Waiting on Wednesday - June 30, 2010

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I can't wait to read Paranormalcy by Kiersten White. Some very good news came out this week...originally set for a September release, Paranormalcy will now be out in the wild a month earlier! Here's a little snippet to enjoy in the meantime :)

Release Date: August 31, 2010

Publisher: HarperTeen

Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

What are you waiting on?

Cory Doctorow On The Digital World

I wasn't able to make it to the Cory Doctorow event earlier this month but I was lucky to have an opportunity to talk to him by phone! This was my first phone interview & I owe a big thank you to both S.F. Robertson and Aly who came to my rescue and gave me some great pointers :)

So if you have a peak at Cory's bio below, you will see why I was excited (and intimidated) to have the opportunity to talk to him. His latest novel, FOR THE WIN, is "an action-adventure story about games, economics and labor politics". I am not really a gamer (I leave that for my hubby & kids) but I am a business geek. In FOR THE WIN, Cory covers many business topics & really breaks them down into something easy to understand...and fun, can you beleive that! I loved how he weaves a little eco/finance education into the story, adds in a little poli sci and given he reader a little business lesson without all the bordom of a textbook! As you can see, FOR THE WIN is not a beach read, but it is a really thought-provoking read. So of course, I had to ask Cory why a business/gamer/YA mix: he sees games and the virtual world popularity as a "natural empathy from teens to explain the weird parts in the grown up world".

What really stuck with me long after our chat was Cory's view of social networking. You hear a lot about how kids are spending too much online & not enough time in 'normal' social settings, not so for Cory. To him, "life as a teen as constrained - they don't go out to play anymore as parents hear scary stories, hanging around the food courts is not allowed, and so these networks emerged". As a parent, I totally see this, just now allowing my son, at age 8, to go ride his bike with a friend around the neighborhood, something I recall doing at age 4 or 5! The other day, while my son was playing a few games on the internet he asked me if he could have a Facebook account, yikes!

I loved this article by Cory a couple of years ago about writing YA, so couldn't help but share: Nature's Daredevils: Writing for Young Audiences. My favorite part: "That's one of the most wonderful things about writing for younger audiences — it matters. We all read for entertainment, no matter how old we are, but kids also read to find out how the world works. They pay keen attention, they argue back. There's a consequentiality to writing for young people that makes it immensely satisfying." See, YA isn't just fluff :) I could have picked Cory's brain for hours, he is really a very well-spoken, kind person and I really appreciate that he took the time to chat with me.

About the author:

Cory Doctorow (craphound.com) is a science fiction author, activist, journalist and blogger -- the co-editor of Boing Boing (boingboing.net) and the author of the or Teens/HarperCollins UK novels like FOR THE WIN and the bestselling LITTLE BROTHER. He is the former European director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and co-founded the UK Open Rights Group. Born in Toronto, Canada, he now lives in London.

About the book:
In the virtual future, you've got to organize to survive.

At any hour of the day or night, millions of people around the globe are engrossed in multiplayer online games, questing and battling to win virtual gold, jewels, and precious artifacts. Meanwhile, others seek to exploit this vast shadow economy, running electronic sweatshops in the world’s poorest countries, where countless “gold farmers,” bound to their work by abusive contracts and physical threats, harvest virtual treasure for their employers to sell to First World gamers who are willing to spend real money to skip straight to higher-level gameplay.

Mala is a brilliant 15-year-old from rural India whose leadership skills in virtual combat have earned her the title of “General Robotwalla.”

In Shenzen, heart of China’s industrial boom, Matthew is defying his former bosses to build his own successful gold-farming team. Leonard, who calls himself Wei-Dong, lives in Southern California, but spends his nights fighting virtual battles alongside his buddies in Asia, a world away. All of these young people, and more, will become entangled with the mysterious young woman called Big Sister Nor, who will use her experience, her knowledge of history, and her connections with real-world organizers to build them into a movement that can challenge the status quo.

The ruthless forces arrayed against them are willing to use any means to protect their power—including blackmail, extortion, infiltration, violence, and even murder. To survive, Big Sister’s people must out-think the system. This will lead them to devise a plan to crash the economy of every virtual world at once—a Ponzi scheme combined with a brilliant hack that ends up being the biggest, funnest game of all.

