Book Launch Interview: Mia Garcia & THE RESOLUTIONS!

Hi, there! Today I'm super excited to share an interview with one of my favorite authors, Mia Garcia!

M. García was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She moved to New York where she studied creative writing at The New School, worked in publishing, and lived under a pile of to-be-read books. She is the author of Even If the Sky Falls and the upcoming The Resolutions from Katherine Tegen books (an imprint of Harper Collins) coming November 13, 2018.

That's right. The Resolutions is out TODAY. Here's a bit more about this amazing book:

A heart-expanding novel about four Latinx teens who make New Year’s resolutions for one another—and the whirlwind of a year that follows. Fans of Erika L. Sánchez and Emery Lord will fall for this story of friendship, identity, and the struggle of finding yourself when all you want is to start over.

From hiking trips to four-person birthday parties to never-ending group texts, Jess, Lee, Ryan, and Nora have always been inseparable. But now with senior year on the horizon, they’ve been growing apart. And so, as always, Jess makes a plan.

Reinstating their usual tradition of making resolutions together on New Year’s Eve, Jess adds a new twist: instead of making their own resolutions, the four friends assign them to one another—dares like kiss someone you know is wrong for you, find your calling outside your mom’s Puerto Rican restaurant, finally learn Spanish, and say yes to everything.

But as the year unfolds, Jess, Lee, Ryan, and Nora each test the bonds that hold them together. And amid first loves, heartbreaks, and life-changing decisions, beginning again is never as simple as it seems.

In honor of Mia's book birthday, I sent her some questions and did my best not to exclusively discuss food (it was very hard not to!). Here's what Mia had to say:

 

1) Let's talk writing. How would you describe your drafting process for The Resolutions? How did it differ from your (AMAZING) debut, Even If The Sky Falls?    

This is an excellent question because Even If the Sky Falls felt like such a plot driven story – not that emotions didn’t play a large role in it – but because of the 24-hour time constraint I had to keep the action going and make sure you were always aware of the storm that was approaching moments away.

With The Resolutions we follow four characters over a whole year, which meant I had more time to work with feelings and linger on small moments.  It also meant that with four characters that time was limited.

I forgot where I was going with this…Ah yes. Both novels were started under-contract so I had a strict deadline for both. Both were written in under 4 months and each editorial round took around 6 weeks to complete. But (going back to my earlier statement) because Even If the Sky Falls was a much more plot driven story, there was a clear skeletal structure that I could grasp onto while I was editing. It took me several revisions to find that structure in The Resolutions because each character had their own beat and each beat had to come together with the other to form a symphony or at least a runaway pop hit. 

2) The Resolutions centers around a group of friends who pick New Year's resolutions for each other (confession: I wouldn't trust my friends with that, lol). What came first during your brainstorming process for this particular story, the characters or the premise? 

I hear you – I’m not sure if I’d trust my friends with that either, though I have a feeling I know exactly what they’d pick.

The Resolutions was a collaboration between my editor Alex Arnold and myself. We both have a love of book friendships. In fact, I think the way she described this book when it was announced was “friendship = life’s blood” which is totally true. We brainstormed each character’s resolutions, which gave us the skeleton for the story. But it wasn’t until I figured out their relationship and voices (and particularly their repartee) that things really came together. My favorite scenes to write were the text exchanges and the moments where they were being silly and supporting each other.

3) One of the reasons why I love The Resolutions so much is the FOOD. You have no idea how stoked I am to see Puerto Rican cuisine so often in this story. If you could eat only one Puerto Rican dish for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

Amparo! How could you do this to me? ONE dish!?! Can I have a savory and sweet dish? I’m going to pretend you said yes.

I’m a sucker for a good bistec and habichuelas – particularly because I can never find recao over here so it never tastes right when I make it. For dessert I am very judgmental of flan/tres leches because I’m partial to my mami’s. OMG I almost forgot mallorcas – like – how could I?

Clearly I can’t answer this question…

4) If you were a character in The Resolutions, what's a resolution you'd like for your friends to pick for you? It can be one that's not featured in the book!

