tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54685460138846949102024-03-18T23:59:23.795-04:00The League of Extraordinary WritersYA authors of speculative fictionAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431700962951592287noreply@blogger.comBlogger867125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-3686148539593025082016-01-03T12:28:00.000-05:002016-01-03T12:28:44.544-05:00Dystopian Nonfiction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I recently finished the book<b><i> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24727079-symphony-for-the-city-of-the-dead">Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad</a></i></b> by MT Anderson. It's a moving account of how music can stir our passions and give us the will to survive. Leningrad during World War II was harsher than many dystopian settings we're given in fiction, and it all really happened: barbaric leaders, purges, cannibals and streets full of dead people.<br />
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Shortly after finishing, I was talking to <a href="http://sjkincaid.com/">Author SJ Kinkaid</a> and she told me about a non-ficition dystopian she is reading:<br />
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I've only started <i><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22034850-dear-leader?from_search=true&search_version=service">Dear Leader: My Escape from North Korea</a> </b></i> but it struck me while reading that we in the YA community have been writing dystopias, and people like Jang Jin-sung have been living them... And the real dystopias are so much more chilling than any imaginary world could be. This is one of many books I've read about North Korea lately, but this is the first from the perspective of an insider to the regime. This man truly, earnestly believed himself to be living in a utopia, with a living God presiding over it, and he comes face to face with Kim Jong Il and is shocked to realize his leader is capable of getting blisters on his feet. There's a moment when Kim Jong Il sheds a few tears hearing a moving song, and all the men about him find themselves swept into uncontrollable weeping just at the sight of that... It's difficult to imagine the sheer psychological terror gripping such a society. It's a horrific but fascinating read. <br />
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Sometimes, when it comes to dystopians, truth can be harsher than fiction.</div>
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SJ Kinkaid is the author of the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11115434-insignia?from_search=true&search_version=service">Insignia series</a> and the forthcoming <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26836910-the-diabolic">The Diabolic</a>. Follow her on twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/SJKincaidBooks/">@SJKinkaidBooks</a><br />
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Lenore Appelhanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16664671644163369772noreply@blogger.com454tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-79984019700730396412015-10-29T20:20:00.000-04:002015-10-29T20:20:19.857-04:00Illuminae Publishes!One of our own, ex-Leaguer <a href="http://amiekaufman.com/" target="_blank">Amie Kaufman</a> along with <i>Stormdancer</i> author <a href="https://misterkristoff.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Jay Kristoff</a> have a new SSF book out now and it's already on the New York Times list! It's pretty special with a mix of graphics, messages, lots of surprises, but I'll let you read about it by clicking on the cover.<br />
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The cover is different from any cover I've ever seen. It's made out of something super hi-tech and very shiny. You have to see it to fully appreciate it. I can't wait to read this book! </div>
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<br />Lissa Pricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593449441602936914noreply@blogger.com112tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-54726890423578179812015-06-03T14:40:00.001-04:002015-06-03T14:40:55.412-04:00Guest Post: Madcap Writing Retreats: Retreat to Advance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><b>Madcap Writing Retreats: Retreat to Advance</b></i></div>
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<i>by Natalie C. Parker</i></div>
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Nothing has changed my career so much as writing retreats. <br />
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In the winter of 2011, I was invited to attend a large retreat in Branson, MO at which there would be 25 established YA authors. I was unagented at the time and though I found the idea of joining such a gathering an intimidating one, I also found it was impossible to pass up. <br />
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The experience was a game-changer. Not only did I meet a group of authors who were as encouraging as they were successful, but I sat in a room in which those same authors opened laptops and worked quietly together. There were headphones and tea and snack breaks and chat breaks and there were word documents that looked much like my own, growing one word at a time.<br />
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I left the Branson Retreat with a new network of contacts who would guide my career in different ways, determined to repeat the experience as quickly as possible. Only this time I wanted to be the one issuing invites. One year later, that’s exactly what I did: I made my first retreat of 11 authors on the side of a mountain, in a house that also had a turret. <br />
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Since that time, I’ve hosted 1 or 2 retreats every year, always with the goal of bringing authors together to create the kind of community we just can’t get in 140 character bites. I’ve hosted authors in turreted mansions in the Blue Ridge Mountains, in French Quarter apartments, in the Texas Hill Country, in historic Savannah townhomes, and in the sleepy Smoky Mountains. And here are the top three lessons I’ve learned from organizing retreats for writers:<br />
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<li>Internet. There must be Internet. It does not matter if you write to your group ahead of time and say the words “there is no Internet in this mountain chateau IS THAT OKAY?” It does not matter if they uniform answer is, “Yes, Natalie, we are not so addicted to the Modern Age that going without Wi-Fi for 3 days will kill us.” I promise you, none of that matters because when you get to the house someone will build an antenna out of aluminum foil and desperate tears and stand on the roof searching for a signal.</li>
<li>Bathrooms. Never underestimate the importance of every bedroom having its own bathroom. End of explanation.</li>
<li>Scenery. You may begin the adventure with plans of leaving the house, but trust me, this will not happen. To appease any group of authors, I advise picture windows and something that suggests power and mystery. Mountains are an obvious choice, but lakes work very well as do abandoned sugar plantations, rolling hills, and oceans. This way, even if you get snowed in after throwing out all the perishable food so that all that remains are Oreos and a handle of gin, no one will every complain about the view!</li>
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I love retreats. They’re fun and exciting and sometimes lead to creating things like
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After Branson in 2011, I had half a dozen authors willing to weigh in on my query and help me cull my agent list. <br />
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After the Wi-Fi-less chateau in 2012, there were authors ready to blurb my first book.<br />
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After the Hill Country in 2013, I received crucial advice on how to develop a retreat business.<br />
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But more than that, I’ve seen anthologies born over the course of a retreat, I’ve seen mentor and critique relationships gain footing, and I’ve seen the direction of manuscripts shift dramatically and to great effect. And I know there’s even more I haven’t seen. <br />
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Like so many writers, my writing time is bound and hedged in on all sides. My writing time is also my “down” time, my “free” time, my “in between this and that” time.” It’s a challenge to find hours that flow from one into another with nothing binding them except the promise of words. Madcap is one way I can offer time and opportunity to myself and to others, and I’m truly excited to be able to do that.<br />
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Madcap is for writers at any stage in their career – aspiring, agented, and published. My goal is to continue what was done for me at that first Branson retreat and create the kinds of opportunities it’s nearly impossible to create for yourself. Welcome to Madcap Retreats, join us for an adventure.<br />
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MADCAP RETREATS: <a href="http://madcapretreats.com/" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">Web</a><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"> | </span><a href="https://twitter.com/MadcapRetreats" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">Twitter</a><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"> | </span><a href="http://madcapretreats.tumblr.com/" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">Tumblr</a><br />
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And now we come to the giveaway portion of this post!<br />
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I’ve asked a few amazing bloggers to help me spread the word of Madcap far and wide via a Blog Hop. Each participating blog will be giving away 2 e-copies of my debut novel Beware the Wild. And each of those winners will be entered to win one of two grand prizes! They are:<br />
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<li>A $300 discount on the upcoming workshop – The Anatomy of Publishing: Story & Marketing, August 27 – 30. The workshop will be lead by Courtney C. Stevens and will feature a few fancy guest authors who will workshop pages and queries one-on-one! (More info can be found here).</li>
<li>A short stack of ARCs including: JUBILEE MANOR by Bethany Hagen, DUMPLIN’ by Julie Murphy, and THE ANATOMY OF CURIOSITY by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, & Brenna Yovanoff.</li>
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The contest is open to US/Canada ONLY. You may enter via each blogger if that pleases you. Contest closes at midnight on Sunday, June 7th. Winners will be announced by noon on Monday, June 8th. <br />
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Additionally! If you’d like to stay up to date on all retreat and workshop offerings by Madcap, you can subscribe to the mailing list by visiting this page. The first 50 subscribers will be offered a free download of either:<br />
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<ul>
<li>“Lady Berserk: A Novella of Dragons, Trickster Gods, and Reality TV,” by Tessa Gratton; or</li>
<li>“From Words to Brain: A Guided Tour Through the Neuroscience of Reading,” by Livia Blackburne</li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">TO ENTER: Just leave a comment to this blog post telling us where or with whom your dream retreat would be! For an additional entry tweet your dream retreat to <a href="https://twitter.com/nataliecparker">@NatalieCParker</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/LeagueWriters">@LeagueWriters</a></span></b><br />
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<b>Sample tweet: I would love to go to Scotland on a writer's retreat with JK Rowling! @nataliecparker @leaguewriters</b><br />
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Full list of participating blogs:<br />
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<li>YA Highway, <a href="http://www.yahighway.com/">http://www.yahighway.com/</a></li>
<li>The Daily Dahlia, <a href="https://dailydahlia.wordpress.com/">https://dailydahlia.wordpress.com/</a></li>
<li>Krista Van Dolzer, <a href="http://www.kristavandolzer.com/">http://www.kristavandolzer.com/</a></li>
<li>Fiction University, <a href="http://blog.janicehardy.com/">http://blog.janicehardy.com/</a></li>
<li>YA Bibliophile, <a href="http://yabibliophile.com/">http://yabibliophile.com/</a></li>
<li>The Pub Hub, <a href="http://www.publishing-hub.com/">http://www.publishing-hub.com/</a></li>
<li>Annie Cardi, <a href="http://anniecardi.com/blog/">http://anniecardi.com/blog/</a></li>
<li>Dallas Fort Worth Writers Workshop, <a href="https://dfwwritersworkshop.wordpress.com/">https://dfwwritersworkshop.wordpress.com/</a></li>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431700962951592287noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-90110811932571379072015-05-18T15:26:00.002-04:002015-05-18T15:26:56.523-04:00Conventions Worth Going To: RT Booklovers ConventionAs an author, aspiring author, or a reader, there's so many conventions out there that it can be hard to decide which ones to go to. I have two small children, so I decided a few years ago that I would choose one non-local convention a year to attend, and after asking around, I picked RT.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lydia Kang and me at the YA authors social at RT.</td></tr>
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The RT Booklovers Convention is more or less a hybrid genre convention, in that it's ostensibly a romance con, but it has a massive Young Adult contingent, from the YA Alley at the Giant Book Fair, to multiple panels on writing craft, business, publishing, and fun meet-the-author style events. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Long Game in Publishing panel with (from left to right) Julie Murphy, Sophie Jordan, Molly Jaffa, Rachel Caine, Tessa Gratton, and Whitney Ross.</td></tr>
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But RT is a hybrid convention in more ways that one. While a lot of conventions for writers are typically writer/industry only, like RWA or BEA, RT is a writer and reader convention. Which means you have a chance to interact with your readers more than you ever would anywhere else, which to me, makes it the convention worth going to. You get to network, promote and geek out all at the same place. And did I mention all the books? THERE'S A LOT OF BOOKS INVOLVED.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UnGii5MEl8E/VVo8Kbnjb5I/AAAAAAAAArA/2fhMV3snAZY/s1600/IMG_3019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UnGii5MEl8E/VVo8Kbnjb5I/AAAAAAAAArA/2fhMV3snAZY/s320/IMG_3019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mean, like a LOT.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, if you're shopping around for conventions, I <a href="https://www.rtconvention.com/">highly, highly recommend RT</a>. (And next year it's in Vegas. So you know. VEGAS.)<br /><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8eGqaYY9-fg/Uds0iMRF_TI/AAAAAAAAAQs/vaZ-YKONaGg/s1600/bhagen-sigfile%2B%282%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="94" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8eGqaYY9-fg/Uds0iMRF_TI/AAAAAAAAAQs/vaZ-YKONaGg/s320/bhagen-sigfile%2B(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-20774863875626913722015-01-12T00:00:00.000-05:002015-01-12T10:19:17.273-05:00What's Your Favorite Sci Fi Trope? Tell us and win! When I first wrote <i>Across the Universe, </i>I think I was a little surprised that I'd actually written a, you know, <i>sci fi.</i> I didn't like my husband's SF novels--they were hard SF, full of technical details. It just never occurred to me that there was so much more to sci fi than space engines--despite the fact that much of my favorite works were sci fi.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YOR1YVYC90g/VLMb-dHGLZI/AAAAAAAAH0w/sbglom1hwJw/s1600/doctor-who.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YOR1YVYC90g/VLMb-dHGLZI/AAAAAAAAH0w/sbglom1hwJw/s1600/doctor-who.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div><b>TIME TRAVEL</b><br />
