The Sweet Legacy Blog Blitz is Coming!

The release of Sweet Legacy, the third and final book in the Sweet Venom trilogy comes out in two short months. Eeeep. I mean,

EEEEEEPPPP!!!!!

To celebrate this awesome moment, I want to make a big splash across the interwebs. Enter the Sweet Legacy Blog Blitz. This is going to be a big, massive, one day only blog tour. Anyone and everyone with a blog can participate. All it takes is filling out the form below.

You get to pick what kind of special content you want to post on Blog Blitz day. You can choose between some types that I'll provide, or making your own post. Everyone will be on a big link list AND everyone will get to post the humongous Rafflecopter contest. I'll be giving away huge amounts of Sweet Venom books and other great prizes.

Blog Blitz hosts will get to enter a separate contest with an even better prize!

Signup is only open until July 15th, so fill out the form now.

*** the signup period is over ***

FAQ–Did You Always Want to Be a Writer?

I'm working on the FAQ section of my new website, so I've been thinking a lot about the questions I get asked more often. I'll be answering them here on the blog in long form and then including a shorter version on the website. Expect more posts like this.

One of the most common questions writers gets asked is:

Did you always want to be a writer?

This question usually comes from aspiring writers who want to know if they're... one the right path. (Or, you know, the write path.) Was it a lifelong passion for reading and writing or some other series of chance events that led me to my career? In a long nutshell, here goes:

I never considered myself a reader. In school I was always math and science girl who wanted to be a marine biologist or a veterinarian. I hated language arts and blamed it on the fact that my first three years of school were in French. Now I know better. There were two reasons I shied away from reading and writing when I was in school.

One, because my English teachers ranged from unexceptional to ridiculously neurotic. In my junior year American Lit class, we never had one essay question on a test. They were all Scantron. How is that even possible?

Two, because the books I enjoyed reading (and now love writing) were the ones that "didn't count". I adored series like Nancy Drew and The Baby-Sitter's Club and Sweet Valley High and, well, according to teachers and other grown-ups, if it wasn't Lord of the Flies or The Red Badge of Courage or Billy Budd then it was a waste of words. Lesson to literary snobs: this is precisely how "children who hate reading" are born.

Fast forward to my freshman year of college. In my first semester literature class we read Pride & Prejudice. It changed my life. For the first time, I truly loved a book that was "important" enough to read for class–at Columbia, an Ivy League school, no less.

I looked at books differently after that.

Then, after college and a year off, I started in a Masters program at Columbia. My degree is in Historic Preservation and has nothing whatsoever to do with writing except this: during my thesis defense, one of my advisors said, "Tera, you're a very effective writer." Now, he was only saying that to soften the blow of wanting me to cut the first half of my thesis, but those words stayed with me.

After graduation, when I was back home and basically house-sitting for my parents, his words rattled around in my brain. During that time I also started reading romance novels. Obsessively. I would drive into town to the bookstore, bring home a huge stack, tear through them, and go back for more.

Somewhere along the way, I started wanting the characters to say/do things differently. Finally, between my renewed love of reading and the confidence my advisor's compliment gave me, I decided to try my hand at this writing thing.

So that's it. No childhood dreams of become a writing. No formal education in creative writing. In fact, I can only remember one creative writing project in my entire education career, and that was in my high school Biology II class. 

Funny aside: For that project, we had to make up a human genetic mutation. I wrote about how humans developed a membrane in their throats to be able to filter oxygen from water. The first step toward mermaid fiction for sure.

The short answer is no. I didn't always know I wanted to be a writer, but once I found writing I knew I never wanted to do anything else.

What I'm Working On--Summer Edition

Summer is always a crazy time for me. I've been helping my mom get ready for the start of SILV, which is madness. Pure madness. Plus I've been trying to catch up on email and other stuff. Here's a general list of what I'm working on:

• new website design
• waiting for edits on GODDESS IN TIME
• brainstorming PRETTY IN PEARLS
• writing a new mythology-inspired YA proposal
• brainstorming an epic MG idea
• email, email, email
• marketing plans
• blogging plans
• video plans (maybe)

And that's just the writing-related stuff! Is it any wonder that I'm *mumble-mumble* months behind on email?

Where I've Been: RT

With almost no time to recover from TeenBookCon and TLA, I turned back around and headed to Kansas City for the RT Booklovers Convention. This trip made me think of this song:

The convention was held at the Sheraton Kansas City, which had this super cool sculptural thingy hanging above the lobby.

I was only in at RT for two days--in and out--but the very first thing I did was find my banner in the hall. So much Venom-y goodness.