Ohh, that’s interesting, because I put a little of myself in each of my four main characters so in a way it feels like I’m in the novel already, but…Amparo this is hard!! OK, I think they would encourage me to have a little more patience with the dating process, but to be honest it feels like another job and I don’t need another job!

5) Which fictional character from any other story would you pick a resolution for and what would that resolution be? 

I would tell Minerva McGonagall to take a sabbatical – she needs it.

Thank you so much to Mia for letting me pick her brain! Make sure to get your copy of The Resolutions at the links below: 

IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books A Million

Also, you can follow Mia here:

Website / Twitter / Instagram / Tumblr / Pinterest

Pride & Prejudice: My 2016 Reading Goal

now KISS!!!

So. There's this book called Pride and Prejudice, right? I'm sure you've read it. Multiple times. Because it's fantastic.

I've never read it.

I've started it, gotten halfway through it, but life happened and I put it aside and I haven't forgiven myself since.

Which is why I have two reading goals for 2016.

Goal #1: 

Read 50 books (and have the majority of those books be YA novels).

Goal #2: 

Finish Pride and Prejudice. 

This is the year, folks. I'm finally reading the whole thing because holy smoke bombs it's about time. As soon as I finish the book, I'm watching the film adaptation with Keira Knightley, since a few of my friends are obsessed with it. 

*cracks knuckles* 

Let's do this, Austen!! 

On Redefining My Reader Comfort Zone

So. Books. I read them.

Or, I should say, try to read them. My Goodreads challenge has been politely reminding me that I still have a lot of catching up to do this year. "Fret not," I tell myself. "You'll get there!"

On the way there (there: 40 books), I've discovered something. My reading comfort zone is YA literature. It has been for a long time. However, this year has brought me a slew of books outside of YA that I've fallen head over heels for. Some of them are graphic novels. Others are nonfiction books. And a few are books written by actors I admire. 

This last category is a game changer for me. I've always been the kind of person who's learned a lot by watching other people's mistakes. Sure, I learn from my own, too. I still prefer it when others are teaching me how to fail. And, more importantly, how to get back up after failing. 

One recommendation? In case you haven't checked it out, Mindy Kaling's second book is titled Why Not Me?

I've also read Mindy's first book, which I loved to bits. Mindy's hilarious, yes, but she's this beacon of empowerment for me. Her advice to young girls and women is simple. Be yourself. Work hard for what you want. Embrace your numerous crushes on male celebrities (my personal favorite). 

This is me basically telling you that you need to fangirl over Mindy Kaling and her awesomeness. This is also me basically telling you to not limit yourself, even if you already know the kind of stories you enjoy. I never thought I'd devour a book written by a celebrity. Now I've devoured more than one and have learned from all of them. 

I'll go back to reading my beloved YA soon, but I'm not longer so judgmental about other options.

Book Giveaway: THE WALLS AROUND US By Nova Ren Suma!

So. I'm a certified Nova Ren Suma fangirl. This is fact. 

This week, I finished reading her latest gem, THE WALLS AROUND US. In case you haven't heard of this brilliance of a book, here's the summary:

  

“Ori’s dead because of what happened out behind the theater, in the tunnel made out of trees. She’s dead because she got sent to that place upstate, locked up with those monsters. And she got sent there because of me.”

On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old dancer days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement.

On the inside, within the walls of the Aurora Hills juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom.

Tying their two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries . . .

What really happened on the night Orianna stepped between Violet and her tormentors? What really happened on two strange nights at Aurora Hills? Will Amber and Violet and Orianna ever get the justice they deserve—in this life or in another one?

In prose that sings from line to line, Nova Ren Suma tells a supernatural tale of guilt and of innocence, and of what happens when one is mistaken for the other.

Folks, this book is my new everything. IT IS MADE OF YES. I only wish I could've read it when I was thirteen years old, angry and aimless, wondering what to do with what I felt about myself and the world. This is the kind of story that would've pushed me to stay strong, to believe. 

I think it can bring a little magic into other people's lives, which is why I'm hosting this book giveaway. It's open internationally (wherever Book Depository ships to), and all you have to do is: 1) follow this blog, and 2) comment on this post. That's it.  

The giveaway will end next Saturday, April 18th, when I'll announce the (randomly chosen) winner!

