenny told us about a U.K. book.
People told us what they are reading.
Lisa May and Shooting star interviewed Jennifer Banash!
Nadine and Hope told us what contests to check out!
Bella Aire told us what author visits to check out. So did Laina!
Renee and Lisette told us some new releases.
Katie J. and Sharon helped us find new bloggers!
Magic Ink told us what happened this week.
My Favorite Author told us what’s new at her blog.
Contests:
v http://carriesyabookshelf.blogspot.com/ is giving away some great books.

v The Compulsive Reader at thecompulsivereader.blogspot.com is having Jennifer Banash around throughout the month (and they'll be giving away 5 books), and Zoe Marriot will be stopping by in about a week or so to host another mega contest.

v Alea over at Pop Culture Junkie is giving away FOUR titles worth having. ends February 20. http://aleapopculture.blogspot.com/2009/02/benefit-from-my-bargain-finds-giveaway.html

v Lauren over at Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf is giving away an ARC of Golden Girl by Misol Ostow ends February 28. http://laurenscrammedbookshelf.blogspot.com/2009/02/contest-for-arc-of-golden-girl-by-micol.html

v Kim Pauley over at YA Books Central is giving away multiple copies of THREE awesome books. ends February 28. Eternal by Cynthia Leitich http://www.yabookscentral.com/cfusion/index.cfm?fuseAction=home.eternal 3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares http://www.yabookscentral.com/cfusion/index.cfm?fuseAction=home.3Willows Jessican's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey http://www.yabookscentral.com/cfusion/index.cfm?fuseAction=home.Jessicas

v GreenBean TeenQueen (what a crafty name) is giving away a Prize Pack of books and Amazon Gift card. ends February 28. http://greenbeanteenqueen.blogspot.com/2009/02/i-love-books-contest.html

v Nicole B over at WORD for teens is having a Love and Lies February '09 giveaway. ends February 28. http://wordforteens.blogspot.com/2009/02/february-09-giveaway-love-and-lies.html

v Steph over at Reviewer X is having a HUGE party giveaway in honor of A. S. King's release of Dust of 100 Dogs ends February 28. http://reviewerx.blogspot.com/2009/02/heres-contest-you-dont-wanna-miss.html

v This is totally random but, Debs Store is having a Prom Makeover Sweepstakes ends March 20. https://subscribe.hearstmags.com/subscribe/seventeen/21445

v Feb 21 - 27 Win an ARC of STARGAZER by Claudia Gray .. details will be announced on Saturday, Feb 21st
New(er) bloggers:
v http://yaromancereviews.blogspot.com/ is a fantastic blog to get chick lit ideas.

v http://cityofbooks.blogspot.com/ is fairly new but I thought I’d mention it anyways. What a great blog.

v http://trunerd.blogspot.com/ is also fairly new but super great!

v http://ceridwensbooklounge.blogspot.com/ doesn’t have many followers yet but its so cool looking.

v http://musingsofafledglingwriter.blogspot.com/ is really new and has great posts already!

v http://insertbooktitle.blogspot.com/ is an amazing new blog!

v http://www.jonathanzemsky.blogspot.com/ an author with a great blog!