Impostor playlist!


Today I'm going to show you the playlist I listened to while writing and revising Impostor! I often choose songs to get me in a certain mood. The Rose by Leann Rimes, for example, which is at the end of the list. I listened to that song on repeat for days while I was working on a certain scene at the very end of Impostor. Most of the songs are on the playlist because a part of their lyrics perfectly reflected what was going on in Tessa or happening in the book. Sadly I'm not sure about copyrights so I chose not to post the parts of the lyrics I'm talking about. But maybe if you read Impostor and then listen to the songs, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about!
Long story short, here is my Impostor playlist:

1. The Right Kind of Wrong by Leann Rimes

2. Nobody Knows by Pink

3. Born this Way by Lady Gaga

4. Hate that I love you by Rihanna

5. Fallin by Alicia Keys

6. I think it’s going to rain by Katie Melua

7. Tiger in the Night by Katie Melua

8. In my secret life by Katie Melua

9. Perfect Circle by Katie Melua

(A part of the lyrics talk about a mask being placed on a face. What could be more fitting?)

10. All in my head by Katie Melua

11. Hedonism by Skunk Anansie

12. Sorry seems to be the hardest by Mary J. Blige

13. Titanium by David Guetta feat Sia

14. What you don’t know by Monrose

15. Even heaven cries by Monrose

16. Bridge of Light by Pink

17. Family Portrait by Pink
(Tessa wants nothing more than a happy family, so the song is perfect.)

18. Just hold me by Maria Mena

19. The Rose by Leann Rimes

20. All good things come to an end by Nelly Furtado

I listened to all of the songs above so often, it was ridiculous and now whenever I hear one of them in the radio I immediately think of Tessa and Impostor. :)

Do you use playlists for your books?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Susanne Winnacker, Author of IMPOSTER

Today, it’s my pleasure to interview Leaguer Susanne Winnacker about her new book IMPOSTER. Don’t miss her newest addition to the family at the end.



Susanne, I'm sure the League readers would love to know where you got the idea for Impostor?

My main character Tessa came first. I just knew I wanted to write about a girl who could absorb the DNA of other people and turn into them. And once that was settled, I very quickly decided that she’d go on an undercover mission. I watched the Miss Congeniality movies more times than I care to count – and what’s not to love about undercover missions?

So is Impostor a trilogy or a standalone?

Heh, that’s an interesting question. Right now, the plan is that Impostor has one sequel. J

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

Making sure the mystery worked. I needed to plant enough clues to suspects without giving away the real killer too soon. NOT easy.

Okay, gotta ask, what's your favorite scene?

My favorite scene is in the later chapters and involves the killer but of course it’s VERY spoilery, so…But I also love the scene that inspired the cover. It’s in the middle of the book, and shows Tessa’s inner turmoil. She’s feeling like she’s losing herself. I call it the mirror-scene (people who’ve read the book will know what I’m talking about).

Impostor was sold to Warners for TV! What's the status of that? Dream casting?

I was so excited when I found out about Warner Brothers optioning Impostor’s TV rights. Sadly, there is no news I can share right now. And I don’t have a real dream cast. I don’t want Alec (fellow FEA agent. Tessa has a crush on him) to be just a pretty face. He’s gone through a lot in his life and I think his face should reflect a certain kind of depth. Not very helpful, I guess?

Maybe the readers who have had a sneak peek will have some casting ideas in the comments. So what are you working on now?

I’m working on a middle grade, another unrelated YA horror, and I’m waiting on edits for the sequel to Impostor!

You’re branching out. Is there anything else you'd like to tell the League readers?

I’m at BEA today, so say hi if you see me walking around. I’ll be the woman with the terrified and lost expression on her face. And I’ll be handing out Impostor swag.


Susanne Winnacker studied law before she became a full-time writer. She lives with her husband, a dog and three bunnies in Germany. She loves coffee (in every shape and form), traveling and animals.