While there, I got some fabulous prezzies from the darling Suzanne Lazear and her daughter.

I went to lunch with a bunch of amazing YA authors. (Colleen Houck, Colleen's sister, Cole Gibsen, Zoraida Cordova, and Justina Ireland are nearest me at the table.)

At the Avon Red Slipper Lounge, I signed a fortress of books...

...hung out with fab authors Karina Cooper and Teri Brown...

...and of course got some quality time with Sophie Jordan in our almost-matching dresses.

On Saturday, I survived an early breakfast (with Karina Cooper, *mwuah*), an almost-four-hour book signing, two back-to-back panels, and the awesome-but-exhausting Teen Day party! And guess what I got at the party? More ARCs! (I also got some actual real signed books from Josie Angelini, Amy Plum, and Jen Lynn Barnes.) So look forward to those giveaways.

While waiting in the lobby for my airport shuttle, one of the cover models gave me this CD of his music. Um...

Now I'm back home with no more writing-related travel for a while. Until July anyway. I think...

TLA Addendum (aka TLC is a Stalker)

In my main post about my trip to TLA in Fort Worth, I totally forgot to mention the Most Important Thing I did! If you've followed my blog... or met me... or seen me on Twitter or Facebook... you should know that my favorite YA author is Jaclyn Moriarty.

Now, I've met a lot of YA authors over the years, but Jaclyn lives in Australia. AUSTRALIA! So I've never had the chance to be in even the same hemisphere as her.

Until TLA!

I arranged my travel so I could stay late enough on Friday to attend her official signing at 2:00pm. By 11:00am I had staked out my spot at a table within sight of her signing aisle.

I was first in line.

They only had two of her books available, but I bought them both. (And, yes, I got an extra one to giveaway here on the blog.)

Finally, after many long years of obsessing admiration, I got to meet Jaclyn Moriarty.

I don't think I made TOO MUCH of an idiot of myself. *fangirl squeal*

Where I've Been: TLA

After TeenBookCon, I got to head home for two whole days before turning back around for another trip to Texas for the Texas Library Association annual conference in Fort Worth. I stayed at the beautiful Worthington Renaissance hotel with the rest of the HarperCollins team.

We walked from the hotel to the convention center, through the adorably historic and vibrant downtown Fort Worth. I was definitely impressed with the area. It was a fun place to hang out for a couple days.

The downtown area and the convention center had many art displays, including this gigantic star made entirely of cowboy hats (including a pink one).

I spoke on the Lone Star panel (which was in a gigantic room) along with amazing authors Marie Lu, Kiersten White, Ally Carter, and Mary Pearson. We were a hoot, I'm pretty sure.

No event is complete without food, and while at TLA I headed to the Cupcakery with Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Ally Carter, and Mari Mancusi. I indulged in this gorgeous cupcake...

...and a Texas-sized onion ring at the Harper family dinner.

I picked up SO MANY amazing ARCs from the publisher booths, including the absolutely amazing Premeditated by the supremely talented Josin McQuein.

You know ARCs for me mean giveaways for you, so expect lots of great books up for grabs in the near future.

Where I've Been: TeenBookCon

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I've been on the road a lot lately. A lot. I had three back-to-back weeks of events and all that wild travel was pretty exhausting. (Especially since it included two red eye flights in the mix. Ugh, never again.)

The first of the three trips sent me back to my adopted hometown of Houston, Texas, for TeenBookCon. If you live in or around Houston (or can get yourself there without too much trouble) you should try to get to there for TeenBookCon next year. It was amazing!

There were dozens of fabulous authors (some of whom I've been dying to meet for a long time, like Kate Brian, Justina Chen, and Claudia Gray). We started out the day on stage, while hundreds of teens watched from the auditorium.

Then, after Chris Crutcher's keynote speech, we headed to our panels. I was on the Take Me Away panel with Lenore Applehans, AG Howard, Sophie Jordan, Stacey Kade, and Shannen Messenger.

We repeated our panel four times, which you might think would get boring but since the audience questions changed every time, it was always different. (Although I think we were all a little loopy by the end of the day.)

I also got to spend some--but not enough--time with some of my favorite people.

It's so hard to say goodbye.

But the great thing about author events is that there is always another one just down the road. Luckily I got to see many of these awesome author peeps at my next two events. Stay tuned for recaps on both of those.

News (Yes, News!) of the Very Exciting Variety

Wow, I haven't posted anything but giveaways in a while! (But that's good for you guys, right? Lots of free books. And after TeenBookCon, TLA, and RT events the last few weeks I have a ton more to give away. Stay tuned!)

But today, finally, I have real and excitingly awesome news. For real!

