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Friday, December 27, 2013

Trinkets, Treasures, and Other Bloody Magic Meghan Ciana Doidge *Book Blast and Giveaway*



Synopsis
Three months ago, I lost my foster sister, Sienna, to the darkness. As in blood magic and chaos and general mayhem. No one saw it until it was too late, but I should have. Now, I have a wounded heart and soul that I can’t even reveal to anyone around me, because I’m supposed to hate Sienna with the fiery passion of the justified. And I do. I just wish I didn’t feel so lost without her, so unsure of the path I thought I had carved for myself, and so outclassed by the powerful Adepts constantly by my side these days. I’m not even sure if they’re with me for my own protection or because my shiny new powers are rare and valuable. Assuming I ever figure out who or what I am, and how my magic actually works.

Even chocolate can’t save the day every time … just most of the time. At least I’ve got that going for me.




You can purchase Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic at the following retailers:


About the Author
Meghan Ciana Doidge is an award-winning writer based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She has a penchant for bloody love stories, superheroes, and the supernatural. She also has a thing for chocolate, potatoes, and sock yarn.

Novels – After The Virus, Spirit Binder, Time Walker, Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic – Dowser #1, Trinkets, Treasures, and Other Bloody Magic – Dowser #2

Novellas – Love Lies Bleeding


| Website |

Giveaway
1 Winner will receive an  E-Copy of  Trinkets, Treasures, and Other Bloody Magic and 
Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge.
1 Winner will receive a $15.00 Amazon Gift Card.

International. Must be 13+ to enter.  



Monday, December 23, 2013

Celebration and review of my *1 Year Blogoversary*(!)

A little over a year ago, I began blogging for the first time. Hooray blogoversary! *ahem*



For the past year I've made a LOT of blunders in the social media/blogging realm, and I'll likely make almost that many mistakes next year. Discovering how I want to present myself and the YA sci-fi/fantasy series I'm currently working on (SPHERES) is a large part of that; I simply haven't decided where I truly want to go ^_^'. 

When I began blogging a year ago, I was determined to blog because I realized that if I didn't start blogging, tweeting, etc. to promote myself as an author, my chances of marketing anything were about -10. So I started a blog. (Started two, actually...but that's for another time.) And, as usual, I was overly ambitious and made a conquer-the-blogdom plan in which I would post twice a week in an alternating schedule of four topics: reading & writing; evangelism & discipleship. 

Yeah.

That lasted about...two months? Maybe three? 

I didn't realize building my so-called 'author platform' via blogging would be so time consuming. Worse, after I realized I couldn't keep up with the schedule, I pretty much meandered with ambivalence and indecision through the rest of the year.

I mean seriously, my blog is like the EXAMPLE of 'What not to do--Ever--when you start blogging'. Some of it was an overabundance of ambition. Some of it was being too scattered (kind of like with the phrase 'jack of all trades/master of none'). 

But most of all, I think I struggled so much with this first year because I had no idea how I wanted to present myself--not only as an author, but as a person.

Loads of people are trying to elucidate the author platform process with a number of steps, some of which are fantastic. Pinpoint your audience and get to know them--crucial. Get out there. Write something. You know, the basics. (@yourwriterplatform offers spectacular advice, btw!) 

Yet the essence of a platform lies beyond these things...

Before going to bed yesterday, I was thinking about my author platform and how I'm upset with it thus far because IT ISN'T WHAT I WANT IT TO BE. Something about it isn't right. So I kept thinking about it and it dawned on me (as I considered Taylor Swift) that the reason why is simple: it isn't 100% genuine.

Ok, so Taylor Swift markets herself to young adults...and the things she does allude to her being. She depicts herself as someone who wants to be involved in my life (her fans' lives), as someone who cares about me (her fans), as someone who can relate to me (her fans).

But in reality, that's just marketing designed to make us feel that way. Truth is, she may not (and, no offense, but...probably doesn't) actually have such sentiments. I don't know because I *don't know her*

My point is...I want people to know me! When they read my blog or my books or see my fb, I want people to see the REAL ME, not just a marketing image built to satisfy people with an  illusion  of me. 

To many people out there, this facade approach seems to be acceptable, desirable even. Some think it's necessary. If anything, it's 'just business' or 'smart marketing'. And maybe it really *is* smart. 

