NEWS

BRAZEN Synopsis and Giveaway Winner!

Jun 4, 2015 | celebrate, GILDED, giveaway, SILVERN | 3 Comments

I’m so excited! Today is the first day of summer vacation for my boys and we are going to have a blast reading and writing and swimming. Heading to the beach is definitely in the plans! What are your plans this summer? Check out our book stack to start off our summer.

reading summer

If you haven’t heard yet on my social media accounts, BRAZEN now has a synopsis! This gives you a sneak peek of what is in store for you in BRAZEN. This book is by far my favorite of the series. There is more romance, more fighting scenes, a new country, more mythological creatures. Yep, it’s freaking awesome and I CAN’T WAIT FOR YOU TO READ IT!!!!!!

Are you ready for the synopsis?

Jae Hwa Lee spent her sixteenth year in Seoul, trying to destroy the evil immortals who had been torturing her family for centuries. The last thing she expected was to be forced to become their assassin. Trapped in the darkest part of the Spirit World as a servant to the Korean god Kud, fighting to keep her humanity, and unable to contact her loved ones, Jae Hwa is slowly losing hope. Kud, god of darkness, will do anything to keep her as a pawn in his quest for power over all of Korea, her entire family thinks she’s dead, and Jae’s true love, Marc, believes she is lost to him forever.

When Kud sends Jae to find and steal the powerful Black Turtle orb, Jae sees an opportunity to break free and defeat Kud once and for all…but first she needs to regain Marc’s trust and work with him to vanquish the darkness that threatens to overwhelm Korea. There’s much to lose as Jae struggles to save the land she’s come to call home.

So what do you think????

You can preorder the book from Amazon, B&N, your local indie, BAM, Book Depository, and well pretty much anywhere! Or you can also preorder an autographed copy from my indie bookstore, Bookmark It.

And now for the WINNER of the #ReadOrWriteAnywhere giveaway. The winner is:

Paola Benavides

I know many of you have been asking about the cover for BRAZEN and I promise the cover will be revealed soon. So excited for that too!

Where Am I? #ReadOrWriteAnywhere

May 22, 2015 | GILDED, giveaway, young adult | 3 Comments

Summer is about to begin!

But just because it’s summer doesn’t mean we should stop reading and writing. I’ve teamed up with the YA Chicks and many participating authors on a global campaign to encourage readers, writers, students, and teachers to share pictures all of the places—both ordinary and extraordinary—where they are reading and writing. This is open to all readers/writers of both middle grade and young adult books!

You can also take part in…
A MONSTER GIVEAWAY!
I’ll be giving away a copy of GILDED + Gilded series swag over at the YA Chicks + below you can enter to win your choice of either GILDED, SILVERN, or BRAZEN here on my blog!!!!

And there’s more! Every author participating in this campaign is giving away books, critiques, swag and/or Skype visits.

So are you ready?

Drum roll….

Can you guess where I am?
1. It’s in a country known for their chocolate croissants.
2. In a land filled with knights and fairy tales.
3. It’s called castle in English.
4. It was built on the foundations of a medieval fortress in Touraine.
5. This setting was one of the inspirations for a book project.

I’m just looking for the first word and if you still don’t know, go here!

Once you’ve figured out where I’m writing, head over to the YA Chicks site and:

Officially enter the giveaway by inputting each author’s name and your guesses about our locations. Every author location you guess correctly increases your chances to win.
For even more chances, post a picture of yourself reading or writing on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere (must have the hashtag).

For writer prize packs:

Post pictures of yourself writing in a fun location on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere. Then follow the directions on the Rafflecopter giveaway to let us know you did it.
For even more chances, gather your writer friends together and post a group shot with the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere (must have the hashtag). And hey, since you’re already together, why not host a write-a-thon?

For teacher prize packs:

Post pictures of your class reading or writing on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere (must have the hashtag).
Then let us know you did it when you enter the Rafflecopter. If you don’t have a Twitter or Instagram, you can email your picture directly with the picture pasted directly into the email (no attachments–we won’t open them) AND the subject, “Read or Write Anywhere.”
You can also check out the YA Chicks Read or Write Anywhere lesson plan, available on their site.

Now, what are you waiting for? Get out there and READ OR WRITE ANYWHERE!