You might have noticed that HarperTeen has started doing digital first projects for their Impulse line. They have already published a bunch of awesome short stories and novellas from great authors like Aprilynne Pike, Amy Plum, and Sophie Jordan. And, coming soon... ME!

source: roxinovak

Here are the details so far:

1. I will be writing TWO (2) Impulse novellas.
2. One will be another story in the Fins world.
3. The other will be... Goddess in Time, aka Nicole's story, aka FINALLY ANOTHER STORY IN THE OH. MY. GODS. WORLD!

That's all I know for sure right now. Goddess in Time will probably be out this year, sometime after the release of Sweet Legacy this fall. The Fins story will be out next year, maybe early early next year.

I don't even know who the Fins story will be about yet. More about Lily? Quince? The rest of Peri's story from Pretty in Pearls? Someone else entirely?

What do you think? Whose story would you most like to read?

Monday Giveaway: Pickle

This week's Monday Giveaway is for a signed copy of the fun middle grades book Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School by Kim Baker.

This is the story of THE LEAGUE OF PICKLE MAKERS.

Ben: who began it all by sneaking in one night and filling homeroom with ball-pit balls.

Frank: who figured out that an official club, say a pickle making club, could receive funding from the PTA.

Oliver: who once convinced half of the class that his real parents had found him and he was going to live in a submarine.

Bean: who wasn't exactly invited, but her parents own a costume shop, which comes in handy if you want to dress up like a giant squirrel and try to scare people at the zoo.

TOGETHER, they are an unstoppable prank-pulling force, and Fountain Point Middle School will never be the same.

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Monday Giveaway: The Lost Code

Yet another awesome Monday Giveaway. This week you can win a signed copy of The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson.

In the year 2086, Camp Eden promises summer “the way things used to be,” back before the oceans rose, the sun became a daily enemy, and modern civilization sank into chaos. Located inside the EdenWest BioDome, the camp is an oasis of pine trees, cool water, and rustic charm.

But all at Camp Eden is not what it seems.

No one will know this better than 15-year-old Owen Parker. A strange underwater vision, even stranger wounds on Owen’s neck, and a cryptic warning from the enchanting lifeguard Lilly hint at a mystery that will take Owen deep beneath Lake Eden and even deeper into the past. What he discovers could give him the chance to save the tattered planet. But first, Owen will have to escape Camp Eden alive…

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#6k6books Giveaway

Remember when I promised that if I got 6000 followers on Twitter I would give away six books? Well, I got 6000 followers on Twitter so I'm giving away six books!!!

Enter through the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Note that if you win you can choose ANY of my books as prizes, including Sweet Legacy, but if that's your pick you'll have to wait until I get my copies closer to the release date.

Now... what are you waiting for? Enter away!

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Monday Giveaway: I'm Not Her

This week's Monday Giveaway is for a signed copy of the RITA-nominated book I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler.

Tess is the exact opposite of her beautiful, athletic sister. And that’s okay. Kristina is the sporty one, Tess is the smart one, and they each have their place. Until Kristina is diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly Tess is the center of the popular crowd, everyone eager for updates. There are senior boys flirting with her. Yet the smiles of her picture-perfect family are cracking and her sister could be dying. Now Tess has to fill a new role: the strong one. Because if she doesn’t hold it together, who will?

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Monday Giveaway: The Elite

Another great Monday Giveaway, this time it's an ARC of The Elite by Kiera Cass.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

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Monday Giveaway: Life After Theft

This week's Monday Giveaway is for an ARC of the new Aprilynne Pike book, Life After Theft.

Moving to a new high school sucks. Especially a rich-kid private school. With uniforms. But nothing is worse than finding out the first girl you meet is dead. And a klepto.

No one can see or hear Kimberlee except Jeff, so--in hopes of bringing an end to the snarkiest haunting in history--he agrees to help her complete her "unfinished business." But when the enmity between Kimberlee and Jeff's new crush, Sera, manages to continue posthumously, Jeff wonders if he's made the right choice.

Clash meets sass in this uproarious modern-day retelling of Baroness Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel.

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Monday Giveaway: Wasteland

Time for another Monday Giveaway, and this time it's an ARC of the dystopian novel Wasteland by Emmy Award-winning Susan Kim and Edgar Award-winning Laurence Klavan.

