Interview with LANDRY PARK author, Bethany Hagen

Okay, so I'm here today with Bethany Hagen, fellow League member and the author of LANDRY PARK! Her debut just came out on Tuesday, and you really need to read it! I devoured it in one day, anxiously turning the pages (or, uh, swiping the screen) to find out what would happen next!

About LANDRY PARK: Sixteen-year-old Madeline Landry is practically Gentry royalty. Her ancestor developed the nuclear energy that has replaced electricity, and her parents exemplify the glamour of the upper class. As for Madeline, she would much rather read a book than attend yet another debutante ball. But when she learns about the devastating impact the Gentry lifestyle—her lifestyle—is having on those less fortunate, her whole world is turned upside down. As Madeline begins to question everything she has been told, she finds herself increasingly drawn to handsome, beguiling David Dana, who seems to be hiding secrets of his own. Soon, rumors of war and rebellion start to spread, and Madeline finds herself at the center of it all. Ultimately, she must make a choice between duty—her family and the estate she loves dearly—and desire.

Fans of Ally Condie, Kiera Cass, Veronica Roth, and even Jane Austen will be enthralled by this breathtaking read.

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Buy the book!

I asked Bethany a few questions about the book, so let's start there.

1. So LANDRY PARK is set in the future, but it has a very old-fashioned feel. How did you come up with that concept?
The concept came from lots of bored hours working in a museum. Museums are great incubators--they're quiet and they're full of dusty forgotten things that have all these great stories. (I need to get to more museums, stat!) I loved giving tours of the futuristic 1950's All-Electric House and reading articles about bomb shelters and quirky radioactive gadgets, and I also loved sifting through pictures of Edwardian debutantes and people attending opera houses during the Gilded Age. Those ideas started to gel together--what if our future did embrace all these facets of the past? What if we took luxury and leisure back to the precedents set in earlier times? (I love the "what-if" game.)

2. The nuclear energy in LANDRY PARK is well-developed and such a fresh take in science fiction. Did you have to do a lot of research on nuclear energy and radiation poisoning?
When I first started writing the book, I had a very limited idea about how nuclear power worked--most of what I had learned about the energy came from watching the Fukushima news coverage and most of what I knew about radiation came from reading John Hersey's Hiroshima. So I quickly learned that I needed to beef up my knowledge; I read books and journal articles and watched DVDs rented from the library. (And actually, it was when I researched the topic more intensely that I discovered the Cherenkov radiation effect, which then went on to play a bigger part in the book.)

3. When did you write LANDRY PARK? What's one scene that you can still remember drafting for the first time?
I started Landry Park in 2011, using seeds from a different novel I was working on in 2010. I still remember this one scene, where the city's playboy--David Dana--helps a girl up after she falls. She's a member of the Rootless (the caste of people forced to handle the city's nuclear waste) and there's a huge stigma about having any sort of physical contact with them. And here's this guy, selfish and wealthy, helping her and touching her and being kind to her. (I LOVE that scene!) I was writing it next to my daughter's crib while she was jabbering to herself instead of going to sleep, and I had to stop halfway through to nurse her...*heavy sigh* and now she's gigantic and in preschool. (Wait until she's taller than you...)

4. Is LANDRY PARK your first novel?
Landry Park is the third novel I've written, but my first published one. I think the first two are destined to stay buried forever. We'll call them "practice novels."

5. Is LANDRY PARK the beginning of a series? Tell us all about everything!
Landry Park will have a sequel! I'm tentatively calling it Landry Park II: The Tulle Returns. I won't say much, since it's still being written, but there's lots of dresses and food and stoic soldier boys, for people who like that sort of thing. (And who doesn't like that sort of thing??! I mean, come on.)