She's So Dead To Us Contest Alert

Earlier this month, I posted a review on how much I loved She's So Dead To Us (click for review)...and how it really got me going! To celebrate it's one month book bday, Kieran Scott has put together her biggest contest ever and it starts today!

The lucky winner will receive AUTOGRAPHED COPIES of:



and if that's no enough....SHE'S SO OVER HIM (the sequel to SHE'S SO DEAD TO US), when it's released next summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Head on over to kieran-scott.blogspot.com & find out all the details.

An Interview with Shari Maurer

Today I am excited to have an interview with Shari Maurer. Her debut novel, Change of Heart, was recently released. It is a powerful story that covers a tough subject and may take you on an emotional roller coaster ride. I love the overall message it leaves you with. Without further ado, please give a warm welcome to Shari!

Can you tell us about Change of Heart?

Change of Heart is about Emmi, a 16 year old soccer player, who gets sick and finds she needs a heart transplant. In the process, she learns about life, love and the meaning of true friendship.

As a mom, was the subject difficulty at times to write about? Do you think it also helped the depth of emotions expressed in the book?

I'm not just a mom, but a mom of a child who was born with a heart defect. While that is nothing like the fear associated with having a heart transplant, I certainly can understand what the whole family was experiencing. My daughter is fine now, but that worry never goes away. Being a mom definitely helps me write the depth of emotions--both for Emmi and also for her brothers and parents.

What do you hope people take away with them after reading Change of Heart?

I want people not to take good health for granted and to appreciate their friends and family. I'm a "look on the bright side" kind of person and I think it's easy to get caught in all that's "wrong" in your life, but much healthier to focus on all that's "right."

I was surprised to see this statistic: "90% of Americans say they support donation, but only 30% know the essential steps to take to be a donor." (via donatelife.net). I'm sure your research for the book lead you to many more. For those interested in learning more about how to become a donor, where should they start?

Like Emmi, there are thousands of people waiting for organs. I hope you never need it, but if something horrible happens, it would be great if you could help save several lives. You can get more info on this at www.donatelife.net.

What are you working on now?

I just finished the first draft of a new book. It takes place in summer camp and examines the question "When is it okay to lie?" It needs a lot of work, but I'm really excited by its potential.

About the book:
In a world where the most stressful thing seems to be winning a soccer game or what to wear in the morning, you take some really basic things for granted.

Like the love of your parents.

Or hanging with your friends.

Or the beating of your heart.

When you’re 16 years old, it never occurs to you that you might die. Emmi Miller’s got a fabulous life. She has tons of friends, does great in school and is an all-star soccer player who played in Europe last summer. It even looks like Sam Hunter, a totally cute baseball player, might be interested in her. And then she gets a virus. No biggy, right? Until the virus goes to her heart and weakens it so much that, without a transplant, Emmi will die.

Will Emmi get a heart in time? Is Sam too good to be true? What about her new friend Abe, who has also had a transplant and guides her through these scary times — is he just being supportive or is there more going on between them? And will Emmi realize it before it’s too late?

About the author:

I am a YA writer who grew up in New City, NY and came back to raise my family there. I went to undergrad at Duke University and grad school at NYU, studying English and Dramatic Writing and yelling loud at basketball games. After school, I spent six years at the Children’s Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop), working on international versions of Sesame Street and other kids’ programs. I met my husband, Mat, at sleepaway camp when we were 17 and there are times we still wish we were back at camp. My three kids, Lissie, Josh and Eric make me laugh and have been my biggest fans. Life is good.

Teaser Tuesday June 22, 2010

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Reign Check (Demon Princess, #2) by Michelle Rowen

He took a step closer to me when we reached the swirling gateway. "Although, if you need to destroy anything, I think you should start with Kieran." (pg 75 of ARC)

Fun Friday...and winners!

I hope you enjoyed your week of Claire de Lune! A big thank you to Christine for making this possible. For the Friday's posts, we discussed making a playlist as I always like to do something fun...