When she isn't writing, you can usually find her in the kitchen, experimenting with new vegan dishes.

Be sure to enter the raffle! If you love bunnies, or want to say anything to Susanne, leave a comment.
View Susanne on Facebook here and see Leaguer Lenore's interview with Susanne here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Cover of Impostor

So excited for the release of IMPOSTOR by Susanne Winnacker this week! I was hooked on the story idea and when I saw the cover, I thought it was beyond perfect. Susanne graciously let me attack her with questions on the insider details on all things cover-related!

Your cover is extraordinary. It's so fitting for your book! I understand it wasn't the first cover considered. What was the first one like?

The first one was darker (black background – not white) and not splintered. It showed two different girls (Tessa and Madison) opposite from each other, and DNA was mixed into their hair. It was very sci-fi. It was beautiful in its own way, but I don’t think it was quite as striking as my final cover.

How much input did you have on the cover process?

I didn’t really give any input, since I didn’t have a vision for the cover, but luckily the team at Penguin did a wonderful job. It reflects the inside of the book and Tessa’s power as well as her turmoil perfectly. I was blown away when I first saw it.

Who is your cover designer, and would we recognize his/her other work?

The designer is Theresa Evangelista. She designed the covers of Ally Condie’s Matched Series, Gordon Dahlquist’s The Different Girl, Ruta Sepetys’s Between Shades of Gray and many more! (http://www.tevangelista.com/covers.html)

There are so many fantastic YA sci-fi covers out there. Tells us some of your favorites.

I really love the covers of Michael T. Martin’s The End Games,  Debra Driza’s Mila 2.0, Elsie Chapman’s Dualed, Mindy McGinnis’s Not A Drop To Drink, Demitria Lunetta’s In the After, and many others! So many pretty covers! Ahhh!


There you go! The insider scoop on the cover of IMPOSTOR. Thanks Susanne! And if you haven't yet, please enter the IMPOSTOR giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Today is release day for Leaguer Susanne Winnacker and IMPOSTOR! In case you haven't heard about the book, I'll be introducing it, and then since I've already had the amazing opportunity to read IMPOSTOR -- and my review follows.

This is a book you DON'T want to miss!

About IMPOSTOR: Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again.

Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.


My review: IMPOSTOR is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I had it on my Kindle, and I stayed up way too late one night, reading reading reading. I couldn't read fast enough! And my Kindle died! Grrr. I had to read it the next day during my lunch. I was that ravenous to finish!

Susanne is a master with pacing. IMPOSTOR is a mystery as well as a science fiction novel, and I literally could not guess who the killer might be. Just when I thought I had it figured out, Susanne would lead me down a different path. The mystery, tension, and pacing were brilliantly done.

I really liked Tessa as the main character. She is so human--so unsure of herself despite having this almost super human ability. I liked that she had a past that haunted her, and a future that was impacted by what happens in IMPOSTOR. I hope there's a second book, because I want to spend more time with Tess!

As if a great main character and a tension-filled plot weren't enough, Susanne adds in a swoon-worthy boy. His name is Alec, and I liked that he was tender yet tough. I especially liked that while he came to the rescue a few times, he didn't save Tess from herself. She has to figure out how to do that herself--and how Alec fits into her life--all while dodging a murderer.

You can listen to an excerpt (the first 10 minutes!) from the audiobook of IMPOSTOR right now!



IMPOSTOR has everything a great novel should. You definitely want to read it! Be sure to enter our League giveaway of a hardcover copy of IMPOSTOR in the widget below. Contest is open until Sunday, June 1.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Why Superheroes are an Awesome Allegory for Real Teen Life



When I was a kid, I was awkward. I was bookish – loved to sit inside and read – and never had more than a few friends at a time. I looked awkward, too – I was the pudgy, braces-wearing, permed-hair, fashion-clueless younger version of the fabulous self I am today.

