You know how you do something and then you do it the next year and then again the following year and now it's a habit? Well, I tend to review my writing year every December 31st and though I'm not really in the mood today, I gotta do it! Just like I have to work out and start my diet tomorrow morning. Ah, tradition. :-) Okay, let's see what happened in 2013.
JANUARY
In January, The Paparazzi Project went to #1 in free teen romance ebooks.
FEBRUARY, MARCH, and APRIL
From February through April I busted my butt cleaning, selling, and packing up our house and we moved to our beautiful new home. When I wasn't doing that I was busily writing and editing, writing and editing, writing and editing, getting ready for a future release.
MAY
In May, Alloy Digital announced the web series, Espressologist, at Digital Content Newsfronts, which was SO cool!. You can read about that here. They included some new details about the script:
"Based on the popular book by Kristina Springer, The Espressologist mixes one part Central Perk from Friends with a splash of Jane Austin’s Emma to create a series brimming with humor and heart.
Working at her neighborhood coffee shop as a barista, twenty-something Chelsea has a front-row seat to people and their crazy, entertaining lives. Always an astute observer of human nature, Chelsea stumbles upon a methodology that makes a love connection between her customers’ personalities and their drink orders. This comedic series follows Chelsea as the stakes are raised and her bizarre dating formula leads to more people (namely friends and co-workers) looking for Chelsea to replicate her success. But will she ever make a match for herself?"
JUNE
In June, I started work on my new *shiny* middle grade book. I'm still working on it and I love it so. :-) I also worked on putting together my library in the new house.
JULY
In July, I went on a writing retreat with the fabulous Author2Author girls to Dublin, OH. So much fun!
AUGUST
In August my friend Deena Lipomi's first published book, BLACK OUT released. (Details here). Not my writing news but Deena and I have been critique partners since 2006 so I was way excited for her!. Check it out on Amazon if you haven't yet.
SEPTEMBER
In September I was a promo queen, getting ready for a new release. Answering a gazillion interviews for a blog tour and ordering promo stuff like these bookmarks.
I'm always willing to send them (and any of my other bookmarks) to readers, libraries etc. so hit me up here or on twitter (@TinaSpringer) and I'll send you some.
OCTOBER
In October, my fifth book BOY SWAP went on sale.
NOVEMBER
In November My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours was still making the rounds at Scholastic Book Fairs. Do you guys know how much I LOVE Scholastic Book Fairs? I so want to get another middle grade with Scholastic. One of my 2014 goals!
The German edition of My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours also came out. Funny enough, the translation of the title is: My totally fictional dream prince is but sweeter than yours.
I love that the Meg Cabot blurb is on the front cover and that there is a good long interview with me in the back (where I tell way too much info) and the first chapter of Just Your Average Princess follows. I'm hosting a release contest on my blog until 1/15/14 here. Lots of goodies, so check it out!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
That's it for 2013. I'm looking forward to a writing-filled 2014, with hopes of completing two middle grade books and a new YA ebook. Wishing you a happy, healthy, & productive new year!
MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS paperback will be released on 12/31/13! Pre-order from Amazon now for $6.29 or pick-up in bookstores at the end of the month.
To celebrate I'm having a Fake Boyfriend Release Contest which will run until January 15th. One lucky winner (U.S. only) will win:
A $20 gift card (Starbucks or Amazon, your choice!),
Autographed copy of My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours,
Fake Boyfriend Emergency Kit, and a
Variety of bookmarks/stickers from all of my books
What's a Fake Boyfriend Emergency Kit you ask? Well, it's a handy kit to keep on you in case you're about to be found out that your boyfriend is fake. Inside are things like the locket he gave you, rose petals from the flowers he sent, and ticket stubs from the movie you went to on your first date. ;-)
Enter on the rafflecopter below and please spread the word about the contest and the paperback release of My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours!
Girlfriend Sara Hantz stopped by to talk
about her newest book, IN THE BLOOD.
About
the book:
For seventeen years, Jed Franklin’s life
was normal. Then his father was charged with the abuse and murder of four young
boys and normal became a nightmare.
His mom’s practically a walking zombie,
he’s lost most of his friends, and the press camps out on his lawn. The only
things that keep him sane are his little sis; his best friend and dream girl,
Summer; and the alcohol he stashes in his room. But after Jed wakes up from a
total blackout to discover a local kid has gone missing—a kid he was last seen
talking to—he’s forced to face his greatest fear: that he could somehow be
responsible.
In a life that’s spiraled out of control,
Jed must decide if he chooses his own destiny with Summer by his side or if the
violent urges that plagued his father are truly in the blood…
What
they are saying:
“Sara Hantz doesn't pull any punches
shaping this story of one of the toughest, most complicated family situations
that a teen could face. Jed's emotions are raw and real. I ached and raged with
him and frantically turned pages to see where he would end up.” Stephanie Kuehnert, author of Ballads of
Suburbia and I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone
“In The Blood is a gut-wrenching look
inside the mind of a young man living with a nightmare. Jared has to learn to
face life after his father is accused of an unspeakable crime. A
ripped-from-the-headlines story that illustrates the power of unconditional
love.” B. A. Binns author of PULL, and
Being God
"A dark and deliciously tense story
that will make you wonder how alike our parents we can be." Kelley York author of Hushed.