#ReadOrWriteAnywhere

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read Or Write Anywhere!

May 4, 2015 | authors, writing, YA, YA books | 0 Comments

Summer is about to begin!

But just because it’s summer doesn’t mean we should stop reading and writing. The YA Chicks— ViviBarnes, Christina Farley, and Amy Christine Parker—along with guest co-creators Lucienne Diver, Peggy Jackson, and Tara Gallina , are excited to share with you a global campaign that we are launching on May 22, 2015, to encourage readers, writers, students, and teachers to share pictures all of the places—both ordinary and extraordinary—where they are reading and writing. This is open to all readers/writers of both middle grade and young adult books!

as well as take part in…

A MONSTER GIVEAWAY!

We have THREE separate prize packs in the works:

· The Reader’s Pack: Includes one book from every participating author (just wait until you hear who we’ve got lined up!): US and Canada only

· The Writer’s Pack: Includes query critiques, writing swag from authors, and more! International

The Classroom Pack: Includes free Skype visits w/YA Chicks and other participating authors, a signed YA Chicks poster, and other swag! International

***A more detailed listing of prizes will be posted closer to the event date, so check back often!

So, how can you participate?

It’s easy! Simply choose which prize pack you’d like to win and find the directions for it below under the headings: READERS, WRITERS, or STUDENTS & TEACHERS (you can participate in multiple giveaways). Then visit the YA Chicks site on May 22, 2015, beginning at 9 a.m. EST, and enter your chosen giveaway(s).

We can’t wait to see where you’re reading and writing!

READERS:

At 9 a.m. EST on May 22, 2015, we will be posting pictures of middle grade and young adult authors writing or reading in mysterious locations. It will be your job to figure out exactly where they are. We will link each picture to that author’s website where you will find 5 clues to help you figure it out. Once you’ve got all the authors locations, come back to the YA Chicks site and:

· Officially enter the giveaway by telling us the authors’ names and your guesses about their locations. Every author location you guess correctly increases your chances to win.

· For even more chances, post a picture of yourself reading or writing on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere (must have the hashtag).

WRITERS:

Starting at 9 a.m. EST on May 22, 2015, we’d like you to:
· Post pictures of yourself writing in a fun location on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere. Then let us know you did it when you enter the giveaway.
· For even more chances, gather your writer friends together and post a group shot with the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere (must have the hashtag). And hey, since you’re already together, why not host a write-a-thon?

TEACHERS & STUDENTS:

Starting at 9 a.m. EST on May 22, 2015, we’d like you to:
·       Post pictures of your class reading or writing on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere (must have the hashtag).
·       Then let us know you did it when you enter the giveaway. If you don’t have a Twitter or Instagram, you can email your picture directly to us with the picture pasted directly into the email (no attachments–we won’t open them) AND the subject, “Read or Write Anywhere.”
·       You can also check out our YA Chicks Read or Write Anywhere lesson plan, available on our site.

***ATTENTION AUTHORS******

If you are reading this and we haven’t contacted you directly, but you’d like to take part in this event, please visit our Read or Write Author Page and fill out the application here.

That’s it! We hope you’re as excited as we are about this campaign and trio of giveaways. Now, what are you waiting for? Get out there and READ OR WRITE ANYWHERE!

#ReadOrWriteAnywhere

Quick & Easy Tips for Writers

Apr 21, 2015 | revising, tips, writing, YA, young adult | 0 Comments

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find myself overwhelmed with all the ways I can make my writing better. So I teamed up with four other YA authors– Lori M Lee, Maureen McGowan, Karen Akins, and Mary Crockett— to share quick and easy writing tips with you.

It’s our hope that through these you will be able to deepen your craft as a writer with these easy to implement ideas. Enjoy!

Announcing Winner and Cool Stuff!

Apr 7, 2015 | GILDED, giveaway, Goodreads, SILVERN, Skyscape | 0 Comments

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway and participated in the YA Scavenger Hunt! What a fun event and it was great ‘meeting’ you all on my blog. Perhaps someday we will meet in person!

So the winner of SILVERN + a signed poster of both books is: (drum roll)

Kirstian Semprevivo!!!! Big congrats!

