The League of Extraordinary Writers: Book Launch

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Review of IN A HANDFUL OF DUST by Mindy McGinnis

Okay, 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.

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.

About NOT A DROP TO DRINK: 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.

"A high-quality survivalist story for readers who enjoy internal story arcs as well as external dangers." (Kirkus Reviews)

About IN A HANDFUL OF DUST: In a Handful of Dust is set ten years after the first novel, Not a Drop to Drink, 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.

Why You Should Read It:
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

So be sure to buy these books today! Here's where you can find IN A HANDFUL OF DUST:

Three ways in which LANDRY PARK is both brilliant and unique

So guess what? This beauty hits shelves TODAY!

Can we just take a moment and stare at the pretty?

I jumped at the chance to read an advance copy of fellow league member Bethany Hagen's Landry Park, and let's just say that I was not only hooked from the very beginning, but BLOWN AWAY. Bethany created a world and characters that are so real, with descriptions that make you feel like she must've been there while she was writing. It's a rare thing to read a world that is so complete that it transports you there so fully. But that's just the tip of the brilliance iceberg. Here are three reasons why Landry Park is both brilliant and unique:

It's a FUTURISTIC REGENCY. Yep-- you read that right. Downright fascinating, no? Landry Park takes place a little over 200 years in the future, but with a caste system with strong roots in the early 1900s. It was so fascinating to read so many regency elements mixed with both technology we know now and futuristic technology. It was a delightful mix, and I would've loved it just for those elements alone.
You know how it is-- one man's utopia is another man's dystopia. We've all read plenty of dystopias where the main character is oppressed by the government, and they fight against it. One of the unique things about Landry Park is that the main character, Madeline, is on the utopian side of the fence. She lives at Landry Park-- the most elegant estate in the nation. And she is the daughter of the most powerful man in the country, and the sole heir to Landry Park and all the power that comes with it. And no, it doesn't make Madeline's character any less likeable at all. In fact, her character arc is incredible.
Nuclear power, along with radiation and its effects are a big factor in this world. This is a smart book with lots of science that is explained exactly enough to let you truly enjoy the story. The intricacies of this power source introduces some great conflict in the story, and does it in a way that feels like it could actually happen.

If you're looking for a well plotted, well executed book that grabs you from the start and pulls you along every step of the way, then you're in luck, because this baby is out today! You can find it at any of these places, or at your local indie:

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Book Depository

And you can find out more about Bethany Hagen and Landry Park here:

Website | Blog | Twitter

Interview with CONTROL author, Lydia Kang

CONTROL by Lydia Kang came out last week! I think it is one of the best science fiction reads of the year. I hope you've been able to get your hands on a copy, and if you haven't, do it now!

I'm here today with Lydia to get a little insight into CONTROL, her writing style, and just her as a real, live person! Let's get this party started.

About CONTROL: When their overprotective father is killed in a terrible accident, Zel and her younger sister, Dylia, are lost in grief. But it's not until strangers appear, using bizarre sensory weapons, that the life they had is truly eviscerated. Zel ends up in a safe house for teens that aren't like any she's ever seen -- teens who, by law, shouldn't even exist. One of them -- an angry tattooed boy haunted by tragedy -- can help Zel reunite with her sister.

But only if she is willing to lose him.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16718816-control

Add to your shelf!

Buy!

1. So CONTROL has quite a bit of science in it. Did you draw on your professional experience, or perform copious amounts of research?
A little bit of both! I'd get ideas out of my own noggin about things like, let's make this character photosynthesize. But then would come research about whether she needed to use her lungs for oxygen or if her skin could make enough on its own. Amazingly, the answers are out there!

2. When did you write CONTROL? What's one scene that you can still remember drafting for the first time?
I wrote CONTROL over a six month period between 2010-11. (Wow, I'm always amazed at how slow the publishing industry is!) Three months to draft and three months to revise. I really remember the ending well. It was so stressful to get those end scenes just right! (Yes, yes it is. But you did a great job with it!)

3. Is CONTROL your first novel?
It's my first published novel. I have two novels before that sitting in my computer. One was an urban fantasy; the other, historical. Both YA. (My third book was my first published too! Soul-sisters!)