This is one of my favorite tropes--the classic time travel tale. I think I first fell in love with the twisty tale <i>12 Monkeys </i>and then again with <i>Doctor Who</i>, but time travel itself is just fascinating. What would you do--go into the future, or correct the past? The only thing sure to happen in a time travel tale is that whatever you do, the outcome won't be what you're expecting. Even with the power of time, there's no guarantee you'll solve anything...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b8rBUOgVd6s/VLMeSUexi3I/AAAAAAAAH08/9eOc58K0IT0/s1600/ST_TOS_Cast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b8rBUOgVd6s/VLMeSUexi3I/AAAAAAAAH08/9eOc58K0IT0/s1600/ST_TOS_Cast.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div> <b>EXPLORATION</b><br />
This is one of the key tropes of almost any sci fi novel, but certainly some sci fi tales are centered on this concept--most notably <i>Star Trek</i>, boldy going where no many has gone before. I think the reason I love these exploration tales is that, no matter what the explorers discover, it always teaches something about ourselves. The best sci fi, in fact, isn't so much about the strange, but about the discovery of self. In examining the possibilities of the wide universe, we discover who we actually are on a much more personal level.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tb0txaMMjfQ/VLMfKTcT1sI/AAAAAAAAH1M/mcKgIwb-cHg/s1600/TheTwilightZoneLogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tb0txaMMjfQ/VLMfKTcT1sI/AAAAAAAAH1M/mcKgIwb-cHg/s1600/TheTwilightZoneLogo.png" height="210" width="320" /></a></div><b>THE UNEXPECTED</b><br />
Whether it's aliens or just a surprise twist on our own lives, no one covers this trope as well as <i>The Twilight Zone. </i>In science fiction, <i>anything</i> can happen. The major premise of the genre hinges on this concept. Exposing the surprise, unexpected twists reminds us that no matter how certain we are of the world, we can never be too certain. The best episodes of <i>The Twilight Zone</i> show how what we take for granted--everyday life, people we can trust--is never something to expect to last.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TM5eZDPSR6o/VLMgmm4vemI/AAAAAAAAH1Y/qze5rurveXc/s1600/esZd6eQp.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TM5eZDPSR6o/VLMgmm4vemI/AAAAAAAAH1Y/qze5rurveXc/s1600/esZd6eQp.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><b>SPACE OPERA</b><br />
As opposed to hard SF, space opera often doesn't define every aspect of the world (or the schematics of the space engine), focusing instead on the characters and their struggles. A great space opera is both incredibly vast and incredibly narrow. It shows the vastness of the world, giving us access to new planets and spaceships, new cultures and aliens (even Jar-Jar Binks). At the same time, the space opera tends to be very close-up on a handful of characters, the ones whose story is being featured. <i>Star Wars</i> is about far more than Luke and Han and Leia and Vader, but at the end of the day, the story exists within them, and arguably could be told in another way, as long as the characters remain the same. On the flip side, hard SF titles are inextricably tied to their SF world, to the point where the world--and specifically the science of the world--becomes another character of the story.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6x-0rdeFHdU/VLMh10gj6pI/AAAAAAAAH1g/C-83PJaweLE/s1600/6a00c22527999b549d00c22527bc8d549d-500pi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6x-0rdeFHdU/VLMh10gj6pI/AAAAAAAAH1g/C-83PJaweLE/s1600/6a00c22527999b549d00c22527bc8d549d-500pi.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div><b>THE UNIVERSE IS VAST AND CONTAINS EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE</b><br />
<b><br />
</b> We are not alone! There are aliens and worlds beyond what we could ever imagine. A planet made of chocolate? Possible! A fish that lives in your ear and translate words for you (except Belgium, because, ugh, <i>vulgar</i>)? Done and done! The universe contains anything you could ever possibly conceive of--and even more than that. It literally contains everything, including the meaning to life, the universe, and everything. Some stories revel in the vast possibilities (perhaps none moreso than Douglas Adams), while some warn us that included in "everything" are some very, very, <i>very</i> bad things we don't want to mess with (*cough*ALIENS AND PREDATORS*cough*). Either way, the point is that beyond the black of space is an infinite world of possibilities, just waiting to be discovered...or to thrust themselves upon us and invade Earth...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rgsba9HlkMA/VLMjCeLNUMI/AAAAAAAAH1o/Wuf0pVp1NlQ/s1600/FIREFLyStillFlying4by3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rgsba9HlkMA/VLMjCeLNUMI/AAAAAAAAH1o/Wuf0pVp1NlQ/s1600/FIREFLyStillFlying4by3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div><b>THE UNIVERSE IS VAST AND CONTAINS NOTHING BUT DARK, DARK EMPTINESS</b><br />
<b><br />
</b> On the flip side, we have the stories where we <i>are</i> alone. <i>Firefly</i> is a great example of that--although there are other planets (almost all of them terraformed), there's very little in the way of aliens--no sentient creatures, for sure. And when the characters look out into the stars, they see "the black"--the utter aloneness of being human.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> After all, Arthur C. Clarke put it best when he said, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">“Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bsANfTUzz4c/VLMkrTb19gI/AAAAAAAAH10/DRCRSPMX7_o/s1600/minorityreport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bsANfTUzz4c/VLMkrTb19gI/AAAAAAAAH10/DRCRSPMX7_o/s1600/minorityreport.jpg" height="216" width="320" /></a></div><b>TECHNOLOGY</b><br />
Ahhhhh, I love tech. I don't understand it, but I totally welcome my new and upcoming robot overlords. Technology is often the magic of sci fi. Whether it shows a world that went too far (such as <i>Minority Report</i>) or a world enhanced and made better by tech (omg, please give me a teleporter NOW), it's fascinating to see what sci fi writers develop, technologically. Some books from the past have a delightful mix of old and new--in Connie Willis's <i>Doomsday Book</i>, the character have access to time travel machines...but not to cell phones. It's sort of hilarious to see them running to payphones when their time machines muck up. But it's fascinating, too, to see what technology people predict will change, what will stay the same, and what is so new and mind-blowing that even the best minds thinking of the future couldn't predict.<br />
<br />
As you can see, there's a <i>lot</i> to love in sci fi--so if you haven't checked it out yet, make sure you do! And if you've stuck with one trope, try out a new one--if not in a novel, perhaps in a short story. On Tuesday, January 13, I'll be releasing a collection of sci fi short stories that cover a ton of different tropes. There's time travel and teleporters, unexpected twists and unexplored tech. Each story is unique and separate from the others, and the only thing that ties them all together is that they take place in the future. <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/The-Future-Collection-Beth-Revis-ebook/dp/B00RZT2FFC/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=autbetrev-20&linkCode=w01&linkId=2HKT5O2HMLBFDQZC&creativeASIN=B00RZT2FFC">The Future Collection</a></i> is my first short story collection, and features three never-before-seen short stories!<br />
<br />
And you can enter to win a copy here--as well as a signed copy of my latest book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/The-Body-Electric-Beth-Revis-ebook/dp/B00MW0MTGE/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=autbetrev-20&linkCode=w01&linkId=DM7VOBY5N465IKRI&creativeASIN=B00MW0MTGE">The Body Electric</a></i>, and an <i>Across the Universe</i> brand water bottle.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_MKjOYM7Agg/VK9BtuIxgEI/AAAAAAAAH0Q/F1UsnltJoEk/s1600/The%2BFuture%2BCollection%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_MKjOYM7Agg/VK9BtuIxgEI/AAAAAAAAH0Q/F1UsnltJoEk/s1600/The%2BFuture%2BCollection%2Bcopy.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6tqBOUm_l28/VHkQgjW57FI/AAAAAAAAHws/xqXXkGRrpks/s1600/IMG_0531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6tqBOUm_l28/VHkQgjW57FI/AAAAAAAAHws/xqXXkGRrpks/s1600/IMG_0531.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-86-waT188uc/U_KbCgiAu6I/AAAAAAAAHSs/aN6jkCbf31E/s1600/TBE-FINAL%2BCOVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-86-waT188uc/U_KbCgiAu6I/AAAAAAAAHSs/aN6jkCbf31E/s1600/TBE-FINAL%2BCOVER.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>You can enter below!<br />
<br />
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="9ac44a2930" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9ac44a2930/" id="rcwidget_41zsu8x6" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431700962951592287noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-19090554811226100882014-12-03T09:38:00.000-05:002014-12-03T10:32:08.591-05:00Have A Sci-Fi Christmas With The League Giveaway!Christmas... sometimes it's hard to remember to be happy about it when we're worried about covering all the shopping, making food (and trying not to overeat), wrapping gifts, and doing all the things you're <i>supposed</i> to do, while not necessarily doing things you <i>want</i> to do.<br />
<br />
So screw that - let's read.<br />
<br />
What's in the magnificent giveaway from the League?<br />
<br />
This stuff:<br />
<br />
SKYLARK by Meagan Spooner<br />
THESE BROKEN STARS by Meagan Spooner & Amie Kaufman<br />
NOT A DROP TO DRINK by Mindy McGinnis<br />
IN A HANDFUL OF DUST by Mindy McGinnis<br />
CONTROL by Lydia Kang<br />
STARTERS by Lissa Price<br />
ENDERS by Lissa Price<br />
LANDRY PARK by Bethany Hagen<br />
POSSESSION by Elana Johnson<br />
SKY JUMPERS by Peggy Eddleman<br />
FORBIDDEN FLATS by Peggy Eddleman<br />
DEFECTOR by Susanne Winnacker<br />
BETWEEN THE SHADOW & THE SOUL by Susanne Winnacker<br />
THE MEMORY OF AFTER by Lenore Applehans<br />
CHASING BEFORE by Lenore Applehans<br />
THE SILENCE OF SIX by E.C. Myers<br />
THE BODY ELECTRIC by Beth Revis<br />
<br />
That's 17 books just for you (or maybe to plug a Christmas gift hole that you forgot). So think of yourself (or belatedly of someone else) and enter to win in the Rafflecopter below!<br />
<br />
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="2071810b90" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2071810b90/" id="rcwidget_a7qlafnl" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>BBChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750774359232145507noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-32427670975221490292014-11-26T09:30:00.000-05:002014-11-26T12:16:11.106-05:00Amy K. Nichols Visits the League<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I'm happy to introduce Amy K. Nichols with her debut, the YA --NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE, publishing Dec 9! - Lissa<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zXv-3XTCJZE/VHTUc8fZ2lI/AAAAAAAACcs/crCe29r_9XE/s1600/NowThatYoureHere_AmyKNichols.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zXv-3XTCJZE/VHTUc8fZ2lI/AAAAAAAACcs/crCe29r_9XE/s1600/NowThatYoureHere_AmyKNichols.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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Hello, My Name is Amy
and I’m a Science Fiction Author</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eENzxuCqLQw/VHTUmwdF0xI/AAAAAAAACc0/W2vTZl1arGI/s1600/AmyNichols.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eENzxuCqLQw/VHTUmwdF0xI/AAAAAAAACc0/W2vTZl1arGI/s1600/AmyNichols.jpg" height="200" width="158" /></a></div>
<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">I’m a science fiction author.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">How in the world did this happen?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">When I think back to the younger version of me, the one who was a mediocre
science student at best, it kind of boggles my mind that I’ve ended up where I
have.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">The last science class I remember enjoying was seventh grade. My teacher
was a really cool hippie-lady. She taught us the dangers of smoking (yuck), we
dissected frogs (cool), and she told us how hot dogs were made (I haven’t eaten
one since). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">Something happened after seventh grade, though. While I always found
dissection fascinating, overall I lost my interest in science. I think
somewhere along the way I learned (or decided) that I wasn’t good at it. There
may have also been a tinge of “science isn’t a girl thing” in there as well. I
don’t know if all that originated from me or my teachers, but there was a
disconnect between me and the science I was learning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">What I never lost, though, was my love of science fiction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">Growing up, my brother and I spent Saturday mornings watching Science
Fiction Theater, The World Beyond, and the best science fiction B movies ever
made. Zanti. Them. Godzilla vs. Mothra. I swear I’ve seen every Twilight Zone
episode made. My favorite, though, was The Time Machine. That movie rocked my
world. My ten year old brain gobbled it all up and began spinning daydreamed
stories of my own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">It wasn’t only movies and television shows, though. I loved science fiction
books, too. I grew up a voracious reader (still am, actually). Time travel
stories, or anything involving portals to other worlds were my favorite. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">Despite this, when I set out to write and publish, I never imagined my
first book—or really any of my books—would be science fiction. That genre felt
out of my league. Reserved for authors who majored in chemistry or scored high
on the “thinking” category of the Myers Briggs Test. (For the record, I was an
English major, and my Myers Briggs T score is super low.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">When I decided to pursue writing, though, I wrote the stories that came to
me. All them had an element of odd. Ghost stories. Creepy stories. Monsters.