Our
Interview:
Kristina:
How did you get the idea for In the Blood?
Sara: If ever I read or watched about some
horrific crime committed I would always wonder how it affected the
perpetrator’s family and what happened to them. The idea for my book just grew
from that.
Kristina:
If your book was made into a movie, who would star as your main character?
Sara: Jed: Paul Wesley (although he’s maybe
a bit too old), Summer: Ellen Page
Kristina:
Do you prefer reading on an ereader or book in hand?
Sara: Ereader – once I got my Kindle I was
a total convert.
Kristina:
Who is the Young Adult author that turns you into a fangirl?
Sara: Barry Lyga
Kristina:
Would you ever try writing in another genre?
Sara: Yes, I’ve just sold a romantic
suspense to Entangled and I’m also working on a New Adult book.
Sara Hantz originally comes from the UK and
is one of four children, having three younger brothers. Although she was an
avid reader from a very early age, she didn't get the writing bug until much
later in life, though English was always one of her stronger subjects. She's an
avid sun chaser and now lives on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Australia (via
10 years in New Zealand). Sara lectured for many years before deciding to
devote more time to her writing and working in the family hospitality business.
She has two grown-up children and when not writing, working, or online with her
friends, she spends more time than most people she knows watching TV - in fact
if TV watching was an Olympic sport she'd win gold. Sara’s books: In The Blood,
The Second Virginity of Suzy Green and Will The Real Abi Saunders Please Stand
Up (due out May 2014).
"Just the right combination of
butt-kicking and romance to keep you on the edge of your seat."
- Allison van Diepen, The
Vampire Stalker
Supernatural teen hunters
and kick-butt couple Jaz and Blake get trouble in their own backyard, the
graveyard, when a ghoul is on the loose and looking for fresh meat. When a teen
hunter on the verge of death arrives at their doorstep, they realize a much
greater evil is upon them.
Jaz is satisfied with
their makeshift foster family and fighting monsters, but Blake yearns for
adventure and the truth about his biological family. Will Blake leave Jaz to
search for something more...and to fend for herself? Can a relationship survive
when death is lurking just beyond the gravestones?
SUPERNATURAL HUNTERS
(Buzz Books, Oct 2013) is the first novella to follow Jaz and Blake's
whirlwind, action-packed romance started in PROM DATES TO DIE FOR and SOMETHING
WICKED. With an eye for great dialogue and fight scenes, SUPERNATURAL HUNTERS
is a fast-paced, fun read.
Kristina: How did you get the idea for (title of book) Kelly: I’m actually very bad at titles. Only two have stuck. Buzz Books titled SUPERNATURAL HUNTERS for me. Kristina: Would you ever try writing in another genre? Kelly: Definitely, I’m an avid reader and I enjoy young adult, paranormal, women’s fiction, and suspense. I am also published in Romantic Suspense. Kristina: Who are the Young Adult author that turns you into a fangirl? Kelly: Love Rachel Caine, Sarah Dessen, Cassandra Clare, and Tina Ferraro. Kristina: What is your most favorite (or, weirdest, craziest, funniest, most touching etc.) comment you’ve received from a fan? Kelly: The one comment I’ve heard over and over have been from reluctant readers who have said my novel GRAFFITI GIRL was the first book they’ve ever completely finished. Its humbling and amazing to have heard this. Kristina: Do you prefer reading on an ereader or book in hand? Kelly: Both. Love paperbacks, however, bed time reading works best with my ereader.
OCTOBER CONTEST
Like Kelly Parra’s author page
(https://www.facebook.com/authorkellyparra) during the month of October (and
the giveaway post) for a chance to win the SUPERNATURAL HUNTERS SWAG giveaway
on Halloween!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelly Parra
debuted into young adult fiction in 2007 with her Latina novel Graffiti Girl, which garnered attention
as a double nominee for the Romance Writers of America RITA award, a Latinidad
YA top pick, as well as chosen for the California High School Reading
Collection and National Book Foundation "BookUpNYC" program. Her
novel Invisible Touch hailed fresh
praise from bestselling author Lauria Faria Stolarz, and given the Gold Award
of Excellence from TeensReadToo. She is a member of Romance Writers of America
and co-author of the popular young adult blog, YA Fresh. Kelly resides in her
agricultural hometown in Central Coast California with her husband and two
beautiful children, where she continues to write entertaining novels for teens.
Learn more at website www.kellyparra.com.
About OPEN MIC:
Listen in as ten YA authors use their own brand of humor to share their stories about growing up between cultures. Edited by acclaimed author and speaker Mitali Perkins, this collection of fiction and nonfiction embraces a mix of styles as diverse as their authors, from laugh-out-loud funny to wry, ironic, or poignant, in prose, poetry and comic form.
