I'm giving away 25 KINDLE editions of Sleepers. I'd really like to see some more reviews of it go up on Amazon. I'm not going to check up on anyone to see if you did review it, but it would be nice. Also, please be honest in your review. If you love it, say so. If you hate it, well, lol, I'll just have to deal with that, won't I?
If you're interested, fill it out and you'll get a gifted copy.
Thanks so much to everyone who requested a copy. I hope all of you enjoy it! All 25 copies have been given away. Wow, that was quick!!!!
I do offer giveaways occasionally, so if you're interested in hearing more in the future, please follow me on Facebook or Twitter.
If you haven't heard of Katie Klein and you're a reader of YA, then I'm pretty sure you must be living under a glacier in the Arctic, nursing wounds from a near-death fight with a polar bear, wondering if you will ever make it back to civilization so you can charge up your Nook.
Katie is blowing up the charts with her novels, CROSS MY HEART and THE GUARDIAN. I met Katie through a mutual friend, Kristina Springer (who will be feature in this series soon), and I think Katie is pretty darn cool.
MJ: Tell me a bit about your novel, Cross My Heart, in your own words - not the official synopsis.
KK: Cross My Heart is the story of a girl, Jaden, who is somewhat of a perfectionist. She's set her sights on Harvard med school and is the all-around "good girl." Good daughter. Good student. Always dependable. Things change when she's paired with Parker, the school "rebel," for an English project. They start spending more time together, and Jaden learns there's more to Parker than she realized. Sparks fly (both literally and figuratively). It's not your typical "good girl meets bad boy" romance, though, and that seems to have pleased many a reader.
MJ: Did you pants or plot while writing your first draft?
KK: I pantsed and plotted. I like to have an idea going into my story what it's going to be about, or what's going to happen, so I do begin with an outline. I'm not afraid to deviate, though. When my characters surprise me by deciding something else is going to happen, I go with it. I don't force anything. You can see the elements of the final version in my original outline, but the story usually takes on a life of its own. The "plot" twist in Cross My Heart was a clearly a "pants" decision, but I'm glad I went with it.
MJ: What’s your next release going to be?
KK: I actually just released the second book in my Angel/Demon trilogy The Guardian. It's called Vendetta, and continues the story of Seth and Genesis and their struggle to be together, despite the supernatural odds stacked against them. My next project will be the final book, and I'm hoping to have that available in the early part of 2012.
MJ: Who is your celebrity crush?
KK: There is no such thing as "a" celebrity crush for me. I have a thing for tall, dark, mysterious "bad" boys (Parker Whalen, anyone?). This changes from day to day, but I am known to have swooned over Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Robert Downey, Jr., James Franco, Jake Gyllenhaal. . . . As a teen I was partial to guys like Heath Ledger and Leonardo DiCaprio, and since I just watched Wanted the other day, I'm currently nursing a crush on James McAvoy as Assassin.
MJ: Wolves or vampires or zombies?
KK: Not that I have anything against wolves, but I am clearly Team Vampire. Zombies are kind of gross.
MJ: When you were a teen were you a cheerleader, a sporty girl, the smart one, the band geek, or something else?
KK: I have *no idea* where I fit in, actually. I went to a small private school my whole life, and there were "cliques," but not to the extent we see today (I say that like I'm so old, but I'm only 29). I was a band geek at one time, and it didn't go well. I tried to be a cheerleader, but I wasn't coordinated enough. I was smart, but I didn't know it, yet. I wasn't really a "slacker," but I didn't really "try," either. One thing I am proud to classify myself as, though, is a Drama Queen. I was kind of a theater nut. I enjoyed the spotlight.
MJ: Now, I need YOU to ask ME a question about absolutely anything under the sun. It has to be a yes or no question and will be answered by my 9-year-old’s all-knowing Magic 8 Ball! The question can be serious or silly - it’s up to you.
KK: I have always dreamed of retiring early in some kind of water-related area. I currently have my sights set on a beautiful house on a river in a charming town not far from where I grew up. Will I make it happen?
M8B: As I see it Yes.
MJ: Okay, I have to be honest. I had to shake up the 8 Ball six times before I got a positive answer. I really wanted that for Katie because it's such a great dream. Let's all help her make that happen!!!! Here's the links:
The next author in my interview series is P.J. Hoover. Up until a few months ago, I didn't know much about P.J. Sure, I'd heard her name over the years, but it wasn't until I connected with her on Facebook that we found out we have a lot of unusual things in common (a love of Star Trek, to name one).