But this approach isn't going to work for me. I don't want to hide who I really am or feel that I should so people will read my books. Or my blog. Or follow me on twitter. 

I don't want to be so distant people can't ever reach me, or so elusive that people wonder, 'Is this really what she's like...or is this just a facade so I'll be placated enough to give her my money?' 


I don't want there to be a distinction between who I am as an author and who I am as a person. 

Maybe that's unrealistic. ...Not that realism daunts me...
But I'd rather be 'unrealistic' and satisfied than realistic and dissatisfied. 

Maybe you're like me, dissatisfied with your author platform or blog. Maybe you're just starting out and don't want to make the same mistakes. (Just read some of my first posts and any embarrassment you have/may have had will be abolished.)

Regardless, the most helpful advice I can give from my experience and musing this past year is to be honest and soul search. Be honest about yourself, about your strengths and weaknesses, about what you can and can't do, about what you will or won't do. Don't set yourself up to fail ^_^'. But if you do, no worries--take it all in stride and try again (like me). 

Happy Holidays!

Love :3
Lynanne


  

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Lovers at Heart Melissa Foster (The Bradens #1) *Book Blast with Book Nerd Tours*



Synopsis

“Steamy sex scenes and heartfelt confessions…a satisfying addition to the ‘Love in Bloom’ series.” — Midwest Book Review


**CONTENT WARNING: Due to mature content, recommended for readers aged 18+** Lovers at Heart is a steamy contemporary romance with alpha male heroes and sexy, empowered women. They’re flawed, funny, passionate, and very relatable for readers who enjoy adult romance, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction. Enjoy Lovers at Heart as a stand-alone novel or for more enjoyment, read the entire Love and Bloom series (nine full-length novels featuring the Snow Sisters and the Bradens).

Handsome, wealthy resort owner Treat Braden is used to getting what he wants. When Max Armstrong walked into his life six months earlier, he saw right through the efficient and capable façade she wore like a shield, to the sweet, sensual woman who lay beneath. She sparked an unfamiliar desire in him for more than a one-night stand, leaving his heart reeling and his blood boiling. But one mistake caused her to turn away, and now, after six months of longing for the one woman he cannot have, he’s going home to try to forget her all together.

Max Armstrong has a successful career, a comfortable lifestyle, and she’s never needed a man to help her find her way–until Treat Braden caught her attention at a wedding in Nassau, causing a surge of emotions too reminiscent of the painful past she’d spent years trying to forget. Max will do anything to avoid reliving that pain–including forgoing her toe-curling, heart-pounding desire for Treat.When a chance encounter turns into a night of intense passion, Treat realizes that the mistake he made six months earlier may cause him to lose Max completely. He will do everything within his power to win her heart forever–and Max is forced to face her hurtful past head on for the man she cannot help but love.

Watch for the full LOVE IN BLOOM series:
.
SNOW SISTERS
Sisters in Love
Sisters in Bloom
Sisters in White
.
THE BRADENS
Lovers at Heart
Destined for Love
Friendship on Fire
Sea of Love
Bursting with Love
Hearts at Play



About the Author

Melissa Foster is the New York Times Best Selling author of four International bestselling novels. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the Women’s Nest, a social and support community for women, the World Literary Café. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on  Fostering Success. 

Melissa is also a community builder for the Alliance for Independent Authors. She has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.

Melissa hosts an annual Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.

Visit Melissa on The Women’s NestFostering Success, or World Lit CafeJoin Melissa and the YaYa Writer Girls at their annual in-person event. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.



Giveaway

Must be 18+ to enter due to mature content
Open internationally




-----I normally end the blast here, but this whole mature content warning thing has upset me...so I feel I should say that when I signed up for these blasts, I didn't realize they would be so...well, vulgar, really...

Anyway, I certainly don't espouse this material, and I don't want it to be associated with me. If I ever sign up for 5/6 blasts in a row thinking they're all going to be about the same (though I admit I felt iffy about the first, a flag I should have paid more attention to), I will check to make sure they really are. 

I apologize for what I really hope is out-of-character material. ----- 

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Sneak Peek of SPHERES: Whispers and Murmurs

Hello :3! 

