Winners!!!

Hey guys, we have quite a few winners today!!

Winner of Everlasting Poster:

Ashley

Winners of Gratitude Giveaway:

Jenna P.

&

Monica J.

Winners of Cover vs. Cover Giveaway:

Misha

&

Rusted

Thank you to everyone who entered!!

Daily Dose!!!

So I found some really great pics this week and thought I would share them with you. This is a great little Meme hosted at Good Golly Miss Holly. Make sure to check out her great blog.. 

and maybe share some of your inspirational pics with us!

What Inspires you?

Gratitude Giveaway!!!!!!

Its time for another Giveaway Hop!!!

This is my second one of these hops and the Spooktacular hop was a blast! 

Just wanted to say a quick thanks to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer for putting together such a great Hop!

ALSO WANTED TO SAY THANKS TO ALL MY WONDERFUL FOLLOWERS!! 

I LOVE YOU GUYS!

OK on to my giveaway... Thats why your here right.

Last giveaway killed me on shipping so I thought this time I would do an Amazon.com  giveaway.

So here's how it's going to work:

There will be 2 winners

Both winners will receive: 

A book of their choice from Amazon.com

( $15 limit please!)

Open International 

It can be an old book, a new book or a pre- order. Your Choice!

So there you go! Fill out the form and cross your fingers and make sure to

 check out all the other great blogs participating!

Note: Don'y forget to enter The Cover vs. Cover giveaway and the Signed everlasting poster giveaway while your here! (you can find the links at the top, under contests!!)

Contest Closed!

Author Spotlight: Angie Frazier & Giveaway!

Please Welcome Angie Frazier

Author of Everlasting!

1) Could you tell us a bit about yourself.

Angie: Let’s see…I’m a writer, a mom, a movie buff, a Jane Austen and Edith Wharton lover, history geek, and a wannbe world traveler.


2) What was the inspiration for writing Everlasting?

Angie: I’ve always loved stories of adventure and romance, and after I graduated from college where I’d spent four years writing news articles, essays, papers and reading next to nothing other than school texts, I was craving something adventurous and as far from reality as possible. I decided to just go ahead and write it myself.



3) Were there any personal experiences that went in to writing Everlasting?

Angie: If anything at all, I tried to work in the wonder of traveling to new places. I always feel so small and insignificant when I travel—the world is huge and it will revolve with or without me in it. I wanted to bring that feeling to the forefront with Camille, when she realizes the same thing.


4) Was Camille's character based on anyone or was she a purely made up character?

Angie: She is mostly a made up character. I am sure that I took qualities of people I know and blended them into the characters somewhere, but it wasn’t an intentional thing. I think when someone writes, they subconsciously draw from what their mind already knows.


5) Do you plan to have Everlasting as a series or a stand alone novel?

Angie: I initially wrote it as a stand alone, but I didn’t want to leave Camille or Oscar just yet. I am excited to have a second Everlasting book coming out in June 2011! It picks up right where Everlasting left off.

6) What was your inspiration for the cover of Everlasting? 

Angie: I actually didn’t have anything to do with the creation of the cover. That aspect of the book was totally up to Scholastic’s design team, and sales and marketing teams. I feel they did a great job making the cover stand out the way it does, and from what I’ve seen so far the cover for the sequel is even more beautiful!

7) What do you plan on doing in the future?

Angie: I plan to keep writing, both YA and middle grade novels and perhaps branching into other genres as well. I never seem to have a dry spell when it comes to story ideas. And next up in March 2011 my middle grade mystery THE MIDNIGHT TUNNEL: A SUZANNA SNOW MYSTERY will be hitting the shelves!

8) Do you write with music? Whats your favorite?

Angie: I actually cannot write with music playing, but I do find that music is inspirational during the “pre-writing” phase of nearly every story. I tend to go for music without lyrics, which for me tend to get in the way. So I stick with classical music and instrumental soundtracks from movies like Braveheart and Gladiator, Cider House Rules and the new adaptation of Emma. 