Why It's Okay To Want (And Some Laini Taylor Gushing)

So. Laini Taylor. Lots of people have been telling me--no, no, INSISTING--that I read her books. All of them. Immediately. 

Well. This week, I finished her short story anthology, LIPS TOUCH: THREE TIMES. Holy amazeballs, Batman. Holy. Amazeballs.

First off, there's the (glorious) cover.

The eyes! The flames! THE LIPSTICK THAT MATCHES THE FLAMES!

Then there are the actual stories.

Goblin Fruit
In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today's savvy girls?

Spicy Little Curses
A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

Hatchling
Six days before Esme's fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons?

Awesome, no? Well, I enjoyed all three stories, but my absolute FAVE was "Goblin Fruit." Like the talented Laini Taylor, I'm quite fond of Christina Rossetti's "Goblin Market." I even chose to study it for my comprehensive exams in my M.A. program. Everything about "Goblin Fruit" rocked my world: the mythology, the dynamic between main character Kizzy and her friends, her BADASS grandma, the tempting suitor.

Which is why I've decided to highlight something particularly awesome about this story.

You see, there's a paragraph on page 41 that knocked me sideways with its brilliance. It deals with the many, many things Kizzy daydreams of having and doing. The paragraph is immediately followed by a single sentence:

I couldn't help but stop reading to stare at the wall in front of me. Not only was the writing gorgeous, it was also speaking of true things. Of things we can all relate to, whether or not we've been seduced by a goblin disguised as a pretty face. Publishing offers aspiring authors many things. But before we can attain any of them, we're left with the insatiable yearning. Some people advise against thinking of landing film deals and hitting the NYT Bestseller List and touring the world and having monuments built in your name. I say there's nothing wrong with wanting. It's okay to want.

The problem comes when we turn a blind eye to what's within our reach--writing--and only see what we would love to have. Or even worse, when we only see how others obtained what we want first. This helps no one. You should want as many things as you can, but you must fight for them. And even if you fight for the things you want, that doesn't guarantee you'll get them. That's why you should always put writing first. Regardless of what happens, you'll have put in the work toward your dreams instead of just dreaming all the time. You tried. Others might not make it past the first page, but you will. You want. That's the first step to having and doing.

Now go out there and write, folks.

Also, if you haven't already, please devour Laini Taylor's LIPS TOUCH: THREE TIMES. I insist.

Book Giveaway: DEADWOOD By Kell Andrews!!

So. There's a book coming out today. Well, there's more than one book coming out today, BUT I'm focusing on one of them. Because it's awesome and you should read it.

Which book, you ask?

There’s something evil in Deadwood Park.

Martin Cruz hates his rotten new town. Then he gets a message from a tree telling him it’s cursed — and so is he. It’s not just any tree. It’s the Spirit Tree, the ancient beech the high school football team carves to commemorate the home opener. And every year they lose.

But the curse is no game, and it gets worse. Businesses fail. Trees topple like dominos. Sinkholes open up in the streets, swallowing cars and buildings. Even people begin to fade, drained of life.

Martin teams up with know-it-all soccer star Hannah Vaughan. Together they must heal the tree, or be stuck in Deadwood Park at the mercy of the psycho who cursed it.

And since I think you should read it, I'm giving away a copy on le blog!!! All you have to do is comment to enter the giveaway. That's it. If you want to blog/Tweet/Facebook/Tumbl/whatever about the giveaway, that's great! It won't get you any points, but it will get you my infinite gratitude. :D The deadline is next Tuesday, July 1st. So go forth and comment! 

Best of luck to all who enter!

That Time My Father Loved The Divergent Movie

So. After a week of the film hitting theaters, I finally saw Divergent. As a fan of the book series, I was expecting to enjoy it. I did. A lot.

My family went with me to the theater. 

Including my dad.

And he loved it.

Dad: "The movie was awesome. I loved it."

Me: 

Dad: "No, really. I loved it."

Me:

Dad: "For real."

Me:

 

 

Dad: *asks me questions about the plot* *seems genuinely interested in my answers*

Me:

 

So now you know. 