About “Voila”:
Thanks to overprotective parenting, Simone’s elderly great aunt Ma Tante has more of a social life than she does. But one afternoon, Ma Tante’s social scene awkwardly intersects with Simone’s in the unlikeliest of places.
Our Interview: Kristina: If your story was made into a movie, who would star as your main character?
Debbie: I'd go with "A.N.T. Farm"'s China McClain. I can see her taking on the challenge of playing the character Simone, the somewhat skeptical but hopeful child of overprotective immigrant parents. How cool would that be?
Kristina: Who are the Young Adult authors that turn you into a fangirl?
Debbie: Kristin Cashore and Nnendi Okoafor Mbachu! These literary sheroes are such imaginative storytellers with a palpable love for the (writing) craft. I am transported every time I pick up their books.
Kristina: Would you ever try writing in another genre?
Debbie: As far as YA, I'd love to write a paranormal or fantasy novel, as well as a historic fiction book. I have a few proposals completed, but it's just the matter of narrowing my attention on the right one. And lately I've been toying with the idea of writing a Middle Grade novel and even an adult one. I started work on an adult manuscript after being consumed by this one idea. Nothing has come of that yet as I'm still only mid-way through the manuscript. But every time I put it aside to focus on my work in progress, it always seems to resurface right under my nose. Who knows? Maybe there's a chick lit book in my future.
Kristina: What are you working on now?
Debbie: I've just completed the editing phase for my first YA e-book. Set to release this winter, it's titled TURFQUAKE. The story follows one city girl's reluctant (and awkward) switch to a suburban school at the same time her cousin from earthquake-ravaged Haiti moves in and faces greater challenges adjusting to life in the US.
Kristina: Do you prefer reading an ereader or book in hand?
Debbie: That's easy--I'm all about books. I love the feel and smell of books. It's the reason I feel so at peace in a bookstore. But--sigh--though I'm a late hold-out, I'm sure that I'll have to break down and get an e-reader in the near future. The writing's on the wall. The e-reader has already made its way into my home--my husband swears by them and doesn't buy books anymore.
Rave Reviews for OPEN MIC:
“[Open Mic] will leave readers thinking about the ways that humor can be a survival tool in a world that tends to put people in boxes.” –Publishers Weekly
“Naomi Shihab Nye offers an eloquent poem about her Arab American dad, whose friendliness made him ‘Facebook before it existed.’ David Yoo, Debbie Rigaud, Varian Johnson and Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich also contribute stories to this noteworthy anthology, which robustly proves Perkins’ assertion that ‘funny is powerful.’” –Horn Book Magazine
“Teachers will find some powerful material here about how the young can become discomfited and find solace in their multifaceted cultural communities. –School Library Journal
About Debbie Rigaud (www.debbierigaud.com):
Debbie Rigaud began her writing career covering news and entertainment for popular magazines. Her YA fiction debut, HALLWAY DIARIES/Kimani Tru was followed by the fish-out-of-water romantic comedy PERFECT SHOT/Simon Pulse. Since then, Debbie’s non-fiction essays have been published in anthologies IT’S ALL LOVE/Broadway Books and DEAR BULLY/HarperTeen. Her short story “Voila!” is featured in OPEN MIC/Candlewick Press, and TURFQUAKE, her first YA e-book will be released late 2013.
Author Diana Rodriguez Wallach is stopping by to talk about her latest work, Reflecting Emmy: A Mirror, Mirror Mythology, recently released on September 3rd. Find it on Amazon for only 99 cents.
Background About REFLECTING EMMY and the MIRROR, MIRROR Trilogy
Diana Rodriguez Wallach, author of the award-winning YA series Amor and Summer Secrets, has created a modern take on the myths of Narcissus and Nemesis in a contemporary teen setting.
Her Mirror, Mirror trilogy debuts September 3rd with “Reflecting Emmy,” followed by “Nara Gazing” in October, and “Shattering GiGi” in November. Each title will be a $0.99 short story sold in digital ebook format for Kindle, nook, and kobo. The titles will be combined to create the complete Mirror, Mirror trilogy, along with bonus materials and a prequel short story, in December 2013.
In early 2014, Diana’s Mirror, Mirror trilogy will be combined with the works of YA authors Jammie Kern and Magda Knight to create the Mythology High anthology, available in ebook and paperback through Buzz Books.
REFLECTING EMMY Back Cover Copy
Eighteen-year-old Emmy is in the family business-trapping vapid narcissistic souls into her silver compact mirror for all eternity. It’s what the Rhamnusia family has been doing for thousands of years, all under the direction of Great Grandmother. Only Emmy’s latest assignment, Nara, is about to prove more challenging than she ever expected. Gorgeous and self-absorbed, Nara is unflinchingly cruel to her classmates. Even her boyfriend, Luke, can no longer tolerate her actions–much to Emmy’s relief since she finds Luke a little more than intriguing. But when Emmy tricks Nara into gazing into her mystical mirror, what she finds there is not what she’s expecting.
