News

Celebrating SILVERN’s Release!

Sep 8, 2014 | , , , , , | 2 Comments

The release date for SILVERN is fast approaching. September 23rd, SILVERN will be out in the WORLD!

Join the Celebration!

You are all invited to SILVERN’s book launch! This will be held at Mead Gardens, Winter Garden on Oct. 4th at 11 am.

It’s going to be such a fun event! I’ll be speaking and signing books. There will also be games related to the book, local Tae Kwon Do group presentations, food trucks, and awesome prizes. Books will be available for purchase.

The best part is that in honor of the 25th birthday of Arnold Palmer Medical Center, $2.00 for every book sold will benefit the children at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies!

Date: October 4, 2014

Time: 11:00 AM

Place: Mead Gardens, 1300 S. Denning Dr., Winter Park, FL

For updates on the event or to RSVP, head over to the SILVERN Book Launch Facebook event page.

Here’s the website page with the details.

SILVERN BLOG TOUR

Sept. 23 – Sept. 17, 2014

The most fabulous Elana Johnson has coordinated an amazing blog tour for SILVERN. I got a peek of each blog stop, and wow, these bloggers are not only creative, but they run some pretty awesome blogs. For this tour, I’m also giving away thanks to my publisher, a special SILVERN cover Kindle Paperwhite plus 10 SILVERN swag bags.

 

 

 

The Sky’s the Limit Writing Contest!

Sep 1, 2014 | , , , , , , , , , , | 0 Comments

As you know, things are starting to heat up as SILVERN is about to launch into the world. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some of the exciting things I have planned for SILVERN’s launch which is on Sept. 23rd.

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 September is going to be amazing!

If you missed out on winning one of the early Kindle copies of SILVERN, you still have the opportunity to do so in one of THREE ways.

Visit YA Books Central and enter to win an advanced Kindle copy!

Visit Goodreads and enter to win a physical copy!

Get an advanced copy through Net Galley!

And now for the big EPIC news that I’m soooo excited to share with you all.

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I’m teaming up with my incredibly awesome publisher, Amazon Children’s Publishing/Skyscape, and five other amazing authors within Skyscape family:

  • JESSIE HUMPHRIES is the author of KILLING RUBY ROSE and RESISTING RUBY ROSE, and currently lives in Las Vegas. Visit her at jessiehumphries.com or @JessieHWrites on twitter.
  • LORI M. LEE is the author of young adult fantasy GATES OF THREAD AND STONE, and lives in Wisconsin. Visit her at lorimlee.com or @LoriMLee on Twitter.
  • MEREDITH McCARDLE is the author of THE EIGHTH GUARDIAN, and lives in South Florida. Visit her at www.meredithmccardle.com or @MeredithMcP on Twitter.
  • RYSA WALKER is the author TIMEBOUND, the first book in the CHRONOS Files series, which was the Young Adult and Grand Prize winner in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. Time’s Edge, the second book in the series, is scheduled for release in October of 2014. Visit her at www.rysa.com or @RysaWalker on Twitter.
  • CHUCK WENDIG is a novelist, screenwriter, and game designer. He’s the author of BLACKBIRDS, DOUBLE DEAD and DINOCALYPSE NOW, and is co-writer of the short film PANDEMIC, the feature film HiM, and the Emmy-nominated digital narrative COLLAPSUS. He lives in Pennsylvania. Visit him at terribleminds.com  or @ChuckWendig on Twitter.

Therefore, I am officially announcing that “The Sky’s The Limit” Writing Contest is hereby OPEN!!!!

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For all the details, please go to our website: www.skyauthors.com

Watch our video here:

 Here’s the quick and dirty on the contest:

Contest Rules

  • Open to all students in grades 6-12 in the United States
  • Any genre or theme (fantasy, sci-fi, romance, mystery, etc.)
  • Maximum of 250 original words
  • Inappropriate language or gratuitous violence is grounds for disqualification.

Submissions

  • Send your 250 word first page of a story at our website: skyauthors.com
  • Make sure to include your full name, high school, mailing address, email address, and a nomination for a teacher-mentor who helped you with your submission
  • Submissions must be emailed by midnight on November 1, 2014

Prizes

  • One winning student will win: One (1) contract to publish a short story and Two (2) Kindle Fires HDX (one for themselves and one for their nominated teacher-mentor).
  • 2 runners-up will each receive: One (1) Kindle Paperwhite; One ($20 Amazon Gift Card); and all six (6) of the participating Skyscape’s authors books.
  • 7 winners (1 per grade) will receive: One (1) Kindle Paperwhite; One ($20 Amazon Gift Card); and all six (6) of the participating Skyscape’s authors books.