9) What are you reading right now? 

Angie: At the moment I’m reading a non-YA romance by Sarah MacLean called TEN WAYS TO BE ADORED WHEN LANDING A LORD. It’s fantastic! Sarah is talented author, and she does have a YA title called THE SEASON.

10) Who are a few of your favorite authors?

Angie: Edith Wharton, Jane Austen, Sarah MacLean, MM Kaye, Libba Bray, and Cassandra Clare are some of my favorites.

Thank you so much Angie for stopping by!

Make sure to check out Angie's website: http://angiefrazier.com/

*************

Wanna win a SIGNED Everlasting poster?

Well thanks to Angie, you can! 

She will be giving one signed poster to a lucky person.

All you have to do to enter is Fill out this Form:
Open International
Ends: 11-26

Extra entries:
+1 Comment on interview
+1 Follow Book Junky


Contest Closed!

Good Luck and Happy Reading!

Forget Me Not! New Meme

This is the first post of what I hope to be many!

So this is my new Meme:

Forget Me Not

Its all about books that are not brand new.

Lately I have noticed that there are so many great books coming out that I can't keep up with the ones on my shelf. I am constantly reading the new ones that come out that my previously bought books are going unread. 

Thus, Forget Me Not was born. Here you can share your slightly older, but still great books!

Hopefully this will inspire you to get to your older books out, wipe off the dust and get reading!

If you want to join in ( and I strongly urge you too) Just grab the Meme pick, link back here ( so others can read all about FMN) and put your post on the Mr. Linky so everyone can check out your post!

This week my pick is:

A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy--jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.

Sixteen-year-old Gemma has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother's death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls' academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions "for a bit of fun" and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the "others" and rebuild the Order. A Great and Terrible Beauty is an impressive first book in what should prove to be a fascinating trilogy.

Have you read it yet? Let me know what you think and make sure to join in on Forget Me Not!

Happy Reading!

Winner of The Near Witch Pre- order giveaway!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered! We had a great turn out. The Winner is:

Briana @ The Book Pixie

Congrats Briana!

Make sure you check out The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

out August 2011

Daily Dose!!!

So I found some really great pics this week and thought I would share them with you. This is a great little Meme hosted at Good Golly Miss Holly. Make sure to check out her great blog.. 

and maybe share some of your inspirational pics with us!

What did you find today?

Cover vs. Cover Giveaway!!

So I wanted to do a post about covers. I had just received my copy of Ash by Malinda Lo and I had ordered this specific copy (a UK copy) because I liked the cover better then the US copy. It got me thinking. Do you ever buy a certain copy of a book because you like thee cover better?

Here are a few covers with different covers that I have come across:
Which do you like better?

Ash by Malinda Lo:

Left: US Hardcover
Right: UK Paperback

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins:

Left: US Hardcover
Right: UK Paperback

Knife by R. J. Anderson:

Left: UK Paperback
Right: US Hardcover

Lament by Maggie Stiefvater:

Left: US Paperback
Right: UK Paperback

If I Stay By Gayle Forman

Left: US Hardcover
Right: US Paperback

Once A Witch By Carolyn Cullough:




Left: US Paperback
Right: US Hardcover

Claire De Lune By Christine Johnson:

 Left: US Hardcover
Right: US Paperback (out April 19, 2011)

So, Which do you like?
Wanna chance to win your favorite?


Rules:
2 winners will win their favorite book
Open International
Ends 11-26

How to enter:
In the comment box let me know what book and edition you want to win!
Add your Email

Extra entries:
Let me know which is your favorite addition from each book (+1)
Tweet (+1)
Blog Post ( +5)

Thanks for entering and Happy Reading!!


Contest Closed!!

YA Love Triangle Week. NIGHTSHADE!

Shay Doran or Ren Laroche? 
That's is the question.
YA Love Triangle week is hosted by Amber @ Down The Rabbit Hole!
Make sure you head over there and check out all the great YA Love Triangle 
posts, Interviews and giveaway!