What People Are Saying:
"A fun, fresh and thoroughly entertaining modern twist on the Narcissus myth. Readers will love Emmy and her (mis)adventures. Wallach packs a lot of story into a small packing--romance, friendship and the power of one person to make a difference. The only thing missing... is more!"
~ Tera Lynn Childs, award-winning author of Oh. My. Gods., Forgive My Fins, and Sweet Venom.
"Diana Rodriguez Wallach’s Mythology High is too much fun. Emmy collects narcissistic souls for the family business but after making one tiny little mistake she finds her life turned upside down. These three stories are a must for anyone who loves Greek mythology, feisty heroines and second chances. My only complaint is that I didn’t want them to finish." –Amanda Ashby, author of Fairy Bad Day and Demosity
Our Interview
Kristina: How did you get the idea for (title of book)?
Diana: Reflecting Emmy is the first short story in my Mirror, Mirror trilogy, which is based on the myth of Narcissus. I wanted to reimagine a myth that most people, and teens, would know very well. And honestly, within seconds of my brain contemplating Narcissus, I came up with the idea of a paranormal organization that traps Narcissistic souls by judging their reflections in mirrors. I wish I could pinpoint what part of my brain came up with this idea and how it happened so quickly, because there are times when I’m slugging through a revision and would love to manually click that switch.
Kristina: If your book was made into a movie, who would star as your main characters?
Diana: For Emmy, the paranormal secret agent who traps teen Narcissistic souls for a living, I’d cast Vanessa Hudgens. Emmy’s Greek, a decedent of the goddess Nemesis, and I think Vanessa has that Mediterranean look.
For Nara, the shallow, narcissistic girl whom Emmy is targeting, I’d cast Molly Quinn (the daughter from Castle). Nara is a strawberry blond beauty just like the actress.
Kristina: How do you come up with the names of your characters?
Diana: To be honest, my characters’ names are little on the nose. The main character, Emmy, is a reimagining of the Goddess Nemesis, the goddess of retribution. And I thought “Emmy” was a nice play on that.
The character of Nara is a reimaging of Narcissus, the beautiful hunter who died staring at his own reflection. Her name is an obvious play on that.
Echo, who you meet in the second short story in the series Nara Gazing (which comes out in October 2013), is hopelessly in love with Nara. He’s a singer-songwriter with magical powers. This is literally stolen from the female nymph Echo, who trails lovelorn after Narcissus in the Greek myth.
And the one who bestowed Emmy with her magical silver compact in which to trap Narcissistic souls is her great grandmother GiGi, who you meet in the third story, Shattering GiGi (which debuts in November 2013). The name GiGi is actually a nod to my husband’s 91 year-old grandmother, who is now blessed with nine great grandchildren, and who we all call GG.
Kristina: Would you ever try writing in another genre?
Diana: Sort of. It’s not exactly another genre, but a subgenre within a genre. Right now, I’m writing my first YA mystery. Or I guess I should say I’m rewriting it. I started it five years ago, and I’ve been working on it ever since. It’s my first crack at a mystery, and even though it’s still YA, there’s a lot more that goes into it. It’s been a long, slow process to learn how to properly craft a good mystery/thriller; and thankfully, I have a very generous editor/beta reader who is currently offering support as I muddle through. Hopefully, one day I will finish this book and see it in print.
Kristina: Who is (or who are) the Young Adult author that turns you into a fangirl?
Diana: Christopher Pike! I was obsessed with him when I was a teen. I read everything from Chain Letter, to Remember Me, to Fall Into Darkness. I would completely geek out if I ever met him in person. He’s one of the reasons I write for YA now.
About the Author
Diana Rodriguez Wallach is the author of Mirror, Mirror, a short-story collection based on the Narcissus myth, that includes Reflecting Emmy, Nara Gazing, and Shattering GiGi (Buzz Books 2013). She is also the author of three award-winning YA novels: Amor and Summer Secrets, Amigas and School Scandals, and Adios to All The Drama (Kensington Books).
In 2011, she published a highly regarded essay in Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories (HarperCollins), and in 2013, she will be featured in the anthology Latina Authors and Their Muses (Twilight Times Books). In 2010 Diana was named one of the Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch by LatinoStories.com, and she placed second in the International Latino Book Awards. She hold a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University, and currently lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter.
Thanks for stopping by my blog during the Bookhounds & I Am a Reader, Not a Writer Books to Movies Giveaway Hop!
If you're new to me and my books I'm a young adult/middle grade author and I write mostly fun, light, contemporary books. You can find out more about me here. My newest young adult book, BOY SWAP, comes out October 16th. If you're a regular to my blog you know that I sold film rights to THE ESPRESSOLOGIST last year. So exciting! In May, Alloy Digital announced the web series, Espressologist, at Digital Content Newsfronts, which was SO cool! You can read about that here and here. They said it's slotted to release this holiday season. And they included new details on the script:
"Based on the popular book by Kristina Springer, The Espressologist mixes one part Central Perk from Friends with a splash of Jane Austin’s Emma to create a series brimming with humor and heart. Working at her neighborhood coffee shop as a barista, twenty-something Chelsea has a front-row seat to people and their crazy, entertaining lives. Always an astute observer of human nature, Chelsea stumbles upon a methodology that makes a love connection between her customers’ personalities and their drink orders. This comedic series follows Chelsea as the stakes are raised and her bizarre dating formula leads to more people (namely friends and co-workers) looking for Chelsea to replicate her success. But will she ever make a match for herself?"