BRB Crying. Or, How ALLEGIANT By Veronica Roth Destroyed Me In The Best Way.

Some of you may know that this book has been the source of CONTROVERSY and FEELS. Not only is it the ending of a (hugely successful) trilogy, it's the ending's ending that got tongues wagging.

I managed to avoid spoilers before sitting down to read ALLEGIANT. 

I'm so thrilled I did. 

I was genuinely surprised by the ending.

I cried while reading it.

I cried after I finished the book.

And I feel a strong need to thank Veronica Roth for destroying me. 

I think this ending is going to haunt me forever, not just as a reader, but as a writer. Especially as a writer. Stories that resonate and linger and cling to my bones often have authors who do the unthinkable. In ALLEGIANT, a character tells another the following two words: "Be brave." It's a story for the story's sake, not its fans' sake. I wouldn't have it any other way. Veronica Roth's bravery, as well as that of the countless authors I admire, has taught me that I should never conform with whatever I can conjure. No. It's not enough to write. 

It's enough to write bravely.

Even if it destroys you. Even if it destroys those who trust you to pick them up and give them the happy ending they envisioned. Fiction isn't one thing. It doesn't provide the same answer over and over. Sometimes, it doesn't provide answers at all. I'm at peace with that. I think I always have been.

I'm going to try and write as bravely as I can. I hope you do the same.

Cover Reveal: ALL OF YOU By Christina Lee!!!

So. Covers. I heart them.

I'm thrilled to say that I get to participate in the uber-awesome Christina Lee's cover reveal for her debut NA novel,  ALL OF YOU! 

*drumroll*

*more drumroll*

*even MORE drumroll*

Okay, okay. Here's ze cover:

Swoony goodness, no? *fans self* Not only is the picture hawt, I am OBSESSED with the color scheme. It adds that extra hawtness to the already hawt cover. :)

Want to know what ALL OF YOU is about? Here's ze blurb:

In this powerfully emotional debut New Adult novel, Avery has just met her hot upstairs neighbor. He's irresistible. Tattooed. And a virgin.

Nursing student Avery Michaels wants nothing to do with dating—she's perfectly happy single. Privy to too many of her mother's bad decisions and even worse taste in boyfriends, all Avery can handle is a string of uncomplicated hookups whenever the mood strikes.

When she meets smoking hot tattoo artist Bennett, she wants him—for just one night. But he won't accept a no-strings-attached arrangement. He lives by a straight-laced code of values based on his own troubled upbringing.

Bennett sees something special in Avery and he wants more from her. Way more. As Avery wrestles with her emotions for Bennett, danger and tragedy force them to open up to each other. And Avery must face the terrifying realization that she wants more from him, too.

So she needs to make a choice—let Bennett go or finally let him in.

#awesomeblurbisawesome

Make sure you buy your copy of ALL OF YOU on September 17th!! And go celebrate today's cover reveal with Christina! *dances*

YA Highway + Free Books/Critiques = Epic Giveaway Of Epicness

So. YA Highway. I love those ladies. You should, too.

One reason why: they're celebrating FOUR YEARS of awesomeness with an insane giveaway! 

ARCs? You bet. 

Books? Of course. 

Query/chapter critiques by both authors and agents? Oh, yeah. 

So hop on over to YA Highway and go enter!!

Happy Thursday :)

How To Procrastinate Revisions Without Feeling Guilty: The Vampire Academy Edition

So. Revisions. I loooooove them, but man. I love procrastinating, too. Luckily, I haven't been *too* wild with my procrastinating. I've been pretty strict about finishing this round of revisions faster than the previous one, so yeah. I have goals. They will be met. But I will also waste a little time. :) 

So. I'm sure you've heard there's a film adaptation of Vampire Academy on its way. It's called Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters. I am BEYOND STOKED for it, folks. Beyond. Stoked. Imagine my delight when Richelle Mead herself went to London and visited the set. 

So. Here is my guide to procrastinating revisions without feeling guilty: the Vampire Academy edition.

1) Twitter.

You check through your Newsfeed and find this little gem:

First impression: WOW. #vamovie
— Richelle Mead (@RichelleMead) July 5, 2013

And then...