6. Give us a glimpse of your writing and publishing journey that lead to LANDRY PARK being published.
After I finished Landry Park, I made a short list of my favorite agents. I sent it to the very very favorite one who read it and liked it, but saw room for the book to grow. She offered me a chance to revise it and then send it back to her. I did, and she loved it enough to represent me! I dropped my contract for her in the mail on Thursday, she submitted to editors on Friday and then we had an offer on Monday morning from my dream house. It was surreal.

About Bethany: Bethany Hagen was born and raised in Kansas City. She grew up reading Charlotte Brontë, Jane Austen, and all things King Arthur, and went on to become a librarian. Landry Park is her debut novel.

7. When you're looking to decompress by reading, what book do you reach for?
Jane Eyre or Lord of the Rings. And of course, my bible--Entertainment Weekly. (Nice! I really need to pay closer attention to pop culture.)

8. If you could be a contestant on Survivor, what's the one item you'd take with you?
Oh, this is hard, because the reasonable part of me says "toothbrush" but my heart says "a bottle of Macallan 12."

9. A guilty pleasure?
Sweatpants. Although my amount of guilt about wearing them drops every day I'm on a deadline. (Hey, at least you put on pants... just sayin'.)

10. Bacon or chocolate?
BACON. (Yes! *fistpump* A girl after my own heart.)

So there's the scoop. You really, really need to get a copy of LANDRY PARK. You will not be disappointed. Fans of romance, dystopian novels, intrigue, danger, and gorgeous writing will love it.

The Characters of Landry Park by Bethany Hagen

LANDRY PARK was fascinating to me because it's a dystopian told from the rare point of view of one of the haves rather than the have-nots. In the future, the gentry control society and the less wealthy work as merchants or governesses. Then there's the untouchable caste, The Rootless, condemned to their fate of working with nuclear radiation by the sins of their ancestors.

Apart from the inventive world-building and twisty plot, what really made this novel work for me were the complex characters:

Madeline

As the Landry heiress, Madeline must marry by 21 and is forbidden to attend university. She doesn't enjoy the pomp of the gentry, but she loves her estate and is protective of her family. She's conflicted by the poor treatment of the Rootless. On the one hand she feels for them (and donates blood), but on the other she's rightfully afraid of them.

David

David is the new boy in town, and thanks to his family's money, every gentry parent would love their daughters to get their hooks in him. At first, Madeline dismisses him as just as vapid as every other boy in her circle, but she soon learns differently - and finds herself falling for him.

He didn’t fit into our world as he should. Underneath the good looks and the glamour, there was a changeling; a boy by turns serious and bitter and playful. (p 68)

Cara

Cara is haughty and beautiful and seems to be Madeline's main rival for David's affections. She's also harboring a secret. She's a classic mean girl with a twist. 

Jaime

Jaime is Madeline's best friend and distant cousin who works as a doctor taking care of the rootless. He has a secret relationship with another man.

ETA: How could I forget the cat? Morgana! (and *spoiler* she doesn't die!)

Hope you enjoy meeting everyone as much as I did!

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

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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

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

Indiebound

Book Depository

Add it to:

Riffle

Goodreads

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:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Indiebound

Book Depository

Your local bookstore

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.

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:

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Kobo
• iTunes
• Indiebound
• Book Depository
• Or your local bookstore!

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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!

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!

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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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Shades of Earth = Set-Up for Awesomeness

First a bit of housekeeping ... the winner of the complete ACROSS THE UNIVERSE trilogy is ... Jaime K!  Congrats!

If you've read ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and A MILLION SUNS, then you know that Beth Revis has mad skills for setting up tension and drama and mega excitement.

SHADES OF EARTH seems to promise even more thrills and chills.  And many opportunities for drama. Here are a few:

1. You've got a society of shipborns who has spent their entire lives cooped up on a space ship. How are they going to react to the wide open spaces of a new planet?

2. Then there are the frozen scientists waiting to be awoken (including Amy's parents). How are they going to get along with the shipborns?

