This is a real treat for me. Emily White is a friend of mine and I can't even begin to tell you how great her book is (note my super coveted recommended read spot). Not only is the story meat of "Elemental" (the first in the series) some delicious filet mignon, the cover is some imported Japanese Kobe Beef.
And now, the cover of Fae is like a rare white truffle.
I think I'm hungry.
Without further ado, enjoy this piece of art... perhaps with a nice chianti?:
Fae
Not all fae'ri tales come with a happy ending.
Ella thought taking care of the ego-bloated Mamood god would be a sure way to bring peace to the galaxy and satisfy her taste for revenge.
But she was wrong.
Despite the fact their god is gone, the Mamood refuse to abandon their attack on the planet Soltak and Ella's own so-called friends start to turn against her. And with Soltak dying--its oceans drying up and its plants withering in the ground--Ella and Cailen suspect there's a new enemy at work. As more people die and more water is leached from the planet, they both prepare for something straight from a nightmare.
A cruise ship. A beautiful island. Two sexy guys. What could possibly go wrong?
In the Bermuda Triangle--a lot.
Hoping to leave behind the reminders of her crappy life--her father's death years ago, her mother's medical problems, and the loser who's practically stalking her--seventeen-year-old Autumn Taylor hops on a ship with her sister for a little distraction. When she wakes up in the Bermuda Triangle, she fears she's gone nuts for more than one reason: that loser's suddenly claiming they're a happy couple... a hot guy is wrapping his arms around her and saying "Happy Anniversary"... and suddenly, she's full of bruises, losing her hair, and getting IV medication. Autumn visits the ship's doctor, hoping for a pill or a shot to make the craziness go away. Instead, she's warned that one of these "alternate realities" could become permanent.
She just has to ask herself one question--how the hell is she going to get out of this mess?
A small-potatoes author takes on a
big-potatoes event
Although
I was constantly giddy and laughing most of the time, the Book Expo America is
no joke for someone like me. It’s a place where a young writer can get
swallowed up faster than Penguin’s BEA booth during Marie Lu’s signing of “Prodigy.”
To
give you a sense of perspective, I waited about an hour and a half to get a
signed copy of “Prodigy.”
I
know.
And
the glorious BEA only comes once a year, so I knew I couldn’t waste the opportunity.
For
those unfamiliar with the BEA, it’s like Christmas (or a beefed-up Hanukkah if
you’re Jewish, like me), a Barnes and Noble shopping spree, and a trip to
Disneyland all wrapped up in a three-day extravaganza.
Publishers
for all over the world, big and small, come to showcase their upcoming books
for the next year, handing out free advance copies—a lot of them signed by the
authors—to the lucky attendees. By doing this, they hope to drum up some buzz
for their upcoming titles.
It’s also a place where all of the literary
bigwigs—on both the creative and business side of books—get together to make
things happen.
I
am no bigwig.
I’m
not sure I’m even a wig (Although, as you can see from the BEA picture below, I
could probably use a wig.)
(Special note: this was me when I found out how big Jennifer
L. Armentrout’s signing line was. The same company that publishes “Half-Blood”
publishes my novel, so I have a vested interest in Jennifer’s unbelievable
success.)
But
still, I followed my dreams and was lucky enough to find a publisher who
believes in me after working my butt
off every day for many, many years. If you could flip the above photo around,
you would see that I no longer have a butt.
My
book “Masters of the Veil” (Which you probably haven’t heard of. Until just now
of course. Huzzah!) was published by the wonderful Spencer Hill Press in March,
and they provided me with my golden ticket.
So
the story begins when I get to the BEA with stars in my eyes and flies in my
wallet.
First
thing I did was the heavy lifting for the Spencer Hill Press booth. And while I
was there, I got to finally meet the other Spencer Hill authors.
No
doubt many of you have heard of Spencer Hill’s superstar, Jennifer L.
Armentrout, bestselling author of “Half-Blood” and “Obsidian.”
Well
this was the first time I was meeting our wunderauthor in person. Sure I’ve
emailed her and gone to support her on her live Internet chats, but still, I
was nervous.
And
she couldn’t have been nicer. After a big hug we were laughing and joking
around; I even got to poke fun at her newfound fame.
It
was great.
And
I also got to meet the insanely cool Emily White. She wrote a novel called
“Elemental” that you’ve probably also heard of. Emily and myself hung out for
most of the BEA and we were old chums quick enough.
(Emily White on right. Lisa Amowitz ((super author
of “Breaking Glass”)) on left.)
Everyone
at the SHP booth, including my incomparable editor, Kate Kaynak was too cool
for words.
I
felt like family.
(And speaking of family.
