A SPY LIKE ME by Laura Pauling

In celebration of the official release of A Spy Like Me, Laura Pauling is hosting a three-week blog series: A Spies, Murder and Mystery Marathon. Woot! Woot!

Authors galore, guest posts and book giveaways almost every day!

Gemma Halliday, Cindy M. Hogan, Elizabeth Spann Craig,
Nova Ren Suma, Elisa Ludwig, and Anne R. Allen....Just to name a few!

And here's why she's celebrating!

Stripping your date down to his underwear has never been so dangerous.

After dodging bullets on a first date, Savvy must sneak, deceive and spy to save her family and friends and figure out if Malcolm is one of the bad guys before she completely falls for him.

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Smashwords

Head on over to Laura’s blog for the start of the Spies, Murder and Mystery Marathon. You won’t want to miss this sizzling series as we head into summer. Stock up on some great thrilling reads! If you dare…

The Artemis Rising Blogtour Hop Giveaway

Today, I get to welcome Cheri Lasorta, author of Artemis Rising, as she talks to us about the torture of openings.

Openings that drive you crazy

I hate openings. Okay, not really. But for about six years, I hated the opening of my first novel, Artemis Rising. Why am I hatin'? Simple. I didn't know where to begin. I couldn't figure out what scene would best represent my character and my story; what would set up the catalyst and the main plot; what would draw in a reader and make them unable to set the book down.

I went through years of going back and forth. I tried two prologues; started the day before, the day of, and the night of a major event on board a ship. Nothing seemed to give me the "wow" element I was looking for. Oftentimes, I wasn't getting to the good stuff fast enough.

Thankfully, a mentor of mine read my opening. Buried in chapter three, I had written a paragraph about an incident that had occurred before my characters sail to the islands where most of the story takes place. She circled that paragraph and told me, "That right there. That is your opening." It took me a mere second to realize she was absolutely right.

That scene was the true catalyst for my character. It sets her off on a course she cannot escape from and forces her to make a choice that affects her fate and her relationship with the one she loves.

Writers often find opening scenes difficult. They obsess so much over the first line of the book that they forget to make sure that they are starting at the right place in the story. I know I did that.

Prologues

Some things to keep in mind when writing prologues:

• If you begin with a prologue, you'll generally want to make sure that it is a complete scene. And be aware that most agents, publishers, and readers have an aversion to prologues. Usually this is because they are executed incorrectly and they have become overused. You are also doubling your work. You have to hook your reader not once, but twice.
• It's best if your prologue involves your main characters and it should generally take place before the timeframe of the main story.
• Your prologue must have a specific purpose. Usually, it will relay information that would not naturally be available to the audience within the main part of the story. If you don't have an excellent reason to include a prologue, I recommend omitting it.

Openings that Wow!

Every opening is different. There are no hard, fast rules in structuring a novel, but there are some tried-and-true methods for opening a story that will keep your reader devouring your pages hours later.

• Try to begin with your protagonist.
• Study openings from books similar to yours and in your genre. Then write an opening that uses the strengths of standard openings and put your own unique twist on it.
• Focus on how to best capture your main character's most important traits and create an inciting incident that will showcase them.

And my best advice? Keep reworking your opening until you know you've got it right. That's what I did ... with a little (a lot) of help along the way. =)

Watch Dr. Veronica Esagui's interview of Cheri Lasota on the Author's Forum and hear Cheri read the opening scene from Artemis Rising.

Awesome, right?  I enjoyed this book so much and I'm sure you will too.  You can order the paperback on Amazon.com, Buy.com, Book Depository, and Barnes & Noble.  Of course, the ebook version is available as well.

The Artemis Rising Blog Hop Giveaway

In celebration of the paperback release of Artemis Rising, I'm going to hold a little contest here on my blog.  You can win my LAST butterfly ring -- just like the one Psyche is wearing on the cover of Destined. It's pretty cool.  Plus, I'll throw in an autographed bookmark.  (Sorry - US only.)  All you have to do is fill out the form, telling me which line from Cheri's reading caught your attention the most.
The contest will remain open for one week from today.

To continue on the blog hop, please click here to jump over to  G.P. Ching's blog. And be sure to check out Cheri's blog too for more great blogtour awesomeness.