Supernatural beings. And then, there was this story that showed up one day. A
story about a boy who woke up in a classroom and didn’t know where he was or
how he got there. He recognized the girl next to him, though. Recognized her
from his world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">I kept writing that story, following it to its conclusion, and before long
I’d written my first science fiction novel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">After a few years of revisions, I signed with an agent, and that agent sold
the novel to Katherine Harrison at Knopf. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">Early on Katherine and I agreed that we wanted the science in NOW THAT
YOU’RE HERE to be solid. We didn’t want readers to easily dismiss it. We wanted
it to hold up under scrutiny. This was a pretty tall order for someone like me,
someone so mediocre at science. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">Or was it? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">Around 2007 I started hearing about this ginormous apparatus deep beneath
the Swiss Alps that would answer all the questions of the universe…or create a
black hole and swallow up the earth. Black hole? That certainly caught my
attention. I started reading up on black holes, time travel, multiverses. I
watched shows on the Discovery Channel, and clips on YouTube trying to wrap my
brain around quantum physics and string theory. I developed a love for science
again. All of that fascinating information sank into my subconscious, just
waiting for a spark. Waiting for NOW THAT YOU’RE HERE. Then, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">boom</i>. My imagination went into
overdrive, igniting like it’s own kind of particle collider. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">When I set out to research how a boy could possibly jump between parallel
universes, that seemingly daunting task turned out to be a lot of fun. Work,
sure. It required hours of reading books and scientific articles, looking for
just the right theory to fit my story. But like a puzzle, all of the pieces
came together to form a bridge from real-life science to the science in my
fiction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">I can’t go into a lot of detail about what that science is, or how it
works, without giving away major spoilers about the book. But I can share with
you what reviewers have said about it. <span style="color: #262626;">School
Library Journal said, “Nichols adeptly simplifies the complex concepts of
string theory and parallel universes without condescending to readers.” VOYA said
“</span><span style="mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">in particular, science buffs will
enjoy the speculative theories put forward.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">I’m a science fiction writer. This mediocre
science student turned science enthusiast. And I couldn’t be happier. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bio:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Amy K. Nichols lives on the edge of the Phoenix desert with
her husband and children. In the evenings, she enjoys sitting outside, counting
bats and naming stars. Sometimes she names the bats. NOW THAT YOU’RE HERE is
her first novel. Visit her online at amyknichols.com. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Lissa Pricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593449441602936914noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-3324010284497497742014-11-24T08:00:00.000-05:002014-11-24T08:00:00.051-05:00Almost Here: NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oHqnkxLBI7E/VHLD8ZAcOWI/AAAAAAAALtE/xqL-qFd1bic/s1600/nowthatyourehere.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></div>
<br />
<i><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">In a parallel universe, the classic bad boy falls for the class science geek.</b><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">One minute Danny was running from the cops, and the next, he jolted awake in an unfamiliar body--his own, but different. Somehow, he's crossed into a parallel universe. Now his friends are his enemies, his parents are long dead, and studious Eevee is </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">not </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">the mysterious femme fatale he once kissed back home. Then again, this Eevee--a girl who'd rather land an internship at NASA than a date to the prom--may be his only hope of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">getting </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">home.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Eevee tells herself she's only helping him in the name of quantum physics, but there's something undeniably fascinating about this boy from another dimension . . . a boy who makes her question who she is, and who she might be in another place and time.</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.1666660308838px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><br /></span>
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I consider myself something of a connoisseur of stories
about parallel universes. I’ve been a fan of multiple worlds since the
Spock-with-a-beard episode of the original <i>Star
Trek</i>, and I never tire of seeing the idea explored in television, films,
and of course books. It seems like the last decade has enjoyed a kind of
alternate-universe Renaissance; the idea of visiting other universes has gone
from a niche concept like the old show <i>Sliders</i>
in the 1990s to a mainstream popular culture phenomenon. That’s good news for
aficionados like me who can’t get enough of these tales, but the flip side is
that we’ve kind of seen everything by now. Or have we?</div>
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One of the joys of multiverse stories is that there are as
many variations on the topic as there are (potentially) other worlds out there.
The key to making these stories unique, entertaining, and moving is to focus on
the characters who live them — and that’s where Amy K. Nichols’ debut YA novel,
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18309634-now-that-you-re-here?from_search=true" target="_blank">Now That You’re Here</a></i>, shines. Main
characters Eevee Solomon and Danny Ogden (who alternate chapters throughout the
book), and a host of secondary characters including Eevee’s best friend Warren,
are believable, sympathetic, and engaging. You need a compelling cast to ground
a book like this in reality — take your pick of which — and whisk the reader
along through the inevitable exposition. One of the trickiest parts of any book
dealing with theoretical quantum physics is conveying it to readers, and
Nichols manages that delicate balance well.</div>
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Rather than dwelling on the complex science that might make multiple
worlds — and travel between them — possible, Nichols emphasizes the complexity
of people: What makes us who we are, and the relationships that bind us
together. What’s most important is how Danny’s jump from his universe to
Eevee’s affects them both. Their stories intersect and parallel each other in
surprising, fascinating ways; Danny loses his universe, a dystopian
surveillance state, and in turn shakes up Eevee’s world, allowing her to
realize just how controlled her own life has been. This book also celebrates
geeks and how intelligence, curiosity, and compassion can empower teens to
accomplish profound things — all with a bit of wit, humor, and romance.</div>
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From its literally explosive start, <i>Now That You’re Here</i> hooks the reader and pulls them into Eevee’s
world right along with Danny. The mystery of how Danny exchanged places with
his other self is explained (mostly) in a satisfying, and to me entirely fresh
way, and the sensible and clever steps Eevee, Danny, and Warren take to unravel
it and devise a solution to send him home is thrilling. But it’s the personal
questions they ask of themselves and each other, and the answers they find
together, that provides the real substance of the novel.</div>
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If you’re new to books about parallel universes, <i>Now That You’re Here</i> is the perfect
place to launch your adventure across multiple worlds. And if you think you’ve
seen it all, you’re wrong; though this book necessarily treads on some familiar ground, you
haven’t met anyone like Eevee and Danny — or their other selves — yet. Fans of
books like <i>Parallel</i> by Lauren Miller,
<i>Through to You</i> by Emily Hainsworth,
and <i>Planesrunner</i> by Ian McDonald
shouldn’t miss this exciting take on the multiverse.<i> </i>I’m already looking forward to <i>While
You Were Gone</i>, the second book in the Duplexity duology, in which we see
what the alternate Eevee and Danny are up to in Danny’s parallel world.
Brilliant, right?</div>
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<b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18309634-now-that-you-re-here?from_search=true" target="_blank">Now That You're Here</a></i> by Amy K. Nichols will be published on December 9, 2014 by Knopf Books for Young Readers. <i>While You Were Gone</i> (Duplexity #2) will follow in 2015.</b><br />
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E.C. Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17439318555348518941noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-15148993962956633542014-11-11T06:00:00.000-05:002014-11-11T22:32:12.107-05:00E-Shorts: Why Read and Write Them?Last month, my co-author Meagan Spooner and I released a free short story set in the same world as our Starbound trilogy. Titled <i><a href="http://www.thesebrokenstars.com/eshort" target="_blank">This Night So Dark</a></i>, it's designed to be read before or after <i>These Broken Stars</i>.<br />
<br />
We had heaps of fun writing and releasing it, and the response from fans has been amazing! We've been asked lots of questions about it, so today I'm going to talk about the best reasons to release a free story like this, and why we did it.<br />
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<b>It's a chance to give something back to the fans.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
This is, above anything else, the best reason to write and release a story for free. We've been bowled over by the response to <i>These Broken Stars</i> -- from the emails to the letters, the awesome fan art (hoooow do you guys do that stuff?) to the recipes! Quite simply, we wanted to thank our readers for being amazing, and a free story felt like the best way to do it.<br />
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<b>You can tell a story that doesn't fit into the big picture.</b><br />
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At the start of <i>These Broken Stars</i>, you learn two things about Tarver very quickly. First, he's considered a 'war hero'. Second, he doesn't want to talk about how he earned those medals. Meg and I always knew the story behind his fame, but there wasn't any place in the novel to tell it. It would have been a distraction from the main storyline. Releasing it as a short story gave us the chance to share it in a different forum, so those who have been wondering (and judging by the emails, you guys really wanted to know!) can find out the truth about Tarver.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>It's a chance to meet new readers.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Picking up a whole novel is an investment in terms of time and money -- a short story is a way for an author and reader to get to know each other with less commitment. Think of it as catching up for a coffee, instead of launching into a dinner-and-a-movie date straight away. Short stories and novellas are a great way to check out the writing and world of a new author, to see if you want to jump into the series. We hope <i>This Night So Dark</i> will be a chance for new readers to check out the series, and perhaps join in the fun.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>It helps with the wait!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Authors are readers too, and we hate waiting for the next book in our favourite series as much as you guys do! We can't waaaait to share <i>This Shattered World</i> with you all, next month. In the meantime, short stories are a great way to bridge the gap, help with the agony of waiting for the next instalment, and they're also a great way to ease you back into a world before you pick up the next book.<br />
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What about you guys? Do you read e-shorts and e-novellas? I'd love to hear your favourites!<br />
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<br />Amie Kaufmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116472165351759477noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-87787767290390872772014-11-06T16:58:00.000-05:002014-11-07T12:49:42.935-05:00Interview with E.C. Myers on The Silence of Six<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What is it like
working on a work-for-hire novel? Find out in my i</b><b>nterview with Leaguer E.C. Myers - Lissa Price.</b><br />
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<b>E.C., What should we
know about your newest book?</b></div>
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<i>The Silence of Six</i> is a contemporary YA thriller about
a group of teenage hackers who combine their skills to answer an intriguing
question: “What is the silence of six?” As they investigate, they dig deep into
a high level conspiracy that not only endangers the privacy of individuals, but
their lives. And they have to work quickly because they’re being pursued by
shady operatives online and in the real world, and the truth could affect the
outcome of the presidential election just a few weeks away.</div>
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<b>You’re one of two
books published by a new publisher – Adaptive Studios. Tell us how they came to
find you and why you went with them instead of one of the known publishers.</b><o:p></o:p><br />
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Adaptive Studios is a newish company that adapts orphaned
works (such as an unproduced screenplay, in the case of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Silence of Six</i>) into other properties, like television shows,
novels, and picture books. I was introduced to them by fellow YA author Tiffany
Schmidt, and on the strength of my first novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fair Coin</i>, they offered me the opportunity to audition for the
project. They liked what I came up with, so we worked together on developing an
outline for the book; other than the title, the book bears little resemblance
to the source material, which I haven’t even seen! This was my first
work-for-hire novel, and I took it on because I loved the premise and thought I
could write something really fun and interesting about hacking, conspiracies,
and social media. I also liked the idea of having a new book out this year,
particularly one so different from my usual work. My first two books were both
published in 2012, and though I have some other manuscripts in the works,
nothing else is scheduled for publication. Adaptive has a really fresh take on
publishing, and it was great to participate in the collaborative process of
writing and marketing the book.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>The cover is
especially haunting. Did you have any say in the design process?</b></div>
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Adaptive and their cover designer had several strong,
compelling ideas for the cover, any of which could have worked well. I was
surprised and pleased that they took my opinions into consideration throughout
the process, as well as feedback from my literary agency, which has experience
in designing and marketing their clients’ books. I thought it was important not
to show a face (particularly following on <i>Fair
Coin</i> and <i>Quantum Coin</i>), and I
didn’t want to see a character of a specific gender. What we ended up with was
one of the earliest concepts and I kept coming back to it because it was so
mysterious and chilling — to me, it represented anonymity, and the hood added a
Grim Reaper-esque element that seemed thematically appropriate. I especially
love the title treatment.</div>
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<b>How has winning the
Andre Norton Award changed your career?</b></div>
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Not as much as you might think! I am incredibly honored to
have the award, and it may get me a little more attention from editors and
booksellers and librarians, but the Norton isn’t largely recognized outside of
the speculative fiction field. I’m also usually the last person to mention that
I won it, which I suppose makes me a poor self-marketer. When people do know
about the Norton, they are often impressed, which makes me feel great. I think
most of all it helps me with those moments when impostor syndrome hits — it
gives me some reassurance that I’m not terrible at this writing thing.<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Euphemia;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>Whose career would
you most like to have?</b></div>
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That’s a dangerous road to go down. Of course it might be
nice to be a rock star with multiple book deals, movie options, and all that
jazz, but the only career I can have is my own. Money and fame are measures of
success, but the only appeal there is that they usually signal a wide
readership — which would be great because most of all I just want people to
read my books! (I would also love to keep publishing them, which requires some
level of financial success.) That said, if I ended up writing a few books that
people love, I’ll be happy. One of my favorite authors, William Sleator, wrote
a lot of terrific books that people still remember, although he didn’t seem to
garner a lot of attention or riches. Robert C. O’Brien only wrote three books
(one of those posthumously completed by his family), but they are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">amazing</i> books. I want my books to
outlast me and affect young readers the way books affected me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>What has been the
biggest surprise for you in your publishing journey?</b></div>
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Boy, this is a lot of work, isn’t it? I was most surprised
by how much of writing involves doing things that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">isn’t</i> writing: marketing, signings, events, etc. I’m also
constantly surprised at just how random and impersonal it all is; editors leave
publishers, books get cancelled, contracts fall through. Make no mistake:
Publishing is a business, and it’s hard to separate that from the “purity” of
writing as art — something we’re driven to do because we have to tell stories.