My father attended the BEA with me. He’s the REALLY bald one. He took off work
and spent four days in the city with me. My father is my hero and we had the
greatest bonding experience of my lifetime. He was book crazed and ended up
with about 150 galley copies. Like I said, he’s my hero.)
So
the real BEA started the next morning and, considering the fact that I was
literally too excited to sleep, I was up bright and early.
There
were 22 bloggers staying at my hotel and I got to have breakfast with most of
them each morning. Some of the bloggers I consider friends (Melissa from “I
Swim For Oceans” and Jenny from “Supernatural Snark”) even showed up from other
hotels to join me in starting the day off with some peppery eggs and frozen
cups of Yoplait.
As
a small potatoes (I guess fingerling potatoes is probably appropriate) author,
I really wanted to try my best to make some connections at the BEA. So
beforehand, I reached out to a few famous authors to see if they want to have
breakfast with me.
Okay,
with us.
I
really didn’t expect anything, but Dan Wells, the Hugo nominated author of
“Partials” came to breakfast that first morning.
Yeah.
HUGO nominated.
He
was awesome. And he wore an awesome hat.
(Left
to right: Me, Emily White, Dan Wells, Kevin J. Anderson ((who has written over
FORTY bestsellers. Holy crap was that cool)) and Dan’s awesome hat that he wore
to breakfast)
Oh, and quick side note. Marie Lu responded to my earlier
request and came to breakfast the next morning. I sat next to her and did my
best impression of someone not
star-struck. I even flirted a bit: if drooling incessantly can be considered
flirting.
I’m going to count it :)
So after that first breakfast, we
all entered the palace of literary wonder that was the Jacob K. Javitz center.
This building—a place that is so big that it hosts an annual boat show—was
floor to ceiling with so many books and book related paraphernalia that it made
the Library of Congress look like the clearance rack at Half-Price books.
I
felt like Aladdin going into the cave of wonders.
But the BEA is even better than cave
of wonders, because this cave lets you take the wonders home.
I had a big decision to make: should
I get as many ARCs as I can? Hording up a new collection for the following
year. Or should I try and make connections and broaden my network? Since I
needed to make the most of the opportunity.
Over the next three days, I learned
the secret to small-potato networking at the BEA.
Do both.
Standing in long lines for the same
ARC allowed me to make some really great new friends. I stood next to #1 New
York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner for an ARC and chatted with her
for a bit. She asked for my card.
HUH-WHAT?!
I met tons of YA book bloggers,
librarians, distributors and book buyers all by standing in line. We talked
about the book we were waiting for, what the other person did, if this was
their first BEA, and how we felt about eBooks. But we also talked
about hobbies, family, sports, Pokémon, and generally anything to make our wait
more pleasant.
The great thing was that it seemed
like the people around me were always eager to talk. I had my fancy author
badge on, and people were genuinely curious about my work. And even when they
found out that I was nobody super important, they still were eager to know more
about my books.
How cool is that?
Even though I was pretty much a guy
gently strumming his guitar on the street corner, I felt like a rock star.
That’s the amazing thing that I
learned about the book crowd. They believe that even though someone might be a
small potato now, that potato might one day become one of those big, fat,
oven-baked spuds, smothered in cheese, sour cream, and crunchy bacon bits.
It just takes the right
encouragement to help them grow.
Most of the time I left each line
with a business card, a precious new autographed book, and a big smile on my face.
So over those three wonderful days,
I did and learned a lot. I learned that some of the best connections can be
made in the places least expected. I learned that just because the line is
small doesn’t mean that the author isn’t fantastic. And most importantly, I
learned that you can’t sweet-talk your way to a coveted ARC before it’s put on
the table.
Long live the BEA and I can’t wait
to go return next year!
BONUS PICS!
(Macmillan’s
Booth. One of my favorites at the conference. They usually had small lines and
great books.)
(Spencer Hill Press’ Booth.
There was ALWAYS traffic. Huzzah for Independent Publishers!)
(Me
at my signing. We ran out of two cases of books!)
(Me
with some of my favorite bloggers. Left to right: Jenny from Supernatural
Snark. Melissa from I Swim For Oceans, and Danny from Bewitched Bookworms)
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
FINALLY!
So my books made it all the way to Texas, and now I will start my long process of giving some of them away! I signed up for Rafflecopter (I'm not computer savvy, but seriously, could Rafflecopter be any easier to use?) and I'll try to do one giveaway a week to spread things out.
So without further ado, here's an ARC that I'm sure people have been wanting. So now's your chance!
FROM GOODREADS:
Lose yourself in the magic of Watersong, an unforgettable new series about two sisters who nearly lose their lives - and their loves - when they fall under the spell of three beautiful but deadly sirens.