I was also OBSESSED with the X-men. Every Saturday morning, my siblings and I would watch the cartoons. My brother loved Wolverine (claws!) and my sister loved Storm (she played soccer!) but I loved it ALL. I loved the history of bromance between Xavier and Magneto, I loved the love triangles, I loved the angst. I loved the superpowers AND the drama, but the soap-opera nature of the plot was what kept me watching week after week.

Back then, I made absolutely no connection between to the two. Now that I’m in my *gulp* thirties, though, it’s almost painfully obvious.

I loved the X-men because I was a mutant, too.

Okay, maybe not an actual mutant. Still, I felt like one. Think about it – the typical superhero story is the same as the awkward preteen-becoming-teenager. New superpowers = teen awkwardness.
The superhero starts with some new abilities she didn’t ask for and doesn’t understand. They make her stand out in a way that’s at best freaky, immediately differentiating them from their friends and social circle, and at best devastating, getting them thrown out of the house or worse.

It’s painful, emotionally and perhaps physically as well. Wolverine had adamantium claws slicing through his skin, Cyclops had burning hot lasers shooting from his eyes. Rogue couldn’t touch anyone – ever – or she’d kill them. Jean Grey’s telekinetic abilities sometimes drove her mad.
Now, if all this isn’t the perfect allegory for raging hormones, not to mention the physical and social changes of growing up, thrown in with navigating the new territory of high school and its relationships…I don’t know what is.

Watching the X-men filter in to Professor X’s School for Gifted Youngsters was both triumphant and painful – triumphant, because you knew that there was  promise of these kids finally figuring out how to channel their energy into something positive, and painful, as you watched them struggle with Professor X’s authority and the social structure of the School. I distinctly remember, even at the age of 11, desperately hoping those kids would find a place they felt they belonged, where they could do some good.

Probably because I hoped the same for myself.

The thing is, the superpowers of the kids at Xavier’s school never changed. In fact, sometimes they got stronger. The difference was that they learned how to use them, or got some gear to help control them, or discovered different uses for them.

My super-awkwardness never changed, either. I still have more curves than the average girl, weird hair (it’s purple and turquoise,) and an addiction to holing up with a book. Now that I’ve come to terms with it, though, I use my powers for good – teaching my daughters about positive body image, proudly wearing my hair colors for no other reason than that I like them, and unapologetically spending hours upon hours reading and writing. My introversion has made me pretty proficient at social media –interacting with people who aren’t actually there with me is much less exhausting and more manageable than in-person.

The things that challenged me most as a teen gave me all the things I love most about myself in my adulthood. It’s the same story as each X-man – less super, though certainly no less extraordinary.



Leigh Ann Kopans is May's Affiliate Blogger. To find out more about our guest author positions here at the League, click here.


Raised on comic books and classic novels, Leigh Ann developed an early love of science fiction and literature. As an adult, she rediscovered her love for not only reading, but also writing the types of fiction that enchanted her as a teen. Her debut novel, ONE, is about a girl with only half a superpower, the boy who makes her fly, and her struggle to make herself whole.


Leigh Ann, her husband, and four children live in Columbus, Ohio. When she’s not immersed in the world of fiction, you can find her obsessing over the latest superhero movie or using her kids as an excuse to go out for ice cream (again.)

Twitter: @LeighAnnKopans

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeighAnnKopansbooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6439443.LeighAnn_Kopans

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/leighannkopans/

One
by Leigh Ann Kopans

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

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

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

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

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

My Speculative Fiction Swoons



I realized while I was putting together this list that I really love a person who is not what he or she seems. So, my crushes all come down to character development, I guess. It's no surprise, since I'm a writer who writes with characters at the core. I can't write a scene that doesn't revolve around a conversation or inner monologue. Anyway, seeing a character with a total flipside makes me love their real personality that much more, not to mention the creator of their characters. So let's get started.