Just met @KozlovskyD: so nice, perfect gentleman, even more handsome than his pictures. Kissed my hand. You can all start freaking out now.
— Richelle Mead (@RichelleMead) July 5, 2013

AND THEN...

She is charming...she is captivating...I met Richelle Mead. It was a remarkable moment of the day. I'm very glad, you are in London...
— Данила Козловский (@KozlovskyD) July 6, 2013

2) Blog posts.

Naturally, you're expecting a longer version of those Tweets. Richelle goes ahead and gives you TWO blog posts. The following is an excerpt from Richelle's first blog post about her set visit:

Everyone's been asking: how does it feel seeing my book brought to life? In a word: amazing. I'm just blown away at how much thoughtfulness and detail goes into this process. You guys seriously can't imagine how much work and manpower a movie requires. The actors work so hard, and then there's a huge unseen crew who's working just as hard every step of the way on tasks you would never even guess. I may have originally conceived these scenes, but they're the ones who have to visualize every single detail--from those amazing guardian jackets to the class assignments on the student's desks. Nothing is left to chance. Director Mark Waters was so in his zone making sure everything was perfect that I felt bad when he came and said hi to me--but of course he did because he's a super nice guy, and I'm so thrilled at the work he's doing. I've been telling people for years: I make books, not movies. Movies are these guys' specialty and it shows. They've visualized the scenes for the screen in ways I never could have, and if you're picturing incredible things for this movie...well, they're going to be even more incredible than what you're imagining.

I also loved her second post, but WHOA. That bit I just posted above? It makes me feel all sorts of giddy. :D


3) Repeat steps #1 and #2.

That guiltless part I spoke of in my title? Well, it's freakin' Vampire Academy. Why would I feel guilty about procrastinating with FREAKIN' VAMPIRE ACADEMY?????? So go ahead and re-read as many Tweets and blog posts as you can. Whenever you want. Because obviously.


Happy Monday. :)

Interview: Leigh Ann Kopans, Author of ONE!!!

Today is an exciting day, folks. Why?

Because Leigh Ann Kopans.

She released her debut YA novel, ONE, on Tuesday. I've been dying to read this baby for a while, and now that it's out, I can breathe fresh air once more. *jumps up and down*

Here's le summary:

When having two powers makes you a Super and having none makes you a Normal, having only one makes you a sad half-superpowered freak.

It makes you a One.

Sixteen-year-old Merrin Grey would love to be able to fly – too bad all she can do is hover.

If she could just land an internship at the Biotech Hub, she might finally figure out how to fix herself. She busts her butt in AP Chem and salivates over the Hub’s research on the manifestation of superpowers, all in hopes of boosting her chances.

Then she meets Elias VanDyne, another One, and all her carefully crafted plans fly out the window. Literally. When the two of them touch, their Ones combine to make them fly, and when they’re not soaring over the Nebraska cornfields, they’re busy falling for each other.

Merrin's mad chemistry skills land her a spot on the Hub's internship short list, but as she gets closer to the life she always wanted, she discovers that the Hub’s purpose is more sinister than it has always seemed. Now it’s up to her to decide if it's more important to fly solo, or to save everything - and everyone - she loves.

Amazeballs, right??? So. In honor of ONE's release, I'm sharing with y'all an interview with its awesome author! Here's a little bit more about Leigh Ann:

Raised on comic books and classic novels, Leigh Ann developed an early love of science fiction and literature. After earning degrees in Sociology and Hebrew, she went on to become a rabbi at The Ohio State University. Surrounded by college students, she found her niche writing science fiction and romance for teens.

Leigh Ann, her husband, and four children live in Columbus, Ohio, which sadly lacks superheroes but does have the best football and fabulous ice cream.

And here is le interview:

1) Confession: I LOVE superheroes. Because obviously. I know you're a Marvel fan (as am I, but I can never forsake my beloved Batman), so if you could invite any superhero to dinner, be it from graphic novels or TV shows or movies, who would it be? What would you love to talk about with her/him?

I LOVE SUPERHEROES TOO!!!! Eeeeee!