Talent is just part of the equation; you have to be in the right place at the
right time with the right book. The only thing we can control is the quality of
our writing, and we have to try not to worry about the rest.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>If you could be
something else other than a book author, what would you be?</b></div>
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I’ve tried a bunch of other jobs, and this is the best one
so far! But all other things being equal, I would love to develop video games.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Anything else you’d
like the League readers to know?</b></div>
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One of the best parts of being an author is getting to
interact with readers and other writers, so I love participating in blogs like
this one. Thank you for your support! And thanks for the terrific interview,
Lissa.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Thank you, Eugene. Have questions? Ask Eugene in the
comments below.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://ecmyers.net/">http://ecmyers.net</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/ecmyers">@ecmyers</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Tumblr: <a href="http://ecmyers.tumblr.com/">http://ecmyers.tumblr.com</a><o:p></o:p><br />
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Lissa Pricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593449441602936914noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-58691643137324684152014-10-31T11:17:00.003-04:002014-10-31T11:17:20.446-04:00LANDRY PARK and JUBILEE MANOR Cover Reveal!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hello.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have something to show you today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So a while back, I wrote this book called <i>Landry Park</i>. And then I wrote a sequel to it called <i>Jubilee Manor. </i>Both are books set in a world where the wealthy live in massive estates fueled by nuclear power, and the main character, Madeline Landry, is poised to inherit one of the largest and wealthiest estates in the nation. Of course, nothing is ever that easy, so when unrest </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">erupts among the lowest caste</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the Rootless</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and a boy who is strangely connected to it all moves to town, she is forced to choose between her destiny as a Landry and her conscience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When my editor emailed me to show me the paperback cover for <i>Landry Park, </i>I was elated. For one thing, I think it's beautiful<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">—</span>you get to see some of Landry Park itself in the background. The new tagline is perfect. And <i>that dress.</i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For another thing, and I have to be really honest here, pretty much my absolute favorite part of publishing a book is getting a cover. And I got to get <b>two</b> for <i>Landry Park</i>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nnw46yLT5WM/VFLsYDZ533I/AAAAAAAAAhg/AGBXP4gtqfo/s1600/9780142425480_LandryPark_CV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nnw46yLT5WM/VFLsYDZ533I/AAAAAAAAAhg/AGBXP4gtqfo/s1600/9780142425480_LandryPark_CV.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now for the really good stuff. Because at the same time I got my gorgeous paperback cover, I got my even more gorgeous sequel cover! First, here's a little blurb about <i>Jubilee Manor:</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The thrilling conclusion to <i>Landry Park </i>is full of love, betrayal and murder--perfect for fans of <i>Divergent, The Selection </i>and <i>Pride and Prejudice.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In <i>Landry Park,</i> Madeline turned her back on her family, friends and estate to help the Rootless. Now, she struggles to bring the gentry and the Rootless together, despite the prejudices that divide them. But when a gentry heir is slaughtered in the ballroom of Landry Park, even Madeline suspects a Rootless is behind it, putting her at odds with the boy she loves and the very people she's trying to lead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As more heirs are murdered, Madeline searches desperately for the killer, all while trying to keep the explosive city away from war. Violence and tumult rock through the gentry and the Rootless as Madeline risks everything to find out the truth--even her life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Jubilee Manor</i> will release August 11, 2015.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And now, here is the cover:</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nekd3MkuNhE/VFLsOSUYRgI/AAAAAAAAAhc/BX7QYAJ-TwA/s1600/JubileeManor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nekd3MkuNhE/VFLsOSUYRgI/AAAAAAAAAhc/BX7QYAJ-TwA/s1600/JubileeManor.jpg" height="640" width="422" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What do you think? I can't stop bouncing happily in my chair as I look at it. The blue swirls remind me of the cherenkov lanterns that are so prevalent in the book, and the crisscrossing pattern makes me think of the atomic symbol and of electrons whizzing around a nucleus. And I love that you can see more of the estate in this picture and get a sense of its scale and grandeur. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And of course, <i>that dress</i>.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-20228803793247835902014-10-23T09:47:00.002-04:002014-10-23T09:47:29.417-04:00Pop Culture and SciFi, by Tonya Kuper<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: center;">I am a self-proclaimed scifi-dork, fangirl, whatever. I love all things science fiction and always have. </span><br />
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For some reason though, I’d never thought about how much science fiction and pop culture are interwoven, even one in the same at times, until I started writing ANOMALY, my young adult debut. I mean, think about how much we give a nod to science fiction in our everyday conversations - or how much some science fiction has become common knowledge in the United States and beyond.<br />
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ANOMALY is science fiction set in present day. Josie, the main character, is a science-fiction nerd and totally owns it. There are science fiction nods, analogies, and references throughout the novel. Science fiction within science fiction. Is it a no-no? I’m not sure, but I really don’t care, either. And here’s why: I attempted to make a character that readers could relate to, who was real. The predominance of pop culture and the influence it has on our society, especially teens, can’t be denied – so I used it.<br />
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My hope is that some readers will “get” Josie and her view of the world, seen through a pop culture/sci-fi lens.<br />
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Here is a short excerpt, to give an example of the science-fiction within the science-fiction:<br />
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<i>She rolled said eyes and gave me the Vulcan hand gesture. </i><br />
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<i>“I think your Vulcan salute is backward. I thought you’d know that, nerd,” I said, trying to keep it light. </i><br />
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<i>She turned her hand the correct way, the palm facing me. “No, this is what Vulcans like Spock use, which means ‘live long and prosper.’” Then she flipped her hand so the backside faced me. “I’m using it backward, which means the opposite. ‘Die and languish.’” She flashed a fake smile. </i><br />
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And Josie often says, “Oh, for the love of Khan.”<br />
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For more scifi goodness, action, and a bit of romance, you can check out ANOMALY, releasing November 25, 2014 by Entangled Teen! Or for daily scifi and general dorkiness, follow me on the interwebs! Thanks so much for having me on your rad blog, LoEW!!!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Reality is only an illusion. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Except for those who can control it... </span></b></div>
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<i>Worst. Birthday. Ever. My first boyfriend dumped me – happy birthday, Josie!- my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl’s tonsils. Oh, and I’m officially the same age as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah. But then weird things start happening... </i></div>
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<i>Like I make something materialize just by thinking about it. </i></div>
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<i>When hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everything. Who I am. My family. What really happened to my brother. Existence. I am Oculi, and I have the ability to change reality with my thoughts. Now Reid, in all his hotness, is charged with guiding and protecting me as I begin learning how to bend reality. And he’s the only thing standing between me and the secret organization that wants me dead...</i><br />
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Tonya Kuper is a young adult author living in Omaha, Nebraska with her two cool boys and husband. ANOMALY, the first in the Schrodinger’s Consortium trilogy, is her debut novel and releases November, 25, 2014 by Entangled Teen. Tonya is a music junkie, Star Wars dork, and Sherlock lover.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.tonyakuper.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/tonyakuper" target="_blank">Twitter</a> / <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Tonya%20Kuper%20https://www.facebook.com/tonyakuperauthor" target="_blank">Facebook</a> / <a href="http://instagram.com/tonyakuper" target="_blank">Instagram</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20559783-anomaly" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b><br />
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Lydia Kanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00484415427764822386noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-89407912733022672842014-10-16T16:28:00.000-04:002014-10-16T16:28:00.402-04:00Committing to the Shiny New IdeaShiny new ideas can come at you with all sorts of speeds. There are the ones that slap you upside the head so fast, you twirl and forget your surroundings ("Groceries? Who cares! MUST WRITE NOW.") There are the slow brewing ones that squat like a frog in the corner of your brain, begging to be turned into something more majestic.<br />
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Either way, at some point, writers must commit to their new idea. Here are some of the steps I go through when deciding to spend the next months (or year? Years, even?) with the next novel.<br />
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<b>What else is already out there?</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://giphy.com/" target="_blank">Source: Giphy</a></td></tr>
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Every story you write is uniquely yours. If you ask two people to write a story about paisley-patterned pixies that live in Greenland, they will still be different. But--I know that personally I don't like to write a novel if that type of story is already glutting the market. I want to write something that truly feels unique to me. How will I know readers will find it different? What can I add to the already plentiful number of beautifully written books out there? So I always take that into consideration.<br /><br />
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<b>What is my main character's journey going to be like?</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://giphy.com/" target="_blank">Source: Giphy</a></td></tr>
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So. The journey. There are lots of classic journeys that main characters go through. Will it be a classic hero's journey? How will the MC change and grow? What are the stakes? Are they important enough? When I ask these questions, I try to feel if this is a story I actually care to create, watch unfold, and be involved in.<br /><br />
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<b>How familiar am I with this genre?</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://giphy.com/" target="_blank">Source: Giphy</a></td></tr>
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I am a genre-hopping writer. CONTROL and CATALYST are firmly in the realm of science fiction, defined by the genetic manipulation and near future realities within it, but I've also written historical, urban fantasy, and have high fantasy and even more historical on my list of things to write. I've lived in YA but also dabble in MG. I always try to read lots of books when I'm entering into new territory, so I can get a feel for how other authors tackle them (also known as the most fun homework, EVER.) I know we hear the common phrase "Write what you know," but part of writing is about using our imaginations to expand into what we're unfamiliar with. However--if it's so unfamiliar that you're deeply uncomfortable in that territory, well. That's telling.<br />
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<b>Can I speak the language?</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Giphy</td></tr>
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This is really a research/brainstorming question. Before I can write a single word, I have to know what my characters are going to sound like, what they wear. I have to know what the buildings look like, if the food is spicy. I have to know about the politics of the time and the historical background--and I'm not just talking about writing historical novels. This is true for epic fantasy, and futuristic thrillers, and contemporary. If you can sit inside your world and really see it--you're ready to live there a while.</div>
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<b>Who else lives here?</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Giphy</td></tr>
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World building is one thing, but who else lives there? These are the people and animals and creatures that can really bring vibrancy to your world. A main character is nothing without the supporting cast. So I have to meet them and be just as entranced with them as the MC and world.</div>
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<b>Am I in love with it?</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://giphy.com/" target="_blank">Source: Giphy</a></td></tr>
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This is the biggest question of all. After all this work, am I still in love with it? Because to tell you the truth, I've never written a novel where my heart didn't flutter at the very concept of it. I can't explain why, but the spark sometimes disappears after fleshing it all out. Those books have never been written. However, if I'm still swooning over the idea, then Spock isn't allowed to destroy it all. I open up my Scrivener program and start writing page one. :)<br />