Renier Laroche!
Defended by Steph @ Book Junky

A natural born leader, Ren is both sexy and determined. 

Ren may have a bit of a promiscuous past as far as Calla is concerned but he is ready to buckle down and become the mate she deserves.

( Now that's determination.)

What more could you ask for in a mate?

His every touch gets Calla's heart racing and her blood boiling.
 ( How Tempting.)

Even though Ren is the strong alpha type, he has a sweet romantic side. He always knows what to say and knows the way to make Calla melt.
( A very good quality in a guy.)

" Your my mate and I respect your strength. I always have." - Ren



Ren's inspiration:

1) What was your inspiration for Ren's character?

Andrea: I always knew Calla had a male counterpart who would be the other alpha of the new pack, but when Ren showed up he surprised me in a lot of ways. I knew he was cocky and a bit of a player, but he was keeping secrets even I didn't expect.

2) Ren and Calla have such an interesting relationship, What went in to choosing the way Ren interacted with Calla?
Andrea: I can't say much here because it would give away key information from books 2 and 3. Like I said above, Ren has secrets that surprised me and they would surprise Calla too if she knew what they were. Ren and Calla's relationship is defined by expectations that others have for them and that they have for each other. It's when either of them defies those expectations that things get really interesting.

Could Ren be anymore alluring? ( I don't think so! )




Shay Doran!
Defended by Jami @ YA Addict

Calla knew Shay was something special from the beginning. Which is why she broke the rules for the first time ever for him!

Shay comes in Calla's life, and makes her open her eyes. She's been told what to do and think up until now. But Shay shows her she has a choice, especially in love.

"I may not {know anything about your world}, but I do know that telling people who they can and cannot love is absurd. And cruel. You deserve more." - Shay

With Calla being the alpha of her pack, she doesn't need a guy to come in and steal the show for her. Shay respects her position in the pack, but is also one to step in and let her know when she is wrong.

This gorgeous good guy with a sarcastic side won my heart over from the very beginning. How could you not be Team Shay?

NIGHTSHADE Team Debate

Question one: Who has the better personality? And why?

Steph: (smiles) This is going to be easy, Shay has nothing on Ren! Ren, all the way! He is a natural born leader, ready to take charge. He is a bit cocky and super confident buy has a softer side. Ren knows how to get what he wants and is never afraid of showing his true feelings. 

Jami: Say what?! Shay! Shay is the kind of guy that is there for you, and you can talk about anything to. He is sweet, but also won't let anyone walk over him 

Steph: (shakes head)  yeah if all you want is a friend. Well Ren is the type of guy who will protect the one he loves. He will go the extra mile. 

Jami: Shay will do that also, but he will do it without stepping his boundaries. I’d like a boyfriend, not a daddy. Thank you very much. 

Question two: Who has better looks?

Jami: (lights up) Shay has got the looks, baby! He has that boy-next-door look going on, but a smile that could kill. 

Steph: Oh definitely Ren. He is tall and built like an alpha. With strong muscle tone, dark hair and pale skin. Not to mention his sparkling dark eyes and that seductive smile. Oh and did I mention that he is a dark gray werewolf! ( Who wouldn't want to cuddle up next to him?) oh man, those eyes could make a girl go crazy! 

Jami: (laughs) Ren might have that bad boy thing going for him, but he is just not as charming as Shay, sorry. 

Steph: ( shifts in chair and shakes head) Who does this girl think she is!?!?  

Didn‘t you hear me say "sparkling eyes and a seductive smile??" Yumm. 

Question three: Who is better suited for Calla?

Steph: That’s an easy one! Ren is Calla's other half, he is strong like Calla, A leader like Calla and knows how to treat her like the Alpha she is. As Ren says " Only souls 

who truly reflect each other make good love matches" 

Jami: Was this girl dropped on her head? Shay is perfect for Calla, because in many ways he is the opposite of her. Calla is strong, the leader of the pack. Shay allows her to be her true self. He doesn't eclipse her. Yet, he is there when she needs help or guidance. Shay is the ying to Calla's yang. Word.