So after much agonizing, I finally did a playlist just of the arc
of Claire's story - a Claire playlist, rather than a CLAIRE DE LUNE
playlist, if that makes sense. Originally, I tried to pick one song for
each character, but I was getting into WAY too many spoilers and getting
all twisted up with it. Instead, I tried to find really great songs that
matched Claire at each point in her journey, both with their lyrics and
also the general feel of the music. This is what I ended up with!

Thanks to everyone who played along.

And the winners are.....

Signed copy of Claire de Lune: Jessica

Bookplates: Katelyn, Jenny N, Grace Gorski, Natasha, Elie N and Okapi

Please check you emails, you have until Sunday to claim your prize :)

Learning More About Matthew

It wasn't a surprise that when I went to interview Claire, Matthew was close by. Being the main character and all, we know a lot more about Claire so my questions for Matthew (who by the way is a total sweetheart!)were a little more deep. Again, not to worry these are spoiler-free!


What was it about Claire that made you fall head over heels for her?

She’s so *herself.* I was so tired of dating girls that spend all their time playing games, trying to be whatever they thought I wanted them to be. And Claire was so smart and funny and quiet without being shy. I just never thought she’d be interested in dating someone like me - that she’d think I was just another jock. She’s so strong and amazing, and not just because she’s a werewolf. It’s just *her.*

Will your scientist Dad would ever understand if you told him about you and Claire?

My dad is really...focused. He’s spent practically his whole life trying to perfect his cure for lycanthropy. I don’t think he would be able to get over that - to see Claire for the amazing person that she is. I wish he could see past her werewolf side. That he could think of her as something other than a dangerous test subject. But I just don’t think he’d be able to do that. And I’d never, ever want to risk Claire’s life by trying to find out for sure!

Do you think more people could be like you and accept werewolves for who they are as humans and not just see them as animals?

I wouldn’t be surprised - I think if people knew that these nice, normal women that they see everyday are werewolves, maybe they could get past all the stereotypes. I know that everyone’s scared of attacks, but humans kill each other, too, and we’re not terrified of every person we pass on the street. It’s not fair that people like Claire and Marie and Beatrice have to spend their whole lives hiding. Maybe someday, they’ll be able to live in the open. I hope so.

Doesn't the thought of your girlfriend turning into a wolf kinda freak you out?

Yes and no. I mean, the wolf world is really intense and there’s not a lot of room for humans - especially human guys - there. So that’s a little hard sometimes. But Claire’s wolf side is half of who she is - with out that, she wouldn’t be *her.* And I love the person that she is - strong, smart, wild and contained at the same time. So, no, the thought of her transforming doesn’t make me want to run away and hide or anything, but figuring out the wolf part of her world has been kind of hard at times. Worth it though. Hard, but totally worth it.


This week you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Claire de Lune (CAN/US only), OR one of six signed bookplates (open internationally!) by filling out the form here. Don't forget you get an extra entry for each thoughtful comment :)

Chatting it up with Claire

At 16, the main character in Claire de Lune finds out that she's...well a little bit different! I had a chance to ask her a few questions, don't worry it's spolier-free :)

Did you ever think, growing up, that your family was a little odd?

Not really. I mean, I knew my family was different than, say, Emily’s family, but it just seemed NORMAL to me. Plus, once Lisbeth came, it actually seemed easier than having my mom around all the time, breathing down my neck about stuff. I was so happy that she wasn’t prying into my secrets that I didn’t really think she might have one of her own!

How long had Matthew been on your radar?

Um, since the first day I walked into school? No, seriously. He was a sophomore when I was a freshman, but we’d gone to different middle schools, so I’d never seen him before. His locker was sort of near mine that year, and he was so gorgeous, I couldn’t NOT notice him. But I never thought he’d actually pay any attention to me...

What is your favorite part of being a were?

I love the hunt. Really. I mean, I love so many parts of it - the heightened senses (even though that took awhile to adjust to!) and the running and the way we can communicate with one another without talking. But hunting rolls all that up together and adds the excitement of chasing something. Of course, at the end of the hunt, there’s always the killing part, which took some time to get used to, but it’s no different than eating a steak you buy in the grocery - and it’s a lot fairer to catch it yourself!

