Duly Quoted (8)

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.


-Albert Einstein

Amen to that.

If you have a quote to share, I would love to hear about it.  Just leave the quote or a link to it in the comments!

Etsy Friday: Odd

Today I thought I'd show you a few things that are just a little different.  Odd in the best possible way.

Life Calendar by Brigada Creative

You fill in the faces with an appropriate expression to suit your day.  I think it's completely adorable!

Air Plant Pod by Mudpuppy

The aliens are attacking!  Wait, scratch that.  It's just my houseplants.

Steampunk Bot by The Enchanted Locket

Robot pendant.  It needs no further introduction.

28. Exile

Author: Anne Osterlund

*Spoilers for Aurelia. Read at your own risk!

Summary: Crown Princess Aurelia stands in the face of exile. Behind her are the sister who tried to kill her and the father who ignored it. In front of her are the entire kingdom and Robert—the friend she can't help but fall in love with. Aurelia may finally be living her dream . . . but danger is not far behind. When Aurelia and Robert are betrayed by the very guards assigned to protect them, their expedition becomes a fight for survival that carries them from frontier to desert sands. Even with a hunter on their tail, the risks—to their lives, the throne, their hearts—only fuels Aurelia's determination to see her kingdom. And when their perilous journey is finally complete, she will discover just how much her people need her, and just how much of a risk loving Robert can be. (Goodreads)

My thoughts: The ending of Aurelia nearly killed me, but I survived long enough to be delighted that there was a sequel. 

I enjoyed the deepening of Aurelia's story. The stakes are raised for her in a huge way.  This might sound strange, given that she spent the first book battling for her life, but let me explain. She may have been battling for her life before, but now she has to decide what that life is going to mean. Will she seek her own happiness, or strive for the well-being of her country?  And she'll have to make that decision while still trying to stay alive while lots of people try to kill her. Check out her image on the book cover, though.  That chick can handle whatever life (fiction) decides to throw at her.

There are a lot of great moments in this story.  It was sad, exciting, romantic, tense, and occasionally funny. The emotional roller coaster is half the fun! The other half is just getting to spend time with the fantastic Aurelia. Despite moments of self-doubt, she is still that brave, audacious, irritating princess that made me fall for this story in the first place.

I came into Exile wanting VENGEANCE! I get a little blood-thirsty sometimes, I admit it.  I wanted Aurelia's traitorous sister to face some payback. I was a little bit disappointed when that didn't happen.  I suppose Aurelia probably was, too. Overall, I felt that this book was definitely weighted toward character development rather than progressing the story.  Character development is good,  but I would have liked to see some larger developments in the plot as well.

Another cliffhanger ending! Books should seriously come with warning labels, just for me. I do not deal well with endings that aren't really endings. (I think back to the week of sleepless nights after I read Catching Fire and shudder.) But I'll deal with it, because this story is one worth reading.  4 STARS!

Anne Osterlund Guest Post: The Author/Character Relationship

Today I have the great honor of presenting this guest post by Anne Osterlund.  I read and loved Anne's first two books, Aurelia and Academy 7, so when she contacted me about joining the blog tour for her latest book, Exile, I jumped all over the chance.  When I was perusing Anne's website and blog in search of inspiration for interview questions, I noticed that her character Aurelia (the heroine of Aurelia and Exile) has a habit of making her opinions known.  A lot.  (Not that there's anything wrong with that!  I admire a woman who knows what she wants and makes it happen.) I suggested to Anne that she might like to write a guest post about fictional characters who climb out of books and start to take over their author's lives, and I think I accidentally got her into trouble:

<><><><><>

The Discovery

By Anne Osterlund (aka the author of Aurelia—book 1, Exile—book 2, and Academy 7)

Featuring Aurelia (former crown princess of Tyralt)

“Um . . . Aurelia. What are you doing?” I intercept her at the access window to my e-mail account. (She knows my password. This is an inconvenient consequence of having an intelligent character in your head).

“Nothing.” She clicks on log in and starts scrolling through all the e-mails with the word Exile, the title of her upcoming book, in the subject line.

The cursor hovers over the one from NotNessie. Emergency flares go off in my head. “Um . . .”