3. Elder is in charge now ... but can he stay in power with all the new challenges that await?

4. How is Amy's dad going to react to Elder?

5. Is the planet the refuge they've been seeking? Or will it bring death and destruction?

So many questions!! Plan to read this when you've got a big chunk of time, because I suspect you won't want to put it down.

Happy launch week Beth!

Finishing a Trilogy -- SHADES OF EARTH

Okay, so Beth's last book in the Across the Universe trilogy hit shelves yesterday! Be sure to get your copy today!

I simply can't wait to find out what happens in this book. It's rare for me to see a series all the way through to the end, but Across the Universe and A Million Suns have both been so intriguing and powerful that I can't help but be bouncing in eager anticipation of Shades of Earth. (In fact, I pre-ordered it on my Kindle, so it's possible that I've already finished it by now -- but I'm writing this post early.)

I wanted to talk about trilogies today, and mostly because of what I've already admitted: I don't normally finish them. I'll admit it, I get bored. Bored with the same style of writing, bored with the same world, bored of the same characters. I just figure that there are so many books out there, so many new characters and worlds to explore, and I want to read about them all.

As an author myself, I know it takes some serious fortitude to write a trilogy and not want to gouge out your own eyes. That said, Beth did such a fantastic job of making A Million Suns more than a bridge book. (If you haven't read it yet, you must!) The plot of AMS really pushed me toward the resolution I know I'm going to find in Shades of Earth.

I'm sure Beth has some bittersweet feelings on finishing her trilogy. But mostly, I know she's excited to share the conclusion to what truly has been one of the best trilogies I've ever read.

Need to catch up or refresh your memory on Across the Universe and A Million Suns? Visit the tumblr here.

Want to read a new short story, As They Slip Away? Do it here!

Oh, and enter to win signed copies of Across the Universe, A Million Suns, and an ARC of Shades of Earth!

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What are some of your favorite trilogies? Besides Across the Universe of course...

Launching LEVEL 2 by Lenore Appelhans

We're glad to be back in 2013 with a bang! I hope you're enjoying our new site design, because this week, we're celebrating the forthcoming launch of League member Lenore Appelhans's LEVEL 2!

About LEVEL 2: In this gripping exploration of a futuristic afterlife, a teen discovers that death is just the beginning.

Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow drones, Felicia passes the endless hours reliving memories of her time on Earth and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and Neil, the boy she loved.

Then a girl in a neighboring chamber is found dead, and nobody but Felicia recalls that she existed in the first place. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, Felicia learns the truth: If she joins the rebellion to overthrow the Morati, the angel guardians of Level 2, she can be with Neil again.

Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself at the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.

We'll be celebrating all week with Lenore and LEVEL 2 and we hope you'll take a few minutes to check out some of these great things going on with the novel.

• There's a pre-order promotion going on now! You can preorder a signed, personalized copy of LEVEL 2 at the Watermark Books website until January 15th (release day). Once you put in your cart, use the "order comments" input field to specify who you want the signed copy made out to. The first 50 preorders via this channel will also get a limited edition LEVEL 2 magnet - so order soon!

• Read an excerpt of LEVEL 2 at The Memory Chronicles Facebook page.

• There's a cool trailer about the cover creation of LEVEL 2!

• Order LEVEL 2. And find LEVEL 2 on Goodreads.

• Find Lenore on the web:
• Blog
• Website
• Twitter @lenoreva

Congrats to Lenore and LEVEL 2!!

The Crewel Sentence

You can read my thoughts about the marvelous world-building in CREWEL at my Dystopian August review, but today I want to talk about Gennifer Albin's gorgeous sentences.

Gennifer led a workshop on line-editing during Write On Con back in September, and she rocked it. Her sentences are deceptively simple - clear yet so evocative.  I wanted to include some of my favorites here from the first two chapters as to not get too spoilery.  (NOTE: These sentences are taken from the advance reader edition of CREWEL, so they may vary slightly from the final published version.)