If you've read the book you'll notice Jane is now Chelsea and she's aged a bit. I can't wait to see what else is new! I'm so excited to see the book come to life!
If you want a chance to read the book before the series premieres, I'm giving away an autographed hard cover copy of THE ESPRESSOLOGIST (with bookmarks/stickers) to one lucky winner (US only).
About the book:
What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?
***
And if you want a chance to win even more books, follow the list below my Rafflecopter form to go to other great websites on the blog hop!
Thanks for stopping by and good luck in the giveaway!
Boy Swap: The secret to sisterly love and scholarly bliss.
Research shows that seven out of ten girl fights are over a guy. The Boy Swap Club fixes all that. In an effort to spread around male cuteness and minimize fights and backstabbing, they just share boyfriends. And Brooke Thomas, consummate band member, has been asked to join the super secret club because the president of the club has the hots for her guy.
Brooke doesn’t want to share her boyfriend. I mean, who does? But how can she say no? She, a second chair flutist in the school band, finds herself sitting between the Varsity Cheerleader Captain and the Homecoming Queen at the first meeting. Her friends will never believe this in a million years. Too bad she can’t tell them. But she knows. This one event can change her entire life. What if she becomes actual friends with one of these girls? It might be worth sharing her boyfriend.
Besides, he'll always love her best, right?
---
"So freaking funny! You will cry because you're laughing so hard. Seriously. Rivers of tears."
Happy Release Day to my fabulous friend Deena Lipomi! Deena's been my critique partner since 2006 when we met in a YA Chicklit class given by Lauren Barnholdt. Along with being an awesome young adult librarian Deena's written a number of fantastic middle grade and young adult novels, which I've had the pleasure to read, and her first published one, BLACKOUT is now available wherever books are sold online (Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Smashwords, and iTunes). Read on to find out more about BLACKOUT and check out her trailer below!
About BLACKOUT:
Sometimes the only thing worse than forgetting is remembering...
When 17-year-old musician Leo and his 15-year-old scientist sister Jenny wake up in a ditch with pains in their hands, they wonder what happened on their drive home from their father’s house in rural Pennsylvania. Their only memory of the past twelve hours is of bright lights flashing through their windshield. Then the blackout.
Leo is content to chalk up the missing memories and throbbing hands to a concussion and nerve damage, but Jenny won’t let it go. Soon the siblings uncover clues that they stumbled upon a dangerous and illegal alternative energy project in the Appalachians – and that their father is involved. If they don’t discover the truth, Leo’s burning hands will destroy his music career before it begins, and Jenny will never know if her father is the mentor she's always trusted or a mad scientist who will stop at nothing for the success of his work. Not even if it means sacrificing his own children.
This past weekend I went on a writing retreat with some YA and MG writer friends to Dublin, Ohio. I highly advise the occasional writing retreat as a way to get away from it all and get a lot of work done. Though the nightly calls to my kids and their crying was a heart-tugger. My writing pals remind me that the kids do this EVERY time we go on a retreat. Yet they're always just fine and enjoy their Daddy time and all the treats and movies and fun that come with that.
I got a lot of writing done over the weekend-- the first two chapter of a new middle grade and some editing on my new YA coming out at the end of October. There will be a cover reveal for that book in the coming days so stay tuned. And I also listened to two audio books on the drive- John Green's Fault in Our Stars and Gayle Forman's If I Stay. Both were really good though I think I'd advise not driving while listening to the John Green one since my eyes kept tearing up at all the sad bits.
Now that I'm back I'm realizing that summer is winding down and I have to get all the fun last minute swims and walks and day trips with the kids in before school starts up again in three weeks and the madness of four kids in activities hits us again. I'll miss our lazy days. I am happy we're all settled in our new house though and that they'll all be together in one school this year- hurrah for that! And with a return of the school year comes the return of my writing schedule. :-)
It's that time of year again, when my writer pals and I drive out from our various locations to one central spot and spend the weekend writing (and laughing and talking shop too of course). I always look forward to these retreats. They motivate me to hit a project hard (and motivation is so hard in the summer when the kids want 24/7 entertainment and there's the lure of swimming and relaxing.). This retreat I'm starting a new middle grade book. I've been taking notes and prepping for a few weeks while also finishing up edits on a young adult book coming later this fall (more info on that soon). I'm hoping this retreat is just the kick start I need to get this book off the ground.
I've been MIA for quite awhile. It seems I can't to do too many things at once. We moved in mid-April and the process of getting all of the stuff for 6 people packed and moved was enormous for me! I barely got any writing done. Ok, I didn't write at all during that process. But we're all moved in and I'm getting back to work now. I've been working on the first book in a middle grade series, making notes on a new middle grade book that I'm super excited about, and starting edits on a young adult book. And of course enjoying summer with the kids.