AND the school with the most entries will win a pack of thirty (30) Kindle Paperwhites!

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 ***Teachers/students/librarians: All authors will be doing limited visits/presentations (in-person and via Skype) so please contact the authors near your region for a spot before they all fill up!***

GO forth and spread the word!

Win an Advanced E-Book Copy of SILVERN!

Aug 22, 2014 | , , , , , , | 4 Comments

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I have great news! My publisher has kindly made it possible for fans of the Gilded series to get an early e-book copy of SILVERN. This week, 20 e-book kindle copies of SILVERN are up for grabs. Gah! I’m so excited for you guys to read this new book!

 

How it works:

1. Enter to win by either: commenting below or on ANY of my social media. You know, something like this: “I am DYING to read SILVERN! Pick me!”

2. Get extra points by spreading the word through Tweeting, sharing the link on Facebook and knocking on all of your neighbors doors telling them about this (Kidding!). Fill in the rafflecopter below or tell me in the comments section.

3. Enter by Aug. 26th midnight.

4. If you love the book, tell the world! Feel free to review the book on Amazon. I’d love to read your review once you are finished reading the book.

So are you as excited as I am. Oh my gosh. I hope you like the book. And to be so very wicked, I’m going to give you a little teaser. You ready?

Marc freezes so abruptly I bump into him. Kang-dae slides up next to Marc, while I peer around to spot an animal about the size of a large dog blocking our path. Its fur is shaggy and caked with mud. Small ears pop from its head, and its beady eyes are as red as fire.

 

“It’s a blood weasel,” Kang-dae whispers. “Dreadful personalities.”

 

“We are just passing through,” Marc tells the weasel. “We wish to go our own way.”

 

“No, no, no.” Michelle whimpers. She scurries to the door and yanks on its handle. Her face reddens from the strain. It doesn’t budge. “We’re locked in.”

 

“Lovely,” Kang-dae says.

 

“We know your errand.” Its voice slurs out the words in Korean. “Our great King Daebyeol of the Underworld is most interested in what you wish to acquire. Give us the girl, and no harm will come to you.”

 

I slide between Marc and Kang-dae. “Your way is not ours. Leave us.”

“Scat,” Kang-dae says.

 

The weasel chokes, or perhaps it’s laughing, I’m not sure. Saliva drools from its mouth, and it shakes its body, flinging off chunks of dirt. But as the dirt splatters over the walls, I realize it’s actually blood, caked on the creature. The blood on the walls liquefies and begins to ooze down to the floor into puddles.

 

I gape as the puddles bubble and dark forms rise from their depths, twisting and contorting until they create at least twenty weasels flanking the first one. They snarl and growl, their red eyes flashing hungrily.

 

“So you see,” the first weasel slurs, “we do not jest. Hand her over.”

 

“That broom of yours may come in handy, after all,” Kangdae says.

 

 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

SILVERN Pre-order Giveaway!

Aug 6, 2014 | , | 0 Comments

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Guys! In less than 2 months the sequel to GILDED will be released. The exact date is Sept. 23, 2014!

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I’m so excited about this book, partially because it allowed me to delve deeper into the world of the Shinshi and Jae’s life and partially because I had so much fun with the fantasy elements in this book!

To celebrate SILVERN’s release, I’m doing a massive giveaway! Here are the details!

Preorder your copy of SILVERN to receive the link and secret code to the Gilded Series website, which has deleted scenes, artwork, and games.

Possible booksellers you can pre-order from include:

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 Note: If you order from my local indie,  Bookmark It, I can personalize your autograph directly into your book!

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The first 500 people to enter will receive a SILVERN bookmark and an autographed bookplate!

 Swag pack

PLUS you’ll automatically be entered to win a preloaded Kindle paperwhite with a SILVERN cover and a SILVERN poster! BIG thanks to my awesome publisher for donating the gorgeous kindle. It’s so perfect that it will be REALLY hard for me to give this up BTW.

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Just email the Guardians of Shinshi at GuardiansOfShinshi@gmail.com with a screen shot, order #, or photo of your preorder from your favorite bookseller plus an address you wish to have your swag sent to!