Welcome to the Wasteland. Where all the adults are long gone, and now no one lives past the age of nineteen. Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan’s post-apocalyptic debut is the first of a trilogy in which everyone is forced to live under the looming threat of rampant disease and brutal attacks by the Variants —- hermaphroditic outcasts that live on the outskirts of Prin. Esther thinks there’s more to life than toiling at harvesting, gleaning, and excavating, day after day under the relentless sun, just hoping to make it to the next day. But then Caleb, a mysterious stranger, arrives in town, and Esther begins to question who she can trust. As shady pasts unravel into the present and new romances develop, Caleb and Esther realize that they must team together to fight for their lives and for the freedom of Prin.

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Spring 2013 YA Scavenger Hunt, Coming Soon to a Blog Near You

The YA Scavenger Hunt (organized by the fabulous Colleen Houck author of the Tiger's Curse series) is coming back and will go live on April 4th at noon Pacific Time.

Who: Too many YA authors to name, but here's the complete list.

What: An exclusive BONUS offering from each author. This might be an exclusive excerpt, an extra chapter, a short story, a bit of news, a free download (*raises hand*), a new cover or any bit of insider info from the author's world. Everything will go back in the vault on April 7th and you might never see it again.

When: April 4th to 7th

Where: YA author blogs and websites

Why: Because you love bonus material AND because there will be lots of prizes up for grabs, too. I'll be giving away a copy of Sweet Shadows to the Blue Team grand prize winner as well as a bonus giveaway on my blog.

How: Come back to my blog on April 4th and find my surprise guest author's bonus material. You'll also get a clue to find the next stop on the hunt.

Is It Almost April Already?

So... it appears that I have missed most of March. I can't believe I haven't blogged all month. It's been a busy month, but seriously? What a slacker.

While I haven't been blogging, I have been doing other things. Like writing. And traveling to Milwaukee in March--really? Who thought that was a good idea? I've also been posting lots of Vine videos. Here are some of my faves:

What about you? How has your March been? Did it fly by or is it dragging on and on?

Monday Giveaway: Mila 2.0

I've got an awesome giveaway this week! It's an ARC of Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza.

Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past —that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Mila 2.0 is Debra Driza’s bold debut and the first book in a Bourne Identity–style trilogy that combines heart-pounding action with a riveting exploration of what it really means to be human. Fans of I Am Number Four will love Mila for who she is and what she longs to be—and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel.

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(Not) Literally the Best Thing Ever

I am a sucker for super-creative, clever projects. And if they relate to one of the best book series of all-time (aka Harry Potter) well then it's insta-love.

Check out these amazing videos from Not Literally:







These are so well done! I love the new lyrics, the overall themes of each video, and Dana and Ginny (the two lead girls who also write all the content) have great presence and personality.

I am in awe.

Monday Giveaway: Shards and Ashes Anthology

This week I'm giving away an ARC of the Shards and Ashes anthology, full of dystopian stories from Veronica Roth, Kelley Armstrong, Margaret Stohl, Rachel Caine, Nancy Holder, Melissa Marr, Kami Garcia, Beth Revis, and Carrie Ryan.

Gripping original stories of dystopian worlds from nine New York Times bestselling authors, edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong.

The world is gone, destroyed by human, ecological, or supernatural causes. Survivors dodge chemical warfare and cruel gods; they travel the reaches of space and inhabit underground caverns. Their enemies are disease, corrupt corporations, and one another; their resources are few, and their courage is tested.

Powerful original dystopian tales from nine bestselling authors offer bleak insight, prophetic visions, and precious glimmers of light among the shards and ashes of a ruined world.

The anthology actually releases this week, so if you don't win you can still buy!

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Cover Love: Sweet Legacy Cover Reveal

❤ Happy Valentine's Day ❤

I just got permission to share the cover for Sweet Legacy (book 3 in the Sweet Venom trilogy) which comes out September 3rd. Here it is, with all of Greer's fierce gorgeousness!

I think she looks like Faith from Buffy, which for this Buffy fan is beyond amazing. (Although we all know that Greer would never—never—be as... uncivilized as Faith, but still.)

So... what do you think? Is it cover love at first sight?

My Favorite Super Bowl Ads (and Why)

I love watching football as much as the next girl (which basically means a lot sometimes and sometimes not at all) but you have to admit that the commercials are pretty much the best part of the Super Bowl. (Although the half-time show was pretty freakin' amazing this year.)

Here are my favorite commercials, and why I think they are so great.

Audi - "Prom"
I know a lot of people didn't like this commercial because of how the boy grabs and kisses the girl, but... the romance reader in me loved it. In my mind, the boy has been secretly in love with her FOREVER and is finally going to take a chance. (Not recommending that boy go around doing that in the real world, but in romance world I'm all for a little alpha.)



Hyundai - "Team"
What's not to love about this commercial? It's fun. It's a situation we can all relate to. And it's a great message about the power of friendship to overcome lots of problems, like bullies.