Steph: OK this girl is really starting to get on my nerves. Meaning... Calla wears the pants in that relationship. Calla needs someone strong who can challenge her, not sit on the sidelines. 

Jami: (stands up and waves finger) Oh no, Calla doesn't wear the pants. Shay is there to tell her when she is wrong. He tells her when her pack rules are messed up. But he can do it without tackling her and pushing her around. 

Question four: Who is the more interesting character?

Jami: Shay is more interesting, because all of the mystery behind him. A human boy with a Keeper as an uncle, and no one knows why? Living in that big, creepy house practically by himself? Not to mention, him being the only human that is not about to step back and be afraid of the Guardians. And, come on? He is cute and charming and is a really good kisser and leaves you with those tingles all over! 

Steph: A good kisser? Right..  Ren is the Alpha of the Bane pack. He is cocky and has a dark, but very funny sense of humor. Ren works toward joining the two packs and tries to show Calla that he is a worthy mate. ( Could you get any more interesting?)

Jami: A ’worthy mate’? With those skanks he’s been macking on? Psh.  Ren has been promised to Calla since they were little. She has known him all her life. Mysterious new guy is always more interesting! 

Steph: ( Rolls eyes) At least Ren isn’t a whiny little girl! Shay is the love struck new kid, he may have a interesting past but lets face it, Ren is an Alpha and he has plenty of secrets of his own. 

Question five: Who has the sweeter side?

Steph: Ren may not be the mushy type but he definitely has his sweet moments. He tries to make Calla and her pack feel comfortable before the union, he tries to show his real feelings to her and let her know that he is the guy for her. For an over confident leader, to put his self out there, that’s pretty sweet if you ask me! 

Jami: Shay is WAY sweeter! He is considers Calla's feelings in his decisions and doesn't put his own agenda before her. He truly cares for her, to the point where he is willing to risk his life for her. (sigh) 

Steph: Who does she think she is? As I recall, the first time Shay heard about Calla's " arrangement" he called it stupid and made Calla very mad.. That’s not very considerate. 

Jami: Oh, please. Well, it was stupid and Calla knew it deep down. He will be fully honest with her, even if she doesn't want to here it. He cares about what Calla wants, not what she is told to want. If that is not sweet, I don't know what is. 

Question six? So what team should we pick?

Steph: Bottom line, Ren has it all. He is a leader, knows when to step up and when to back off. You can always count on him to protect you. Ren is everything Calla needs in a mate and so much more. With great looks, a tough exterior and a soft interior, Ren is the best kind of guy! Why wouldn’t anyone in there right mind not want Ren… I mean come on!

Jami: Shay is all around the right guy for Calla. He is cute, funny, smart, there for you when you need him. He is not afraid to stand up for what is right, even if that means standing up against supernatural elements that have been around longer than him. If you ask me, he is the total package. I would love to come home to that sexy smile every night. (thoughts drift passed the PG rating)

Choose your side!

Team Ren code:

<a href="http://www.nightshadebook.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/stephanie_xoxo27/TeamRen-1.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Team Shay code:

<a href="http://www.nightshadebook.com/

" target="_blank"><img src="http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad326/YAaddict/61976_116136901778490_105145226210991_131363_8045695_n.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Author Spotlight: Victoria Schwab & Giveaway!

Please Welcome:

Victoria Schwab author of The Near Witch

1) Could you tell us a bit about yourself. 

Victoria: Well, I'm 23, and I love cupcakes. What's funny is that I'm more of a black-turtleneck-and-cup-of-tea kind of girl, but man do I love sugar. If you follow me at all online, you'll see how frequently I talk about it. I' m also pretty obsessed with exercise (thankfully). I spend most of my time writing or wandering.


2) What was the inspiration for writing The Near Witch? 