She clicks.

Too late! “You should know that NotNessie accused you of taking over my life,” I blurt out.

“What?!” Aurelia spins around to face me.

The e-mail is taking a while to download, for which I am grateful.

“Who is NotNessie?” Aurelia demands.

“The host of the Today’s Adventure blog,” I say.

“Oh . . . isn’t she the one who said I could clearly keep my head in a crises?”

“Yes.”

Unfortunately at this point the message downloads and Aurelia reads NotNessie’s suggestion that I blog about the topic of fictional characters who grow out of their books and start taking over your life.

Aurelia sputters.

I start talking. Fast. “Well, you did invade my yellow notepad several years ago, just to complain about being stuck at a boring party with an itching ankle.”

“It was not just to—“

“And you did talk me into quitting my job and taking a year off from teaching in order to write.”

“You had a steep learning curve,” she says. “You needed the time.”

True.

“And you did drag me to eight writing conferences.”

Her face is definitely stormy, and she is drawing giant x’s over the comment in NotNessie’s e-mail. “Aerin and Dane are responsible for at least one,” she says.

(Aerin and Dane are the main characters in my second book, Academy 7)

I keep talking. “And you did force me to contact perfect strangers (i.e. famous authors, critique group members, editors, agents, bookstore workers, conference committee leaders, and school representatives) in order to promote my books. Which you know I dread doing.”

“This isn’t about you.” She stands up. “Aurelia and Exile are my story.”

“I know,” I reply, offering her a twist of saltwater mint taffy as a peace offering.

Slowly she reaches toward the taffy. “And you love my story,” she points out, nervousness buried in the statement.

“I do,” I reply emphatically.

“And you love writing my story?”

“Absolutely.”

She tastes the taffy. “I don’t think it’s ever fair to complain about how a character is taking over the life of an author, when I have to trust you to relay my life to the entire world.”

She has a point.

“So you’re saying the author/main character relationship is equally balanced?” I ask.

“Yes!”

“I’ll tell NotNessie.”

“Good!” Aurelia swallows the rest of the taffy, sits back down, and returns to rifling through my e-mails.

Author’s Note: Thank you so much for the inspiration, NotNessie! Aurelia and I hope you and your readers will visit us on our website: www.anneosterlund.com and our blog: www.anneosterlund.blogspot.com. And, of course, we hope you all enjoy Exile!

<><><><><>

Aurelia, I hope you understand I never meant to offend you. I was of course referring to the absolute blessing a character such as yourself can be in an author's life.  And thank you, Anne, for stopping by to share that with us. 

I'll be posting my review of Exile tomorrow!

Teaser Tuesday: Exile

This week's teaser is from Exile by Anne Osterlund:

An instant later the choice seemed never to have existed. The sharp tip of an enemy sword pricked his throat. "Poaching," snarled a thin, masculine voice, "is a criminal offense." Then long fingers dug into Robert's shoulder, yanking him to his feet, and a circle of raised musket emerged from the brush.  All pointed at him.

-p. 57 (ARC)

Uh-oh.  Good luck with that, Robert!

Tune in tomorrow to read a guest post from Anne Osterlund, and on Thursday to read my review of Exile.

Teaser Tuesday is hosted each week at Should Be Reading.

27. On the Volcano

Author: James Nelson (website?)

Find it: Goodreads  Amazon

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Katie has only ever seen three people in her life, and she wants nothing more than to travel with her father when he journeys to the town of Badwater to get supplies for their homestead.  A western town in the 1870's is a dangerous place, and Katie's first trip to civilization has tragic consequences she could never have foreseen.

My thoughts: Let's start with the good. I love, love, love the voice.  Katie struck me as the perfect balance between sheltered naivety and the unexpected maturity of a girl who has spent every day struggling for survival. I fell in love right away with the image of this girl living on the edge of a mostly dormant volcano, and the hooks stayed in right through the last page.  Even though Volcano isn't a particularly fast-paced story, I was riveted to the page just purely on the strength of the concept.