So, my favorite superheroes are Jean Grey and the Wasp (which is why the main characters of ONE get their last names from them), BUT if I could have anyone over to dinner it would be Mystique, who’s a shape shifter. First of all, JLaw. (Duh.) And second of all, I’d love to talk to her about all the different people she’d been and how she was the same and different each time – how she felt, and how she was treated. And I’d like to know what it feels like, and how it affected her, to be able to change her appearance whenever, and to whatever, she wanted.

2) Speaking of superheroes, ONE is the story of Merrin, a girl who sort of has a superpower, but not really. Which came first: Merrin or the sort-of-superhero premise? Was the brainstorming process fast-paced or a slow burn?

The sort-of-superhero premise had been around for YEARS, ever since I was a little girl watching X-men cartoons on Saturday mornings.  Those shows focused on the people who had seriously awesome powers, and I wondered what it would be like for someone who had one component of a power, but not enough to make them do anything truly impressive. Especially because there was such a heavy theme of social stratification in shows like X-men, I wondered where half-superpowered people would fall, and whether they would fit in anywhere.

I actually wrote chapter 8 of the book first – the scene where Merrin and Elias discover how their Ones affect each other. The rest of the book sort of unfurled pretty quickly from there, with few snags.

3) Whether it's the ability to full-on fly or an internship at the Hub, Merrin is quite the pro at longing for things that are a bit out of reach. But even when things do start happening for her, Merrin has to deal with her wishes not being as awesomesauce as she imagined. Was there ever a time when writing ONE made you feel the same way? Did Merrin's voice prove to be different than how you originally set out to write it? 

Wow, that’s a great question! Yeah, I think all writers can identify with the feeling of struggling to make the words on the page communicate the pictures and characters in your head, right? I think especially because I had loved comics and superhero movies so much, I had this grandiose idea for the story I’d be able to tell. It turns out that ONE is just as much a romance as a story of a girl finding her superpowers, and both of those things have equal bearing on her character.

It’s funny that you asked about Merrin’s voice, because that was the element of the story that underwent the most changes in revisions. Merrin still lives in my head as this fundamentally angry, abrasive girl, which is fine – until she starts interacting with other people. My critique partners and editors helped me realize when Merrin’s personality was spilling over too much and ruining character and story arcs. She’s much tempered in the final version.

4) So. Elias VanDyne. *fans self* I love me some good romance in YA. Because obviously. What do you think makes a YA love interest swoonworthy? Which are some of your favorite YA love interests?

I think, for Young Adult love interests, selflessness and sweetness are two of the most swoonworthy things in a boy. Teen boys aren’t really that widely known for their emotional depth or focus on the intricacies of relationships, so when a boy shows that he’s listening to a girl, that he appreciates her for something other than what’s in her pants, and that he wants to be with her because  he genuinely enjoys being around her, that goes a long way. Making her feel all hot and blushy will take him the rest of the way, whether because of the way he looks, the words he says, or the things he does for her. The reader has to get the impression that there couldn’t possibly be a better boy on the whole planet for this girl – like if they’re not together, something will have gone seriously wrong in the world. (Not that that’s ever true, we just want readers to feel like that at that moment in the story.)

5) Every manuscript begs to be written in different ways. What part about writing ONE differed from your previous manuscripts? Was it harder/easier? How did ONE help you grow as a writer?

ONE was easier than the manuscript I’d written before that, my first one, because the characters were really fully formed in my mind – their motivations, their personalities, the way they looked, everything. I’m really a character-driven writer, and ONE was where I really learned that.

About halfway through the second revision of ONE, I discovered the Save the Cat beat sheet, used it for revisions, and it changed my life. Now I do a beat sheet at the beginning of every manuscript, before I even think about writing a word. From there, I make an outline. That’s right – ONE, in a way, changed me from a pantser to a plotter.

That said, I’ll never forget the magical feeling of having that first scene I wrote in ONE pour from my fingers. I’ve got to figure out a way of getting back to writing passionately, out of order, without making me feel like I’m cheating on the outline.

6) I'm a serious sucker for food. Nutella and Twizzlers rule my world. Is there anything you munch on while writing/revising? 