Oreo - "Whisper Fight"
The brilliance of this video is how they take a tiny argument and turn it into a library-destroying battle. It's funny when it's two guys whisper fighting at a table in the library. Funny when the other patrons get involved, funnier when the librarian threatens to call the police and when the fire department shows up, and funniest when the police drive through the wall.



Speed Stick - "Unattended Laundry"
Anyone who has ever had to do public laundry (can you say college dorm?) can relate to the frustration of waiting for an empty dryer. I've given up waiting and taken dry clothes out. Who hasn't? And I think the guy's dialogue and internal monologue are totally believable.



Dodge - "Farmer"
This was by far the most powerful and moving commercial of the day. The rhythm of the script is almost hypnotic, the message is emotional, and there is an element of tension and mystery because for almost the entire commercial you don't know what they're advertising.



I'm sure advertising companies will spent countless hours and thousands of dollars analyzing audience response to this year's commercials. But I can save them the time and money by pointing out why these ads were so successful:

1. They tell an entertaining story.
2. They show relatable situations.
3. They star sympathetic characters.

All things that makes a great book, too.

I also have to point out to two trailers for movies I can't wait to see.





And, for me, the big loser of the Super Bowl as the GoDaddy commercial. Clearly I am not the target demographic for that ad because I thought it was repulsive. Epic fail, GoDaddy. Epic fail.

Tuesday Teaser: Goddess in Time

This week's teaser is from the opening of the upcoming Oh. My. Gods. story about Nicole, called Goddess in Time.

I probably shouldn't have taken the book. Burn that, I know I shouldn't have taken the book. Mrs. Philipoulos is pretty cool, for a librarian-of-doom—aka descendant of revenge goddess Nemisis. As long as you don't mess with her books. If she had seen me stuff one in my bag she'd be in serious fits. Instant detention for at least a year.

But when you're in the top secret archives of Olympus in the top secret second basement of the top secret school for the descendants of the Greek gods and a book starts glowing as you walk by, you kind of have to pay attention. It would have been practically negligent to ignore it.

I'm close to done with the first draft and will be sending it off later this week. Fingers crossed that the whole process goes swiftly and painlessly so I can release it next month.

Teaser Tuesday: Secret Project GIT

It's time for me to confess what I've been working on. I've been hinting at Secret Project GIT for ages (I've had the idea for years) but now that I'm finally working on it, I'm going to share some details.

I've mentioned my plans to continue the Oh. My. Gods. series through novellas because, honestly, I left somethings unanswered at the end of Goddess Boot Camp that really should have been answered. And, also, because I love those characters and that world and am not done telling their stories.

So... Secret Project GIT is the first of those novellas (which might end up being more like a short novel than a long novella, but we'll see). The actual title is Goddess In Time and it's a Nicole story.

Normally I don't tell you guys about things until they are done deals--I don't want to get hopes up and then disappoint them--but since I'm doing these stories on my own, I'm not waiting for anyone's approval. And I need the motivation of your excitement to help me make my self-imposed deadline.

Today I'm going to share the first page of the story.

Disclaimer

When it comes to using dynamotheos powers, there are three unbreakable rules. Don't use them against other students at the Academy—the ridiculously cliquish private school for descendants of the gods, aka my future alma mater (gag). Don't use them to succeed in the nothos—non-descendant—world. And, under absolutely no circumstances can you use them to travel through time.

If you'd met me a week ago, I would have told you I'd never break those rules. Okay, I might have broken the first one on occasion because, seriously, some of the theobrats at my school deserve a little thunderbolt to the backside every once in a while. But I definitely don't need to use my powers to get by in the real world. And the power of time travel... it was just a fairy tale.

Well, at least I thought so. That was before. Before the trip to the secret archives. Before I found out the mysterious thirteenth power of time travel was full blown reality. Before I realized what might be possible. Before.

Nothing's been the same since.

And right now, I'm about to shatter rule number three.

I'm working on the first draft right now, and I should be done by this weekend. If all goes according to plan, I'll be publishing it next month. Eeep!

Monday Giveaway: Avon Romance Collection

In honor of upcoming Valentine's Day, this week's giveaway is for a collection of signed romance novels from Avon, the romance imprint at HarperCollins, a fun Avon beach ball from the party at RWA last year. Here's the collection:

Lure of the Wicked by Karina Cooper

Hunger Untamed by Pamela Palmer

Ten Ways to be Adored When
Landing a Lord by Sarah MacLean

Vampire Mine by Kerrelyn Sparks

Wicked in Your Arms by Sophie Jordan

The whole collection, with beach ball.