But. That's a heavy but.  While I want to stress that I really enjoyed this book, there are a few problems here that I know are going to annoy some readers.  First, it seems implausible that in Katie's entire life no one uninivited has ever found her home, and then several people find it all at once.  Second, there's a lot of build-up for events that never happen.  Clues that are laid out and fussed over, then never really worked into the story in a significant way.  And finally, it takes a long time to build up to the climax of the story, then if you blink you might miss it.

So I don't quite no what to tell you.  On The Volcano has a lot going for it, but several large strikes in the minus column.  For myself, personally, I'd probably rate it four stars.  I'm a sucker for westerns.  But overall, I'm going to give it a three.

Give the guys a break!

I recently read a pair of tweets by popular YA author Sarah Rees Brennan that left me upset: 

"Sigh. Just saw someone asking for YA for/BY boys. Not that we don't have many talented YA guys, but... not a special extra writing finger." link to the original tweet

"I dream of a day when writers are judged not by the contents of their pants but by the quality content of their novels." link to the original tweet

Would Rees Brennan have been offended if this individual had been asking for "YA for/BY girls"? I would guess not, but such a request would be nonsensical anyway, because there's a TON of YA for and by girls. I'm making the assumption here that Rees Brennan is talking about an agent/editor wishlist (a list found on many blogs in which the individual specifies the type of books he/she is looking to work with).  The reason that agent is looking for this type of book is because she believes she can sell it, that there's a market for it. She's not judging authors by the contents of their pants, she's saying that a certain segment of pants contents are under-represented.

I can hear you out there: "but Vanessa, she isn't saying there isn't a market for this book, just that it's sad that Male Teen Reader wants to read books written by guys."  To which I say, is it really?

Can a woman write a realistic male character? You bet!  Can a man write a convincing female character?  I believe so, absolutely.  However, I don't believe that a man, no matter how skilled a writer he might be, can write a book that will speak to me on certain issues and attitudes in the same way a female writer can. There are a lot of experiences in life that are uniquely female (or uniquely male), and no one can understand that as well as someone else who's been through it. There's a reason why a large portion of the books I read (73% so far this year) are written by women. I like the way women approach the material, the way they focus and express. Why is it so wrong to assume that a guy might want a book written by a guy?

I call myself a feminist.  What I mean by that is that I believe women and men should have equal rights. I don't think that women are or should be the same as men.  Men and women each bring something unique and valuable to the table. I think we should celebrate that fact, not lament or try to ignore it. We all hope for a world in which each and every person truly has equal rights and opportunities, and I think that even when that world arrives, we'll still want YA written by guys, for guys.  And that's a good thing.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

to all of you who celebrate it, and Happy Bonus Long Weekend! to all of you who don't.  I hope you are having a beautiful day.

Duly Quoted (7)

Today I'm sharing some quotes from Robert A. Heinlein, one of my dad's favorite authors.  I read a lot of his books as a teen.  (Am I the only one who read adult books as a teen, and now reads YA books as an adult?  What is with that?)  My favorite book of his is Have Spacesuit, Will Travel, the first sci-fi book I ever loved.

"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes."

"Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own... Jealousy is a disease, love is a healthy condition. The immature mind often mistakes one for the other, or assumes that the greater the love, the greater the jealousy."

"Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat."

 "To be matter-of-fact about the world is to blunder into fantasy - and dull fantasy at that, as the real world is strange and wonderful."

-Robert A. Heinlein

Not necessarily related: I also wanted to share with you an interesting blog post.  Can you like stories written by unlikeable people?

If you have a favorite quote to share, I'd love to read it!  Just leave the quote (or a link to it) in the comments.

26. City of Fallen Angels (+ Giveaway)

Author: Cassandra Clare

*This review contains spoilers for the previous books of the Mortal Instruments series.  If you haven't read City of Bones, City of Ashes, and City of Glass, BEWARE!

Summary: Two months after the battle in Alicante, life for Clary, Jace, Simon, and company is settling down to something resembling normal.   That is, if you ignore the fact that Simon is now a vampire, a Daylighter in fact. While the Mark of Cain keeps him safe from physical harm, every vamp wants him on their team and they'll stop at nothing to get him there.  Oh, and also someone is killing Shadowhunters and trying to stir things up with the Downworlders in the process.  Did I mention that there's a demonic cult on the loose? 