From Chapter 1:

"That's why I don't tell them the truth. I want love - not excitement or worry - to be the lingering imprint they leave on me."

"The only constant - the one real thing in this moment - is Amie's fragile hand clutching my own. I hold onto it for life, hers and mine. It anchors me, and when my mother wrenches her away, I shriek, sure I'll vanish into nothing."

From Chapter 2:

"A group of women scurry down behind the official and begin wiping my face and combing my hair. It feels so nice I want to fall asleep. The only thing keeping me awake is the cold, gritty concrete under my bare feet."

"I think of the dining room table and white cake sitting on it, the black blood under its legs, and shake my head. The only thing I'm hungry for is answers."

"Somewhere a girl sits, replacing the weave of the rebound chamber with that of a chamber in the Coventry, effectively moving me from one location to the other. I'm traveling hundreds of miles without moving a muscle."


I hope you enjoyed this teaser! Check out this post to enter to win a signed hardcover of CREWEL!

STARTERS Launch Week!

Okay, so this is a super exciting time at the League. Our very own Lissa Price's debut, STARTERS, will hit shelves tomorrow! All this week you'll get to learn more about the book, more about Lissa, and have many opportunities to win great STARTERS prizes!

First, a little bit about the book, if you haven't heard of it.

About STARTERS: In the future, teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again. One girl discovers her renter plans to do more than party – she plans to use the body to murder someone.

Sixteen-year-old Callie lost her parents when the genocide spore wiped out everyone except those who were vaccinated first–the very young and very old. With no grandparents to claim Callie and her little brother, they go on the run, living as squatters, and fighting off unclaimed renegades who would kill for a cookie.

Hope comes via Prime Destinations, run by a mysterious figure known only as The Old Man. He hires teens to rent their bodies to seniors, known as Enders, who get to be young again. Callie’s neurochip malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her rich renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, even dating Blake, the grandson of a senator. It’s a fairy-tale new life . . . until she uncovers the Body Bank’s horrible plan…

I was lucky enough to get an e-Galley through NetGalley, and I read this book a couple of months ago. My first thought? "Man, I wish I had thought of this!" It is a great concept, and not only that, but it's carried out well.

If you like dystopian novels with lots of action and the promise of kissing, you'll like STARTERS. If you like to be surprised in your plot, you'll like STARTERS. And if you like some pretty cool science fiction, you'll like STARTERS.

You can pre-order your copy, but you won't have to wait long! STARTERS releases tomorrow!

• Barnes and Noble
• Amazon
• Your favorite indie
• Kindle or Nook

There is also a short story, PORTRAIT OF A STARTER, available now!

• Kindle or Nook

Find out more about Lissa tomorrow in an interview, or by clicking on these links now:

• Official STARTERS Random House website
• Author website with tour dates and contact information
• Author Facebook site
• Twitter: @Lissa_Price

But that's not all! There is a great swag package up for grabs today! By leaving a comment on this post, you'll be entered to win 5 signed STARTERS bookmarks, 3 postcards (1 signed, the other two for you to use), a pin button (not pictured, but included AND awesome!), and a wristband.

This giveaway is open only in the US. So leave a comment to enter!

Heard of STARTERS? Excited for it to come out? Already read it? Lay it on us!

A Million Suns Week!

Let it be known Across the Universe that tomorrow Beth Revis's sequel to her bestselling novel hits bookstores everywhere!

To get pumped up for A Million Suns, I decided to post a million ways to prepare to get back on the Godspeed.  Then I realized that might be a tad ... ambitious.  I thought 5 might be more reasonable, so here they are:

Five Ways to Get Ready for A Million Suns 

1. Read and/or review Across the Universe 
A spaceship fueled by lies, a girl awakened to a life she never wanted, a boy groomed to become a leader, and a murderer waiting to strike again. Across the Universe revealed the secret of the stars, but how Amy and Elder come to terms with their new roles onboard the Godspeed, and their feelings for one another, are issues that having me eagerly awaiting the release of A Million Suns on Tuesday.