These are all awesome authors, by the way, and I mean as people and as authors.

(Reminder: These are adult romance novels, so they're a lot more... explicit than teen books. Even the teen books by some of the authors above. You've been warned.)

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Monday Giveaway: Beta by Rachel Cohn

Today's giveaway is for a signed copy of Beta by Rachel Cohn.

Elysia is created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen-year-old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of a teenage clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to exist.

Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air induces a strange, euphoric high, which only the island's workers--soulless clones like Elysia--are immune to.

At first, Elysia's life is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne's human residents, who should want for nothing, yearn. But for what, exactly? She also comes to realize that beneath the island's flawless exterior, there is an undercurrent of discontent among Demesne's worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care--so why are overpowering sensations clouding Elysia's mind?

If anyone discovers that Elysia isn't the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When her one chance at happiness is ripped away with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she's always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.

Oh good, Rafflecopter is working again!

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Bonus Scene: Grace in the Loft

This bonus scene was originally posted during the YA Scavenger Hunt, but I didn't want to deprive anyone who missed the hunt so I'm re-posting it here.

(Warning: If you haven’t read Sweet Venom yet, this is a spoiler. It is that final chapter—and the first chapter of Sweet Shadows—told from a different character’s viewpoint.)

Scanning the overflowing shelves of Gretchen’s library, binder after binder full of mean, nasty and disgusting monsters, I search for one to share with Greer—with my sister—while Gretchen—my other sister—takes a shower. I grab the one labeled Nuli. I vividly remember the picture of the ordinary looking creatures with feet that face backward. I’d almost snorted my soda when I saw that. Maybe Greer will think they’re funny too.

I drop into the chair and flip open the binder, looking for the image.

As I browse, I think about just how much has changed in the past few weeks—few days, really. My sisters and I have been reunited, I’ve learned about my mythological heritage, and I’ve taken down a handful of evil monsters. I can only imagine how much will change in the next few weeks.

I turn the page and find the drawing of the nuli.

“Look at his feet,” I say, pushing the binder across the table at Greer.

“Gross,” she says.

Not quite a smile, but I’ll take what I can get.

“You should see the panotti,” I say, making a face. “They have ears the size of their bodies.”

“Have you memorized all the binders?” she asks.

“No.” But I kind of have. I lower my gaze to the binder, embarrassed by my blatant display of nerdiness. What kind of girl obsessively remembers mythological monsters? “I’ve digitized most of them, though,” I say, “and the funnier images stand out.”

Greer looks like she’s about to say something more when she gets a horrified look on her face. She pushes to her feet, sending her chair clattering to the floor behind her.

Gretchen walks into the room.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“I—“ She leans forward, bracing her hands on the glass table top. “I don’t know. It’s just, all of a sudden, I got this really awful feeling.”

I glace at Gretchen.

“What kind of feeling?” she asks.

Greer looks at our sister. “Like something bad is about to happen.”

At that exact moment, Gretchen’s phone rings. Talk about weird timing. She runs to grab the call, and I turn my attention back to Greer. She looks terrible—pale and nauseous. What can I do? Should I offer her something to drink or—

Gretchen races back into the room, screaming, “Run!”

I’m so stunned by her outburst that I don’t react fast enough. She grabs each of us—me and Greer—by an arm and drags us toward the balcony. I hardly have time to brace myself before Gretchen lifts Greer and tosses her into the water below, then turns and does the same to me.

I have never felt anything so cold. The water is practically ice, shocking the breath right out of me as I try not to breathe in. I have to think clearly. I have to get back to the surface. I force myself still for a moment and then, as soon as my body begins to float up, I point myself that way and start kicking.

Breaking the surface, I suck in a hard breath of salty air.

My entire body shivers, erupting into violent shakes. I clench my jaw and struggle to keep my muscles and my panic under control.

Once my bloodstream has oxygen again—my brain accepts that I’m not going to drown—I start looking for my sisters. Greer is already up, treading water a few feet away. Her eyes widen with relief when she sees me and then we both start scanning for Gretchen. As I turn back toward the loft I see the flames.

Even as Gretchen emerges, safe and sound in the frigid bay, I can’t take my eyes off the blazing building above us. Gretchen follows the direction of my stare and sees her entire life burning to the ground. What happened?

“This is bad,” Greer mutters.

I blink through the tears. “Somebody tried to kill us.”

“You think?” Gretchen barks.

“All those books.” Shaking my head, I say, “Thank goodness I got most of the binders done, but all those resources…”

I can’t believe the library is just gone.