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Lydia Kanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00484415427764822386noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-61164775615514672832014-10-09T00:00:00.000-04:002014-10-09T00:00:07.367-04:00Twirl that Moustache: Your Favorite Villains<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WfAV51_VEZg/VC7BpZOgiCI/AAAAAAAACz0/HgDD8hVxdPU/s1600/EvilDude.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WfAV51_VEZg/VC7BpZOgiCI/AAAAAAAACz0/HgDD8hVxdPU/s1600/EvilDude.png" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We love our heroes. But villains are worthy of our love, too, for so many reasons. These days, villains seem to have as many (or more?) fans than the heroes of our favorite SF/F stories. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here, our Leaguers share some of their favorite villains, and why!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://bethrevis.com/" target="_blank">Beth Revis:</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My favorite villain is The Operative in the movie Serenity. He is absolutely evil, but he absolutely believes that what he is doing is the right thing. He's not a mustache-twirling bad guy (which, despite the helmet, Darth Vader totally is); he has explicit, specific--and even reasonable--logic for doing the horrible things he does. His reaction to everything that happens in the end of the novel is amazing, something very few villains do, and that makes him even more perfect.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Operative, from<i> Serenity. </i>"Darth Vader is flat Stanley. Because Beth says so and I agree."</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mindymcginnis.com/" target="_blank"><b>Mindy McGinnis:</b></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My favorite SF/F villain is Black Jack Randall from the Outlander series. Every villain has a reason for what they're doing, and Gabaldon actually made me cry for him at one point. HOW!??! I don't know, but she did.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VpDAfaXQoPI/VDWVoz3--NI/AAAAAAAAC0M/c1-ELEde4j8/s1600/Black-jack-randall-outlander.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VpDAfaXQoPI/VDWVoz3--NI/AAAAAAAAC0M/c1-ELEde4j8/s1600/Black-jack-randall-outlander.png" height="160" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Jack Randall. A keen eye and a bloody good hat.<br />
<a href="http://www.outlanderlife.com/2014/01/how-would-you-describe-black-jack.html#.VDWVgildUjU" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.bethanyhagen.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Bethany Hagen:</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both Victor and Eli from V.E. Schwab's Vicious. They are both so clever and original, plus I really dug the idea that they were battling each other, and it wasn't necessarily a hero vs. villain. More like villains versus each other.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Victor, turning his back on you.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.lissaprice.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Lissa Price:</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will go with the Master from the David Tennant version of Dr Who. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/files/2012/05/master.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/files/2012/05/master.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Master, from Dr Who. <a href="http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2012/05/doctor-who-rogues-gallery-the-master/" target="_blank">Source</a><br />
"This? Oh, it's just a fork. Trust me."</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://ecmyers.net/" target="_blank">E.C. Myers:</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am going with General Zod, specifically from the film <i>Superman II</i>. He isn't the worst villain, but he's definitely evil and ambitious and a match for Supes. He's also inadvertently funny and entertaining. "Kneel before Zod" is <i>classic</i>, and there's this great moment in the film where he's being interviewed on TV and he ends it by using his own name as an exclamation: "Zod!"</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">General Zod. "Kneel before my superlative facial hair stylings."</td></tr>
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<a href="http://lydiakang.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Lydia Kang:</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would say Loki from Thor. He's so devilishly evil but with a squishy heart inside. And then there's Khan, from Star Trek into Darkness. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also had a major villain crush on Pitch, from Rise of the Guardians. That scratchy voice was too much. Who doesn't want to strive to just exist?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I could go on...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's Loki looking SO evil. Um. Wait. Let me try another. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wypHMd7Gv7I/UaNXKCEJABI/AAAAAAAABbw/XJ3xYX4uiq4/s1600/star-trek-into-darkness-benedict-cumberbatch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wypHMd7Gv7I/UaNXKCEJABI/AAAAAAAABbw/XJ3xYX4uiq4/s1600/star-trek-into-darkness-benedict-cumberbatch.jpg" height="177" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmm. Evil looks too good. Let's try another.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140905010538/riseoftheguardians/images/d/df/0.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140905010538/riseoftheguardians/images/d/df/0.gif" height="203" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"BOO!"</span><br />
<a href="http://riseoftheguardians.wikia.com/wiki/File:0.gif" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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That's better!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>So do you have a favorite villain? Tell us who and why in the comments below!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>Lydia Kanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00484415427764822386noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-22997219189386775122014-10-03T05:20:00.000-04:002014-10-03T05:20:00.686-04:00Interview with Meagan Spooner, author of LARK ASCENDINGWe are so excited here at the League that our own Meagan Spooner's final book in the Skylark trilogy just released! The book is called Lark Ascending, and it's AMAZING.<br />
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We're here today with Meagan to find out some more about her process and how she came about writing an end to a series with characters we've fallen in love with.<br />
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<b><i>Peggy: </i>You have an incredible ability to write compelling, complex, real characters that readers fall in love with. Tell us a little about your process-- do your characters come to you fully formed, or do they become who they're going to be as you are writing and editing?</b><br />
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<i>Meagan:</i> My main characters are usually greatly informed by the worlds they live in and what the story needs them to be. I had the setting of the Skylark trilogy before anything else, and thought about whose story would be most interesting to tell in this world where magic is a fuel source, and rapidly dwindling. The answer: a girl with the power to generate magic herself. Of course, for those who've read Skylark, the first book, they know that's not really the whole story on Lark and her abilities, but I won't spoil the twists for those who haven't! For side characters it's usually an archetype that first comes to me. Like "the teacher" or "the familiar." That allows me to see how the character will fit into the story, and lets me build him or her (or it, in Nix's case!) out from there into a more realistic person. <br />
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Those touches inevitably come from the characters' histories, most of which never show up in the books themselves. Kris, for example, has a lengthy origin story that will probably never see the light of day. Oren does as well--I wrote quite a bit of what happened to him in his childhood and what happened to his parents, and how he survived on his own. Sometimes you see side characters who only exist on the page, seemingly coming into existence for the first time when they're introduced in the manuscript. But real people have stories that span years or even decades, and for me, figuring out what brought each character to the place they enter my story makes them feel more real for me.<br />
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<b><i>Peggy: </i>You have been applauded by so many advance readers for writing a satisfying ending packed with action, tension, tough choices, romantic conflict, and reveals, with an incredible series arc and character arcs. Was the ending one you knew from the start, or did it surprise you?</b><br />
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<i>Meagan: </i>Let me tell you first what a relief that is to hear! Any series writer will tell you that there's nothing more terrifying than trying to end a series. If you can't please everyone with one book, you certainly can't please everyone with three! For me, the ending of Lark Ascending feels inevitable. I wasn't 100% certain exactly how it would end, but I knew the feeling I wanted to end with. For me, that's often where my plot structures and twists come from. I figure out how I want my reader to feel at any given point in the story arc, and then I figure out what would make them feel that way. So I knew exactly the note I wanted to strike with the ending, and by the time I got there, I knew how to do it. <br />
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The real trick was to keep that feeling of inevitability, like everything was always leading to that climax, that decision that Lark has to make in the end (no spoilers, don't worry!) from the very first words of the very first book—while also keeping it surprising. You don't ever want to feel like you can see what's coming--what you want is for readers to look back after finishing and think "Oh my god, I should have seen it!" That's what I aim for with every book—surprising yet inevitable.<br />
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That said... it surprised me, so I hope it surprises readers too!<br />
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<b>Peggy: I think readers are going to LOVE it! Want to find out more about Megan and her books? Check out the links below.</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lark-Ascending-The-Skylark-Trilogy/dp/0761388672" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RFM3S40idPs/VCsBsQ5EH2I/AAAAAAAAG4Q/kReIoKgfx6Q/s150/button-amazon.jpg" /></a>
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lark-ascending-meagan-spooner/1118741411?ean=9780761388678" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DmW_7lBn9Q/VCsBsWhrn8I/AAAAAAAAG4I/9LgCGsWxdvg/s150/button-barnes-and-noble.jpg" /></a>
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<b><a href="http://meaganspooner.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/MeaganSpooner" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MeaganSpoonerBooks" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/meaganspooner/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> | <a href="http://www.meaganspooner.com/contact/" target="_blank" title="Contact">Email</a></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.meaganspooner.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/DSC_0053-LL-680x1024-199x300.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://www.meaganspooner.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/DSC_0053-LL-680x1024-199x300.jpg" height="300" title="DSC_0053-LL-680x1024" width="199" /></a>Meagan Spooner grew up reading and writing every spare moment of the
day, while dreaming about life as an archaeologist, a marine biologist, an astronaut. She graduated from Hamilton College in New York with a degree in playwriting, and has spent several years since then living in Australia. She’s traveled with her family all over the world to places like Egypt, South Africa, the Arctic, Greece, Antarctica, and the Galapagos, and there’s a bit of every trip in every story she writes.<br />
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She currently lives and writes in Asheville, North Carolina, but the siren call of travel is hard to resist, and there’s no telling how long she’ll stay there.<br />
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In her spare time she plays guitar, plays video games, plays with her cat, and reads.<br />
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Peggy Eddlemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241451940725996650noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-481884389793586922014-10-01T06:00:00.000-04:002014-10-01T07:03:37.325-04:00Lark Ascending Ascends Today!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Meagan Spooner's <i>Skylark</i> was written in my spare bedroom.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Not many books you can say that about, right? This series is incredibly close to my heart--I remember the first words Meg got down, I remember her bedroom walls covered in post-it notes as she carefully revised the novel. I remember carrying printed pages and a red pen on the train to and from work, getting home each night to hand over my notes and demand the next chapter. Neither of us had any experience with publication, and neither of us knew a lot about what we were doing, but she was writing this book, and I was hovering over it like a proud aunt, cheering at every tiny milestone.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I remember crying tears of joy when the series sold, and losing my cool completely when I held a copy in my hands for the first time. The day it came out in Australia, I visited five different bookshops, just to admire it on the shelves. I wanted to grab passers by and show them this amazing thing, right there in front of us!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">These days I have a published series that I co-author with Meg. We talk every single day about our work, dividing up editing and emails, brainstorming chapters, troubleshooting and exchanging entertaining gifs. These days, writing is our normal, and we love it, and we're grateful for it every day.</span></div>
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As <i>Lark Ascending</i> releases today, I'm reflecting on my gratitude--for this book, for the path it made for its author and me, for the fact that it paved the way for me to spend every day working with Meg.</div>
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I'm also reflecting on how much I love this series. <i>Skylark, Shadowlark </i>and <i>Lark Ascending</i> go dark places, and ask questions you don't hear every day--questions about what it is to be human, what it is to lose everything, and what kind of person you'd be if you had to start again. Though I've read these stories over and over, this trilogy still makes my heart pound, the imagery and poetry makes my breath
catch, and as I finished book three, I cried—not because it was overwhelmingly