Happy Debut YA Book Birthday

So, this was supposed to go live this morning, but apparently Blogger COMPLETELY IGNORED ME. *pulls out hair*  Anyway, for those you who haven't heard already, here are this week's debut YA book birthdays.  [I tell you, IMHO, the releases just keep getting better and better as the year goes on.]  This week we are celebrating:

Wrecked by Anna Davies

Secrets of the sea have never been sexier than this.

Ever since the death of her parents, Miranda has lived on Whym Island, taking comfort in the local folklore, which claims a mysterious sea witch controls the fate of all on the island and in its surrounding waters. Sometimes it’s just easier to believe things are out of your control.

     But then a terrible boating accident takes the lives of several of her friends, and Miranda is rescued by a mysterious boy who haunts her dreams. Consumed by guilt from the accident, she finds refuge in late-night swims—and meets Christian, a boy who seems eerily familiar, but who is full of mystery: He won’t tell her where he is from, or why they can only meet at the beach. But Miranda falls for him anyway…and discovers that Christian’s secrets, though meant to protect her, may bring her nothing but harm.

     Seductive and compelling, Wrecked brings a contemporary, paranormal twist to a classic enchanting tale.

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Embrace the Forbidden 
What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? 
This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels. 
Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna. 
Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe by Shelly Corielle

Big-hearted Chloe Camden is the queen of her universe until her best friend shreds her reputation and her school counselor axes her junior independent study project. Chloe is forced to take on a meaningful project in order to pass, and so she joins her school’s struggling radio station, where the other students don’t find her too queenly. Ostracized by her former BFs and struggling with her beloved Grams’s mental deterioration, lonely Chloe ends up hosting a call-in show that gets the station much-needed publicity and, in the end, trouble. She also befriends radio techie and loner Duncan Moore, a quiet soul with a romantic heart. On and off the air, Chloe faces her loneliness and helps others find the fun and joy in everyday life. Readers will fall in love with Chloe as she falls in love with the radio station and the misfits who call it home.

When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle

In this intensely romantic, modern recounting of the greatest love story ever told, Romeo’s original intended—Juliet’s cousin Rosaline—tells her side of the tale.

What’s in a name, Shakespeare? I’ll tell you: Everything.

     Rosaline knows that she and Rob are destined to be together. Rose has been waiting for years for Rob to kiss her—and when he finally does, it’s perfect. But then Juliet moves back to town. Juliet, who used to be Rose’s best friend. Juliet, who now inexplicably hates her. Juliet, who is gorgeous, vindictive, and a little bit crazy...and who has set her sights on Rob. He doesn’t even stand a chance.

     Rose is devastated over losing Rob to Juliet. This is not how the story was supposed to go. And when rumors start swirling about Juliet’s instability, her neediness, and her threats of suicide, Rose starts to fear not only for Rob’s heart, but also for his life. Because Shakespeare may have gotten the story wrong, but we all still know how it ends….

Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame

Eighteen-year-old Maggie Darlington has turned into an entirely different person. The once spirited teen is now passive and reserved. A change Lord and Lady Darlington can’t help but be grateful for.

It’s 1912, and the Darlingtons of Wentworth Hall have more than just the extensive grounds to maintain. As one of Britain’s most elite families, they need to keep up appearances that things are as they have always been… even as their carefully constructed façade rapidly comes undone.

Maggie has a secret. And she’s not the only one… the handsome groom Michael, the beautiful new French nanny Therese, the Darlingtons’ teenage houseguests Teddy and Jessica, and even Maggie’s younger sister Lila are all hiding something. Passion, betrayal, heartache, and whispered declarations of love take place under the Darlingtons’ massive roof. And one of these secrets has the power to ruin the Darlingtons forever.

When scandalous satires start appearing in the newspaper with details that closely mirror the lives of the Darlingtons, everyone is looking over their shoulder, worrying their scandal will be next. Because at Wentworth Hall, nothing stays secret for long.

Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova

For Tristan Hart, everything changes with one crashing wave.

He was gone for three days. Sucked out to sea in a tidal wave and spit back ashore at Coney Island with no memory of what happened. Now his dreams are haunted by a terrifying silver mermaid with razor-sharp teeth.