I wanted to share my favorite room in our new house: the library. I've always wanted a library! And this one comes with a coffee bar so I'm hooked (ok, they used it as a library/wine room, but you know me: coffee, coffee, coffee!). Anyway, it's a little room right off of the family room and the kids (and me) love to go in here to read. Here are some pics.
(looking in)
(the coffee bar)
(cute window to sit by)
(kids fave place to read)
(up close of the books. Still a work in progress as I keep finding boxes of books in the house)
In other updates, in May Alloy Digital announced the web series, Espressologist, at Digital Content Newsfronts, which was SO cool!. You can read about that here. They included some new details about the script:
"Based on the popular book by Kristina Springer, The Espressologist mixes one part Central Perk from Friends with a splash of Jane Austin’s Emma to create a series brimming with humor and heart. Working at her neighborhood coffee shop as a barista, twenty-something Chelsea has a front-row seat to people and their crazy, entertaining lives. Always an astute observer of human nature, Chelsea stumbles upon a methodology that makes a love connection between her customers’ personalities and their drink orders. This comedic series follows Chelsea as the stakes are raised and her bizarre dating formula leads to more people (namely friends and co-workers) looking for Chelsea to replicate her success. But will she ever make a match for herself?"
So excited to see the book come to life! (Notice how Jane is now Chelsea and she aged a bit? Can't wait to see what else is new!)
There is also some great sales on my books this week. On Amazon, the paperback of The Espressologist is only $3.60. Just Your Average Princess in hard cover is $6.40. And The Paparazzi Project is on sale for 99 cents at B&N and Amazon.
Thanks for reading all the way through this lengthy post. More soon from me, I promise!
This is so darn cute! Check it out-- a "Book Talk" show where the main character, Tori, from My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours is interviewed. Such creative kids!
The super awesome Jessica Brody is visiting my blog to talk
about the first book in her exciting new series: UNREMEMBERED. Jessica makes the BEST trailers for her books—make sure to stick
around to the bottom to see her trailer for this new book!
About the Book:
The only thing worse than forgetting her past...is
remembering it.
When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific
Ocean, no one ever expected to find a single survivor; which is why the
sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating amid the wreckage—alive—is making
headlines across the globe. She has no memories of boarding the plane. She has
no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories…period. As she
struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is,
every clue raises more questions. Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who
claims to know her. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him?
And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her
forget?
Set in a world where science knows no boundaries and
memories are manipulated UNREMEMBERED by Jessica Brody is the first novel in a
compelling, romantic, and suspenseful new sci-fi trilogy for teens.
Our Interview:
KRISTINA: How did you get the idea for Unremembered?
JESSICA: A few years ago, I read a newspaper
article about a teen girl who was the sole survivor of a plane crash. I was
instantly fascinated by the story. Namely because they had no idea why she
survived when no else did. I started brainstorming reasons as to why she was so
lucky. One particular reason (a rather intricate, science-fiction-inspired one)
stuck in my mind and refused to leave. It continued to grow and blossom until I
had an idea for an entire trilogy. A trilogy that starts with a mysterious
plane crash and a single survivor.
KRISTINA: If
your book was made into a movie, who would star as your main character?
JESSICA: This
is always SUCH a hard question for me! You would think it would be easier!
However, for the lead role of Seraphina, I’ve always
pictured Nina Dobrev from the Vampire Diaries. Seraphina is described as having
a “flawless” beauty. I’ve always thought Nina Dobrev fit that description so
well. In fact, as I was writing, I took a picture of Nina Dobrev, photoshopped
in Seraphina’s purple eyes, and hung it above my computer as inspiration.
Maybe Nina will read this, contact me, and be like, “Cool!
I’ll totally be in the movie!” Hey, an author can dream. :)
KRISTINA: How
do you come up with the names of your characters?
JESSICA: Well,
I will say this much: The name Seraphina actually is a nickname for the
character, who was originally named SERA. But this isn’t a random name. It’s an
acronym. That’s all I’ll tell you!
KRISTINA:
Who is the Young Adult author that turns you into a fangirl?
JESSICA: I
just recently met James Dashner at an event and kind of lost it. I was like,
“OMG, you’re James Dashner!” And he was like, “Um, yes.” And then my mind went
completely blank. It was embarrassing.
KRISTINA:
What is your most favorite comment you’ve received from a fan?
JESSICA:A
blogger tweeted me a review of my book the other day and called it “biopunk”
novel. I’d never even heard that term before but of course, I immediately
looked it up on Wikipedia. Here’s what I found.
Biopunk science fiction is a subgenre of cyberpunk fiction
that focuses on the near-future unintended consequences of the biotechnology
revolution following the discovery of recombinant DNA. Biopunk stories explore
the struggles of individuals or groups, often the product of human
experimentation, against a backdrop of totalitarian governments and
megacorporations which misuse biotechnologies as means of social control and
profiteering.
I totally got the chills because I was like, “YES! That’s
exactly what Unremembered is.” I was so grateful to finally have a term for it.