sad, but because it was the end of a poem, simply perfect. It was the <i>right</i> ending for this story, and though
we’d talked many times about where it might all lead, I didn’t know Meg’s final
answer until I held my finished copy in my hands.</div>
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Set in a world where magic is a resource--indeed, the only thing that will keep you alive--and centred on an ordinary and extraordinary girl who refuses to accept the status quo, this series takes you across a twisted, post-apocalyptic landscape on a journey you'll never forget.</div>
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To celebrate the release of <i>Lark Ascending</i>, you can get <a href="http://meaganspooner.tumblr.com/post/96357766378/if-youre-a-fan-of-these-broken-stars-but-you" target="_blank"><i>Skylark</i> for only $0.99 and <i>Shadowlark</i> for only $4.29</a>, but not for long!</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">So, grab this series with both hands,
read it, love it, let it challenge you and make you think.</span></div>
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Amie Kaufmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116472165351759477noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-11255949858375634812014-09-30T08:00:00.000-04:002014-09-30T08:00:04.994-04:00Four Reasons You Need to ASCENDTomorrow is the day that LARK ASCENDING ascends onto shelves! LARK is the third book in the <a href="http://www.meaganspooner.com/skylark-trilogy/">SKYLARK Trilogy</a>, penned by the wonderful (and wonderfully talented) <a href="http://www.meaganspooner.com/">Meagan Spooner</a> (who also co-wrote the beautiful <i><a href="http://www.meaganspooner.com/the-these-broken-stars-trilogy/">These Broken Stars</a></i> [which made me have Feels.])<br />
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I was lucky enough to get my hands on an early copy, and so I'm here to tell you that there are some VERY IMPORTANT REASONS that you need to find your way into Lark Ainsley's world, if you haven't already.<br />
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1. <b>Magic</b>!<br />
If you haven't read any of the Skylark books yet, I won't ruin it all for you, but there is most definitely magic and Lark is most definitely able to use it, like a BAMF magic-warrior-lady.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.tumblr.com/c5e529b681fddbc8596654d349f690d0/tumblr_inline_myxpw6rfke1rxjjr2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://media.tumblr.com/c5e529b681fddbc8596654d349f690d0/tumblr_inline_myxpw6rfke1rxjjr2.gif" height="171" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magic Hands!</td></tr>
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2. <b>Oren</b><br />
Again, if you haven't delved into the Skylark books, I won't be spoilery, but I will say that Oren is fiercely loyal, fiercely wild, and has one heck of a dangerous secret--one that could destroy him and everyone he comes near.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.quickmeme.com/img/2d/2dc99222617c6391e94a10d27585318c2c1cd5ea6bafd068af2ef783a0e4189b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.quickmeme.com/img/2d/2dc99222617c6391e94a10d27585318c2c1cd5ea6bafd068af2ef783a0e4189b.jpg" height="361" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oren: Safe? No. Hot? Yes.</td></tr>
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3. <b>Nix</b><br />
Nix is a magically-powered steampunk-pixie-pet who used to be bad and is now mostly good, but has an extremely smart mouth. In addition to protecting Lark, it also makes sure that everyone around it knows how dumb it thinks they are. Nix may be my spirit animal.<br />
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4. <b>Answers with a Capital A</b><br />
A mysterious girl named Eve. The evil Institute and its overlord Gloriette. The architects who started it all. Lark returns to the city of her birth and finally unearths the Truth.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry. Couldn't resist.</td></tr>
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<br />So there you have it! LARK ASCENDING is beautifully written, haunting, magical steampunk-y goodness, and it is going to be here <b>TOMORROW</b>!<div>
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And it's available at all of these fine places:<div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ascending-Skylark-Trilogy-Meagan-Spooner/dp/0761388672/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412037101&sr=1-1&keywords=lark+ascending">Amazon</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lark-ascending-meagan-spooner/1118741411?ean=9780761388678">Barnes and Noble</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Lark-Ascending-Meagan-Spooner/9780761388678">Book Depo</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780761388678">Indiebound</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Lark-Ascending/Meagan-Spooner/9780761388678?id=6120402466987">Booksamillion</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-1310777121605803322014-09-29T05:55:00.000-04:002014-09-29T05:55:00.059-04:00The Perils of Near-Future Science Fiction—and How to Write it Anyway, by Shallee McArthur<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Science fiction. It makes people think “voyages of the Starship Enterprise” and “in a galaxy far, far away.” Those things—far flung futures, space adventures, new planets, etc. etc.—are some of my favorite things about science fiction. <br />
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But that’s not the kind of science fiction I wrote. (At least, not for this book.) <br />
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The <i>Unhappening of Genesis Lee</i> is about a girl who’s genetically altered so that her brain can no longer store memories. Instead, she uses the rest of her nervous system to store memories in external objects through touch. It takes place in Arizona in the year 2084. That’s not exactly next week, though it’s also not far, far away. All things considered, 70 years in the future is relatively soon. And sometimes in the world of science fiction, “soon” can be a little dangerous. <br />
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The world has reached a point where the theories of yesterday are tomorrow’s news stories of success. We have so much technology, it enhances our ability to create more technology, faster. For a writer of near-future sci fi, there’s always the worry that the progression of science is going to outstrip your imagination. In a previous story, I wrote about a kind of body armor that I thought was so cool and high-tech…only to find out it was actually a real thing already. <br />
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There’s nothing worse than having your futuristic story look behind-the-times. <br />
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So what’s a writer to do? I’ve learned a few tricks that help me write better near-future science fiction—and these can extend to all genres. <br />
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Research – To me, this is a given. It’s science fiction, after all. This doesn’t mean I’ve got to become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics overnight, but it does mean I better look beyond Wikipedia and that one cool news article on Hypable. Look into the history of the science—how it got where it is now. Look into where the experts want it to go—what’s their vision of the future? Over the course of writing <i>Unhappening</i>, I read approximately eleventy billion science journal articles about how memory works and what current research is doing with memory. And a good thing, too, because I had to modify some things along the way!<br />
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Imagine it more than once – I’m sure we’ve all had that moment—you read something online and immediately think, “That’d make a killer story!” DON’T just sit down and write a story based on that cool new thing you learned. That’s the easiest way for your story to be old news before it’s even written. Instead, speculate. (It is speculative fiction, after all—though this concept applies to pretty much any genre.) Ask what could go wrong. Ask what could go right, and then go wrong. Ask what society will look like if this thing happens, how economies and communication and human interaction will change. Ask what other advances this could lead to. Basically, imagine the idea more than once. Come up with three or four or ten possibilities that could come from this single new thing, and write the one that wasn’t your first thought.<br />
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Focus the story on universal human truths – This is the single best way to make sure your book won’t become irrelevant. People don’t care as much if science passes up your science fiction—if you “got it wrong”—as long as the story is focused on the universal human truths behind the science. In <i>Unhappening</i>, the heart of the story is really about forgetting. Because forgetting makes me afraid. It makes all of us afraid. It’s also about remembering, and the power in memories to shape us as human beings. It’s a story that asks what makes us who we are, and that’s something that will exist even if <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/08/changing-memories-to-treat-ptsd/379223/">memory modification treatment for PTSD</a> doesn’t happen the way my book claimed it would.<br />
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George Orwell wrote 1984 in the year 1949. The story speculated a mere 35 years into the future. But just because the book was “wrong,” because it’s now 30 years past its title-imposed expiration date, is it any less relevant? I think the entire world around us would say no. <br />
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I’ve read before that near-future sci fi is a gamble, even that it’s no longer possible to write it and stay relevant in this day and age. I disagree one hundred percent. Science fiction is and always has been about possibilities, not probabilities. It’s why people love it—it’s why I love it. <br />
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So go dream up what might be possible. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jBxCjLSkdQ8/VCguUx4-aEI/AAAAAAAAG1M/7gbNOWBJw7I/s1600/ESShallee20Edit_head_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jBxCjLSkdQ8/VCguUx4-aEI/AAAAAAAAG1M/7gbNOWBJw7I/s250/ESShallee20Edit_head_small.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.shalleemcarthur.com/">Shallee McArthur</a> originally wanted to be a scientist, until she realized she liked her science best in fictional form. Her debut YA sci fi, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20578610-the-unhappening-of-genesis-lee">THE UNHAPPENING OF GENESIS LEE</a> comes out November 4th. Her other adventures have included wrangling a group of volunteers in Ghana, changing her hairstyle way too often, and raising two small nerdlings with her husband.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.shalleemcarthur.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="http://instagram.com/shalleemcarthur">Instagram</a> |
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Peggy Eddlemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241451940725996650noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-52668628481530247372014-09-26T06:00:00.000-04:002014-09-26T09:53:46.844-04:00Review of IN A HANDFUL OF DUST by Mindy McGinnisOkay, so it's time for another book review! This time I got to read an early copy of IN A HANDFUL OF DUST by fellow Leaguer, Mindy McGinnis. This is a companion novel to Mindy's first book, NOT A DROP TO DRINK. And I'm a real fan of companion novels, having written two myself.<br />
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With DUST, we get to follow Lucy, who was a child in the first book. Her caretaker and stand-in mother is Lynn, who was the teen narrator in DRINK. If you liked the format of THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH and it's companion THE DEAD TOSSED WAVES, you'll enjoy the companion style of DUST to DRINK.<br />
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About NOT A DROP TO DRINK: <span style="color: #38761d;">Sixteen-year-old Lynn will do anything to protect her valuable water source, but the arrival of new neighbors forces her to reconsider her attitudes. With evocative, spare language, and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author McGinnis depicts one girl's unwavering efforts to survive in a harsh frontier-like future.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06;">"A high-quality survivalist story for readers who enjoy internal story arcs as well as external dangers." (Kirkus Reviews)</span><br />
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About IN A HANDFUL OF DUST: <span style="color: #990000;"><i>In a Handful of Dust</i> is set ten years after the first novel, <i>Not a Drop to Drink</i>, as a dangerous disease strikes the community where teenage Lucy lives. When her adoptive mother, Lynn, takes Lucy away from their home and friends in order to protect her, Lucy struggles to figure out what home means. During their journey west to find a new life, the two face nature's challenges, including hunger, mountains, and deserts.</span><br />
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<b><u>Why You Should Read It:</u></b><br />
1. If you're a fan of dystopian novels, this series has a fresh twist, taking us back to the frontier times. I just read a historical novel set in the harsh climate of Montana, and DUST and DRINK has this distinct feel of the harshness of a "wild land" where anything goes and there's no law.<br />
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So it's unique. There's no oppressive government. There's not a "utopian" feel that a lot of other dystopian novels/series have. So if you haven't picked these novels up yet, you should! You'll get something fresh and different.<br />
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2. IN A HANDFUL OF DUST is a continuation of the story started in DRINK, but it has a story arc of it's own. So don't feel like you need to start with the first book. Mindy does a great job of letting readers know what's happened without dragging down the current plot.<br />
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3. The premise of the series is that there's hardly any water. Being a lover of the ocean, I really identified with Lucy, who wants to go to California, where she's heard there are desalination plants. Lynn--the older, more seasoned woman--decides to accompany her, but really this is Lucy's fight in the wilderness. And there were some pretty terrible situations--betrayals from a friend, gun fights, people wanting Lucy for her ability, treacherous mountains to climb (literally!), and reaching a city that doesn't have any more water than they had back home--that Lucy had to overcome in her quest to get to California.<br />
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I think most of us have had our own "mountains to climb" from time to time in our lives, and this adventure story of a cross-country trip in pursuit of a dream (even if that dream is simply having clean water to drink!) is appealing.<br />