Coffee and chocolate while drafting, and I’m afraid I’m horrible about munchies when revising. I think that revising is such an anxiety-filled process for me, full of worry over whether I’m changing the right things in the right way, and all that staring at the screen and puzzling with idle hands makes me want to eat endlessly. These days, I’m doing that with mostly popcorn, which I tell myself is healthier than other options.

7) Are you working on other projects at the moment? If so, TELL ME EVERYTHING, WOMAN. 

Yes! I already have my February 2014 book finished, which is a YA romance. I’m in the very early stages of  a spinoff for that one, which I’m planning to publish next summer – that will be a New Adult romance, likely. I’m also in the middle of editing Chrome, which is my futuristic sci-fi retelling of the Exodus from Egypt, and I’m in the early stages of rewriting my first ever manuscript, a time travel romance, as a New Adult novel.

(I love that you were so interested. It made me blush.)

Amparo, I’ve admired you and your work for a long time. It was truly an honor to be interviewed on your blog today – thank you so much for inviting me.

Thank YOU for being so freakin' great (as both author and blogger extraordinaire) and answering my questions, Leigh Ann! *bows down* Want to get a copy of ONE?? Find it here:

Amazon Kindle
Paperback (from Amazon)
Special Edition Paperback with comics (from Amazon)
Barnes and Noble Nook
iBookstore
Signed (from Leigh Ann's site)
Createspace

Praise for One

"One balances a fully imagined, super world with deep, well-crafted characters and took me on a heart pounding, heartbreakingly authentic journey I hated to see end."

~Trisha Leigh, author of The Last Year series

“Exciting, edgy, romantic and beautifully written, ONE is a book from an incredible new writing talent that will leave you longing for more!”

     ~Emma Pass, author of Acid (Random House 2013) and the upcoming The Fearless (Random House 2014)

"I opened One and didn't put it down. On the surface it's a fast-paced superhero story combined with all the wonderful and terrible aspects of teenage life, but beneath that is the story of a girl who only wants to be more than she is. It's a fun adventure cloaking a simple but powerful truth of the human condition."

~Francesca Zappia, author of the upcoming Ask Again Later (Greenwillow/HarperCollins 2014)

10 Killer Queries That Worked Part 2

Some of you have read my 10 Killer Queries That Worked post. It features 10 of my absolute fave query letters for manuscripts that ended up being published. Well, since I'm always on the hunt for a new query to drool over, I figured I'd turn the post into a series. 

Welcome to Part 2! :)

Okay. Let's get to it. *cracks knuckles*

Here is another batch of amazeballs queries:

1. Miranda Kenneally's query for CATCHING JORDAN, originally titled SCORE (bonus points: this post features an interview with Miranda's agent, Sara Megibow).
2. MarcyKate Connolly's query for MONSTROUS, which comes out in 2014 from HarperCollins.
3. Megan Sheperd's query for THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
4. Carrie Ryan's query for THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH.
5. Beth Revis's query for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, originally titled LONG WAY HOME.
6. Francesca Zappia's query for ASK AGAIN LATER, originally titled ALEXITHYMIA. The book comes out in 2014 from HarperCollins. 
7. Stephanie Diaz's query for EXTRACTION, which comes out in 2014 from St. Martin's Press.
8. Claire Legrand's query for THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS (bonus points: this post features commentary from Claire's agent, Diana Fox).
9. Kate Karyus Quinn's (my blog chain buddy!!!) query for ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE, which comes out June 11th from HarperTeen.
10. April Tucholke's query for BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, originally titled THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA (bonus points: this post features commentary by April's agent, Joanna Volpe). The book comes out August 15th from Dial. 

So there you have them! I hope they prove as helpful as the first batch :)

Have you read these query letters before? Which one(s) do you love most? Are there any other query letters you love that aren't on the list?

Blog Chain: Wuthering Heights With DRAGONS

It's blog chain time! For this round, the awesome Margie asks:

Pick a book or story and imagine it in a new genre. For example, what would Oliver Twist be like if it was a sci-fi novel. Would Fagin have been a robot? Do you prefer you new creation or the original?

Let me just say I am in love with this topic.

So in love, in fact, that my brain broke and I couldn't figure out how to answer it.