4. Is CONTROL the beginning of a series? Tell us all about everything!
There will be a sequel to Control! The title is still up in the air, probably CODE (Intriguing. Goodreads is calling is CATALYST). The characters are going to have to leave Carus House and Zelia will be on the run and there will be revelations galore. :)

About Lydia: Lydia Kang is an author of young adult fiction, poetry, and narrative non-fiction. She graduated from Columbia University and New York University School of Medicine, completing her residency and chief residency at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. She is a practicing physician who has gained a reputation for helping fellow writers achieve medical accuracy in fiction. Her poetry and non-fiction have been published in JAMA, The Annals of Internal Medicine, Canadian Medical Association Journal, Journal of General Internal Medicine, and Great Weather for Media. She believes in science and knocking on wood, and currently lives in Omaha with her husband, three children, and a terrarium full of stick bugs.

5. When you're looking to decompress by reading, what book do you reach for?
My old standbys. I'm a serial rereader of old friends, like Bronte and Austen and Wilder. (I really need to read some of these books...)

6. If you could be a contestant on Survivor, what's the one item you'd take with you?
Oh geez. A really good hunting knife. Forget the toothbrush! (Seriously. And if you've ever seen Survivor -- which I have -- I've never seen such white teeth. I think they use sand or something...)

7. A guilty pleasure?
80's pop music. (Booyah!)

8. Bacon or chocolate?
Bacon! It's salt, all the way! (Yes! Bacon FTW!)

So there you go! I hope you'll pick up CONTROL and read it. I absolutely loved it, and I know if you like YA or science fiction or romance or thrillers, you will too!

The release of ENDERS-- the best SF gets in your head

The best SF books get in your head and won't get out. Since I read Starters back in the galley stages, it's been one of those books. As the mother of two young children, I spend a lot of time updating their vaccinations, and every time they get a shot I think of Starters. And that's what makes this duology so fantastic: the captivating premise. Lissa Price took a mundane fact of life—something we've all been faced with—and created an entire world from it. If the goal of science fiction is to raise questions about our lives then the best science fiction books fully explore the implications of the here and now.

So you can imagine my distress at having to wait soooo long for the sequel Enders, but my friends, the wait is over, and I for one am not disappointed. Starters was one of the most twisted and exciting books I've read in recent memory, and I've been dying to get my hands on Enders, especially after the gorgeous new covers were revealed. (Side note: seriously, how amazing are these covers? I saw them at Comic Con and squealed.)

Enders is perhaps even more cinematic than Starters, and I hardly thought that was possible. In fact, I really hope a film adaptation is on the horizon because it would kick serious butt. But back to the actual story, telling you about the plot of Enders would be a travesty. You must read it yourself and enjoy the wild ride, so instead I'm going to tell you why this book stands out amongst dystopian science fiction.

1. A fully fleshed-out science fiction concept. Personally I tend to think most dystopians fall under the science fiction category, but in Enders we get to really see the technology and also the implications of it. At times I was reminded of reading some of my favorite Philip K. Dick novels, and that is a high compliment.

2. A fearless heroine. Callie has a lot of tough decisions to face (what YA heroine doesn't?) but she doesn't sit around waiting for someone to make them for her. She takes action even though her situation is terrifying.

3. Truly creepy villains. I read Starters at my gym, and I remember looking up and realizing there were a lot of older people there. My mind immediately labeled them Enders. Sure, the entire population of Enders aren't evil, but there's something about Old Man that gets under your skin. Is there anything more distressing than the idea of your grandpa being a super villain? Yeah, I didn't think so.

In short, the wait is over and now you can read the whole story back to back. In fact, you can even grab Starters on Kindle right now for $2.99, so there's no excuse not to, and trust me, you want to.

Go get Enders at:

Your local bookstore

Add it to:

For more information about Starters, Enders, and the author behind them, visit www.lissaprice.com

Lissa has taught workshops at SCBWI and the La Jolla Writer’s Conference, and spoken on panels at ComicCon, WonderCon, WorldCon, Workstock, The LA Times Festival of Books and many more. She’s a member of SCBWI, SFWA, ITW, as well as one of the Apocalypsies, a group of 2012 debut YA authors. She also blogs at The League of Extraordinary Writers . She has lived in India and Japan, and once traveled completely around the globe over two years. Now she resides in Southern California with her husband, coyotes and the occasional deer.