I've been in love with the Wasp ever since Marvel did an animation of The Avengers called "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" where the Wasp featured pretty prominently. I love the modernization of Jan VanDyne, mostly because she knows where her power lies, money-wise (she pays for all her boyfriend's research) and superpower-wise. Let's check her out - I love how tiny she is, and how much damage she can still cause.

Next up is Chuck Bartowski. This show was kind of sci-fi biopunk - the basic premise is that this guy, Chuck, accidentally downloaded a top-secret government computer into his brain. So a CIA agent gets tasked to keep him safe, and, of course, hilarity and love ensue. I just...I really swoon over Chuck. He's tall, geeky, funny, reasonably built, and, as you'll see, romantic and a good kisser. What's not to love?

Johnny Storm, AKA the Human Torch, is just...I don't even know. But I need smelling salts every single time, you guys. His boisterous overconfidence combined with that kick-butt power? I mean, he's literally hot.

I know I share this next crush with a LOT of people. I think Peeta Mellark was the real hero of the Hunger Games. He used his brains to make it through. I don't think his crush on Katniss was ever fake, but he definitely put a different spin on it depending on which situation he was in. Just watch both these clips and tell me the combination of his brains, voice, and face don't make you swoon in completely different ways.

Here's a COUPLE I have a crush on. Daredevil and Elektra. Their combative introduction in the 2003 movie is just adorable to me, and what I really love is the way Elektra handles herself. Not to mention that the brilliance of Daredevil's "blind justice" when the dude is actually blind? I just love it. Also, Ben Affleck's shoulders. Enough said. 

Next up is Gambit. He's a lesser known Marvel hero, an X-man. Most of his relationship with Rogue seems to consist of Gambit making over-confident, Cajun-accented advances on Rogue and her screaming at him and/or throwing him out of her car. And while I would normally not condone this kind of behavior from a guy, Rogue both seems to genuinely enjoy it and is plenty strong enough to handle herself. So this comes off as adorably over-confident? Maybe?  Not to mention that, watching as an adult, I'm realizing that his dirty jokes are HILARIOUS.

Last, the ultimate of my spec-fic swoons - Jean Grey. She's a class-five, or Omega-level, mutant. There are only like six of those in all of Marvel canon. In non-geek speak, she's bordering on goddess territory. Despite this, she mostly works as a scientist, and is ballsy enough to go by her own name - no superhero names for her. She's just always been my favorite. Hands down, no competition. 

What about you guys? Who are YOUR biggest swoons from speculative fiction, and why?




Leigh Ann Kopans is May's Affiliate Blogger. To find out more about our guest author positions here at the League, click here.


Raised on comic books and classic novels, Leigh Ann developed an early love of science fiction and literature. As an adult, she rediscovered her love for not only reading, but also writing the types of fiction that enchanted her as a teen. Her debut novel, ONE, is about a girl with only half a superpower, the boy who makes her fly, and her struggle to make herself whole.


Leigh Ann, her husband, and four children live in Columbus, Ohio. When she’s not immersed in the world of fiction, you can find her obsessing over the latest superhero movie or using her kids as an excuse to go out for ice cream (again.)

Twitter: @LeighAnnKopans

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeighAnnKopansbooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6439443.LeighAnn_Kopans

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/leighannkopans/

One
by Leigh Ann Kopans

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

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

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

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

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

My Favorite Music for Speculative Fiction Writing



I don’t know about you other writers out there, but I need music to write. Especially during that first draft frenzy, I need that “soundtrack” to give drive and rhythm to the words spilling out via my fingers onto the screen.  Sometimes, it’s one song on a continuous loop; others, it’s a few select songs that share a certain mood; and yet others, it’s a whole darn playlist, each song chosen because it so perfectly fits an aspect of plot or character.

I’ve written a few types of speculative fiction books so far – time travel, futuristic post-apoc, near-future biopunk – and it seems like the same songs are appearing on two or more playlist. That means they’re GREAT speculative fiction-writing songs.