Hmmm... maybe "normal" was a bit of a stretch.

My thoughts: If you were like me, you finished City of Glass and thought Ah, how lovely.  Now my favorite characters can have a little downtime to be happy.  WRONG!  Sorry, characters, happy is boring, and Cassandra Clare does not want you do be bored.  Prepare to be tortured.  (That was a figure of speech, not a spoiler.  Probably.)

City of Fallen Angels has everything I expect from this series: fast-paced action, hot dudes with their shirts off, twisty turns of the plot, high stakes, sexy makeout scenes, tension of all kinds, snarky humor, romantic misdirection, bloody fights and terrifying monsters.  There's more, but had to stop because the list of awesome was getting out of control.

The breakout star here is without a doubt Simon, who finally bursts free of his perpetual sidekickdom and becomes a character to be reckoned with.  I've always been a Simon fan, and I am delighted to see him granted a story arc of his very own.  I think many more people are going to be joining me on Team Simon after reading this book.

Clare is one of the few authors I can think of who can do a multiple main-character novel that I absolutely love.  Jace, Clary and Simon all have major roles in this book, and their different storylines are woven together with masterful skill.  I usually hate books with multiple main characters because the POV switches are like a thousand tiny cliffhangers inside the book.  That does happen here, but I was so excited about all the storylines that I really didn't mind.  It's just so GOOD!

Speaking of cliffhangers, if you know Cassandra Clare's writing, you know what the ending is going to be like.  So be prepared.  Wear gloves, perhaps, so you won't chew off all your fingernails like I did. 
Buy City of Fallen Angels. Man up and read it if you can handle the emotional wringer, or stick it on a shelf so you can admire the pretty until the next two books come out.  Either way, you win!

And you can win another way!

GIVEAWAY
I have some CoFA swag to distribute.  One poster and five buttons, the better to help you declare your adoration for this series.  Just leave me a comment saying you want some swag!  First five people will get stuff!  If you want to make me very happy (and why wouldn't you?) also tell me who your favorite Mortal Instruments character is and why.  I'll email you for your address, but you can speed the process by sending it to me at adventureinbooks (at) gmail (dot) com

25. Teaser Tuesday + Review: Hybrid

Author:  Brian O'Grady

"Relax, Doctor.  You are perfectly safe."

"I think that's what the captain of the Titanic was saying just before he rammed an iceberg."  Martin had a deathgrip on the handhold mounted over his head.

Summary: As the only survivor of a deadly viral outbreak, Amanda Flynn is subjected to endless testing upon her return to the States. She escapes and remains in hiding for years to preserve her secret: the virus changed her. She has immense strength, enhanced senses, psychic talents... and a terrible, murderous rage. Amanda manages to curb the impulse to kill for years, until she hears of a new outbreak of the virus and another person with the power. And this is a man with no interest in curbing his impulses.

My thoughts:  Hybrid has a lot of things going for it.  The characters have an intriguing problem and the stakes really couldn't be higher.  We're talking about the survival of the human race here.  I'm not sure I buy into the idea that a virus could do all this, but it sure is scary fun to think about. O'Grady has a wealth of knowledge to draw on that lends a sense of reality to his writing.
There were a few things that annoyed me, as well.  Jumping between multiple points of view made it hard for me to feel invested in the characters.  I also felt there were plenty of random details and excess backstory that bogged down the flow of the story.  I kept pausing to ask myself, "Why is this important?" and the answer was all too often, "It's not."  There were more typos and formatting errors than average.  None of these issues is huge in itself, but the problems are perfectly tailored to my list of pet peeves.

I'm giving Hybrid 3 stars overall on the strength of the premise and the bone-chilling villain. 

Verb tense and POV

I know.  With a post title like that you're totally hooked, right?

I recently discovered something that I was totally unaware of: many people have VERY strong feelings about books written in the present tense, first person point of view (POV, or, which character you're seeing the story through).  They hate it.  Refuse to read a book written that way.  I'm baffled.