Gennifer Albin holds a Masters degree in English Literature from the University of Missouri. A recovering academic, she turned to writing her own books. In her free time she sits on the National Novel Writing Month Advisory Board, laughs (and cries) with her mom writers group, and watches too much Doctor Who (if that's possible). Gennifer lives in Poulsbo Washington with her family. You can find Genn online at www.genniferalbin.com/

Launching Lissa Price's ENDERS

I am thrilled that Lissa Price's amazing sci-fi Enders is released tomorrow! I jumped at the chance to read an ARC of Enders. It was even more amazing than Starters, which is saying something.

(Haven't read Starters yet? A little recap: in the Spore War, virtually everyone between the ages of 20 & 60 was killed off, leaving Starters (under age 20) and Enders (over 60).
An evil company recruits poor street Starters, and puts a chip in their heads so they can be controlled by an Ender who rents their body to be able to do the things they used to do when they were young. Fascinating yet creepy, no? You should definitely pick it up if you haven't already!)

Both of these books kept me reading far into the night. Why? I'll tell you. :)

Top 5 Reasons to Buy Enders

1.The insanely high stakes
The stakes in Starters were high. The stakes in Enders blows them away. For one, the Old Man's voice is IN HER HEAD. And it has it's own special kind of creepy vibe. Plus, she finds out that the chips are much more dangerous than she thought, and it puts her bff and her brother in a lot of danger (not to mention her). AND, there is a much more sinister plan in place that threatens the lives of every single "Metal" (the Starters who have chips in their heads) if Callie doesn't save them.

2. The characters
The characters in Enders are incredible and engaging. Callie is smart, has a boat load of inner strength, steps well into her leadership role, is loyal like crazy, and is willing to risk big-time to protect not only those she loves, but others she doesn't even know at all. Hyden is a fascinating, smart, complex, rootable character full of conflict and problems and secrecy. One of the funnest parts is that you don't know if you should be rooting for him or not. Her bff Michael and her brother Tyler are, as always, enjoyable, and add a lot of chances for caring and conflict.

3. The action
There are explosions and car chases and being found when you thought you were safe, and enough other heart-pounding action to keep you on your toes, worrying about all the things that can happen.

4. The twists
From the new reveals in the way the chips work, to more details about the Metals and how they work, to how people can control others, to new characters introduced, to what happens to the characters you love, the twists in this book will keep surprising you over and over.

5. The mystery
I love how a mystery can pull you through a book, dying to solve it. And there are plenty of mysteries to solve in Enders. The two most notable is Hyden and Callie's dad. Hyden, because there are so many unknowns about his past and his motivations, and Callie's dad because we don't know nearly enough about what happened before he was exposed to the deadly virus. Both will pull you along and keep you guessing.

And the best thing is-- the wait is almost over! Enders releases TOMORROW. If you pick up a lucky penny, cross your fingers, and rub your rabbit's foot, you might just be able to find it in your local bookstore today! (And I highly recommend you do.)

Here's some other places you can buy it:

Your local bookstore

Launching THESE BROKEN STARS by Leaguers Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman!

Okay, so it's that time again: Launch Time!

THESE BROKEN STARS by Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman releases in the US tomorrow, December 10. You MUST pre-order this book right now, because you're going to LOVE IT.

I happened to get an early copy of the book on NetGalley. I started reading it at the gym (because that's where I get in all my reading time), but it became very apparent very soon that I was going to need to carve out some additional reading time. Because 45 minutes on the treadmill 3 times a week wasn't going to cut it for this book.

So I stayed up late reading. And went to work bleary-eyed, and then stayed up late again. Then I may or may not have sent this email to Meg and Amie: "I just finished THESE BROKEN STARS and I think it's my favorite book I've read this year! It is SO FANTASTIC!! You did such a great job, and I can't wait until it's released into the wild!