What do you think your BFF Emily would do if she knew the truth?

It’s so hard - I know that she would really, really *want* to keep it a secret, but she’s pretty much the worst secret keeper I know. I mean, it’s like the words just leap out of her mouth. I really want to tell her, but it’s just too big a risk, for everyone. When I can’t stand it anymore, I always remind myself that I can tell her tomorrow. That makes it sort of bearable, knowing that I always *could* tell her. Just not today.

(awww, love this answer!)

This week you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Claire de Lune (CAN/US only), OR one of six signed bookplates (open internationally!) by filling out the form here. Don't forget you get an extra entry for each thoughtful comment :)

An Interview with Christine Johnson

I recently had a chance to talk to Christine Johnson about her debut, Claire de Lune. Please give a warm welcome to Christine. This week you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Claire de Lune (CAN/US only), OR one of six signed bookplates (open internationally!) by filling out the form here. Don't forget you get an extra entry for each thoughful comment (see her answer to my last question today!)

In your own words, tell us about the book

This is a much harder thing to do than it seems like, but here goes: CLAIRE DE LUNE is about a girl who discovers, on her sixteenth birthday, that she’s the latest in a long line of female werewolves. With a rogue wolf on the loose, her boyfriend’s dad leading the werewolf hunt, and her new identity to adjust to, Claire has to overcome huge challenges if she’s going to save her new-found pack . . . and herself.

In Claire de Lune, you have created an interesting take on the werewolf. What was your inspiration?

I thought it would be really interesting to write a book about a girl who was a werewolf, and it really all grew pretty organically from there. I thought it would be *more* interesting if all the werewolves were women - if there *couldn’t* be a male of the species. I spent a long time reading everything I could find about traditional werewolf mythology and then I turned a lot of it on its head, which was really fun. So much of the traditional lore is very male-centric - I wanted to come at it from a different (female) perspective.

My favorite scene to read was when Claire is in the forest, checking out her new skills. What was your favorite to write?

It’s REEEEAaally hard to talk about my favorite scene without being spoiler-y. But there’s a part near the end, when Claire has a big fight with someone who has been very important to her, and that fight has HUGE ramifications for Claire. It was a hard scene to write, because so much hinged on it, but when it finally came together, it was the *most* satisfying.

Did you ever have a boyfriend but kept him a secret from your family/friends?

Not that I can remember . . . but in high school, my serious boyfriends were always older guys who either didn’t go to my school or were in college. Honestly, they were all great guys (not that there was a huge roster of them or anything,) but I remember being sort of jealous of the girls who could slip notes to their boyfriends in between classes, or sit together in the caf at lunch. So I do know that feeling of having a boyfriend who’s sort of absent from one part of your life, even if none of mine were ever a secret.

What are you working on now?

I juuuuust handed in the first draft of the sequel for Claire de Lune, which will be out sometime next summer. It’s untitled . . . I’m working on that. I hate titles. I think they’re HARD. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d be happy to hear them!

To learn more about Christine & Claire de Lune, visit www.christinejohnsonbooks.com

Claire de Lune week (and giveaway!)

I am excited to share with you a week of Christine Johnson's debut, Claire de Lune. Throughout the week you will find an interview with Christine, the main character Claire and Matthew. I hope you enjoy!

About the book:
Torn between two destinies…

Claire is having the perfect sixteenth birthday. Her pool party is a big success, and her crush keeps chatting and flirting with her as if she’s the only girl there. But that night, she discovers something that takes away all sense of normalcy: She’s a werewolf.

As Claire is initiated into the pack of female werewolves, she finds her lupine loyalty at odds with her human heart. Burdened with a dark secret and pushing the boundaries of forbidden love, she will be forced to make a choice that will change her life forever...