But I have found my answer at last. And it is this...

meets this...

the dragon Kilgharrah from Merlin

I think Wuthering Heights re-envisioned as a high fantasy with DRAGONS would be bossypants. Heathcliff wouldn't be some gypsy dude, but a DRAGONMASTER. And this would be a SECRET. Because in the country of Wuthering Heights, DRAGONS are the ENEMY. They are the uber-smart and terrifying beasts who threaten humankind. They must be slain at all costs. So when Heathcliff hides his DRAGON from the judgmental, posh family who's taken him in as their own, he forms an unexpected bond with the one person who understands him: Cathy.

Why? Because Cathy is a SECRET DRAGONOLOGIST. She's researched all there is to know about DRAGONS and she's convinced they're not the enemy, but she's never seen one in real life. So Heathcliff introduces her to his DRAGON. They all get along. Cathy and Heathcliff fall in love. But they can't be together because Heathcliff hates her family and what she's bound to become if she remains with them and drama drama drama.

I'd totally read that.

As long as the DRAGON gets to roast Mr. Lockwood.

Because obviously.

A huge thanks to Margie for the topic! Make sure you check out Cole's post, and stay tuned for Margie's tomorrow!

Teen Girls And The Things They Love

"As soon as teenage girls start to profess love for something, everyone else becomes totally dismissive of it. Teenage girls are open season for the cruelest bullying that our society can dream up. Everyone's vicious to them. They're vicious to each other. Hell, they're even vicious to themselves. It's terrible.

So if teenage girls have something that they love, isn't that a good thing? Isn't it better for them to find some words they believe in, words like the 'fire-proof and fearless' lyrics that Jacqui wrote? Isn't it better for them to put those words on their arm in a tattoo than for them to cut gashes in that same skin? Shouldn't we be grateful when teenage girls love our work? Shouldn't that be a fucking honor?

It's used as the cheapest, easiest test of crap, isn't it? If teenage girls love a movie, a book, a band, then it's immediately classified as mediocre shit. Well, I'm not going to stand for that. Someone needs to treat them like they're precious, and if nobody else is ready to step up, I guess it's up to us to put them on the path to recognizing that about themselves."

                                           --Ben in Mary Borsellino's The Devil's Mixtape, page 108 

Books You Should Read: MEANT TO BE By Lauren Morrill

Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question. 

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love. Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.

Why You Should Read It:

OMG, y'all. I can't remember the first time I laughed so hard while reading a first page. Okay. Scratch that--it was while reading Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I absolutely adore Perkins' work. And I definitely see a likeness to her in Morrill's debut. Foreign city (London). Awkward and passionate main character (Julia). Unlikely love interest (read the book and find out!). Chaos and hilarity (the search for the unknown guy who's texting Julia). You have the recipe for a romantic comedy that feels fresh regardless of its adherence to the genre's conventions. 

My favorite thing about Meant To Be was Julia's voice. She's almost as paranoid as I am, y'all. Without order in her life, Julia is pretty much a nervous wreck. She has no problem following rules and sticking to a strict schedule. But paired with Jason, the dude who keeps calling her "Book Licker" due to her passion for reading, spontaneity isn't far from the horizon. Together, these two take detours across London that force them to show their hidden vulnerabilities and strengths. Their friendship takes just a few days to develop, but it didn't feel rushed to me. Predictable, yes, but different at the same time. I kept rooting for Julia to embrace the randomness life has to offer while still staying true to herself. And in the end, she didn't disappoint me. Not even a little bit. *fist pump*

Another thing I loved? LONDON. Because obviously. I've never been to England, but it's on my to-do list. I couldn't tear my eyes away from Julia's descriptions of everything she saw, tasted, and touched. The trip to Stratford-upon-Avon was particularly exciting for both me and Julia, seeing as it's where Shakespeare grew up. *sigh* Also, Julia's love of The Beatles made the English vibe stronger without feeling like overkill. She's the perfect protagonist for this story set in one of the world's most amazeballs places. 

If you like your romance with a heavy dose of sweetness and WTF laughs, or if you like stories set in Europe, Lauren Morrill's Meant To Be is for you. Make sure you get your copy when it goes on sale November 13, 2012!!