I beg your pardon if you happen to be one of these people, but I just don't get it.  I usually don't even notice what tense a book is written in unless I stop and think abou tit.  And when I do stop and think about it, I think the present tense has a lot going for it, when done well.  It can pull you into the story with an immediacy that past tense just can't deliver.  Not that I think ALL stories should be written that way, but I also don't think you should dismiss a book instantly because it is.

As for POV, as long as the focal character is enaging and makes sense as the center of the story, who cares whether it's first or third person?  Not me!  I love that there are so many different ways for stories to be presented.  By all means, mix it up!  Throw it all at me.  Just looking over at my favorites shelf beside me, I can see examples of several different tense/POV combos.  (No third person present, though.  Is there such a thing?)

First person past
example: I ran through the endless woods, the hungry wolf just behind me.

Nightshade - Andrea Cremer
The Lightening Thief - Rick Riordan
Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

First person present
example: I hear a snarl just behind me and feel his hot breath on the back of my neck.
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
Across the Universe - Beth Revis

Third person past
example: The wolf had Vanessa for lunch.

The Body Finder - Kimberly Derting
Heist Society - Ally Carter
Graceling - Kristin Cashore

Second person present
example: While wandering through the woods, you discover the remains of a young woman who has clearly been attacked by animals.

Choose You Own Adventure books  (LOVED these as a kid!)

So, fellow readers, I'm wondering how you feel about all this.  Do you have a preference between first and third person?  Present and past tense?  If so, why?  In what category do your favorite books most often fall?

Duly Quoted (6)

I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.

 - Agatha Christie

Agatha was a wise woman.  I had a hard time picking just one of her quotes to share with you this week.

If you have a quote to share, I'd love for you to leave the quote or a link to it in the comments!

Etsy Friday: Ah, Paris

This weeks picks are chosen in honor of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.  Which is your favorite?

Fine Art Photography "Paris in Black" by Little Brown Pen

Pablo Neruda Love Sonnet Journal by La Paperie

Banana Necklace by Aziankyootie

Assorted Macarons by Sparkles Kitchen

*all images are used with permission

24. Life As We Knew It

Author: Sarah Beth Pfeffer

Summary: Miranda thought that an asteroid striking the moon just meant she had extra assignments at school.  Only it turns out to be so much more.  The moon is shoved closer to the earth, causing huge tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and bizarre weather patterns.  And that's just the beginning. 

My thoughts: Life As We Knew It is presented as the diary of a normal teenage girl living in extreme times.  Miranda's daily entries in her journal don't tell us the grand global story of food shortage, viral outbreaks, climate change and societal breakdown.  She tells us only the parts of the story that matter to her. This was a little frustrating as a reader, because I wanted to know what was happening on the global stage, not just what happened in Miranda's tiny slice of Pennslyvania.  On the other hand, Miranda's focus makes the story feel immediate- I was totally sucked in.

I'm not qualified to judge whether the scenario described in this book is realistic or not.  What I can tell you is that it feels real.  A dozen times I surfaced from reading with a gasp and had to reach over and turn on the nearest light to make sure the power was working.  Even days after finishing the book, I'm still having occasional urges to check my phone for a dial tone and make sure there's plenty of food in the pantry. 

You've probably already figured out that this was not a comfortable read for me.  Compelling, addictive, and disturbing, yes. But definitely not comfortable.  There's too much room for reflection, imagination, and unsettling questions.  What would happen if there was a total communication breakdown across the world?  How far would I go to protect my own family at the detriment of others?  And, perhaps most nightmare-inducing of all: If I knew there were only enough supplies to ensure the survival of one member of my family, which one would I choose, and at what point would I make that decision?  It's a chillingly vivid post-apocalyptic world, but if you're looking for a smile, you'd best look elsewhere.  While there are hopeful notes in this story, the overall tone is on the depressing side.

After all that, you're probably all scared to read this book, so I need to tell you it's VERY GOOD.  Well-written, with high stakes and a main character you'll be rooting for.  But not for the faint of heart.

Teaser Tuesday: City of Fallen Angels

Today's teaser is from City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare:

"So you're trying to make her happy despite the fact that the reason she's unhappy in the first place is you," said Simon, not very kindly.  "That seems contradictory, doesn't it?"