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So be sure to buy these books today! Here's where you can find IN A HANDFUL OF DUST:<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/In-Handful-Dust-Mindy-McGinnis/dp/006219853X">Amazon</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-a-handful-of-dust-mindy-mcginnis/1117907038?ean=9780062198532">Barnes and Noble</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780062198532">Indiebound</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Handful-Dust-Mindy-Mcginnis/9780062198532">Book Depository</a></div>
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Elana Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-71866582753537394012014-09-23T05:30:00.000-04:002014-09-28T11:43:44.391-04:00We have a dual Book Birthday at the League!We are excited to have TWO fantastic books written by Leaguers releasing today! IN A HANDFUL OF DUST by Mindy McGinnis and THE FORBIDDEN FLATS by Peggy Eddleman.<br />
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Check them out:<br />
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<span id="freeText4536917558064519180">The only thing bigger than the world is fear.<br /><br />Lucy’s life by the pond has always been full. She has water and friends, laughter and the love of her adoptive mother, Lynn, who has made sure that Lucy’s childhood was very different from her own. Yet it seems Lucy’s future is settled already—a house, a man, children, and a water source—and anything beyond their life by the pond is beyond reach.<br /><br />When disease burns through their community, the once life-saving water of the pond might be the source of what’s killing them now. Rumors of desalinization plants in California have lingered in Lynn’s mind, and the prospect of a “normal” life for Lucy sets the two of them on an epic journey west to face new dangers: hunger, mountains, deserts, betrayal, and the perils of a world so vast that Lucy fears she could be lost forever, only to disappear in a handful of dust.<br /><br />In this companion to <i>Not a Drop to Drink</i>, Mindy McGinnis thrillingly combines the heart-swelling hope of a journey, the challenges of establishing your own place in the world, and the gripping physical danger of nature in a futuristic frontier.</span></blockquote>
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<span id="freeText13207104324078276846">Twelve-year-old Hope has always felt a little different from everyone else who lives in White Rock. She tries hard, but she doesn’t always think before she acts. She takes big risks. Sometimes her risks pay off, but sometimes they fail. Sometimes she fails.<br /><br />Hope knows that the most dangerous thing about living in White Rock is that it’s so close to the deadly Bomb’s Breath—the invisible, fifteen-foot-thick band of compressed air that’s hovered over the earth since the Green Bombs of World War III. The citizens of White Rock live in fear of the Bomb’s Breath. Only Hope has figured out a way to go through it—and lived to tell the tale.<br /><br />But when a massive tremor rips across the earth, the Bomb’s Breath begins to lower over White Rock. It’s up to Hope and her friends Brock and Aaren to make the dangerous journey far from home across the bandit-ridden Forbidden Flats to the wilds of the Rocky Mountains and obtain the one thing that may be able to stop it—before the Bomb’s Breath sinks too far and destroys them all. This time, Hope can’t fail.</span></blockquote>
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<br />League of Extraordinary Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13203913072399503053noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-44046160478418760682014-09-22T09:00:00.000-04:002014-09-22T11:21:01.322-04:00I Will Show You the Awesome IN A HANDFUL OF DUST<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tomorrow, September 23rd, is a special day, and not just because it’s the day that Frodo leaves Bag End in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Fellowship of the Ring.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Tomorrow, you will be able to get your hot little hands on Mindy McGinnis’s IN A HANDFUL OF DUST. You will be able to crack open the spine. You will be able to smell the freshly printed pages. And even better, you will get to find out what happens to Lynn, our favorite rifle-toting badass from NOT A DROP TO DRINK.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. It’s a journey story! Sort of like </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Fellowship of the Ring</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but with more shooting. Or </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Gunslinger</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but with young women instead of dudes and also more shooting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. Tons of gorgeous poetry allusions:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then, by the end:</span></div>
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So, in conclusion: IN A HANDFUL OF DUST = AMAZEPANTS.</div>
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If you're extra curious, here's the blurb:</div>
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Fans of classic frontier survival stories as well as readers of dystopian literature will enjoy this futuristic story about an epic cross-country journey. <em>In a</em> <em>Handful of Dust</em> is set ten years after the first novel, <em>Not a Drop to Drink</em>, as a dangerous disease strikes the community where teenage Lucy lives. When her adoptive mother, Lynn, takes Lucy away from their home and friends in order to protect her, Lucy struggles to figure out what home means. During their journey west to find a new life, the two face nature's challenges, including hunger, mountains, and deserts.</div>
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<em>New York Times</em> bestselling author Michael Grant says <em>Not a Drop to Drink</em> is a debut "not to be missed," and this companion title is full of Mindy McGinnis's evocative, spare language matched with incredible drama and danger. <em>In a Handful of Dust</em> is perfect for fans of <em>Partials</em>, <em>Enclave</em>, and <em>Legend</em>.</div>
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And here's where you can find it:</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/In-Handful-Dust-Mindy-McGinnis/dp/006219853X">Amazon</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-a-handful-of-dust-mindy-mcginnis/1117907038?ean=9780062198532">Barnes and Noble</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780062198532">Indiebound</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Handful-Dust-Mindy-Mcginnis/9780062198532">Book Depository</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-57234195480245025512014-09-18T06:00:00.000-04:002014-09-22T11:18:36.349-04:00Why THE FORBIDDEN FLATS is AwesomeOkay, so fellow Leaguer Peggy Eddleman has her second book coming out on Tuesday! It's a time of celebration! THE FORBIDDEN FLATS is a sequel to SKY JUMPERS, and they're both some of the greatest middle grade adventure I've ever read. I was lucky enough to get an early copy of THE FORBIDDEN FLATS, and I can't wait for everyone to read this book so I can talk about it!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>About SKY JUMPERS:</b> Twelve-year-old Hope lives in White Rock, a town of inventors struggling to recover from the green bombs of World War III. But Hope is terrible at inventing and would much rather sneak off to cliff dive into the Bomb’s Breath—the deadly band of compressed air that covers the crater left by the bombs—than fail at yet another invention. </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">When bandits discover that White Rock has priceless antibiotics, they invade. For once, inventing isn’t the answer, but the daring and recklessness that usually get Hope into trouble might just save them all.</span></i><br />
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">“Eddleman brings a strong sense of atmosphere to this post-apocalyptic coming-of-age piece, and the underlying message—that it’s possible to contribute in unexpected ways—is a positive one.” —Publishers Weekly</span></b><br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><b>About THE FORBIDDEN FLATS: </b>Twelve-year-old Hope has always felt a little different from everyone else who lives in White Rock. She tries hard, but she doesn’t always think before she acts. She takes big risks. Sometimes her risks pay off, but sometimes they fail. Sometimes she fails.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">When a massive tremor rips across the earth, the Bomb’s Breath begins to lower over White Rock. It’s up to Hope and her friends Brock and Aaren to make the dangerous journey far from home, across the bandit-ridden Forbidden Flats to the wilds of the Rocky Mountains, and obtain the one thing that may be able to stop it—before the Bomb’s Breath sinks too far and destroys them all.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">This time, Hope can’t fail.</span></i><br />
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<b><u>Why You Should Read It:</u></b><br />
1. If you haven't started this series yet, you must! Sky Jumpers is full of heart, with a main character in Hope that I believe everyone can identify with. <br />
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2. The Forbidden Flats is a novel that can stand on it's own. Even if you haven't read Sky Jumpers yet, you can read, understand, and fall in love with The Forbidden Flats.<br />
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3. While the adventure and action is brilliantly done and kept me turning pages, the real reason I love this book is because of Hope. She is a well-rounded main character with faults, true emotions, and fears. I loved learning more about her as she struggled with her feelings about her family, her birth mom, and learning the science behind the rocks she was seeking. <br />
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This is more than a book about saving her town. It's more than a book about crossing a dangerous swath of land. It's a book about Hope -- a story about how to reach deep inside yourself when you think all is lost. A novel that makes readers want to be able to do what Hope did, to twist their own weaknesses into strengths. <br />
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In three words: It is awesome.<br />
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Then two: Buy it. Read it. Love it.<br />
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Get your copy today at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sky-Jumpers-Book-Forbidden-Flats/dp/0307981312/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390347214&sr=1-2&keywords=the+forbidden+flats" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sky-jumpers-book-2-peggy-eddleman/1117906459?ean=9780307981318" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a>, <a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Sky-Jumpers-Book/Peggy-Eddleman/9780307981318?id=5903471485102" target="_blank">BAM</a>, or <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780307981318" target="_blank">Indiebound</a>.<br />
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<b><u>Want to connect with Peggy online?</u></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://peggyeddleman.com/pe/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="http://peggyeddleman.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a> </b><br />
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<br />Elana Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-69705026895157020562014-09-16T05:37:00.000-04:002014-09-16T05:37:00.692-04:00Interview with THE FORBIDDEN FLATS author Peggy EddlemanWe are all excited for the release of the sequel to Sky Jumpers: SKY JUMPERS BOOK 2: THE FORBIDDEN FLATS which releases next Tuesday, September 23. If you missed my interview with Peggy for the release of book one, you can read it <a href="http://leaguewriters.blogspot.com/2013/09/interview-with-peggy-eddleman.html">here</a>. <br />
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<b>Lissa: This cover has a timeless quality about it, almost classic. Tell us what it was like when you first saw the cover layout.</b><br />
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Peggy: I was so excited that Owen Richardson, the cover artist for Sky Jumpers, was available to create my second cover as well. He did such an incredible job with my first cover, and every single bit of his art is brilliant. I knew that whatever he came up with was going to be amazing. I had been keeping my fingers crossed that it would be a mostly orange cover, and was thrilled when I opened the email and saw that it was. I love the crack in the ground, and I love that we get to see one of the boys--- Brock-- a little more this time.<br />
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<b>Lissa: How much time has passed since book one ended and this one begins?</b><br />
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Peggy: Four months.<br />
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<b>Lissa: Since Sky Jumpers was your debut novel, (although not your first manuscript), how was your experience writing the sequel? Easier or harder? </b><br />
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Peggy: So. Much. Harder. I had heard that it was going to be more difficult, so I mentally prepared myself. I think I must've mostly figured that it would be tougher because of reviews, and <i>knowing</i> that people were going to be reading it, and neither of those things affected me much. But it is soooo much more than that. Sequels are a difficult beast all on their own, with nothing else entering into the mix. But it's not the only thing in the mix. After you've spent so many, many months making your first book all pretty and shiny and perfect, it's hard to remember that a first draft is every so.... ugly. It can make you feel like you've forgotten how to write! And when you add in the fact that your inner editor has become so much stronger in the process, and that you now have your editor's voice in your head, getting all the words on the page is like trudging uphill. Pushing a giant rock. Through tar. In a blizzard. <br />
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<b>Lissa: For the journey across the Forbidden Flats, did you model the landscape on a particular area? Perhaps in Utah?</b><br />
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Peggy: Not Utah. It's actually the landscape between Cook, Nebraska, and somewhere around Fort Collins, Colorado. Even though technology was taken back quite a few years, the book actually takes place more than 50 years in the future. So I imagined how cities through that area would've been been built up before they were destroyed by the green bombs, and how the other parts of the landscape-- such as rivers-- would've changed. It was a lot of fun taking some artistic license and creating the cities they ran into along the way. My favorite was creating a city whose walls are made entirely of glass. The setting for the entire book was a blast to play in.<br />
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<b>Lissa: You’ve worked as a tutor for fourth graders struggling with reading. Did any of your experience with them influence your writing style with this series?</b><br />