I could never figure out what to call it before! I was also excited that this
seems to be a “thing.”
KRISTINA:
Are you on twitter? Where can we follow you?
JESSICA: Please
do! I’m @JessicaBrody on twitter and on Instagram! Holla! Folla! (Okay, that
was kinda lame. It sounded much better in my head.)
KRISTINA: What are you working on now?
JESSICA: I
just finished writing book 2 of the Unremembered Trilogy, which is called
UNFORGOTTEN. And I’m gearing up to start working on book 3, which is called
UNTITLED. Haha! But seriously, I’m thinking of keeping that title. What do you
think?
KRISTINA: I think that would be sooo funny! :) Good luck with the new book Jessica! It looks amazing!
About Jessica:
JESSICA BRODY knew from a young age that she wanted to be a
writer. She started self “publishing” her own books when she was seven years
old, binding the pages together with cardboard, wallpaper samples and
electrical tape. She is the author of 52 Reasons to Hate My Father, My Life
Undecided, The Karma Club, and now, Unremembered. Her books have been
translated and published in over 15 countries. She currently splits her time
between California and Colorado. www.jessicabrody.com
I've been MIA lately here on my blog, facebook, and twitter and I feel awful about it! My new writing projects took a bit of a backburner too but I'm still jotting down my notes, coming up with new pitches, and writing scenes here and there when I can. My to-be-read pile of books is growing bigger and bigger and I desperately miss my book club and can't wait to get back. I'm hoping to throw myself back in my work soon-- by summer at least. Of course, just in time for the kids to be home from school. :-)
So yeah, I'm still here. Just lots of life stuff sucking up my time right now (and the above image is perfect, lol!) but I'll be back soon! :-)
Thanks for stopping by my blog during the I Am a Reader, Not a Writer & BookLove101's, Young Adult Giveaway Hop!
If you're new to me and my books I'm a young adult/middle grade author and I write mostly fun, light, contemporary books. My newest YA, THE PAPARAZZI PROJECT, just came out on kindle last month and I'm giving away FIVE copies of it for this hop! Five lucky winners will be chosen! Remember, if you don't have a kindle you can download the free app for your iphone, ipad, or PC.
About the book:
Livvie Peterson thought taking Interpersonal Communications her junior year would be an easy A. But when the first assignment is given, her world flips upside down. Here’s the deal: the class is assigned a six-week project and is split into three groups— Paparazzi, Tabloid, and Celebrities. The Paparazzi follow around the Celebrities taking pictures and grabbing any kind of quotes they can. The Celebrities try to navigate being tailed on a daily basis. And the Tabloid receives all the information collected by the Paparazzi and decides what makes the weekly summary report. Sounds harmless…and it’s all just pretend anyway, right?
Livvie is assigned as Paparazzi and when she is matched up with the über -cute Chas Montgomery as her Tabloid boss she’s pretty sure things couldn’t get much better. Livvie’s uncanny ability to capture the Celebrities in compromising photos matched with Chas’s skill of exaggerating captions and editing the photos make them an unstoppable team. And the long hours working side by side with Chas aren’t a bad bonus.
Livvie simultaneously launches an anonymous blog, leaking the class’ photos and stories on the Internet. Her rising follower number quickly becomes addicting and she possibly spills too much information online. Once she finds her own celebrity will she be able to give it back? And will Chas be gone before she ever has the chance to find out?
THE PAPARAZZI PROJECT is an approximately 50,000 word young adult novel, written by the author of THE ESPRESSOLOGIST and the best-selling MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS.
***
And if you want a chance to win even more books, follow the list below my Rafflecopter form to go to other great websites on the blog hop!
Thanks for stopping by and good luck in the giveaway!
Melissa Walker's SMALL TOWN SINNERS is out in paperback (with a new cover too)! Check it out:
About the book:
Does falling in love mean falling out of faith?
“Lacey Anne Byer is a perennial good girl and lifelong member of the House of Enlightenment, the Evangelical church in her small town. With her driver's license in hand and the chance to try out for a lead role in Hell House, her church's annual haunted house of sin, Lacey's junior year is looking promising. But when a cute new stranger comes to town, something begins to stir inside her. Ty Davis doesn't know the sweet, shy Lacey Anne Byer everyone else does. With Ty, Lacey could reinvent herself. As her feelings for Ty make Lacey test her boundaries, events surrounding Hell House make her question her religion."
Reviews:
"Walker has written a credible and tender evocation of the moment when a young person’s beliefs begin to emerge and potentially diverge from the teachings of a family’s religion... Near the end, Lacey contemplates a verse from the prophet Isaiah: 'Come now and let us reason together.' It’s a good summation of what Walker asks of her characters and, by extension, of her readers." --The New York Times Book Review
"A non-judgmental, nuanced, fascinating look at the teenage religious right... Walker writes an outstanding contemporary novel with a cast of characters who, far from being portrayed as hateful zealots, are relatable for readers of all faiths. The extremism of Hell House is tempered by the perfectly understandable attitudes and intentions of Lacey Anne, who struggles with what it means to grow up, to question and to think for herself." --Romantic Times
"Both tender and provocative... Walker creates an astutely balanced portrait of a conservative congregation's in-your-face response to perennial issues of domestic abuse, teen pregnancy, and suicide, as well as of those who struggle to fit the prescribed Christian mold." --Publishers Weekly
"This secular story about religious people could easily devolve into camp mockery, but because Walker takes her character’s crisis of faith seriously and sensitively, readers will, too." --Kirkus Reviews
Lucienne Diver is stopping by my blog tonight were her
newest YA novel, Fangtabulous.