Started reading this today, and so far it's just as funny and heartbreaking as the rest of the series.

Teaser Tuesday is hosted at Should Be Reading.

Across the Universe Winner

The gods of the random number generator have spoken, and the winner is:

#42 - Samantha LeAnne

An email is winging it's way to you as we speak (or rather, type).  Please send me your mailing info within the next 48 hours. 

Many thanks to Beth Revis for providing for this giveaway. 

Remeber that iClue isn't even close to over!  There are five other participating authors, which means five more fun mysteries to read and five more chances to win.  Kimberly Derting's mystery starts today!

23. Anna and the French Kiss

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Summary:  Anna had a good thing going back home in Atlanta.  Great friends, fun job at the movie theater, possible romance developing with co-worker.  Life is good!  The last thing she wants is to be shipped off to boarding school in Paris by her ambitious father, who hopes she'll acquire some culture.  But the girl in the next dorm room is pretty nice and Anna soon finds a circle of friends who make her exile more bearable.  Especially Etienne St. Clair, the boy with astonishingly good hair, who becomes her new best friend.  Could her banishment possibly be the best thing to ever happen to Anna?

My thoughts:  I laughed, I cried.  It moved me, Bob.

This book is freaking adorable.  I want it to be my new best friend.  It's funny, it's charming, it's romantic, and did I mention that it takes place in Paris?  You're sold, right?  I should just stop the review right here.

But I'm not done raving yet.  I love Etienne.  He's short, he's afraid of heights, and he has a hard time talking about anything important, but he is tres sexy.  (I wish I knew how to make my keyboard do those accent thingys.)  Anna was not the only one swooning every time St. Clair stepped onto the page.   I also have to say that I thought it was hilarious how many times his hair was mentioned.  Anna's obsessed with people's hair.  I kind of want to go back and do a hair reference count.

Anna made me laugh more times than I can tell you.  My new dream is to kidnap Kiersten White and Stephenie Perkins and keep them in my house to entertain me.  (Creepy, right?)  The book had me constantly veering between soaring happiness and stomach-twisting worry, but I was nearly always laughing.

I am moving to Paris.  I can hear the atmosphere and the history calling me.  Or maybe that's the croissants, but who the heck cares?  I may never get to even visit Paris, but this book made me feel like I got to see it through Anna's eyes as she steps out into the city and explores.

One thing that annoyed me about this book was that both characters seemed to have the emotional intelligence of a walnut.  I may have been bouncing in my chair talking out loud to the book:  "Hello!  Everyone in the entire civilized world knows that you like each other, including you!  Could you just freaking talk to each other already?"  Ugh, so frustrating. 

In summary: quirky characters, mucho laughing, fabulous setting, and the sexy romanticalness.  You are just waiting for me to stop talking so you can leave and go buy the book, aren't you?  Ok, fine. Go.

iClue: Kayleigh's Mystery

Have you guys heard about iClue? Click here to read more about it. Throughout April, six different authors are featuring mysteries from their novels. If you solve the mysteries, you are entered for a chance to win an iPod Touch pre-loaded with six novels by the authors!


This week, author Beth Revis is writing a mystery involving the characters from ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. You can read the opening to the mystery here. The second part of the mystery was featured yesterday on Story Siren’s blog here. Today, I get to share the third part of the mystery…and second clue! Tomorrow, you can find a link to the next clue here 


iClue: Kayleigh’s Mystery

“She must be in the Recorder Hall,” I say. I head out of the Ward and start racing down the path to the nearby Recorder Hall, Elder following along. I sort of wish he wasn’t there—when I find Kayleigh (and I WILL find her) I’m going to either tie her in the chair so I can finish my painting of her…or I’m going to kiss her.

One of those.

When we mount the stairs to the Recorder Hall, Orion, the Recorder, is waiting for us, a smirk on his face. “So, Kayleigh’s got you playing her game,” he says, chortling.

“Do you know where she is?” I ask.

Orion shakes his head. “What would the fun be if I just told you?” he says. “But she did tell me to give you this.”