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Peggy: It did. For some kids, reading is SO HARD. And in order to get them to want to work hard at it, it really helps if they're reading something that they can relate to, and that they get excited about reading. I think those years really helped me to get a better grasp on the kinds of stories and the kinds of characters that make kids <i>want </i>to work hard to read.<br />
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<b>Lissa: Any chance of another book in this series or too early to know? What’s next for author Peggy Eddleman?</b><br />
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For right now, this is the final book. The main conflict is addressed, and comes to a satisfying conclusion, and I am very happy with it. There are a lot of threads-- some very exciting ones-- that I left open, so that kids can dream about what goes on beyond the story. And who knows? One day I might decide to come back to it. But right now, I'm very excited to have the conclusion available! I've turned my focus to writing a new story-- another action / adventure, of course.<br />
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If you missed the first Sky Jumpers book, it is out in paperback the same day that The Forbidden Flats releases-- <b>one week from today</b>!<br />
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<b> <a href="http://peggyeddleman.com/pe/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="http://peggyeddleman.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/PeggyEddleman" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/peggy.eddleman" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/peggyeddleman" target="_blank">Tumblr</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5375319.Peggy_Eddleman" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://blogspot.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4ef556a856558598d8af2cbcf&id=c7e1bf345b" target="_blank">Newsletter</a></b><br />
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League of Extraordinary Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13203913072399503053noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-1456522521137108382014-09-12T05:35:00.000-04:002014-09-12T05:35:00.528-04:00Write What You Know(?): How Reality Inspires Science Fiction by Jenny Martin<span style="color: #0b5394;">The fabulous Jenny Martin is here today! (Her debut, TRACKED, which I've heard amazing things about, will be released next May by <i>Penguin Random House</i>.) Her book has some fun, unique, fascinating elements that make her the perfect person to talk about how reality can inspire science fiction. Take it away, Jenny!</span><br />
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True confession: I’ve never raced a stock car. I’ve never tested a jetpack or blasted through folded space. I’ve never even taken a course on high speed intergalactic sports and interstellar geo-political conflict. <br />
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And yet…I’ve written about all these things. My upcoming debut, Tracked, is about Phee Van Zant, a spitfire street racer from another far future world, who faces down an empire. You might say I completely ignored the old adage…write what you know. <br />
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Or did I? <br />
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See, TRACKED isn’t just a wild, shot-in-the-dark yarn. Truthfully, I borrowed a whole lot of its heart and soul from my little world. And I’d bet that many science fiction and fantasy authors do the same, spinning speculative threads from their own reality. <br />
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Often, it happens naturally. You experience something, a memory drifts in, and bam—that something filters into your work. Other times, you seek out connections. You research a topic until a burst of inspiration becomes a major plot point. For me, it took a little bit of both—background and sleuthing—to get those jetpacks off the ground. <br />
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In building TRACKED’s world, I first relied on memories. Dressing up as a settler for a ‘land run’ in second grade. Watching oil derricks and roustabout workers. Sitting in Oklahoma history class. Taking field trips to Woodward’s Plains Indian and Pioneers museum. It all came back to me when I was writing Phee’s story. Suddenly, I understood the history of her planet. I realized exactly why racing became so important to Castra, and how it evolved over time. Those Earthborn ancestors who raced to claim land in a new galaxy? They weren’t so different from my ancestors, the daring, but not-always-noble Boomers and Sooners who settled my home state and later, discovered oil there. <br />
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But memories weren’t enough. I had a more than a world to build. I had to flesh out the specifics of Phee’s sport. What would it be like to street race in a futuristic vehicle? Would virtual reality come into play? What would that look like? Feel like? How would interstellar circuit rallies work? <br />
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To answer those questions, I visited nearby Texas Motor Speedway. I interviewed an amateur stock car driver and peeked under the hood of his car. I devoured sources like:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gdOQZ8D5NhM/VBJbMTpwNkI/AAAAAAAAGy8/g3SYSlalYyo/s1600/Photo%2BApr%2B04%2C%2B10%2B39%2B58%2BAM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gdOQZ8D5NhM/VBJbMTpwNkI/AAAAAAAAGy8/g3SYSlalYyo/s1600/Photo%2BApr%2B04%2C%2B10%2B39%2B58%2BAM.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>
<li><b>NASCAR, Rally and Formula One books, especially memoirs by racing superstars and veteran crew. </b>(Despite the dubious title, Real Men Work in the Pits: A Life in NASCAR Racing by Jeff Hammond, is an awesome resource, BTW.) </li>
<li><b>Books and articles on futurist gaming and military technology and virtual reality.</b> War Play: Video Games and the Future of Armed Conflict by Corey Mead is a great find, since it covers all three at once! </li>
<li><b> Red Bulletin Magazine.</b> Yep, you read that right. The energy drink empire publishes a magazine. And it’s awesome; an all-around incredible resource on extreme sports, technology, subculture, and futurism. In each issue, you’ll find features on high speed aeronautics, rally racing and other daredevil pursuits. The journalism and helpful info-graphics are truly stellar; I always come away with new info and ideas. Actually…forget I said that. Ignore Red Bulletin. Leave all that inspiration for me. ;) </li>
</ul>
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But seriously, I’d love to hear about your inspirations. Do you write sci fi or fantasy? How do you draw on real life experiences as you create new worlds?<br />
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Jenny Martin is a writer, librarian, and beatle-maniac. She lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth
area with her husband and son, where she hoards books and blisses out to all kinds of live and recorded rock. <i>Tracked</i>, her debut, releases 5/05/15 from Dial, an imprint of Penguin Random House. <br />
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<b><a href="http://readjennymartin.com/" target="_blank">Web site</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15821923-tracked" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/readjennymartin" target="_blank">Twitter</a></b> </div>
<br />Peggy Eddlemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241451940725996650noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5468546013884694910.post-72292289261860553202014-09-10T05:12:00.000-04:002014-09-10T05:12:00.247-04:00Where to go for inspiration? Fall TV shows, of course!There are a million places to go for inspiration, and one of the most fun is other media, like television shows! We asked Leaguers what Fall TV shows they are most looking to watching and why. Take a look-- you just might find a great new show, or a incredible source of your own inspiration.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.meaganspooner.com/" target="_blank">Meagan Spooner</a>:</b><br />
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I'm looking forward to Galavant, the musical comedy fairy tale show coming out this fall from ABC. It looks like a crazy mix of Spamalot and Once Upon a Time, and I am super okay with that! The writing team behind it is fabulous, plus the composing talents of Alan Menken, who composed some of my all time favorite Disney musicals (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, etc.). The trailer's hilarious, and while I can't really tell if it's going to be absolutely amazing or absolutely awful, I'm not even really sure I care. I'm a fan of anything fairy tales, and fairy tales while singing and dancing? I'm in.<br />
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Trailer: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPNVhGbw_Sg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPNVhGbw_Sg</a><br />
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<a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/galavant" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dGdknHnqgN8/VAYl5TqeosI/AAAAAAAAGuA/WEe98RlO0uw/s600/galavant.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.lissaprice.com/" target="_blank">Lissa Price</a>:</b><br />
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I'm interested in a new Fox show: Gotham, which is Commissioner Gordon before Batman. So it could include Bruce Wayne as a boy and maybe some favs like Catwoman. And of course I am waiting for the return of Walking Dead.<br />
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<a href="http://www.fox.com/gotham/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0qILRtNYCko/VAYm4qYu7sI/AAAAAAAAGuI/ewJ2oFClKdo/s600/gotham-premiere.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.mindymcginnis.com/" target="_blank">Mindy McGinnis</a>: </b><br />
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I'm awaiting the return of The Walking Dead, because I like to make noises like an angry cat jumping out from behind a dark corner during tense scenes. I'm fun to watch TV with.<br />
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I'm also completely invested in Cinemax's new series The Knick. Victorian-era surgery and gaping flesh wounds? I'm in.</div>
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<a href="http://www.amctv.com/shows/the-walking-dead" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1TnYPxE1riw/VAYnsAQOnhI/AAAAAAAAGuQ/Zyhp6QoNky0/s600/walking%2Bdead.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cinemax.com/the-knick/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gx9KsWdQbv8/VAYoN6q6wzI/AAAAAAAAGuY/mFca1EqPs7g/s600/the%2Bknick.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.bethrevis.com/" target="_blank">Beth Revis</a>: </b><br />
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The new season of Doctor Who has just started, and I've loved seeing the new direction with Peter Capaldi as the Doctor. I'm a bit nervous to see where it's going, honestly, but it's one of my weekly highlights of anticipation.<br />
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I've also been watching the reboot of Sailor Moon online and LOVE it. And, finally, I'm totally digging this season of Project Runway and Face Off. Something about reality shows that show the creation of something unique really resonates with me. </div>
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<a href="http://www.bbcamerica.com/doctor-who/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qGdsBeHwyA0/VAYo-RzjfiI/AAAAAAAAGuk/zrKQa_OgdmM/s600/doctor%2Bwho.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://lydiakang.com/" target="_blank">Lydia Kang</a>:</b><br />
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I'm also going to be watching The Knick too--so curious about turn of the century medicine! The gore doesn't bother me at all. Half the time, I'm wondering "what is that THINGY they're using in surgery?"<br />
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Also, I'm a little obsessed over American Ninja Warrior, but not for writing purposes. It's fun to theorize over which types of bodies do best for different human tasks--like conquering the Warped
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<a href="http://www.nbc.com/american-ninja-warrior" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PgrAwTsLGms/VAYpvUBhl5I/AAAAAAAAGus/BdxVmWVhGeI/s600/anw.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://amiekaufman.com/" target="_blank">Amie Kaufman</a>: </b><br />
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Dude, I saw my first episode of American Ninja Warrior recently and I am oddly hooked as well. Though I spend a lot of time yelling 'No, you'll hurt yourself!'<br />
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I'm psyched for the new season of Haven -- I love everything about these series. It's a show about a small American town beset by 'troubles' -- curses and gifts that manifest in individuals, causing all kinds of havoc. It has fantastic storylines each week, super intense season-long arcs, and long, slow, smart character development to die for.<br />
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<a href="http://www.syfy.com/haven" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tE1bjfVSisY/VAZF7mx4qrI/AAAAAAAAGvg/6HpGvgb_8Ik/s600/Haven.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.bethanyhagen.com/" target="_blank">Bethany Hagen</a>:</b><br />
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I'm excited for the new <i>Constantine</i> show on NBC. I don't know if
any mainstream production will be able to channel the sexy, violent
atmosphere of the comics, but with a Shakespearean-trained actor at the
lead and my old friend Harold Perrineau from <i>Lost</i>, I'm willing to give it a try.<br />
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<a href="http://www.nbc.com/constantine" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6935dElXzBs/VAaGVKFBQAI/AAAAAAAAGwM/V3VcbijuZSI/s600/constantine.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://ecmyers.net/" target="_blank">Eugene Myers</a>:</b><br />
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I'm already way behind on most of the shows I watch, so I don't take on new ones easily — plus, I don't like to get too attached in case they' get cancelled. But I'm excited to check out<i> The Flash</i>, even though I haven't yet seen any <i>Arrow</i>. The trailer was stunning and it just looks like fun, and I'm a fan of the 90's live action show. I'll probably also try <i>Gotham </i>and <i>Constantine</i>.<br /><br />
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<b><a href="http://peggyeddleman.com/pe/" target="_blank">Peggy Eddleman: </a></b><br />
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As for me? I can't wait for Marvel's Agents of Shield. It kind of got off to a slow start last year, but then it picked up steam and by the end, my family and I were in love and completely addicted. I love all the action & adventure, and can't wait for more!<br />
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What shows are you excited for this fall?<br />
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Peggy Eddlemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241451940725996650noreply@blogger.com5