Speak Up YA! Contest

Hey everybody! This week I'm doing a joint ARC giveaway with the fabulous Rachele Alpine (author of CANARY and fellow Lucky 13!) Both CANARY and THE S-WORD are contemporary YA novels that deal with speaking out against bullying and assault, even when it's hard to find your voice.

The winner will take home signed ARCs of both books, along with bunches of awesome swag!!!

There are lots of different ways to enter, and we'll run the contest until 12:00 a.m. Thursday (March 28).

If you have an example of a time you've spoken out against bullying or assault (or a time someone else has spoken out for you), we'd love to hear about it in the comments.  We think this is a great way to put some positivity back into the world and inspire people to take a stand!


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Thanks so much for entering!!!

If you want to keep the conversation going, hop over to Twitter and use the hashtag #speakupYA to discuss books with characters who speak up against injustice, and books that inspire you to do the same!

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Review: VENGEANCE BOUND by Justina Ireland

Description from Goodreads:

The Goddess Test meets Dexter in an edgy, compelling debut about one teen’s quest for revenge… no matter how far it takes her.

Cory Graff is not alone in her head. Bound to a deal of desperation made when she was a child, Cory’s mind houses the Furies—the hawk and the serpent—lingering always, waiting for her to satisfy their bloodlust. After escaping the asylum where she was trapped for years, Cory knows how to keep the Furies quiet. By day, she lives a normal life, but by night, she tracks down targets the Furies send her way. And she brings down Justice upon them.

Cory’s perfected her system of survival, but when she meets a mysterious boy named Niko at her new school, she can’t figure out how she feels about him. For the first time, the Furies are quiet in her head around a guy. But does this mean that Cory’s finally found someone who she can trust, or are there greater factors at work? As Cory’s mind becomes a battlefield, with the Furies fighting for control, Cory will have to put everything on the line to hold on to what she’s worked so hard to build.

My Review:

I LOVED this book!!!! From the first page to the last, this book had me on the edge of my seat!! Amelie/Cory is such a relatable character--wanting to be a normal girl with friends, a meaningful relationship and a future, but at the same time drawn to a life where the guilty and the wicked are punished and kept from doing harm. Really, that's what makes this book so special: it perfectly articulates that inner struggle we all face, between wanting to lead safe, happy lives, and wanting to stop terrible things from happening in the world. But if we should act on our desire for justice in a violent way, what does that say about our humanity? Do we remain the humans that we were, or do we eventually become monstrous versions of ourselves?

Well, read the book and find out! ;)

I loved, loved, loved the Furies! (Maybe a little too much.) They were so wonderfully drawn. I could really see Tisiphone's massive wingspan, hear Megaera's scales sliding across the floor, and feel the terrible heat that their presence invoked. Ireland definitely does justice to the mythology!! I loved, too, how their grip on Amelie affected her appearance. That was totally creepy and cool at the same time.

I thought that Amelie's relationship with Niko unfolded nicely--layer by layer. I loved, too, how complicated it was for them to be together. Both characters were so affected by their families, their pasts, and their current situations. This book really shows how hard it can be to balance love with our other obligations and relationships. So realistically done!!

The ending of the story was really satisfying to me. Without saying too much, I didn't expect certain things. I love when a writer is able to surprise me, while at the same time creating a conclusion that's believable, and Vengeance Bound accomplishes this in spades. I honestly can't wait to see what Ireland writes next. This was SUCH a great read.

5 of 5 stars!

Add to Goodreads     Pre-order from Amazon     Author Website

ARC GIVEAWAY: THE S-WORD

Hey everybody!

It's time for an ARC GIVEAWAY!!!

I've got one signed advance copy of "The S-Word" to give away when I hit 75 blog followers. All you have to do is follow this blog (click the blue "Join this site" button on the right) and leave me a comment below! 

And this could be YOU:

*

That's it! Best of luck!

*The surprise is simulated but the happiness is real.

Review: Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling by Michael Boccacino

Description from Goodreads:

When the nanny to the young Darrow boys is found mysteriously murdered on the outskirts of the village of Blackfield, Charlotte Markham, the recently hired governess, steps in to take over their care. During an outing in the forest, they find themselves crossing over into The Ending, "the place for the Things Above Death," where Lily Darrow, the late mother of the children, has been waiting. She invites them into the House of Darkling, a wondrous place filled with enchantment, mystery, and strange creatures that appear to be, but are not quite, human.