The Legal Details:
– You must be 13+ to enter.

– One entry per Pre-Order proof of purchase.

– Open internationally to receive the secret code!

– USA/ Canada residents only for swag.

– Submissions for the giveaway closes September 20, 2014 at 11:59 pm EST.

And thank YOU! It’s because of you that I can keep writing!

Happy Book Birthday to GATES OF THREAD OF STONE!

Aug 5, 2014 | , , | 0 Comments

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I’m so thrilled to share that Lori M Lee’s debut releases today! It’s called GATES OF THREAD AND STONE.

Here’s what the book is about:

In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.

In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.

Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.

I read an early version of this book and I’m thrilled to have blurbed this YA steampunk/fantasy. My official blurb is:

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This story is truly unique with immortals and magic all combined to weave the perfect story. Kai is a wonderful main character who is a heroine worthy to read about. GATES OF THREAD AND STONE completely captivated me and I know you don’t want to miss out on this!

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Follow Lori on Twitter and her website!

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Poster Giveaway- A Reviewer Thank You!

Jul 26, 2014 | , , | 4 Comments

Guess what arrived today!?!

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GILDED and SILVERN posters! I’m so excited about these 11×14 in. sized posters. I could wallpaper my house with them, but then my neighbors might officially call me crazy.

So I thought it would be a whole lot more fun to give these away as a thank you to those who have reviewed GILDED. As you know, reviews are important for authors so it means so much to me that you took the time to review the book.

How to win a poster:

It’s simple! Share your review link either below in the comments or on any of my social media outlets such as Twitter , Tumblr, or Facebook. You will automatically be entered in the giveaway. On Aug. 4th, I will pick 10 winners who can pick either a GILDED or SILVERN autographed poster. Open to North American residents.

Haven’t had a chance to review GILDED? Reviews can be done at Amazon and B&N.

Thank you again for all of your support! It is through YOU that I can keep writing.

Superpowers! Celebrating ILLUSIVE

Jul 11, 2014 | , , | 0 Comments

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This week, we’re celebrating the debut of Emily Lloyd Jones’ YA novel, ILLUSIVE, pitched as X-Men meets Ocean’s Eleven!  Wow, does that sound awesome or what? Let me tell you a secret. It is! If you love both of those movies then this book is for you. Emily has asked us:

What kind of superpower would you like to have, and why?

This is a hard question! I mean, there are so many cool superpowers out there, and it would really depend on the day or the mood I am in. Can I just have a closet full of superpowers outfits? Then if I put on a certain outfit, I could take on those superpowers. That would be pretty cool if you asked me.

So I did a vlog with the YA Rebels a while back on this very topic. Unfortantely, Emily hadn’t published ILLUSIVE yet so I wasn’t able to mention her book, but it would have been the best example ever, don’t you think?

Check it out here or watch below:

 So…If you could have any superpower, which one would you choose?

Here’s the blurb of the book:
When the MK virus swept across the planet, a vaccine was created to stop the epidemic, but it came with some unexpected side effects. A small percentage of the population developed superhero-like powers. Seventeen-year-old Ciere Giba has the handy ability to change her appearance at will. She’s what’s known as an illusionist…She’s also a thief.
After a robbery goes awry, Ciere must team up with a group of fellow super-powered criminals on another job that most would consider too reckless. The formula for the vaccine that gave them their abilities was supposedly destroyed years ago. But what if it wasn’t?
The lines between good and bad, us and them, and freedom and entrapment are blurred as Ciere and the rest of her crew become embroiled in a deadly race against he government that could cost them their lives.
Places to Order ILLUSIVE:
Signed Copes at Gallery Bookshop | Barnes & Noble | BAM | IndieBound | Audible
A little about Emily:
Emily Lloyd-Jones grew up on a vineyard in rural Oregon, where she played in evergreen forests and learned to fear sheep. After graduating from Western Oregon University with an English degree, she enrolled in the publishing program at Rosemont College just outside of Philadelphia. She currently resides in Northern California, working in a bookstore by day and writing by night.
ILLUSIVE (Little, Brown Children’s July 2014)
Website: www.emilylloydjones.com/
Twitter: em_llojo

Writing Events I’ll Be Attending

Jul 7, 2014 | , , , | 1 Comment

I’m so excited for this upcoming fall and beyond! And speaking of excited, stop by and say hi over at Debbie Ridpath Ohi’s blog where I’m taking about writing the Gilded series and giving advice to aspiring authors.