I can’t believe my sisters and I almost died. Again. Clearly, the biggest danger isn’t behind us. I have a feeling things are only going to get crazier from here on out.

Teaser Tuesday: Sweet Legacy (2)

Ah, another Tuesday, another teaser from Sweet Legacy!

Beside her, Nick holds what looks like a razor-sharp Frisbee in one hand, his fingers curled through a set of holes in the center. The object is part bowling ball, part discus, with a deadly blade-like edge. And from the way Nick is maneuvering it with simple wrist movements, it looks like he knows how to use it.

In related news, I now have an official release date for Sweet Legacy. It will hit the shelves (both real and virtual) on SEPTEMBER 3, 2013.

I have also seen the cover, and it is good. No, it is gorgeous.

Monday Giveaway: The Starter Boyfriend by Tina Ferraro

Sadly, Rafflecopter is being a butt today and I can't pick the winner from last week yet, but that doesn't mean we can't move on to the next Monday Giveaway. This time it's a (very rare) print review copy of my friend Tina Ferraro's fourth book, The Starter Boyfriend.

17 year-old Courtney is completely stressed. There's the rift with her softball teammates, homework, housework, her part-time job at the tux shop, her dad’s upcoming wedding...enough! Would it be too much to ask for someone special in her life, a boyfriend she could talk to, count on, even lean on a little?

The best she’s got is a blue-eyed surfer boy who seems to save his biggest moves for his board, and a “friend date” to Homecoming with a guy still in love with his ex. Oh, and then there’s the tuxedo mannequin in the shop window, who happens to be reliable and an amazing listener.

When the mannequin gets stolen in a senior prank, Courtney finds herself in a midnight pursuit along beach boulevards, trying to save more than the mannequin, but the job she’s come to love. After turning to the unlikeliest of people for help, and finding that surfer boy is as resourceful as he is good-looking, her load begins to lighten. In fact, she soon might find not only what she needs, but what she wants, too.

I'm a huge fan of Tina's work, and her latest is sure to hit all the right notes. I mean, senior pranks, a mannequin heist, and a hottie surfer boy--what more could you ask for?

And, since I can get a new Rafflecopter going at the moment (*glares at Rafflecopter*) just answer this question to enter: Do you (or did you) have an after school job in high school? If so, what?

(ETA: Oops, forgot to say the giveaway runs through Sunday night and that it is open internationally and that readers from Facebook and GoodReads should click over to Blogger to enter.)

Pretty in Pearls

How about a little Forgive My Fins bonus story for your weekend?

This short story was originally (supposed to be) in a mermaid magazine. But, since the magazine seems to have never materialized, I'm going to share it with you here.

It's a little teaser story about Lily's best friend, Peri, and a chance meeting in the market...

Periwinkle Wentletrap sailed into the Thalassinian Marketplace with a smile on her face. Held once each month on the open sands of the old town square, the market boasted vendors of every kind hawking their wares. Farmers came from the rural regions, beyond the edges of the city, with barrels of sweet smelling sand strawberries, fresh kelp , and dried sea fans. Lobstermen put the fattest of their herd on display. Breathtaking bouquets, tasty delicacies, and even the odd salvage stall, selling human treasures that had been found on the ocean bottom. A mergirl could get lost in all the options.

But Peri knew exactly where she was going. She swam past the food and flower displays, over the organic sealife stalls, and around the tables of trinkets. She made straight for her favorite vendor. Paru’s Pearls.

Pearls are plentiful under the sea, and many girls consider them ordinary. Plain. Common. To Peri they would always be the most beautiful things in all the oceans. She loved the way that some gleamed and others sparkled. They came in all the colors of the rainbow, from bright white to soft pink to inky gray to the blackest black she had ever seen.

She couldn’t wait to browse the latest collection.

As she turned a corner, an older merwoman lost her grip on her shopping basket, sending a dozen live starfish tumbling across the aisle. Peri swerved out of the way as the woman dove after her lost bounty, then turned around to help. Most of the starfish remained within reach, and the woman quickly gathered them back. One made a gallant bid for freedom.

Peri retrieved the wayward starfish and returned it to the woman. “This one almost got away.”

“Such a sweet dear.” Her face crinkled into a bright smile. She reached up and pinched Peri’s cheek. “Thank you.”

Peri smiled back before turning and continuing toward her destination. The pearls called.

She approached the stall, swimming with such momentum that she stopped kicking and floated the rest of the way. If she hadn’t been so excited, she might have noticed the trio passing in front of the stall.

Of course she had to crash hardest into the meanest of the three.

“I’m so sorry,” Peri blurted, kicking herself out of the way, out of reach. “I wasn’t looking where I was—“

“Swim much?” Astria asked, sneering.