I have something special to share with you all today--a peek at the first page of Whispers and Murmurs

So maybe it's premature...after all, I still don't have a synopsis that really captures the essence of the story. But I've been mentioning SPHERES on occasion for a while now without really showing much, so this is something I wanted to do. 

A mini-synopsis:

Whispers and Murmurs is told through a 17-year-old girl named Nikaiya. Afraid she's going to be trapped on Erevfaüna for the rest of her life, she tries to escape, but when she discovers a faction from the desert nation Atim is after her life, freedom suddenly becomes more complicated than 'slip out of Erevfaüna'. Apparently they're convinced she has something to do with Atim's barely-prevented civil war--the one that's been threatening to rip the nation apart for over 600 years.    

Enjoy!


SPHERES: Whispers and Murmurs, Chapter One


                The fear of being eaten alive is an excellent motivator, though I prefer to be motivated by passion. Or love. Or food.
                I won’t be eaten, I won’t be eaten Hundreds of silver streaks dart out of my path and scatter, wayward and haphazard as sena petals tossed into a tumultuous sky. Poor fish. But I can’t decrease my pace.  
                The sea thins for a split-second before I surface into sheer radiance. I soak in the sun’s warmth long enough to re-align myself with the cliffside’s hidden alcove while waves rush past me, roaring as they break against the boulders dotting the northern coast. My jaw clenches. That monster it’s eyes were ruined such strange teeth this moment.
                Shivering in an effort to push the terrifying image out of my mind, I force myself to back to the present and plunge. I focus on each stroke, on the acrid, brackish taste that fills my mouth with every breath of water, on the push and pull of my muscles as they propel me forward as I weave through rocks until sand surrounds me and it’s too shallow to swim further. I stand and glance backward, half expecting the beast’s maw to clamp around me, but there’s nothing larger than fish in the foam-spritzed water.
                Maybe I imagined that blue ridge rippling along the horizon. Fear does have the power to make people see things that aren’t there. I slosh at breakneck speed toward the shore. I’m still not swimming in the open sea for a week if I can make it that long. Sparkling grains ignite my feet and legs. I ignore the pain, glad to be sentient, and brush past sago palm leaves, pale beach grass, and clumps of delicate, star-shaped sena to squeeze into a cavern leading to the top of the cliff.
                My footsteps and breath echo in the deep alongside the hum of thousands of tavuka wings. Sunlight soon dissipates, and it’s dark despite the tavfuka’s pulsing green glow—not that darkness really affects me, which is fortunate, because if I couldn’t see, surviving this near-vertical climb would be improbable impossible.
                Air whooshes through the hollow passage above, carrying muffled lirka caws and noruvfa warbles. I grip the edge of the rough, porous stone and haul myself upward. It wasn’t real. It was just a dream. Everyone has dreams. But sometimes your dreams are mfirenar, my mind prompts me. True. Sometimes they’re unusually…symbolic prophetic, and mfirenar feel…brighter, somehow, more poignant. Like this one, which is what worries fascinates me.
                I don’t want to think about it anymore. But it’s so tempting. When the shaft begins to flatten I soften my steps, but I wait until it widens enough for sunlight to filter in before stopping. I’m not even supposed to venture into Aknad the city of stars without permission, which is directly outside Kir grounds, and this is twice as far. I can’t risk being caught.  
******
So what do you think?

It's not much, and of course it's just a rough draft (I mean, I haven't even finished writing the novel yet lol ^_^'...), but thus far, I'm happy with it. 

Excited to share more in the future :)!




Monday, December 9, 2013

Frankie's Angel Lisa Dekis *Review*


Hello :3! Today I'm reviewing Frankie's Angel: A Child's Tale of Loss and Recovery, a novella by Lisa Dekis. 


Frankie’s Angel may be the first novella I’ve ever read (I don’t remember the last time I read one…), so please take that into consideration when you read my review :).

*I received a kindle copy in exchange for a BOLD review.*

What I liked:

The first half of the novella. It’s enticing, rich with imagery from the vantage point of Frankie.

The POV. Frankie’s Angel is written in 2nd person POV, which is somewhat rare in the fiction realm (most authors would choose either 3rd person or 1st, stream of consciousness excluded), and it adds considerable flavor to the prose and the characterization. It’s a perfect fit. I enjoyed the use of this POV because it was bold, and because it brought a feeling of camaraderie that nudged me to extend more empathy to the protagonist.