Victoria: NW was actually inspired by a single line that ran through my head one day: "The wind on the moors is a tricky thing." It was shortly followed by another line: "There are no strangers in the town of Near." Those two lines wandered around my head for months, and I had no idea what they were. And then one day, I sat down, and there was a book to go with them.


3) Were there any personal experiences that went in to writing The Near Witch? 

Victoria: Well, I wrote the whole book in my last semester of college, while juggling an obscene number of courses and a senior thesis on character archetypes using a color wheel. Most of that last semester is a blur, but I would also carve out 2 hours of time in the evening and go to the local coffee shop, sit in a corner with a cup of this amazing herbal tea, and write. It was a lovely experience, because I came to associate the book was calm and quiet, this precious little peace in the middle of a very hectic, very stressful period.


4) Was Lexi's character based on anyone or was she a purely made up character? What is she like? 

Victoria: Lexi Harris is made up. I have one or two characters I infuse with actual people, but for the most part, everyone I write possesses some piece of the person I wish I was. Or in the case of villains, they possess a piece of the person I don't want to be. I take aspects of people and break them down into even smaller pieces, and use those flecks to infuse and inform my characters, but if a character too closely resembles someone I know, I can't write them the way I need to.

Lexi is strong. And lost. She is fiercely independent, and trying to fill a space in her life that seems to be widening. She is curious almost to a fault, and determined to prove to anyone who challenges her that she can take care of herself.


5) What was your inspiration in the cover art for The Near Witch? 

Victoria: Well, the thing about being the writer is you don't have much say! Disney*Hyperion takes care of the cover art (and I LOVE what they've done). But it's based on the very first scene in the book :)


6) Do you plan to have The Near Witch as a stand alone novel or part of a series? 

Victoria: I would love there to be a second book. If it works out that way, though, the second book will stand on its own. I love reading series, but when it comes to writing it, I want each book to have closure. So, NW was originally written as a stand alone, but over the course of writing and editing, a new story, its own story, began to grow, and I'd love to tell it.

7) Do you write to music? If so, what is your favorite?

Victoria: Here's the thing: I LOVE music. I can brainstorm to it, and build characters to it, but I can't actually write to music with lyrics. I work very hard on the actual crafting of sentences, their rhythm and flow, and my brain can't manage my own words and song lyrics at the same time. If I need music while writing, I play classical or lyric-free, such as scores from movies.



8) What do you plan on doing in the future? 

Victoria: Writing books, I hope. I have a new series idea I'm working on, and the fact is, I will always have a project going. Writing is my sanity. In case you assumed I would say that and meant what would I do in the future in addition to writing, I would also like to be a college professor :) Or a treasure hunter.

9) What are you reading right now? 

Victoria: I just finished Delirium, and then A Touch Mortal, and now I'm onto a few friends' books on my computer (one of the perks of being a writer :p). Also about to start The Mortal Instruments! It's been sitting on my shelf, waiting for its chance.

10) Who are a few of your favorite authors? 

Victoria: Such a hard question, but definitely Neil Gaiman Cassie Clare, Suzanne Collins, Kristian Cashore, Lauren Oliver, and so so many others. I find new ones every day, but these are always on the list because of their mastery of language and suspense. I disappear into their books.

11) Anything you would like to add? 

Victoria: Just thank you for having me and being so kind and welcoming to my book! I write stories to have them read, and the notion that soon my first book will be in the hands of others is still to me a glorious, surreal, and terrifying notion.




Where to find Victoria: 
Website
Blog
Goodreads.com

Facebook

The Near Witch: The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. There are no strangers in the town of Near. These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true. The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him. As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy. Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget. 

The Near Witch comes out August 2, 2011 make sure to check it out!!

*************

Because Victoria is so awesome, she is offering up a pre order of The Near Witch!!!

So you wanna win one??

Well sure you do!
Just fill out the form!
Open International!
Ends November 15th!

Want some extra entries??

+1 be a follower

+1 Follow Victoria's Blog HERE!

+1 Comment on interview

So there you have it. Good Luck and Happy Reading!

EDIT: Contest Closed