However, everything comes with a price, and as Charlotte begins to understand the unspeakable bargain Mrs. Darrow has made for a second chance at motherhood, she uncovers a connection to the sinister occurrences in Blackfield and enters into a deadly game with the master of Darkling--one whose outcome will determine the fate of not just the Darrows but the world itself.Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling is a Victorian Gothic tale about family ties, the realm beyond the living, and the price you pay to save those you love.

Initial reaction: Wicked, twisted, dark and delicious. This was a wild ride!

Overall review: I loved this book so much. Boccacino is a master of descriptions, and I was immediately drawn into the lush dual landscapes of Everton and The Ending. One of the things that delighted me about this story is that Boccacino would lull me into a false sense of security by creating a setting that felt vaguely familiar and relatable, and then wham! Everything shifted, the petals of the story unfolded, and suddenly I found myself staring into a world I couldn’t have anticipated with a plethora of creatures I wasn’t expecting. It was shocking, engaging, and altogether addictive. 

Everything about this story kept me guessing. I couldn’t have imagined where things would end up, couldn’t have imagined the things Charlotte would endure and have to overcome. I especially loved the way her character changed and grew over the course of the novel, and I found myself cheering for her as she fought to discover the secrets of The Ending, and uncover the mysterious Man in Black. 

There is so much more I can say, but with all the twists and unveilings in the story, I don’t want to spoil anything. Suffice it to say that the jacket description is accurate—this is a story about a governess drawn into a web of death and deceit, and an age-old game that seems impossible to win. But there is also so much more! The characters are richly drawn and complex, the history of The Ending is a delight to discover, the relationships are heartbreakingly real, and the solutions are anything but black and white.

Little things I loved:

The last third of the book (in other words, the ending) is titled The Ending (but not for the reason you’d think.)

Paul and Dabney’s relationship.

Duncan! I could see his smile so clearly in my mind, and he always had something interesting up his sleeve.

The strange castle with the woman in the aging, decadent dress. So creepy and well-described.The stories-within-the-story. “The Seamless Children” may have been my favorite, but it’s hard to say. They were all great!

In summation: Boccacino has such a talent for writing passages that are deeply sad and at the same time wickedly intriguing. It’s difficult to even articulate the complexity of emotions I experienced while reading this book. A truly engaging, wonderful read!

5 of 5 stars!

FIRST PASS PAGES: A celebration.

THEY HAVE ARRIVED!!!

That's right, my First Pass Pages* are here!!!

Yes, I hugged them.

Yes, the sight of them made me cry.

My first thought was, "We did it!" (We being myself and everyone who edited, critiqued and all around supported me on this journey.)

My second thought was, "It's going to be a book!"

Now, around this time you're probably thinking, "Well, DUH, Chelsea, of course it's going to be a book. Had you not figured that out?"

Well, sure I had. That is to say, Yes and No. Obviously, and kind of.

Here's the thing. When you're hopin', and wishin', and prayin' for success in the publishing world (and then you get real, and start WRITING), it sometimes feels like all you hear is "Nope." So once you actually hear, "YEP!" even though you are OMG VERY EXCITED and all together over the moon, the whole thing feels very surreal.

It is only through the passing of each milestone (rounds of editing, cover design, galleys, ARCS, etc.) that it starts to sink in that Ye Old Manuscript is, in fact, going to be a book.

This moment is one of those times.

IT'S GOING TO BE A BOOK!!!

*For those of you baffled by the curious language of publishing (and trust me, I'm still learning), First Pass Pages are a print-out of how the novel pages WILL LOOK once they're in the actual book (with the proper formatting and fonts!) My job (hinted at by the ominous red pen in the photo) is to sift through these pages for typos, formatting errors and anything that will make the book look NOT CORRECT. Wish me luck!

The Curious Case of Writer Entitlement

Picture, if you will, a scenario:

It’s after dark. You’ve just gotten home from working a double shift at the restaurant/department store/hospital. Your feet are throbbing and you smell like burnt cheese/cheap perfume/excrement. You’re too tired to eat but it's probably ok to check your email for a response to your latest query.

The one that’s been rejected almost 100 times.

The one you edited and revised until you were blue in the face, and then you edited it again.

The one you finally, courageously, after three months of fear and waffling, sent to your Dream Agent, who reps your favorite author and writes hilarious tweets.

Yeah. That query.

And look: your inbox has a response. Your palms start to sweat. Your pulse is racing so fast you can feel it in your ears and your heart’s just lodged in your throat, almost choking you with possibility. Terror. Possibility.