Praise:

“Johnson spins out an engaging and provocative riff on the werewolf tradition….Smooth writing and engaging main characters make for an easy read, while a feminist focus offers just a bit more for thoughtful readers….A good summer read for the romantically concerned or and monster-obsessed midteen girl.” - Booklist

"Johnson weaves a page-turning tale of forbidden love, loyalty, friendship, and deception that will leave readers eager for more. Strong characters and major plot twists coupled with a new twist on werewolf mythology make this a fun and entertaining read." - School Library Journal

“Johnson’s debut . . . glimmers with mystery and a budding romance amid Romeo and Juliet-like complications . . . her struggle to adjust and integrate the two sides of her life rounds out a satisfying story.” - Publisher’s Weekly

Book Trailer:


About the author:
I grew up in, moved away from, and finally came home to Indianapolis, Indiana. Now I live in an old house in an old neighborhood with my husband and kids. I have too many books and a weakness for anything sweet. I love yoga and cooking, but I'm not much of a movie person. I like watching soccer, and always look forward to the first sweater-worthy days in the fall. But mostly, I like making things up and writing them down and having people read them. So that's what I do, and I'm very, very lucky to be doing it!

www.christinejohnsonbooks.com


...and a big thanks to Christine for the great giveaways! This week you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Claire de Lune (CAN/US only), OR one of six signed bookplates (open internationally!) by filling out the form below. For each thoughtful comment you leave during the week, I will also add an extra entry.

13 to Life: Start Your Day with Serial Tour

Welcome to Shannon Delany's Start Your Day with Serial Tour! Shannon's debut novel (and first in her YA paranormal series) 13 to Life started as a winning cell phone novel written in serial segments. During the tour you can read bits of the book in order. Miss a day? Hop to Shannon's blog 13toLife.us/blog and check the link to the blog tour calendar in her sidebar. There will also be a contest that will close at the end of the tour. Winners get a bunch of stuff.





For information on the previous section, visit Intetextual Chronicles! (intetextualchronicles.blogspot.com)

13 to Life: Chapter 3, part I (used with the author’s permission)

He smiled. Sarah and Sophia giggled at me. Some friends.
Pietr speared a piece of mystery meatloaf with his fork, and popped the first bite into his mouth, chewing like eating was an exercise in efficiency, not something to be enjoyed. Well that I understood, looking at my own wilted lettuce. “So, what don’t you get?” he asked again.
I refused to answer, trying to seem absorbed in the search for a crouton with some crunch. I was absolutely unlucky today.
"There's really nothing to get,” Pietr continued. “He's out of your league." He stated it with such simplicity it sounded like undeniable truth.

Ouch, doesn't that sound good! Oh and thanks to Liyana for pointing this out...it's 13 to Release Day today!!!

I was also lucky enough to interview Shannon about 13 to Life:

You have an interesting road to publication with 13 to Life starting out as a simple entry in a cellphone novel contest! Can you tell us a bit about this.

I started 13 to Life as a sort of experiment on Textnovel.com. I was already working on a pirate-type novel (which also made the finals) but my pirate one wasn't working as smoothly for me (though I know the history inside and out--and will return to it). Ironically it was as I returned from an event in Wisconsin where I saw a student-made film using my pirate designs premiere that 13 to Life started to form very vaguely in my mind. I threw it out in serial snippets on the site so folks with cell phones could follow along. I had no idea where it was going when I started it and I wasn't very serious about it until about halfway through--I was busy writing on a bunch of freelance projects at the time. But I won!

I've always been fascinated with legends of the wolf, why did you decide to write a werewolf story (and please don't say because of Twilight! lol)

*snort* In a strange way 13 to Life was a response to Twilight--well, Twilight's influence on publishing. I wasn't familiar with Stephenie Meyer's work until that trip to Wisconsin (I was speaking at the college the same day Robert Pattinson made his first Oprah appearance and I was stunned by the crowd's reaction to him and the books). And every bookstore--airport and not--had vampire books on their shelves (thank you, Twilight) but no werewolves. Where was the wolf love?! Vampires and werewolves are sort of like supernatural chocolate and peanut butter to me--two great things that go great together. It seemed strange not to see wolves represented. So I figured: What the heck? I'll write a werewolf story. <--Please note: I never imagined my first published novels would include werewolves. Neh-vah. My brother and I still joke about it. BUT. I feel that good literature should raise questions and allow for multiple methods (symbollically and literally) of change, growth, and, dare I say it? TRANSFORMATION. Who does that better (and more boldly) than a werewolf? And in the shadow of that blatant transformation you can hide so many other, more subtle things.