Just wanted you to know. :)"

And I think that's still true, even though I've read a few more books now. It really IS a fantastic book, and my favorite read of 2013.

Let's learn more about it, in case you haven't heard of it.

Isn't this a beautiful cover?

About THESE BROKEN STARS: It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they're worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other's arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder-would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won't be the same people who landed on it.

I found Lilac and Tarver to be well-developed and fully imagined characters. Lilac especially intrigued me. She's a rich girl, hardly having to do anything but look pretty. But she has a past, and in the book, she finds her spine. It is an amazing journey to watch her go through some of the things that happen on the planet.

Tarver is equally likeable, with an equally interesting past. Since he's military, he takes the lead on the planet, but my favorite scene is when Lilac has to take care of him. It shows them both in a new light, and I really loved their relationship.

But lest you think the whole book is simply a romance, let me assure you that it's not. There were several twists and turns in the book that kept me up late (two nights in a row!) frantically trying to guess what was going to happen next. I NEEDED to know.

I had to find out what those lights were (no spoilers!). And what was with that canteen. And why all the trees were different here. There's an element of the supernatural at play, and I love that sort of genre mashing: science fiction with paranormal with romance. Sign me up!

I hope you'll get THESE BROKEN STARS this week. Heck, tomorrow--on release day! Here's where you can get it:

You can join Amie and Meg's newsletter, and find out way more about THESE BROKEN STARS here. You can also see their launch day festivities here.

Congrats Meg and Amie!

Why SKY JUMPERS is Awesome

Okay, so I'm so excited for Peggy and her recent debut, SKY JUMPERS! See, I've known Peggy for a while now, and she's always coming up with cool and varied ways to help me celebrate my books.

Sadly, I am not Peggy (to see her awesome, go here), so all you get from me today is why you'll want to rush out and buy SKY JUMPERS, stat.

First, about the book: What happens when you can't do the one thing that matters most? Twelve-year-old Hope Toriella 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. When bandits discover that White Rock has priceless antibiotics, they invade.

With a two-day deadline to finish making this year's batch and no ingredients to make more, the town is left to choose whether to hand over the medicine and die from the disease that's run rampant since the bombs, or die fighting the bandits now. Help lies in a neighboring town, but the bandits count everyone fourteen and older each hour. Hope and her friends—Aaron and Brock—might be the only ones who can escape to make the dangerous trek through the Bomb's Breath and over the snow-covered mountain. Inventing won't help her make it through alive, but with Aaron and Brock's help, the daring and recklessness that usually gets her into trouble might just save them all.

So first, can you say BOMB'S BREATH?? That alone is intriguing enough to pick up the book. And upon reading, I can attest that the Bomb's Breath is an amazing part of the story. Original and scary at the same time.

The Bomb's Breath isn't like this at all. (source)
It's amazing what you can find with a Google search, though, isn't it?

Second, I love the action and adventure in the story. Hope can't invent (which is totally overrated *scoff*), but she can take risks. She cliff-dives. She runs from bandits. Plays dead. Hikes through blizzards. If you like a good action/adventure story, SKY JUMPERS won't disappoint.

The cliff diving is kind of like this, but not really like this at all. For one, that's a dude, and Hope is a girl. Two, there's no water. Third, you can't breathe while you jump. Third, the cliffs are much higher. That's right.
No water. No air. Big cliff. Sounds awesome, right?
IT IS.
(I think if Hope's dive was real, it would be #1 on this list.)

Third, SKY JUMPERS isn't like any other book I've read. And that's a hard feat to accomplish, because I read a lot of books. Sometimes I can recognize a few unique things, but in SKY JUMPERS, I honestly was like, "Whoa," on one page, and then like, "That is SO cool!" on another.

Seriously. Buy. Read. Love.

You can thank me later.

Top Five Reasons You NEED to Read SKY JUMPERS!

SKY JUMPERS, a post-apocalyptic middle grade novel by our very own Peggy Eddleman, comes out tomorrow! So, for the first half of this week, we're going to be telling you guys all about why you should read this book. Because oh, man, you have GOT to read it. Seriously.