You click on the email.

Dear Author…

Your heart sinks. But you steal your courage and continue to read.

Thank you for your submission of “The Best Novel You’ll Never Read.” Unfortunately, it’s not right for our list at this time.

Signed,

Your Once Upon A Dream Agent

You close your eyes. Behind closed lids, you witness a lifetime of accolades slipping through your hands: the book deal, the signings, the beautiful letters you’ll receive from fans: “I love your books!” “You’re my favorite author!” “Your writing literally changed my life!”

When your eyes open again, your lashes are wet. Taunting words circle around your head: Not right for our list. Not right. Not right.

Not. Not. Not.

You start getting defensive. Your pride is wounded. Your baby has been insulted! You put your heart and soul into this thing. How could they reject it? And, in spite of professionalism, in spite of the subjectivity of the business, you start to think, what would it hurt to send one angry response?

After all, Dream Agent gets 400 emails a day. Is one little email going to make a difference? You’ll get to say your piece, this feeling of helplessness will subside, and nothing bad will come of it.

IT’S COMPLETELY HARMLESS.

Well guess what? An agent was assaulted Thursday night. A man tracked her down in her car and attacked her. A man she rejected.

An agent who, as a professional person, as a human being, had every right to feel safe at her job, and in her home, was ATTACKED because she rejected someone’s work.

And it’s really easy to say what she could’ve done to prevent it. It’s really easy to say the guy was a raving lunatic and leave it at that. Everything’s simple, and tied up neatly, and this will never happen again.

Except right now, a dozen writers are electronically lashing out at agents who rejected them. Attacking them personally, calling them names, and makes threats.

Agents are receiving stories detailing the deaths of their family members in response to rejections.

Not long ago, a man claimed he’d kidnapped a bunch of agents' children in order to get their attention.

And ALL OF THESE THINGS are connected.

More and more, there seems to be an odd sense of entitlement in the writing community—an entitlement you don’t see in other professions. Would we expect a restaurant manager to spend hours of his time examining our serving abilities FOR FREE, and then lash out at him if he didn't think we were perfect for the position? Would we send an angry, embittered letter to the guy who didn’t hire us for a sales job?

Dear “Manager,” (if that is your real name)

You don’t know what you’re missing. You just passed up the greatest pre-paid cell phone salesman that ever lived. You’re clearly a hack.

Sincerely,

The J.K. Rowling of cell phone sales

Yeah. Wouldn't happen. It wouldn’t happen because we don’t want to burn any professional bridges. It’s just not done. It’s not proper.

Right?

So why would anyone, who ever hoped to be a success in this profession, behave so unprofessionally when pursing their dream? What is it about this business that makes people forget it is a business?

People who reject our work aren’t rejecting us as people. They’re not even saying our work is bad. They’re saying that, at the intersection of Things I Love to Read, and Things I Can Sell, this book is a tiny bit south. Or west. Northeast, whatever.

And it’s okay for them to say that. They have that right.

So maybe, as a community of writers, of creators, of lovers not fighters, we can come together, all of us, and say, I’m not going to behave like that. I love my art, and I put my heart into it, but this is a business and I’m going to behave professionally.

Because the alternative is an industry of agents who don’t feel safe responding to ANY query they aren’t in love with, which is going to leave the lot of us with empty inboxes, wondering, what if? Did they even get my query?

Is this somehow my fault?

RELEASE DATE ANNOUNCEMENT + GIVEAWAY!

It's time for a Moving-Themed Book Giveaway!!!  

WAIT. WHAT?

I'm giving away three fabulous YA novels that follow the theme of moving, 

being moved or being on the move (plus an Amazon gift card)!

WHY?

To celebrate the move of THE S-WORD’S release date!!!!

THE NEW AND IMPROVED RELEASE DATE is 

May 7, 2013

WHEN?

The giveaway beings at 12:00 A.M. ET on Monday, September 10th 

and ends at 12:00 A.M. ET on Monday, September 17th. 

I BELIEVE THERE WAS MENTION OF SOME . . . BOOKS?

 The prizes are:

Zombies and unicorns are on the move in this hilarious anthology edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier!

When 16-year-old Rhine is stolen away from her home and sold to the wealthy Linden, in a future where women only live to be twenty, she must fight to regain her freedom, her family and her life. 

Aristotle and Dante become best friends at fifteen, 
but can their friendship survive time, distance and the secrets they both keep?

$10 Amazon.com gift card!!!

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