His best friend Layla is convinced something is wrong. But how can he explain he can sense emotion like never before? How can he explain he’s heir to a kingdom he never knew existed? That he’s suddenly a pawn in a battle as ancient as the gods.

Something happened to him in those three days. He was claimed by the sea…and now it wants him back.

What She Left Behind by Tracy Bilen
In this suspenseful thriller, Sara and her mother are going to secretly escape her abusive father—when her mother mysteriously disappears.Sara and her mom have a plan to finally escape Sara’s abusive father. But when her mom doesn’t show up as expected, Sara’s terrified. Her father says that she’s on a business trip, but Sara knows he’s lying. Her mom is missing—and her dad had something to do with it.     With each day that passes, Sara’s more on edge. Her friends know that something’s wrong, but she won’t endanger anyone else with her secret. And with her dad growing increasingly violent, Sara must figure out what happened to her mom before it’s too late…for them both.

What do you think??  I tell you, there's a lot of these novels that need to go on my TBR list ASAP.

Closed Hearts COVER REVEAL

You probably all remember the super-duper awesome cover for OPEN MINDS by Susan Kaye Quinn, which was a fantastic story.  Well, the sequel, CLOSED HEARTS (Book Two in the Mindjack Trilogy), is coming May 23rd and today we have the cover reveal.  Ready??

When you control minds, only your heart can be used against you.

Eight months ago, Kira Moore revealed to the mindreading world that mindjackers like herself were hidden in their midst. Now she wonders if telling the truth was the right choice after all. As wild rumors spread, a powerful anti-jacker politician capitalizes on mindreaders’ fears and strips jackers of their rights. While some jackers flee to Jackertown—a slum rife with jackworkers who trade mind control favors for cash—Kira and her family hide from the readers who fear her and jackers who hate her. But when a jacker Clan member makes Kira’s boyfriend Raf collapse in her arms, Kira is forced to save the people she loves by facing the thing she fears most: FBI agent Kestrel and his experimental torture chamber for jackers.

Sounds awesome, right?  Well, here's some more details:

Click Here to sign up for the Virtual Launch Party on May 23rd! There will be prizes, reviews, bonus content, did I mention prizes? Come join the fun!

PRAISE FOR Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy)

“Being a fan of dystopian and sci-fi in young adult books this was exactly the type of book I was hoping to fall in love with and absolutely did ...YA readers who love authors like Ally Condie, Veronica Roth, Lauren Oliver and others would be missing out if they failed to pick up Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn. Join Kira on her journey to save her fellow mindjackers and potentially change the landscape of her world forever.”

— Danielle Smith, book blogger at There’s a Book

“Susan plunges readers into a compelling and frightening world where nearly everyone can read minds when they come of age. The very idea makes me shudder. This is easily one of the best books I've read not only this year, but in recent years.”

— Heather McCorkle, author of The Secret of Spruce Knoll

Open Minds $2.99 on Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes&Noble, and iTunes

Susan Kaye Quinn, Author

 Susan Kaye Quinn grew up in California, where she wrote snippets of stories and passed them to her friends during class. She pursued a bunch of engineering degrees and worked a lot of geeky jobs, including turns at GE Aircraft Engines, NASA, and NCAR. Now that she writes novels, her business card says "Author and Rocket Scientist" and she doesn't have to sneak her notes anymore. All that engineering comes in handy when dreaming up paranormal powers in future worlds or mixing science with fantasy to conjure slightly plausible inventions. Susan writes from the Chicago suburbs with her three boys, two cats, and one husband. Which, it turns out, is exactly as much as she can handle.

Way too often, you can find Susan on her blog, facebook, and twitter.

Debut YA Book Birthday

Today as you're reading this celebratory post, I'm in Daytona Beach.  But not in a spring break, hit-the-beach sort of way, but in a going-to-court, working sort of way.  The upside is that I'll get to have lunch with my dad.  Sort of our own little tradition now that it's the third time we've met up after one of my oral arguments.  (Sweet daddy!)

Anyway, you probably want to know what this week has in store for you in the debut YA book birthday department, right?  IMHO, there's some pretty good stuff this week, starting with ...

The Selection by Kiera Cass

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

 

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl's fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming.

Whatcha think about this week's debut YA authors?  I told you it was good...