First in a four-book paranormal romance YA series from bestselling author, Amanda Hocking.
Hey all. So I'm still waiting on my BEA books (MEDIA MAIL TAKES FOREVER!!!! AGGHHH) so I figure I needed a positive monday post to give my my book fix.
Here's what I love about books:
You know how most (ok, probably more than most) girls get a shopping high while going in search of new clothes, or shoes? Well I don't get that. Shopping for me is usually a chore. I groan and stamp my feet and buy the first thing that fits. But when it comes to books, I can shop like the best of them.
I can honestly say that a new book to me is like a new pair of Manolo Blahniks to a shopaholic female. Please don't tell my guy friends that I know what a Manolo Blahnik is. Pretty please.
I went to three bookstores yesterday. THREE! I don't even need any new books. My review pile is longer than my arm. Both arms. Yet I still went, spending hours looking at the titles. Running my finger over spines. Comparing cover textures and smelling older volumes. But I love it. I ended up buying a David Sedaris book to see what all the fuss is about.
It seems like whenever I talk to one of the million hipsters in Austin (that's right, the hipster population is somehow bigger than the actual population of 800,000) David Sedaris comes up. And since I've already read Murakami and McCarthy...
Anyway, I'm going to reflect on that while I wait for my BEA books. Once I get them I'm going to be giving some away, so stay tuned!
Brandon Sanderson, fantasy's newest master tale spinner, author of the acclaimed debut Elantris, dares to turn a genre on its head by asking a simple question: What if the hero of prophecy fails? What kind of world results when the Dark Lord is in charge? The answer will be found in the Mistborn Trilogy, a saga of surprises and magical martial-arts action that begins in Mistborn.
For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler's most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped" and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.
Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Only then does he reveal his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.
But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel's plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she's a half-Skaa orphan, but she's lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets, and gotten it. She will have to learn to trust, if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.
Sigh.
Well, now I have to read everything this guy has ever written.
Not since the "Kingkiller Chronicles" by Patrick Rothfuss, has an epic fantasy novel struck me so. I picked this book up because Mr. Rothfuss gave it five stars, so I figured It was worth a shot.
Wow. Seriously. Wow. First off, Sanderson's worldbuilding is far too good. It's scary how realistic his systems are: whether they be magical, political, or social.
The system of magic is similar to that of Mr. Rothfuss, in the fact that it's very science based, but Sanderson's magic is unique. The two magics in MISTBORN are called Allomancy and Feruchamy and they are so well explained and utilized that I couldn't help but feel that somewhere in our universe these systems are being used. Somewhere.
The characters are also very well fleshed out. They're your friends (especially Vin) by the end of the novel. I'm wasting no time, and I'm off to go purchase the next installment in the trilogy, so I can hang with them some more.
It's rare that I come across a fantasy novel this good. It's been called "Oceans Eleven" meets "Lord of the Rings" and it's a good descriptions, but MISTBORN stands in a class all it's own.
A very deserving 5/5
Sunday, 10 June 2012
BEA Part 2!
And make sure to stop back soon. I'm having my books shipped back to Texas and when I get them I'll be doing some great ARC giveaways!
The wonderful Emily White with some book pirates.
Not that I really care for her, but Kirstie Alley was there
Saudi Arabia's booth. Pretty awesome
The SHP booth was ALWAYS busy. I'm so proud of my publisher.
Me and some of very favorite bloggers. Melissa from I Swim For Oceans, Jenny from Supernatural Snark, and Danny from Bewitched Bookworms. These ladies are so friggin wonderful and you should all check out their fantastic blogs.
MORE TO COME!!!
Friday, 8 June 2012
First off, I apologize for the blogging hiatus. I was preparing my mind and soul for the most magical land in the world. The...
That's right, the BEA. Ladies and gentlemen, may I just say that if you haven't been to this event, you must make sure that you attend at least once in your life. It is the highlight of my year. Remember years ago, seeing those super lucky kids winning the shopping sprees on television? Well it's like winning one of those, plus a whole lot more, and THEN a whole lot more. The publishers give away ARCs (and you can get as many as you like...for free), pulitzer-prize winners are signing books, celebrities make appearances, it's a chance to meet up and coming authors, and its a place to network, network, network.
I, for one, was super excited about seeing the Spencer Hill Press people. Here are some photo highlights:
Me and my baller suit
Me and my wonderful editor/publisher/literary mom, Kate Kaynak
SHP authors: Me, Lisa Amowitz, Emily White
The Macmillan booth. Some awesome ARCs from there.
Autograph queues: Some of those girls have been sitting for a looooong time to see.... I'm gonna say, Kristin Cashore?