2. Check out the trailers
You can watch the absolutely stunning official trailer from Penguin here, and while you are on youtube check out fan-made trailers for both books.

3. Go aboard the Godspeed to discover its secrets 
The official website for the books features a working diagram of the ship and snag one of the gorgeous backgrounds for your computer.

4. Listen to the song 
One of the Beatles' loveliest songs, Across the Universe inspired the trilogy's titles.

5. Leave a comment sharing your favorite Across the Universe scenes, your predictions for A Million Suns, or just a little book launch love for Beth. 

And don't forget to check out Beth's virtual launch party, which you can not only attend in your jam jams, but also includes cool prizes!

The Eleventh Plague...in Surround Sound

Okay, so today during Jeff's launch week, we're talking audio books. There are so many different ways to get your books these days: Kindle, Nook, iPad, hardcover, paperback, iTunes, and yes, audio book.

My husband swears by them. Has a monthly subscriptions to Audible. Our own Beth Revis has often said she "reads" while she's cleaning her house or doing home improvements. She does this by listening to audio books.

People listen to books while they commute--and I will say that I've done this once. I listened to THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS by C.S. Lewis on my mini-commute of 15 minutes. It took a few weeks. Our family often gets audio books for long drives to Vegas. We've listened to ALCATRAZ VERSUS THE EVIL LIBRARIANS (by Brandon Sanderson), ERAGON (by Christopher Paolini), THE CRY OF THE ICEMARK (by Stuart Hill), and THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA (by C.S. Lewis) on our family road trips.

Audio books are fascinating beasts. There are several things that enhance the reading experience:

1. Music. Audio books often have music! It's a lot like movies, where the scene can be set with scary music, or happy music, or tense music. I find that I like the added drama music can provide.

2. A voice. Obviously, audio books are read out loud. I'll admit that sometimes the voice artist distracts me. They speak in an accent I didn't imagine, or they speak different character's dialog in different voices. I suppose this doesn't really bother me, it's just not the way I "read."

Because audio books are a whole new type of reading experience.

And THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE is also a whole new type of reading experience. You can listen to the first chapter by clicking below. You can buy the audio book here.

The Eleventh Plague - Chapter One by Scholastic Audio

No matter how you experience it, make sure you get your hands on a copy of THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE this week!!

What are your feelings about audio books? Love them? Hate them? What's your favorite book on audio?

Final Thoughts on POSSESSION Launch Week

Holy mother of parties. Launching a book is akin to building an arc and setting sail around the world. For the official record and all that.

And what a week it's been! I'll give you a quick run-down.

Monday: the calm before the storm. Monday is cleaning day at my house, so I cleaned. Exciting, no? Uh...no.

Tuesday: Launch day! I detailed it fully in pictures on my blog, but this day was more amazing than words can express. So many tweets. So many facebook messages. So many emails. So much excitement.

Wednesday: Launch party! I haven't posted these pictures on my blog, but they are on Facebook. You can see most of them on the fanpage. My favorites:

A group of devoted POSSESSION fans. <3

About half the crowd, packed into the art gallery next to The King's English bookstore. 

Me, third one from left at the top, with a flock of writing pals.

Thursday: The Day After. You know this day. Sort of the let-down day. I went to the movies with my kids, and lunch with writing friends.

Friday: That's today, and I have only one item on the agenda: Sleep.

Saturday: Tomorrow! I'll be doing another signing at my local Barnes & Noble. Guess I better go write my speech so I don't sound like I'm winging it.

I also wrote a thank you post on my blog on Tuesday, and I'm going to pull a bit of that to end with today.

I want to say thank you.

The words feel inadequate, weak, unable to hold how much I really appreciate the friendships and emails and camaraderie I've felt from you, my lovely blog readers.

But they'll have to do.

Thank you.