I thought it’d be fun to share my go-to soundtrack builders with you, talk a bit about their mood, and then you can leave your most-used or favorite tunes in the comments below. Good? Good.

Wake Up – Arcade Fire (This is when the kids in your spec fic inevitably realized that the system is corrupt and they feel like they’ve grown up with that realization. Happens in every. Stinking. One.

Demons – Imagine Dragons (Great if one of the biggest struggles your character has to overcome is within herself.)

A Thousand Years – Christina Perri (A love song, mostly for Time Travel and immortals, because, you know – a thousand years.  But oh my heck is this a gorgeous song.)

Us Against the World – Coldplay (This is a song for when your characters have decided to face down a huge threat together. It’s a quiet song about partnership and solidarity, and sticking it to the man.)

Meteor Shower – Owl City (Not for the lyrics, necessarily, though for ONE they’re totally apropos. But I just think this song sounds like soaring hope. I love it.)

Radioactive – Imagine Dragons (This is THE SONG for apocalyptic books. Totally freaky and powerful.)

Oh! Gravity – Switchfoot (Good for any flying, spaceships and superheroes alike.)

Supermassive Black Hole – Muse (Good for fight scenes or anything involving particularly awesome tech, and/or cunning plan-hatching of any sort)

Below My Feet – Mumford and Sons (A prayerful, somewhat triumphant song, awesome for a story’s denouement, especially after some hard-won battle.)

Kiss Me – Ed Sheeran (Come on, now. Your book has kissing in it, right? Put this one on your list. You can thank me later.)

Okay, fellow speculative fiction writers! What are your go-to songs to match what you write?



Leigh Ann Kopans is May's Affiliate Blogger. To find out more about our guest author positions here at the League, click here.


Raised on comic books and classic novels, Leigh Ann developed an early love of science fiction and literature. As an adult, she rediscovered her love for not only reading, but also writing the types of fiction that enchanted her as a teen. Her debut novel, ONE, is about a girl with only half a superpower, the boy who makes her fly, and her struggle to make herself whole.


Leigh Ann, her husband, and four children live in Columbus, Ohio. When she’s not immersed in the world of fiction, you can find her obsessing over the latest superhero movie or using her kids as an excuse to go out for ice cream (again.)

Twitter: @LeighAnnKopans

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeighAnnKopansbooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6439443.LeighAnn_Kopans

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/leighannkopans/

One
by Leigh Ann Kopans

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

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

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

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

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


Kid's Speculative Fiction


Hello! This week we're welcoming a new Affiliate Blogger to the League, Leigh Ann Kopans. She has a great series for us all this week, so, without further ado, here's Leigh Ann!


Why is so much of children’s fiction speculative?
When I look at the top Young Adult and Middle Grade bestselling books on Amazon, almost every single one involves otherworldly stuff: Outer space, apocalypses, dragons, dystopias, zombies, sorcerers, or monsters. In contrast, less than half of the adult titles do.  Why the disparity? Why are children so much more inclined to read and enjoy speculative fiction than adults?

It’s fun, engaging, and lets them escape!
For many children who read a lot, the real world is far from complicated – which also means that it’s boring.  It’s funny for kids to imagine their teacher is really an undercover Fury, like in THE LIGHTNING THIEF, or that their nanny could transport them to another world via chalk drawing, like in MARY POPPINS. Maybe their regular, boring school is just temporary, because when they turn eleven, they’ll be getting their letter from Hogwarts.
At the same time, speculative fiction spins everyday occurrences into spectacular metaphors – for example, a parent with strict rules about chores becomes Cinderella’s evil stepmother. Kids’ heightened emotions and penchant for drama have suddenly found a context in which they are normal.