I've also read Solstice and really enjoyed it, so I'm excited to host P.J. on my blog today. I think you'll love reading her answers to my questions!
PJ: Thanks so much for letting me be here! I’m excited to meet your blog readers. :)
MJ: Tell me a bit about your novel, SOLSTICE, in your own words - not the official synopsis.
PJ: SOLSTICE is set at least eighteen years in the future when global warming is basically killing the earth. This girl, Piper, gets a mysterious box as a present for her eighteenth birthday, and her entire world shifts. She discovers that, in addition to her global warming world, there’s this world of mythology, and somehow she’s deeply connected to it. Her mother is psychotic and won’t give her any freedom, so when Piper gets a rare opportunity for freedom, she seizes it. And the next thing she knows, her best friend almost dies, she visits the Underworld, and gods are walking the earth. And that’s only in the first eighty pages. :)
MJ: Did you pants or plot while writing your first draft?
PJ: I’m kind of a half and half person. For SOLSTICE, I plotted out general ideas of what I wanted to have happen in the story, and then, while writing, I totally diverged from this plot. And I love when this happens. In fact, I’ve come to count on it while writing, because I think these inspired breaks from the plan really bring something special.
MJ: What’s your next release going to be?
PJ: I. Don’t. Know.
Okay, that’s not quite fair. Most likely, my next release will be the sequel to SOLSTICE, but I’m still in the revision stage for that, so it won’t be until next year.
MJ: Now for the fun stuff. I sent P.J. eight questions and asked her to answer three. She answered all eight! BONUS!
If you were trapped on a deserted island and you could only bring three books, what would you bring?
PJ: Wait, does the Nook count as one book? Okay, seriously, I’d bring the three longest books I could find on my bookshelf. Probably CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, WAR AND PEACE, and Dante’s INFERNO.
MJ: Who is your celebrity crush?
PJ: Thor. He was the perfect mix of arrogance and humility.
MJ: What is your favorite color?
PJ: Red.
MJ: Wolves or vampires or zombies?
PJ: I guess vampires, though I’m not much on any of them.
MJ: What do you wear when you write?
PJ: Since I go to Kung Fu most mornings, lots of the time, I am still in my Kung Fu pants and a tank top.
MJ: What’s your favorite vacation spot?
PJ: DisneyWorld.
MJ: When you were a teen were you a cheerleader, a sporty girl, the smart one, the band geek, or something else?
PJ: Not only was I a cheerleader, I was the captain of the varsity cheerleading squad. Yes, that was me. No, all cheerleaders are not bimbos and bitches. But I should point out that I was also the smart one and used to have Calculus study groups at my house.
MJ: Do you have any pets?
PJ: I have a darling Yorkie who sits by me constantly when I write and two Sulcata tortoises, King Tort and Nefertorti, who will grow to 150 pounds and live to be 180. I need to sell lots of books to provide for their future.
MJ: Now, I need YOU to ask ME a question about absolutely anything under the sun. It has to be a yes or no question and will be answered by my 9-year-old’s all-knowing Magic 8 Ball! The question can be serious or silly - it’s up to you.
PJ: Will it ever be back under 100 degrees in Austin, Texas?
M8B: My reply is no.
MJ: oooooh, that sucks....but sooooo appropriate considering the subject matter in Solstice.
Thanks so much to P.J. for hanging out with me on my blog today. You check out her book and her website:
P. J. Hoover first fell in love with Greek mythology in sixth grade thanks to the book Mythology by Edith Hamilton. After a fifteen year bout as an electrical engineer designing computer chips for a living, P. J. decided to take her own stab at mythology and started writing books for kids and teens. P. J. is also a member of THE TEXAS SWEETHEARTS & SCOUNDRELS. When not writing, P. J. spends time with her husband and two kids and enjoys practicing Kung Fu, solving Rubik's cubes, and watching Star Trek. Her first novel for teens, Solstice, takes place in a Global Warming future and explores the parallel world of mythology beside our own. Her middle grade fantasy novels, The Emerald Tablet, The Navel of the World, and The Necropolis, chronicle the adventures of a boy who discovers he’s part of two feuding worlds hidden beneath the sea.