Sometimes characters take on their own lives & end up surprising the writer, did any characters in 13 To Life shock you?

YES. Max really stepped out of the shadows during 13 to Life copyedits and decided to be a major player (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) in the second book in the series, too. And Pietr grew from being my baby to becoming an independent (and sometimes frustrating) boy with his own ideas. Heck. In book two and three I essentially threw my hands in the air and let the boys take over. Werewolves are not cool with being tightly controlled.

13 to life is book #1 of a trilogy. When you began expanding on the cellphone version of your story did you know this would end up being a much larger story?

*G* No. I figured I'd wrap it up in one expanded volume (how, I had little idea). But my agent asked me how many books I thought I could get out of 13 to Life and (because my husband had just asked the same thing) I said four or five, but I can easily do three. So three it was! Now, in retrospect I realize the world can open for even more books, but we'll see if that's in my near future or not. ;-)

Are you a planner who plots out the story then fill in the gaps or do you let the story lead you?

In 13 to Life I let the story's characters lead me. I had a vague direction in mind, but even if I outline I allow for "wiggle room." Which is great, because the way I thought Pietr would wrap up his part in the trilogy was far different than what he had in mind. I mean--WOW.

I think book #3 is already at the editing stage now! Can you give us a sneak peak into book #2?

Book 3 is (at this moment) in my revision stage--betas will have just seen it when this posts. A sneak peek at book 2? Remember, Jess is our narrator, so we're in here head...

Out of the car they wolfed quickly, slinking along the shadows and hugging the hedges that marked the property boundaries of suburbia.
I hopped into the front passenger’s seat and turned the car on to note the time on the dashboard clock. Just ten minutes. Reclining in the seat, I promised I’d only worry after fifteen. I pulled out my worry stone, rubbing my thumb across its glossy variegated surface. Like Pietr’s eyes it was beautiful and blue. Like what shimmered behind his eyes-—complicated.
When fifteen minutes passed and there was no sign of the Rusakovas, I decided I would not panic.
Yet.
By seventeen minutes I’d pulled apart the car’s interior looking for a weapon: a pocketknife, a pair of scissors, anything. It quickly became obvious that werewolves didn’t bother with standard weapons. Teeth and claws were more than sufficient.
By twenty minutes I’d found a hefty Maglite flashlight wedged under the driver’s seat. It would have to do.
Slipping the car key off the ring, I tucked it in my pocket opposite my worry stone and hid the other keys under the seat.
I was headed to the church twenty-two minutes after the Rusakovas had disappeared into the night.
And I was definitely worried.

Shannon's hosting several contests during the Start Your Day with Serial Tour. The big contest will award one lucky winner with a royal amber pendant, pietersite jeweled bookmark, stuffed wolf, 13 to Life mousepad, pen, tote, signed poster, personalized copy of 13 to Life and both of the 13 to Lifepins. All you need to do is comment at 13 of the blogs hosting Shannon during her 30 day tour. Everyone who does so will be entered into a random drawing. Winner may be international.

In My Mailbox - June 6, 2010

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren where we show what books have found a new home with us!

I've heard amazing things about both these books & can't wait to start them!

Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

It’s been two years since Noelle disappeared. Two years since her bike was discovered, sprawled on a sidewalk. Two years of silence, of worry, of fear.

For those two long years, her best friend Tessa has waited, living her own life in a state of suspended animation. Because how can she allow herself to enjoy a normal high school life if Noelle can’t? How dare she have other friends, go to dances, date boys, without knowing what happened to the girl she thought she would share everything with?

And then one day, someone calls Noelle’s house. She’s alive.

A haunting psychological thriller taken straight from the headlines, The Tension of Opposites is a striking debut that explores the emotional aftermath of a kidnapping on the victim, and on the people she left behind.

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?

What goodies did you get?

Cory Doctorow in Toronto tomorrow!