The skinny:
The story follows a girl named Hope, who lives in a world left crippled in the aftermath of World War III. Desperate to regain the technology they once had, her town is all about invention—everyone is expected to produce marvels once a year like clockwork. And it seems like everyone lives up, using their strengths to design miraculous devices... everyone except for Hope, whose only talent seems to be getting into trouble. But when danger threatens her beloved home, it turns out that Hope has a different kind of strength, a kind that may just be what she needs to save her town. (Read the full blurb here!)

Top Five Reasons You MUST Read This Book:

Marvel at the inventions! Oh, the inventions. These kids invent everything from a better kind of spoon to machines that'll do your chores for you. Seriously, all I want is to kidnap Aaren, inventor prodigy, to come invent me a coaster that will keep my tea warm even when I get lost for hours in a good book.
Fall in love with Hope, the badass next door! Rarely do you meet a heroine in a novel that you'll want to cheer for as much as you're going to want to cheer for Hope. She is the perfect combination of girl next door and total badass. It's not that she isn't scared of anything, it's that she's taught herself not to let her fear hold her back. She'll get right under your skin and drag you along through this book at a breakneck pace.
Experience the thrill of skydiving without a parachute! Due to an atmospheric anomaly caused by the bombs used in WWIII, there are pockets of dense, deadly air called Bomb's Breath. If you breathe in them, you're dead—but they're so dense that they can slow your fall. Hope and her friends sneak off to base jump off cliffs and through pockets of Bomb's Breath for fun. Through Peggy's description, you get all the fun of free-falling without any of the side effects: you know, mind-numbing terror, the occasional splatting on the ground, that sort of thing.
Wish that Hope's friends were your friends! If you're anything like me, you tend to get tired of the stereotypical sidekick archetypes you often find in children's books. (You know what I mean. The smart one, the funny one, the sarcastic one, etc.) Not a stereotype in sight in SKY JUMPERS, though. Aaren, Brock, and Brenna are delightful additions to the cast, and all throughout the book you're going to find yourself wishing you could pal around with them, too. Though maybe not in quite as dire circumstances as Hope finds herself. Call me crazy, but I like to keep my feet on the ground, thanks.
Bask in the reminder... that there are different kinds of strength. Though not moralistic in nature, this book is the perfect reminder that not everyone has the same kinds of talents. Hope feels like the odd one out because she's not a born inventor like her peers, but what she lacks in engineering ingenuity she makes up for in spirit and courage, and this is what makes her the perfect person to save her town. I love stories that turn an ugly duckling's weaknesses into strengths—and if you read SKY JUMPERS, you will too!

SKY JUMPERS will be available September 24, 2013,

from Random House Children's Books.

Order your copy here!

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.

Add IMPOSTOR to Goodreads.
Buy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository, or your favorite independent bookseller.
Catch up with Susanne on her blog, on Twitter, or on Facebook.

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.

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Recipe for the MILA 2.0 Book Launch!

Happy Monday, everyone!

I'm still a little dazed and confused from all the MILA 2.0 launch craziness last week and over the weekend, so I'm going to spare you most of my incoherent babble and just post a few highlights from my release party on Saturday. It was held at the San Marcos Public Library, which was totally awesome because a) it's five minutes from my house, b) most of my local friends were able to attend and c) the librarians are so awesome, they let us film the MILA 2.0 Harlem Shake!

So, here it is--the Recipe for the MILA 2.0 Book Launch!

First, procure some tasteful decorations (masterminded by my aunt, since I am somewhat decorationally-challenged). Make sure to obtain candy in the same color scheme as your book cover (BONUS: Since MILA's cover is all blue and silver, I was spared the embarrassment of inhaling Red Vines like crack!)

Toss in a handful of giveaways (TOUCHED by Corrine Jackson, HOOKED by Liz Fichera, and THE CADET OF TILDOR by Alex Liddell, along with some amazing swag packs from assorted authors. Plus, the library donated two Barnes & Noble giftcards AND an iPod Shuffle, WOOT!)

Mix in author-ish babble about how long it takes to get published (for me, that was almost 5 books), perform a brief reading, and then answer audience questions (NOTE: wearing shorts meant I didn't have to worry about inadvertently flashing anyone with my incessant fidgeting--SCORE!)