It helps their imaginations grow
When children see elements of what they know – the tail of a fish and the upper body of a human can combine to create a mermaid, for example - they start to learn to look at the whole world as a possibility, rather than something they have to accept just the way it is.
Reading speculative fiction is a lesson in spinning the elements of reality into a world that doesn’t exist, or doesn’t exist yet – and all the things that would happen in that world. Speculative fiction nurtures budding creative minds, and kids’ growing brains hold tight to the opportunity to do that.

It helps kids deal with real life in a less painful way.

“Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.”

― G.K. Chesterton

Yes, Harry Potter is dealing with the loss of his parents and growing up in an unfamiliar world and battling the darkest evil out there  - but Harry Potter’s world isn’t real. (Or, if it is, we can’t see it, or go there.) Speculative fiction, like any good children’s literature, deals with the search for identity and place in the world, but some of the potentially more painful elements – death, poverty, disappointing one’s family – are framed in a way that lets kids touch them, examine them, deal with them, without it feeling too raw.

It Helps Develop Character and Morality
Speculative Fiction does just that – Speculate. It frames tough what-if questions into situations that are far enough removed from real life to let kids grapple with them. As in Beth Revis’s ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, what would you do if you were faced with the tough choice that is presented to Elder at the end? (No spoilers!)

By observing kids their own age taking on tough choices in leadership, friendship, and relationships, younger readers can ask themselves what they would do in such a situation – without the choice being real enough to actually apply to their real lives. This lets them answer in a variety of ways, feeling out what they would do while sparing themselves judgment.



Leigh Ann Kopans is May's Affiliate Blogger. To find out more about our guest author positions here at the League, click here.


Raised on comic books and classic novels, Leigh Ann developed an early love of science fiction and literature. As an adult, she rediscovered her love for not only reading, but also writing the types of fiction that enchanted her as a teen. Her debut novel, ONE, is about a girl with only half a superpower, the boy who makes her fly, and her struggle to make herself whole.


Leigh Ann, her husband, and four children live in Columbus, Ohio. When she’s not immersed in the world of fiction, you can find her obsessing over the latest superhero movie or using her kids as an excuse to go out for ice cream (again.)

Twitter: @LeighAnnKopans

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeighAnnKopansbooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6439443.LeighAnn_Kopans

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/leighannkopans/

One
by Leigh Ann Kopans

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

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

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

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

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


Using a Sense of Wonder in your writing

Having a sense of wonder in your books is important no matter what genre you write and what age group you write for, but it’s especially important that you have it in spades when you are writing speculative fiction— fantasy, sci-fi, alternate reality, post-apoc, dystopian— because it’s one of the largest reasons that fans of speculative fiction read it.

In a lot of ways, speculative fiction lends itself to evoking a sense of wonder. It’s a world we’ve never been in before (or at least a version of the world that we’ve never been in), so everything’s new and fascinating. A sense of wonder comes strongly from the setting, as well as from the magic if it’s fantasy, from the government if it’s dystopian, from how things are different in post-apoc and alternate reality, and from the vastness of the universe and the possibilities of technology in sci-fi.

But the sense of wonder doesn’t have to just come from setting. In Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction the term sense of wonder is defined as follows:

SENSE OF WONDER n. a feeling of awakening or awe triggered by an expansion of one’s awareness of what is possible

Another definition: To be filled with admiration, amazement, or awe; marvel

So anything that brings about a sense of awe, amazement, or makes you more aware of what is possible will bring about that sense of wonder that a speculative novel needs so greatly.

Like with characters. We’ve all known that person who’s just slightly crazy and spontaneous enough that they’re fascinating to be around. Or the friend that’s brilliant, and listing to them speak can open your mind to seeing the world in a whole new light. Any character that introduces the reader to new possibilities, or in ways that bring about admiration or awe, introduces your reader to wonder. Your characters can introduce a sense of wonder every bit as strong as seeing the vastness of the universe.

photo credit: write_adam via photopin cc
It doesn’t take the vastness of the universe to evoke a sense of wonder. It can come from the tiniest of things. From something as small as a bit of magic that helps a single blade of grass grow. From watching an insect community that flourishes even though it’s inside a space ship. From seeing a single cog fall and stop a massive piece of machinery from working. From noticing the shapes that ice forms on a metal wall when temperatures outside drop rapidly.

photo credit: Auzigog via photopin cc

When you use a variety of ways to introduce your reader to wonder— from the vast to the minuscule, from setting to characters— your story will be much more satisfying.