About the book:
Gina Covello and her band of federal fugitives are on the
run after taking down a secret (and sinister) government facility. Strapped
without cash or credit cards—a fate worse than death for Gina—the rebels must
find a place to lay low. They roll into Salem, Massachusetts, the most haunted
town in America and the only place they have friends flying under the radar.
But within a day, Gina and her gang are embroiled in a murder mystery of the
supernatural kind.
Someone—or something—is strangling young women, and it's
rumored to be the ghost of Sheriff Corwin, late of the Salem Witch trials. Is it the ghostly Sheriff or is someone on
this side of the veil using the famous story as a cover up? Gina is determined
to get to the bottom of this mystery, and she needs to do it before a
paranormal reporter on the scene exposes them for what they are...fanged
federal fugitives.
Our Interview:
KRISTINA: How did
you get the idea for Fangtabulous?
LUCIENNE: Fangtabulous is set in Salem, Massachusetts. I didn’t actually have an idea in mind when I
set out to write it, just a contract and a setting. (My publisher had made a two-book offer based
on my proposal for the previous book, Fangtastic, which was a wonderful show of
faith.) But visiting the town of Salem,
walking the haunted streets, visiting the Witch Dungeon Museum, The House of
the Seven Gables (Nathanial Hawthorne’s house), The Witch House, where one of
the judges from the witch trials held interrogations, The Old Burying Point
Cemetery and other sites that appear in the book, I was inspired. The plot of unsettled spirits stirred to
deadly heights by something happening present-day suggested itself, and the
book took off from there.
KRISTINA: How
much time do you spend on marketing your book? Is there one specific type of
marketing that you find works best for you?
LUCIENNE: Not nearly enough!
I wish I could clone myself sometimes.
Trying to write my current book while revising, editing, proofing and
promoting previous books seems like a full time job, and I already have one of
those (as a literary agent)!
KRISTINA: Have
you ever based one of your characters on someone you know? If so, did that
person find out? How did they react?
LUCIENNE: One of my ex-boyfriends from college was the
inspiration, visually, at least, for Ulric, a charming/cocky goth guy who shows
up in two of the Vamped books— Revamped and the current novel
Fangtabulous. When we reconnected on Facebook
I let him know that he’d been part of the creation of Ulric, so, of course, he
had to read Revamped. His reaction, “Was
I really that cocky?”
KRISTINA: Would
you ever try writing in another genre?
LUCIENNE: I would! In
fact, I’ve already got the Latter-Day Olympians urban fantasy series going,
although it’s not so much in a different genre as for an older audience. But the next young adult novel I want to work
on is darker than the Vamped series, and very mainstream/suspense based without
any paranormal elements, which will be quite a departure for me!
KRISTINA: Who is
(or who are) the Young Adult author that turns you into a fangirl?
LUCIENNE: I would be a complete and utter fangirl if I ever
met Suzanne Collins or Rick Riordan. I
love them both! I’ve already gotten to
fangirl to Barry Lyga for I Hunt Killers, which I can highly recommend. I’m also a rabid fan of all of the young
adult authors I represent as a literary agent: Rachel Caine, Rosemary
Clement-Moore, Chloe Neill, Molly Cochran and Amy Christine Parker, whose debut
novel, Gated, is coming out in August from Random House Children’s.
KRISTINA: Are you
on twitter? Where can we follow you?
KRISTINA: Do you
prefer reading on an ereader or book in hand?
LUCIENNE: Book in hand!
I knew e-books are better for the environment, but I spend so much of my
work time working on computers and e-readers, I really enjoy the break and the
format of printed books.
About the Author:
Lucienne Diver writes the humorous, suspenseful Vamped
series of young adult vampire novels for Flux Books, including Vamped,
Revamped, Fangtastic and the most recent, Fangtabulous. Her short stories have been included in the
Strip-Mauled and Fangs for the Mammaries anthologies edited by Esther Friesner
(Baen Books), and her essay on abuse is included in the anthology Dear Bully:
70 Authors Tell Their Stories (HarperTeen).
She also writes the Latter-Day Olympians urban fantasy series for
Samhain (Bad Blood, Crazy in the Blood and the forthcoming Rise of the
Blood).
Hi and welcome to my blog! I'm the YA/MG fiction author of The Espressologist, My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours, Just Your Average Princess, The Paparazzi Project, and Boy Swap. I'm also the mom to four little ones and a coffee fanatic. Find me on twitter @TinaSpringer.
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