This year I’ve taken time off from teaching to focus on writing and getting out more to meet fans. For a brief listing of events I’ll be at, you can always check my events page here. There are more conferences and festivals I’m planning on, but here’s a list of some of the events I’m already confirmed for with more specific details:

YA Mania

Aug. 2, 2014

YA Mania

Guess what’s happening down in South Florida this August? YA Mania! This event is going to be awesome with games and prizes, books (of course) plus Meredith McCardle whom I adore will be there! I can’t wait. So if you live in South Florida near Boca Raton, you need to come out for this event and say hi.

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Vegas Book Festival

Oct. 16-18, 2014

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I’m especially excited about this week since my fellow Skyscape friends (Jessie Humphries, Meredith McCardle, and Lori Lee) and I will not only be at the festival, but we’ll be touring around and doing school visits in nearby cities including Salt Lake City! If you wish for us to come visit your school for free, email me on my contact page here.

SCBWI Florida Miami Conference

January 2015

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I’ve been asked to be on the First Books Panel at the Florida Miami Conference. This has been a dream of mine ever since I first started taking this writing thing seriously. It’s a great conference to attend with not only amazing editors, agents, and authors, but it’s fun.

Coastal Magic Convention

Feb. 5-8, 2015

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Coastal Magic is a urban fantasy and paranormal romance focused convention in Daytona Beach, FL. There will be panels, discussions, meet and greets, and ‘supernatural’ inspired activities. Here’s the link to the featured author page. I hope you’ll come join us at the beach!

GILDED Nominated for the Morning Calm Award!

Jul 2, 2014 | , , , | 0 Comments

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Each year the international school librarians in Korea pick nominees for the year’s Morning Calm Medal Book Award program. It was such an honor for GILDED to be chosen to be on this prestigious list for the high school level!

Here are the books that were chosen:

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I am so excited!  Next school year, students will be reading GILDED and the other nominees, and a winner will be chosen next April.

Talking about Dreams on DREAM BOY’s Release Day!

Jul 1, 2014 | | 2 Comments

Today is the release day of DREAM BOY by Mary Crockett and Madelyn Rosenberg! And to celebrate it several of us are talking about our dreams.

DREAM BOY COVER small.jpgDREAM BOY  – by Mary Crockett & Madelyn Rosenberg

I’ve always been a dreamer. Daydreams. Night dreams. Dreams of grandeur and dreams of escape. If I were an onion and you pulled back the papery outside, you’d find layer after layer of eye-watering dreams. And in the center, where there’s that little curlicue of onion heart? There’d be a puff of smoke from the dreams that burned away.

Annabelle Manning feels like she’s doing time at her high school in Chilton, Virginia. She has her friends at her lunchtime table of nobodies. What she doesn’t have are possibilities. Or a date for Homecoming. Things get more interesting at night, when she spends time with the boy of her dreams. But the blue-eyed boy with the fairytale smile is just that—a dream. Until the Friday afternoon he walks into her chemistry class.

One of friends suspects he’s an alien. Another is pretty sure it’s all one big case of déjà vu. While Annabelle doesn’t know what to think, she’s willing to believe that the charming Martin Zirkle may just be her dream come true. But as Annabelle discovers the truth behind dreams—where they come from and what they mean—she is forced to face a dark reality she had not expected. More than just Martin has arrived in Chilton. As Annabelle learns, if dreams can come true, so can nightmares.

Doesn’t that sound like a cool story? Mary and Madelyn said we could interpret that “dream theme” any way we wanted—either literally or aspirationally. I’m going to talk about my aspirational dreams.

Of course there is always the dream to go to Bora Bora. I mean, who doesn’t want that?

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Taken from Splenda Resorts

But lately I’m feeling like I’ve been living out my dreams lately with the release of GILDED. Next year, I’ll be taking time off to write full time, which is a dream come true. I’m also hoping to have more time to connect with readers and friends. So I guess for me, it’s to continue to live out this dream and I couldn’t ask for anything more.

I’m so excited for Mary and Madelyn! This is a big day for them and I wish them and DREAM BOY a big toast and congratulations!

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Don’t forget to add DREAM BOY to your book wish list! It can be picked up at:

INDIE BOUND

AMAZON

B&N

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