When I decided to self-pub, I worried about sales. A LOT. I worried that my mom would be the only person to buy my book. I worried no one would ever find my novels and I would be a sad, pathetic failure.
Luckily, someone (not my mom) bought my book on the first day it uploaded to Barnes&Noble. I hadn't announced it was there and I still have no clue who that person was, but wow, what a mental boost.
Success stories swirled in my head: Amanda Hocking, Joe Konrath, John Locke, LJ Sellers. I never once thought I'd be in their ranks. Did I want to be? Sure. I still want to be a famous rock star too, but it's not like I'm focused too heavily on it (particularly since I can't sing).
My goal all along has been to be a solid midlister - never a superstar. I wanted to build a solid fanbase of readers who like what I write. Simple? Ha, well, not as simple as it might seem.
Over the first month, a number appeared in my head: 1,000. I wanted to sell 1,000 books. That, I decided, would be my goal.
Well, earlier this week I surpassed 1,000 sales. It took me nearly seven months, but who cares? I DID IT! 1,000 paid sales of my books. It's unreal.
Now that I'm on the other side of 1,000, things don't look too awfully different. There's no BMWs, no champagne and caviar parties, no afternoons lounging by the pool while I watch the pool boy from the corner of my eye.
I'm looking forward. I want to be like my friend Sarra Cannon who has sold over 35,000 books. 35,000. Makes me seem like small peanuts, but it also reassures me there's a market out there for kick-ass YA novels. (You'll read more about Sarra on my blog in a few weeks - she's amazing and I know you'll love her as much as I do.)
Someone, who shall remain nameless, suggested I shouldn't tell anyone that I just hit 1,000. Why? Because there are authors out there doing better than me and some people might assume I'm not good enough because I'm not among the elite.
I call foul on that. There will always be someone better than me at everything I do. That doesn't mean I shouldn't celebrate what I have accomplished. Let's all stick our our tongues at that person and blow!!!!
My eyes are focused ahead. I have great things in the works - new YA fantasy novels, a MG fantasy, a contemporary YA, and a series that will make you question everything you believe in. As for a sales goal, I'm now looking towards 5,000 sales. It could happen next month (yeah, right), or in two years, but I'm not giving up until I get there.
Thanks for riding this crazy roller coaster with me!!!!
I'm on a quest to turn into a decent public speaker.
In elementary and high school, I was really outgoing. I performed on stages, spent years on speech team, and acted in plays. I lived for pulling people's eyes to me. ME! ME! ME!
Then I went to college and kind of folded inward on myself. No more performing, no plays, no marching band, no stage performances, nada. I burrowed into expansive libraries and the hid in the back halls of museums. I relished in my quiet life.
But now, here I am in a career where I really should be out there talking to people about my books, and I want nothing more than to hide at home. Not good.
I'm hoping you guys can help me. Here's what I need from you:
Ask me a question down there in the comments, or on Twitter, or on Facebook - about anything, really. Ask me why I write fantasy. Ask me why I love zombies. Ask me about my love for medieval history. Ask me about electrical engineering (then you'll probably hear from my hubby who has a masters in it).
How will I answer? With a vlog. It's something that terrifies me, so I figure it's exactly what I should be doing. Right?
(OMG, seriously, I don't want anyone to respond to this. So if you do, you will not only receive my thanks for helping me crawl out of my shell, but probably also my ire for, well, making me crawl out of my shell.)
This is the first in what I hope will become a long series of interviews with some of my favorite YA authors.
First up: The Amazing Danyelle Leafty
I met Danyelle through Facebook a few years ago when we both had big dreams of publishing our fantasy novels. I'm thrilled that this year we've both achievedour goals. Keep reading to find out more about Danyelle and her book, The Fairy Godmother Dilemma: Catspell.
MJ: Tell me a bit about your novel, The Fairy Godmother Dilemma: Catspell, in your own words - not the official synopsis.
DL: Breena is a mortal changeling who just wants to be loved. Nerissa is a fairy godmother who'd just like to take a vacation and maybe recover from a nasty cold she's caught from her last job.