Frankie, or Franciska. I was fond of Frankie from the very first sentence, and her characterization was easily my favorite part of the novella. She’s a precocious child with an honest, meek, and solemn voice that is nonetheless entertaining. Lisa Dekis deftly captures the world of a seven-year-old with accuracy, and in doing so, she coaxes readers to empathize with her protagonist.   

Hilarity. I laughed out loud several times at the ridiculous things Frankie would think of/picture/refer to.    

Nostalgia! From tootsie roll pops and diary writing to PJ static electricity, Frankie brought me back to my own childhood.

Themes. Dekes doesn’t refrain from relaying cruel and depressing realities about death, parenting, religion/religiousity, life, friendship, and adults as she writes from Frankie’s perspective. The range of topics addressed in this pensive, artistic manner is commendable. 

What could’ve been better:

The opening and tense usage throughout. The opening was a little confusing to me because some of the sentences didn’t make sense/took a bit of work to figure out, and there were several unexpected and awkward tense shifts in the dialogue tags (from present to past and back again) throughout the story.

Frankie’s guardian angel. I didn’t really understand or buy into the angel bit. Mind you, I do believe angels exist and that they serve God and minister to humans…and I was certainly surprised when the angel was revealed with the abrupt POV change about mid-way through the novella…But I found ‘it’ (?) to be confusing, not to mention biblically unsound. Are most people going to notice or care? Don’t know. I  do  know, however, that  I  noticed and  I  was bothered by this. I mean, sure, the angel can be sort of funny, but I can’t say I approve.

Also, the angel’s personality was downright annoying most of the time—like Phil from Hercules, but not as funny, and with a serious language problem. It seemed like more of an anti-hero, really, and I guess that’s what bothers me the most: the fact that it’s supposed to be an ANGEL and has not so much as an ounce of holiness. To me, that’s like a square circle. Logically impossible~! And somehow it’s also a spirit guide. So…New Age+Catholicism+Deism=??? (Post modernism? :-)

Now you understand why I was so confused (and upset). This is harsh, but I honestly feel that the book would’ve been better without the angel. Or--less harsh version--if the angel’s character/makeup wasn’t so contradictory.   

Content. Occasionally, things get weird—as in, disturbing. I don’t think I’d recommend this novella to any of my friends or anyone younger than me because of a couple of short, shocking scenes. Are they realistic scenes/character actions? Yes, probably. Are they necessary? Well…let’s just say I’m currently leaning more towards ‘no’. I felt like these scenes were replaceable, and could be interchanged with something more appropriate *ahem* to communicate the same thing. Maybe. (I’m still recovering from shock o_o.)

Still, as I mentioned before, the book features many redeeming/poignant themes, and exposes realities that need to be addressed….like never talking about death with your children. Or the lie that being irresponsible and callous only affects you. (Adults can be so irresponsible and cruel—sometimes without even meaning to be.) Or that walking in a faith—or pretending to walk in a faith—because everyone else does even though you don’t really believe in it won’t heal the ache in your soul.

The ending. It was confusing to me; I had no idea what was happening, and I didn’t know why it was happening, either. It was also abrupt, and felt incomplete.

Overall

I enjoyed the first half of Frankie’s Angel (before the angel came into the story; after that, I honestly didn’t like it). To be fair, I don’t think the novella was for me. It’s not something that I would typically read—I prefer novels. Specifically YA sci-fi/fantasy novels. It’s a very quick read, however, which is nice. Also...I think this novella had the potential to become a novel if Dekis desired to lengthen it.

Although I wasn’t *captivated* by anything aside from the voice of Frankie and the imagery I saw through her, other readers—particularly frequent novella readers—might be, and it was fairly entertaining.