Sadly, I can't make this event but thought since there is so much buzz about Cory & his new book For The Win that I'd pass this along. The book loooks amazing, don't you think?!

In the virtual future, you've got to organize to survive.

At any hour of the day or night, millions of people around the globe are engrossed in multiplayer online games, questing and battling to win virtual gold, jewels, and precious artifacts. Meanwhile, others seek to exploit this vast shadow economy,
running electronic sweatshops in the world’s poorest countries, where ountless “gold farmers,” bound to their work by abusive contracts and physical threats, harvest virtual treasure for their employers to sell to First World gamers who are willing to spend real money to skip straight to higher-level gameplay. Mala is a brilliant 15-year-old from rural India whose leadership skills in virtual combat have earned her the title of “General Robotwalla.”

In Shenzen, heart of China’s industrial boom, Matthew is defying his former bosses to build his own successful gold-farming team. Leonard, who calls himself Wei-Dong, lives in Southern California, but spends his nights fighting virtual battles alongside his buddies in Asia, a world away. All of these young people, and more, will become entangled with the mysterious young woman called Big Sister Nor, who will use her experience, her knowledge of history, and her connections with real-world organizers to build them into a movement that can challenge the status quo.
The ruthless forces arrayed against them are willing to use any means to protect their power—including blackmail, extortion, infiltration, violence, and even murder. To survive, Big Sister’s people must out-think the system. This will lead them to devise a plan to crash the economy of every virtual world at once—a Ponzi scheme combined with a brilliant hack that ends up being the biggest, funnest game of all.

Review: She's So Dead To Us by Kieran Scott

Released: May 25th 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Format read: ARC
Formats Available: Audio, Hardcover (288 pages)

Synopsis (from Amazon.ca)

When having money is all that matters, what happens when you lose it all?

Perfect, picturesque Orchard Hill. It was the last thing Ally Ryan saw in the rear-view mirror as her mother drove them out of town and away from the shame of the scandal her father caused when his hedge fund went south and practically bankrupted all their friends -- friends that liked having trust funds and new cars, and that didn't like constant reminders that they had been swindled. So it was adios, Orchard Hill. Thanks for nothing.

Now, two years later, Ally's mother has landed a job back at the site of their downfall. So instead of Ally's new low-key, happy life, it'll be back into the snake pit with the likes of Shannen Moore and Hammond Ross.

But then there's Jake Graydon. Handsome, wealthy, bored Jake Graydon. He moved to town after Ally left and knows nothing of her scandal, but does know that he likes her. And she likes him. So off into the sunset they can go, right? Too bad Jake's friends have a problem with his new crush since it would make Ally happy. And if anyone deserves to be unhappy, it's Ally Ryan.

Ally was hoping to have left all the drama in the past, but some things just can't be forgotten. Isn't there more to life than money?

My Rating: 5 / 5

My Thoughts:

Wow, what an amazing read! OK, so I have a few issues with the characters...just a few. When you get angry at the people in a book, you know the author has done her job, and done it well! In She's So Dead To Us there is not just one character that gets the reader going, there are multiple characters you love to hate. Kieran not only explores the group mentality of the teen years, she gives life & depth to all characters involved.

Ally Ryan was the coolest Crestie..until her Dad screwed up and lost every ones money in a bad investment. In Ally, Kieran captures what every girl fears in high school - the dreaded rumors. The thing about Ally though is that she is just so cool, so nice, that event the rumors fly off her back...they can't take her down that easily! Jake Graydon is the perfect guy: rich family (shallow of me but seriously who doesn't dream of falling for a rich guy!), athletic and all round nice guy...if only he could grow some balls!!! If he did, I'd say he's clone-worthy, right now he's totally swoon-worthy though :) Shannon, wow, have you seen Mean Girls - she is like Regina, the Queen Bee, and she is fierce, with Faith not too far behind!