Orion hands me a floppy, a digital membrane screen. It’s already loaded with a vid. Elder leans over my shoulder, trying to see, as I click on the screen to start the vid.

“This is banned,” Elder whispers, glancing at Orion, who shrugs. “This is something from Sol-Earth records.”

Music fills the Recorder Hall.






Check Beth’s blog tomorrow for a link to the final clue. Figure out the mystery, and you can be entered for a chance to win an iPod Touch in the iClue contest! 

Meanwhile: would you like a chance to win a signed copy of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE?

Just comment on this post below, and you'll be entered for a chance to win a signed UK paperback copy of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. Open internationally, but comment quick--you've only got until Friday for a chance to win!

Teaser Tuesday: Anna and the French Kiss

Today's teaser is from Anna and the French Kiss by Stephenie Perkins"

"Etienne," he says.  "I live one floor up."

"I live here." I point dumbly at my room while my mind whirs: French name, English accent, American school.  Anna confused.

This book is completely adorable.  Cute, funny, and charming.  Review coming soon.

Teaser Tuesday is hosted each week at Should Be Reading.

iClue

Just a gentle reminder, because I don't want you to miss it.  Beth Revis's mystery is live on the iClue site.  It's about Harley and Kayleigh.  Go read it!  And remember to check back here on Wednesday for another clue and a chance to win a signed book. 

Duly Quoted (5)

Did you survive April Fool's Day?  Anyone get majorly pranked? Well, now we can come out of hiding for another year.

Someone quoted this to me this week and it made me laugh.  I hope it does the same for you.

Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.
-George Burns

iClue

Hey everyone!  Today I am very excited to share with you about a fantastic event happening this month.  Six terrific YA authors have banded together to bring you iClue, a mystery extravaganza.  There are fabulous prizes to be won, but it's also just going to be tons of fun.  Each author will be giving us a mystery to solve, and every time you guess the answer correctly, you'll get a chance to win!  The complete info for this event is below, and you can also check out the iClue website, but remember to come back here on April 6th for an extra clue to help you solve one of the puzzles.

Do You iClue?

6 Authors
6 Mysteries
6 Chances to Win an iTouch

Six authors were talking one day and realized that even though their books ran the gamut from sci fi to romance, contemporary to ghostly, they all had one thing in common: a really good mystery. These authors--Lisa & Laura Roecker, Mandy Hubbard, Adele Griffin, Kimberly Derting, Lee Nichols & Beth Revis decided they wanted to give their readers a little more mystery...and if they solved that mystery, there needs to be a great prize, no?

The authors are working with The Reading Room (a book review site) and a slew of amazing book bloggers to bring you an exciting new contest that will be running over the next 6 weeks. For each mystery you solve, you get another entry into the contest. The grand prize is an iTouch loaded with 6 AMAZING eBooks from the participating authors.

Here's how it works:

• Starting on April 4th a new author will be featured on the iClue Site each week.
• The author will post their mystery on the site on Monday.
• On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we will post links to The Reading Room and two book bloggers who will be posting a special clue to help you solve the mystery.
• Once you've solved the mystery you send us the correct solution using a form on the website.
• If you enter the correct solution you get one entry into the contest.
• Solve all 6 mysteries you get 6 entries to win the iTouch.

iClue launches next week (April 4th) with my mystery, featuring some of the characters from ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. Solve the mystery, get the password, and you'll get an entry to win an iPod Touch! So make sure you check back next week for this!

Meanwhile...we want to make sure to get the word out on this exciting month-long event! And that's where you come in...you, and six autographed books...

Help us spread the word, and you'll be entered for a prize to win six autographed books, one from each of us! There are lots of ways to enter!

You can tweet! 


You can blog!
(If you past the html code under the banner into your blog, it will automatically show up, all linked directly to the contest. If you put it into the post, be sure you're on the "edit html" tab of Blogger.)






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You can spread the word however you like! And for every way you spread the word, we're going to enter you in a contest for a grand prize pack of all six of our books, signed! And don't forget to come back to the actual event for your chance to solve fun mysteries and win an iPod Touch!! (And yes--before you ask, the contest IS open internationally--both prizes!)