Final Verdict:

Goodreads |

About the Author
Lisa Dekis (formerly Wasko) was born in 1960 in Trenton, NJ, where she enjoyed watching coal trucks deliver black rocks to basements, seeing the front door, letter flap open and the mail fall into the house, loved to watch the pizza man toss dough, and ran all the way to the corner store for penny candy. She still remembers the first time she lied to her mother, telling her she had to go to the bathroom instead of taking a nap - and contemplated pouring some Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo into the toilet to make it look like, well pee. A wild imagination ensued. As perhaps did analysis, As the fear of and overflowing toilet of bubbles hung over her. Rumor was that her paternal grandparents were rum-runners during prohibition - and hid their bottles in the caskets in their funeral parlor. True or not, she never met the suspected outlaws. And tragically in 1967, Lisa lost her flamboyant mother - a singer, writer, prank player, bowler, gorgeous mother of three. Attending Catholic school proved both a help and a hindrance to the healing process of grief. Stained glass windows were colorful, but not particularly cheery. A long childhood ensued. She graduated from Rider College in 1999, as well as Rosemont College in 2005 with an MS is English Literature. And although she can hardly add, she works in a finance department for a major pharmaceutical company. Frankie's Angel is her first self-published novella, as well as a long time coming, catharsis, where after writing - she is reminded of the compassionate women in her life, who embraced the "It takes a village" philosophy. She hopes that her novella, Frankie's Angel reaches children of all ages who have suffered a biting loss. And she hopes it can bring a modicum of comfort.







Thursday, December 5, 2013

Gadget Girl: The Art of Being Invisible by Suzanne Kamata *Book Blast with Book Nerd Tours*



Hello :3! In this post you'll find the synopsis of Gadget Girl, author info, and a delicious giveaway (5 winners!). Enjoy :)

Synopsis
Aiko Cassidy is fourteen and lives with her sculptor mother in a small Midwestern town. For most of her young life Aiko, who has cerebral palsy, has been her mother’s muse. But now, she no longer wants to pose for the sculptures that have made her mother famous and have put food on the table. Aiko works hard on her own dream of becoming a great manga artist with a secret identity.

When Aiko’s mother invites her to Paris for a major exhibition of her work, Aiko at first resists. She’d much rather go to Japan, Manga Capital of the World, where she might be able to finally meet her father, the indigo farmer. When she gets to France, however, a hot waiter with a passion for manga and an interest in Aiko makes her wonder if being invisible is such a great thing after all. And a side trip to Lourdes, ridiculous as it seems to her, might just change her life.

Gadget Girl began as a novella published in Cicada. The story won the SCBWI Magazine Merit Award in Fiction and was included in an anthology of the best stories published in Cicada over the past ten years.



About the Author
Five-time Pushcart Prize nominee Suzanne Kamata is the author of the novels Gadget Girl: The Art of Being Invisible (GemmaMedia, 2013) and Losing Kei (Leapfrog Press, 2008), and editor of three anthologies – The Broken Bridge: Fiction from Expatriates in Literary Japan, Love You to Pieces: Creative Writers on Raising a Child with Special Needs, and Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering (Wyatt-Mackenzie Publishing, 2009). Her short fiction and essays have appeared widely. She is the Fiction Co-editor of literarymama.com.


| Website |

Giveaway

5 Winners will receive a Copy of  Gadget Girl: The Art of Being Invisible along with Eiffel Tower Key chains (straight from Paris!) by Suzanne Kamata.


Open to US only. Must be 13+ to enter.


Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Unhinged A.G. Howard *ARC Review*

WONDERLAND WAS JUST THE BEGINNING

I'M SO EXCITED!! I'm thrilled I won this beauty...and that I get to share my review of Unhinged with you before the release date!

Even better, I'm sharing the love by giving away my ARC to one lucky winner! (Giveaway will be at the bottom of the post.) 

~
Once again, A.G. Howard delivers a fantastically creepy spin on Lewis Carroll's Alice and Wonderland & The Looking Glass.

Brilliant and riveting, the tale continues the story of Alyssa, Jeb, and Morpheus...along with a host of friends (and foes) from Wonderland.

Three need-to-know details before I get into specifics:

A) If you enjoyed Splintered, you will love Unhinged. I didn't want to stop reading until the end...and then I was very, very sad because 1) it was over T_T and 2) I realized the next book coming out IS Unhinged, not the last book of the trilogy (I had a moment ^_^’)...and the ending was such a cliff-hanger!! *SMF* I really want the last installment! And so will you, because it was THAT stellar.

B) If you're looking for the most satisfying Unhinged experience, re-read Splintered before you start reading Book 2. I suggest doing so even if you don't much care about the experience (though I can't fathom why you wouldn't...) because Unhinged refers to very specific events in Splintered throughout. 