If you love drama (not the boring the kind) and character development, this book will blow you away. Full of shocking moments, this one is sure to be devoured in one sitting and leave you, well, pissed and wanting more! I bow down to Kieran for invoking such hatred & passion when I was reading She's So Dead To Us :)

39 Clues Book Signing With My Sons!

This past Sunday was a really exciting one for the family...my 8 yr old son won a contest to meet & greet plus introduce two authors of the 39 Clues series, Peter Lerangis & Gordon Korman at their book signing in Toronto. Thanks so much to Peter & Korman for being just awesome, and of course to Scholastic Canada for such an amazing opportunity! My son asked if we could put his video up on Youtube - I think he feels like a rockstar now ;)

Gordon is a fellow Torontonian & his name sounded so familiar. When I told my mom about the event, she knew right away who he was. Low and behold my older brother was reading Gordon Korman's first books, This Can't Be Happening At McDonald Hall, back when he was around my son's age - how cool is that?! Peter also writes YA books, one book that came out last year you may recognize wtf :) I've been meaning to read forever, ahhh, I never thought to get the book signed!



(L-R: Gordon Korman, Justin, Jacob & Peter Lerangis)

If found this quite fascinating: between the two of them, Peter & Gordon have written for about 50 yrs and over 200 books!




The 39 Clues series is truly amazing. Not only do you have an amazing team of writers creating stories that include historical figures & worldwide travel, the books are interactive with card collecting & an online game added to the mix! Whoever thought of this, is pure genius...the perfect recipe for getting the attention of every kid, especially the reluctant readers.

Ok, enough about my love for the 39 Clues books LOL. Time to share some cool things I learned from the book signing:

I thought it was interesting when Gordon talked about how normally writing is a more solitary job. However, with 39 Clues, working on a team of writers meant that each time a new book is written, the bar is raised for the next book. I can picture these guys sitting at their computer, rubbing their hands together & giggling as they think they’ve just written the best scene ever OR an evil laugh as they write something challenging for the next books author to deal with.

The books in 39 Clues take place all over the world & Peter gave us some tricks of the trade on how to write about places you've never been (too bad the authors didn't get to travel all over in the name of research!). It had never actually occurred to me how powerful & useful YouTube & Google Earth really are. Peter talked about how informative YouTube videos were, showing what people wear, how they act, what they eat etc. Google Earth is a great tool to see what streets look like, and if you have a landscape in mind, you can even search around to find your location! There’s no need to actually travel to all these places, you can visit them in the comfort of your own home :)

If you have young kids, or just like fun adventure stories (I've been reading these with my son & LOVE them myself) I suggest looking into the 39 Clues series and of course playing the games on the39clues.com!

Supernatural Book Signing & Winners!

Last week I had an opportunity to meet three amazing authors, all in one night, as part of the Supernatural Tour! I had a blast & thanks to Lesley learned that authors really are a crazy bunch ;) I thought it would be fun to share with you the authors answers to my favorite question from an audience member: how to develop characters.


(clockwise: Jackie, me, Kim Harrison, Aprilynne Pike & Lesley Livingston)

Kim Harrison read from her newest book, Early to Death, Early to Rise (Madison Avery, #2), a series I hadn't yet read but sounded so interesting (and yes has been added to my Mt. TBR pile)! Kim had the most unique answer: write down what you'd find in their closet, make a list of things about them & use the Myers-Briggs personality test to get an idea of how they would react in different situations. I would love to pick Kim's brain one day!



Aprilynne Pike is as cute as a button in real life & funny too! She suggested that you write characters who you find interesting. If you find the character boring, either add more to them OR scrap them altogether. I was so embarrassed that I had been butchering the name of a main character from her Wings series...Tamani is pronounced Tam-Annie NOT Ta-Moni, ooops! I'm kinda scared for Tamani in the next book, Team Tamani all the way..but I can so she her throwing us a curve ball in book 3 (there will be 4 books in the series).




I must say that Lesley Livingston is such a hoot :) She talked about hearing the characters voices & putting characters together in different scenarios to learn about them through their interaction. I've had both books in her Wonderous Strange series for a bit now & can kick myself for not reading them sooner - I can't wait to meet Bob!

...and what you've all been waiting for, the winners are...

Emily - Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison

Sara - Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Lea - Wonderous Strange by Lesley Livingston

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