But if you didn’t win the big YA Scavenger Hunt giveaway or my personal giveaway, don’t fret.

There’s a giveaway on Goodreads for GILDED and one for SILVERN going on right now!

Plus, I’m always doing fun stuff and as we get closer to BRAZEN’s release, I’ve got some epic giveaways planned!

In other news, if you hadn’t seen me ‘screaming’ on social media, GILDED was nominated for Ohio’s Buckeye Children’s and Teen Book Award for grades 6-8. What an honor!

It was also chosen for the Tome It List! I know. I’m absolutely thrilled.

Spring 2015 YA Scavenger Hunt + Giveaway!

Apr 2, 2015 | SILVERN, YA, YA books, young adult | 77 Comments

Welcome to the YA Scavenger Hunt!

Hey guys! I’m Christina Farley, your hostess for this leg of the hunt. I wrote the GILDED series, contemporary fantasies about a Korean-American girl with a black belt and a deadly proclivity with steel-tipped arrows who discovers an ancient Korean demigod has been kidnapping the first-born daughters of her family for generations. And she’s next. The third book in the series, BRAZEN, releases September 29, 2015!

On this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize–one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team- that’s a ton of books! Plus, at the end of this post, I’m giving away the sequel to GILDED, SILVERN, as well as signed posters of both books!

But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!

Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are EIGHT contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the RED TEAM –but there is also a blue team, a gold team, a purple team, an orange team, a red team, and a pink team for a chance to win a whole different set of signed books!
If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.

SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE

Directions: Below, you’ll notice that I’ve listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the red team , and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).

Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by Sunday, Apr. 5th, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

SCAVENGER HUNT POST

Today, I am hosting LEIGH STATHAM for the YA Scavenger Hunt!!!!

Leigh Statham was raised in the wilds of rural Idaho, but found her heart in New York City. She worked as a waitress, maid, artist, math teacher, nurse, web designer, art director, thirty-foot inflatable pig and mule wrangler before she settled down in the semi-quiet role of wife, mother and writer. She resides in North Carolina with her husband, four children, five chickens and two suspected serial killer cats.

Leigh is also a founder of QuantumFairyTales.com and is currently serving a life sentence there as senior editor and gnome driver. She loves all things sparkly and strange that go bump in the night.

Find out more information by checking out LEIGH STATHAM’s website or find more about her book here!

The Perilous Journey of the Not-So-Innocuous Girl

Lady Marguerite lives a life most 17th century French girls can only dream of: money, designer dresses, suitors and a secure future. Except she suspects she may be falling for her best friend Claude, a common smithie in the family’s steam forge. When Claude leaves for New France in search of a better life, Marguerite decides to follow him and test her suspicions of love. But the trip proves more harrowing than she had anticipated, revealing secrets and testing her strength as well as her heart. Love, adventure and restitution await her in Canada, but only if she can survive the voyage.

“The writing is solid and the world-building – that clever combination of historical detail and Ms. Statham’s imagination – is excellent.” ~The Australia Times Books

This book sounds awesome! Now for….

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT!

Top Five Ways to Ruin Your Dress in a Steampunk Novel

The Perilous Journey of the Not-So-Innocuous Girl

by Leigh Statham

5. Dance with a smithie

Known for their extremely large muscles and soul piercing eyes, smithies can be alluring, but also quite hazardous. Especially to the finest cloth from Paris. Their physique is largely due to all the time they spend working at the forge over smoldering fires with heavy tools. This also lends a general air of dirt and grime which can be hard to scrub out. Even when the boy wants to impress you, and will try his hardest, his hands will most likely still be black from gear oil and will leave incriminating evidence on your gown. Best to steer clear altogether.

4. Follow someone into a cellar

There can be many hidden wonders in a cellar. There can also be many creepy traps. Anyone you don’t know very, very well who wants you to follow them into a cellar probably isn’t worried about you ruining your dress. Plus, cobwebs, ew. Be very cautious.

3. Run away from home

It’s generally best to run away from home in the middle of the night by cover of dark. This will prevent supervising adults from catching you and grounding you for all time and eternity or forcing you into a hasty marriage to an undesirable count. However, to avoid said count, you must also not bring a lamp, as strange lamps in the wilderness in the middle of the night tend to draw attention to themselves and give old ladies heart attacks. This will leave you stumbling around in the dark as your only option. If the way is clear, you will most likely run for fear of being caught, and you will also, most likely, fall and ruin your dress. If the way is under cover of bush and tree, you will then most likely catch your gown on said shrubberies and tear it anyway.