What's your favorite way to introduce wonder?


Conference Tips for BEA and Beyond!

With BookExpo America right around the corner, I figured this would be a great time to share a little conference wisdom for people who may not have ever been. These are tips for anyone—authors, bloggers, reviewers, librarians, and fans alike. While BEA was the inspiration for this post, these tips come in handy for ANY conference or convention, big or small, publishing or otherwise!



  1. Wear comfy shoes. I know this seems like a no-brainer, but the number one complaint you hear at BEA and other conferences is "Oh my god, my feet are killing me!" In winter, boots make great footwear because you can find stylish boots that still have arch support and good soles. Summer, however, is more tricky. Ballet and similar flats are the go-to "comfy" shoe of choice, but more often than not these are murder on your feet due to the thin soles and lack of support. Try brands like Merrill's and Easy Spirit that are designed to support your feet.
  2. Bring a friend. If you're an easy-going extrovert who has no difficulty meeting and mingling, then don't worry about this one. But if you're shy, an introvert, quiet, etc., conferences can be really overwhelming. It's great to have someone there who you know, and can hang out with whenever there are lulls in the meet-and-greet parade, so you don't feel isolated. If you don't have anyone in person who's going with you, try meeting up with some fellow bloggers or authors who you know online who are intending on going. You may find they're just as relieved as you are to have someone to hang out with!
  3. Plan your route. Conferences, especially ones as huge as BookExpo America, can be overwhelming, even if you think you're braced for it. Know which booths you want to hit ahead of time, and stop by each as soon as you get there to pick up their schedules. The most sought-after books aren't usually just lying around for anyone to pick, the publishers will have "drop" times, and you'll need to get in line for those, sometimes far in advance of the actual drop. These publishers will have their drop schedules on little handouts that you can grab. So plan ahead and prioritize! 
  4. Take notes. You're going to meet a LOT of people, and while you think at the time that you can't possibly forget them, in a few weeks you'll regret it if you don't write something down. I tend to jot notes on the business cards I get handed, to help me put a face, or a conversation, with the name on the card. Which brings me to my next tip!
  5. Bring business cards. This one is a source of contention, as some people don't think business cards are useful. I, however, fall into the "why not?" camp. If you're at an industry conference, I recommend bringing some sort of business card or other physical reminder of who you are. (Many authors use bookmarks, which is great, because we're in the book industry.) Personally, I particularly like business cards that have a picture of the person on them, because I'm terrible at matching names and faces in hindsight.
  6. Follow up! You've met well over a hundred people in the span of a few short days. Do you remember them all? In a month, will you remember them all? (By the way, you with the photographic memory, I'm not talking to you. You can just go be smug in that corner over there.) No? Yeah, I didn't think so.  But say one of those hundred people emailed you the following week to tell you how much they enjoyed meeting you and how much they look forward to working with you in the future. You'll remember them now! So my last pierce of advice is that you should follow up with the people you meet who you really want to remember—and who you hope will remember you. BEA, and conferences like it, are all about networking and making connections in what can otherwise be a very solitary industry if you don't live in NYC yourself! Don't let those connections fade away.
Do you have any tips to add? Sound off in the comments!

If you're planning on coming to BEA this year, please come up and say hi if you spot me! I'll be there with Aussie co-author extraordinaire Amie Kaufman, and if you want to see where we'll be at any given time, check our schedule. We'll be giving away and signing copies of THESE BROKEN STARS and copies of SHADOWLARK. See you there!