Part of the fun of reading is guessing what is coming next--or better, predicting what is coming and still being surprised--because of an author's deliciously clever hints. It's fun to note all of the connections Howard has made, and to piece them together as you're reading.

C) Don't start Unhinged under the impression that Alyssa will be going into Wonderland immediately. I know, I know...it's hard not to. But don't, because it won't happen. And if I say anything more, I may spoil it for you, so I'll be quiet.

*I won an ARC of Unhinged from Bibliopunkk. This is my honest and fair review.* 

So Unhinged is stellar :). Its versatility, wild creativity, whimsical fashion, and somewhat macabre artistic expressions easily distinguish Unhinged from other humdrum 'down the rabbit hole' spinoffs. I enjoyed every bit of it, even the bits that I normally wouldn’t have found enjoyable. 

What I enjoyed the most:

A.G. Howard’s PROSE! Howard’s writerly skills dazzle me. I’m a complete nerd when it comes to writing—especially with its finer points, like diction—and that side of me frolicked between the pages of Unhinged with abandon. Writing with such beauty it exhilarates an audience is a feat many writers have yet to accomplish. Some of my personal favorites are Franny Billingsly and Jessica Khoury…and after devouring Splintered and Unhinged, A.G. Howard has made my list.

Alyssa’s character arc! It’s stunning. While attempting to live a ‘normal’ life with Jeb, she searches out Morpheus’ heart, her family history, and herself. Her constant vigil for her betrayer adds at least 20ft of depth to her character and humanity. Like Alina in Siege and Storm, Alyssa matures rapidly; she has a lot to figure out in a short span of time. I’m most impressed, however, by her determination  after  accepting the challenge near the end of the story.

Howard’s surprises (erm, plot twists)! They delighted me. Even though she wove elements from Splintered throughout the text and loaded Unhinged with tons of clues, the plot still wasn’t predictable.

How Morpheus, my personal favorite of the men squabbling over Alyssa, is showcased (beautiful cover!). I love the mystery of him. Does he mean well? Is he really trying to help Alyssa, or help himself? On the outside, he seems contradictory, but when you delve into the center of his madness, you see the paradox…and the deeper you go, the more clarity you gain about his heart.

As he did in Splintered, Morpheus keeps us and our fashionable protagonist guessing about his ‘true nature’ throughout Unhinged. But this time, it feels different. Maybe it’s just me, but I felt I began to genuinely understand him, which is one of the reasons I’m anticipating the last book in the trilogy: I may finally reach the center of his paradoxical heart.  

What I enjoyed the least:

Obviously, I enjoyed all of Unhinged, so I don’t have much to say here.

But.

I have a confession: love triangles are one of my biggest pet peeves! I despise them, think they are the stupidest plot device (or lack of plot device) *ever*. I mean, why can’t she/he just choose one?! Is the character incapable of loyalty??

That said, I found the love triangle thing to be a bit frustrating…and yet, I admit that Howard's approach to and delivery of the triangle between Jeb, Alyssa, and Morpheus is uncannily well done. It's believable, understandable, and really does leave the reader wondering which relationship will bloom in the end. And…it actually  is  an effective device to understanding the plot and characters.

Final verdict: 4.8!

If Unhinged isn’t on your TBR list, add it! You won’t be disappointed.

*Unhinged will be released January 7th, 2014!*

About the Author
Author photo by pamlaryphotography.com 
A.G. Howard was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. Her pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.

Her debut YA fantasy, SPLINTERED, a dark Alice in Wonderland spinoff, is now available from Amulet Books. The sequel, UNHINGED, is due to launch January 2014.

| Website | Blog |

And now, for the giveaway :)
Know you are loved. Giving up this copy was not easy lol ^_^

Because it seems suiting, I'm going to borrow Bibliopunkk's method for this giveaway. It's easy to enter; all you need to do is guess a number 1-10,000. 

First guess is free. Every subsequent guess can be earned by sharing this giveaway on any social media site--twitter, facebook, goodreads...even shelfari. Just show me the link and you've got a guess!

It's first come, first serve, though--the first person to guess the correct number will win the ARC--so act quickly! (And don't forget to add your email to your guess so I can contact you if you win!)

Ends 12/12/13
 U.S. only (sorry, I can't ship outside US T_T) 

One winner will have an Unhinged ARC 3-5 days afterward!

So...what number am I thinking of?