2. Get shot at

Guns have a very bad habit of leaving holes in things. Even if the said firearm does not kill you, but grazes your arm, it will make a nasty hole in your garment, thus leaving you bleeding and in a bad mood. This could also leave you with nothing suitable to wear to the next party without a fitting. Quite inconvenient.

1. 86 the sucker

Gowns, although elegant and quite flattering to the female figure, can also get in the way of many necessary opportunities (see above). It is therefore advised that you wad your gowns up and toss them in the rubbish heap. Dump them. Burn them. Chuck them in the channel, feed them to the fowl, generally destroy them in any way that seems fitting to your situation. This will, undoubtedly leave you with a ruined dress, should you decide you need one after all. But we are certain after trying a nice pair of aviation trousers, you will never go back to the frothy, frilly ways of maidenhood again.

LOVE Statham’s fun, witty voice!

And don’t forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books by me, Christina Farley, and more! To enter, you need to know that my favorite number is 7.

Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the red team and you’ll have all the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

NOW FOR THE BONUS GIVEAWAY!

Enter this rafflecopter to win a copy of SILVERN and signed posters of GILDED & SILVERN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONTINUE THE HUNT

To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author! AMY K. NICHOLS

Tweet #YASH

Korea Tour Recap

Mar 30, 2015 | GILDED, Korea, SILVERN, writing event, YA, YA books, young adult | 0 Comments

For the last two weeks I had the honor to travel to Korea and tour 6 international schools! The schools were: Seoul International School, Korea International School, Seoul Foreign School, Dwight International School, Chadwick International School, and Dulwich College Seoul.

This tour was a dream come true!

Here’s a video recap of my time:

Each day I was able to teach about writing and how storytelling can apply to all aspects of a student’s career. I loved talking to the students and hearing about their journeys in pursuing their dreams.

Plus it was fun seeing GILDED shelved with the other Morning Calm Nominees!

While in Korea, I was also interviewed in the Korean Herald and on 1013 Main Street on tbs eFM (Korea’s leading English-only radio station run by Seoul Metropolitan Government).

Had a book signing at What the Book:

Met with my Korean literary agent (love those walls of books!):

Got to visit the Seattle Skyscape team on the flight home:

Plus I got to see so many close friends and revisit all of my favorite haunts in Seoul.

There really are no words to express what an amazing time I had. I’m so thankful for the opportunity and this trip of a lifetime!

Spring YA Scavenger Hunt!

Mar 28, 2015 | GILDED, giveaway, YA, YA books, young adult | 0 Comments

I’m so excited to be a part of the Spring YA Scavenger Hunt!

There are eight outstanding teams this season. I am going to be a part of #TeamRed! The Scavenger Hunt runs from April 2nd through April 5th beginning and ending at noon Pacific time on those days.

If you’ve never been a part of the hunt before you should give it a try. It runs like a giant blog hop, introducing you to new YA authors and books along the way. There are tons of prizes including a grand prize for each team. If you win one of the grand prizes you will get a book from each author on that team! For more information and to make sure you get hunt updates, sign up for news on the #YASH website.

I’m super excited to be hosting LEIGH STATHAM. Not only will I be reading and showing a video clip of an exclusive sneak peek of BRAZEN on VICTORIA SCOTT’s website, but I will also be holding a giveaway on my site for a copy of SILVERN and posters of both books!

You don’t want to miss out on this fabulous and fun event, but play fast because the hunt is only live for three days.

Riverdale Literary Festival

Mar 4, 2015 | GILDED, SILVERN, Skyscape, Writing Conferences, writing event, YA, YA books, young adult | 0 Comments

Last week I was honored to attend the Riverdale Literary Festival at Riverdale High School. Let me tell you, this school is passionate and pumped about reading. Nearly every door in the school was decorated with themes from the books that were highlighted at the event. The students created book trailers, new covers, and banners of the books. The school raised thousands of dollars from grants and bought and handed out 1800 books!

It was an amazing time!