But when Nerissa ends up as Breena's fairy godmother, she gets a little more than she bargained for. Breena doesn't want a fairy godmother, and she's also a cat--which just goes to prove that you shouldn't drink potions unless you know exactly what's in them. The harder Nerissa tries to bring about Breena's Happily Every After, the further away the happy ending seems to be--especially once a band of magical cats gets involved. Undeterred, Nerissa is determined to do her job, even if it means breaking a few of the rules. But if there's one thing Nerissa is learning from all this, it's to never make a bargain with a cat.
MJ: Did you pants or plot while writing your first draft?
DL: I pansted it, because I couldn't outline a novel if my life depended on it. O:)
MJ: What’s your next release going to be?
DL: I'm really excited for November of this year, because that's when I'll be releasing the finished version of TFGD (right now, it's available as a serial novel--two chapters are released a week), as well as some of the other books in the series. The whole series will be available sometime in December.
Next I gave her eight fun random questions and asked her to answer three:
MJ: What is your favorite color?
DL: My favorite color is indigo, closely followed by a deep purple. Even the name is pretty. :D
MJ: What do you wear when you write?
DL: My children can attest to the fact that I'm usually wearing my pajamas when I'm writing. (Probably because I generally forget to change out of them. :S)
MJ: When you were a teen were you a cheerleader, a sporty girl, the smart one, the band geek, or something else?
DL: I was the teen that a lot of the class hated during test times, because I always messed up the curve. O:) I blame that on my love for reading textbooks.
Finally, I asked her to ask ME a question and I will provide her with an answer from my daughter's Magic 8 Ball!!!!!
DL: It's the year 2057 and a vicious paranormal plague has broken out. Every day, there are more and more cases of people turning into vampires, werewolves, zombies, and, yes, fairies. My question: will your survive? And if you do, will you remain human?
M8B: It is certain.
And, no, I won't remain human. I plan on turning into a zombie fairy!!!!
Thank you so much Danyelle for kicking off my new series! Get in touch with Danyelle on the web, you won't regret it.
Danyelle Leafty
~Collector of dragons, talking frogs, and fairy godmothers~
Yeah, you read that right. $50 Amazon.com giftcard. But you have to work for it.
When I released Sleepers, I was kinda lazy. I just announced it on Facebook and Twitter and sent out some review copies. No fireworks. No cigars. Nothing.
That all changes today.
You have two weeks to enter. Here's how:
1. Download and print out the sketch of the Sleepers cover to the right. Then color it any way you want! Post it for the world to see, wherever you want - FB, Twitter, your blog, tramp stamp tattoo, whatevs. 1 entry.
2. Take a pic of yourself holding a sign that says, "It's time to wake up. Sleepers by Megg Jensen." Post it wherever you want - FB, Twitter, your blog, a sign stuck on a nerd's back, whatevs. 1 entry
3. Make a video of yourself waking someone up and then telling them about my book. This one would be hilarious, but I can't imagine anyone would do it. So, if you do, you get 5 entries just for doing it.
Make sure you tag me on these entries (on FB or Twitter) because if I don't see 'em, they don't count! Then fill out the form below. You can do each of these things once, for a total of 7 entries to win.
Blah, blah, blah - Must be 13 to enter or have parent's permission. Valid anywhere that can receive an Amazon.com gift card through email. Winner will be chosen through Random.com. Only for the sexy people. Contest ends Tuesday, August 23rd at 7pmCST (cuz I like to go bed early, none of that midnight crap here). Void where prohibited (whatever that means).
So, there's a few things coming up I thought you might want to know about. First, I have a part in a porno! Just kidding. I stumbled upon this awesome website, Face in Hole, and I've been sticking my face into the craziest pictures. It's a slight obsession. I'm starting a 12-step program soon.
That's me and my friend Eugene. Yeah, we're awesome.
If you want to win one of my books, check out the right side. I have links to all of the contests there. Good luck!
I'm starting a new series of YA author interviews. I am hand-picking authors to chat with either because they're friends in real life, awesome authors, people I stalk, or all of the above. The first interview will come on Friday. You should mark it in your calendar. Yes, there's the basic 'what's your book about' stuff, but there's also some really fun questions and another big twist. If you read my books, you know I always write the unexpected. The end of each interview is a tad odd (like me).
Finally, I'm participating in a super-cool extravaganza giveaway through Back of the Book Reviews. My giveaway/interview will be on September 13th. So you should totally check them out. Not only because I'll be there, but so will bajillions of other cool authors!!!