“Yeah,” Piper chirped. “Swim much?”

Venus snorted.

Peri stared wide-eyed at the terrible trio. Astria, Piper and Venus had been awful to her since guppihood. They took great delight in making her feel as small and worthless as possible. They tried to belittle Peri’s best friend too, but Lily was the princess. They couldn’t be as cruel with her or there might be repercussions. With Peri, though, they acted without restraint.

It didn’t help that they were gorgeous. Astria had beautiful red hair and perfect alabaster skin. Piper looked more like a California mermaid, with sunny blonde hair and a fake tan that almost matched her golden tailfin. Venus was the most exotic, with dark skin, waves of midnight curls, and rich mahogany scales.

Peri felt dim in their presence. With her boring brown hair and brown eyes, she practically faded into the shadows. Only her tailfin, a bright copper in a thousand shining shades, made her feel special.

Looking down and away, Peri muttered another, “I’m sorry,” and tried to swim past.

Astria never let her get away that easily.

“Shopping for pearls?” Her upper lip curled in a sneer. “Again?”

Peri just shook her head and darted into the stall. She heard them laughing and making fun as they swam off into the market. No matter how many times she told herself not to let them win, their barbs and mockery always stung.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep, cleansing breath.

“You’re better than those three put together,” a male voice said.

Startled, Peri spun around. Normally Paru worked her stall alone. Pearl harvesting is a time-intensive business and she couldn’t spare any of her workers to hawk beads to tourists and shoppers when they could be gathering more. The merboy floating in front of her was most definitely not Paru.

It was her son.

He looked like a pirate. His hair, long and black as squid ink, was held back by a red and black scarf. Where it flowed out the back, she could see tiny silvery shells woven into his locks. She had never seen such dark eyelashes, and they framed pale silver eyes that glowed as they watched her. But it was his mouth, quirked up to one side, that she couldn’t stop staring at.

“Wh-what?” she stammered.

He jerked his head after the terrible trio. “I’ve seen the likes of them plenty,” he explained. “Your sort is worth ten of them.” He winked. “At least.”

Peri beamed. She couldn’t help it, she grinned back. Lily always stood up for her, told her not to worry about petty mergirls. But Lily was her best friend. She was supposed to say that. This boy didn’t even know her.

“Thanks,” she said. Then, feeling more courage than usual, she held out her hand. “I’m Peri.”

When his hand closed around hers, she felt sparks bursting all over her body.

“Riatus.”

Riatus, she echoed in her mind.

He nodded over her shoulder as another shopper entered the stall. “Be right back,” he said, looking into her eyes. “You’ll wait?”

She nodded and he took off with a quick fin flick. Her hand felt cold without his warmth, but it wasn’t empty. She looked down and saw, in the center of her palm, a pearl the size of a kelpberry. And the exact coppery shade of her tailfin.

Oh yes, she’d wait. She had a feeling she’d wait forever.

What do you think? Would you want to read more of this story, to learn more about smexy cute Riatus--think Captain Jack Sparrow with a tailfin--and what happens between him and Peri?

Let me know and I might just turn this into a novella...

Teaser Tuesday: Sweet Legacy (1)

It's Tuesday, there should be teasers! Right?

I know the release of Sweet Legacy is still soooo far away (I don't even have a release date yet) so I thought I'd start sharing some teaser lines and clips from the story to tide you over. Or, you know, rile you up.

Here's the first.

Chapter 1 ~ Grace

The monsters are waiting.

As Gretchen, Greer, and I tumble out of the swirling crazy of the portal we created to bring us here, we are immediately surrounded by mythological beasts. There must be two dozen, at least. All sizes, all shapes, all . . . textures. Many I recognize from Gretchen’s lost monster binders: a furry Calydonian boar with tusks three feet long, a pair of massive birds whose feathers look like arrowheads, and a double-headed serpent monster that I think is called an amphisbaena. Others I’ve never even imagined, like the giant white worm or the hyena-like one with no mouth that I can see. They are all standing in a semicircle around the open space where the portal dumped us into the bleak, black abyss that the monsters call home: Abyssos.

When Gretchen described this place, I thought she was exaggerating. I couldn’t believe it was as horrible as the picture she painted.

I was wrong.

Monday Giveaway: Doomed by Tracy Deebs

OMG, the first Monday Giveaway of 2013! And it's a doozie. (Is that how you spell doozie? Doozy? Whatever.) This week I'm giving away an ARC of Doomed by my mermaid-writing pal Tracy Deebs.

Beat the game. Save the world.

Pandora’s just your average teen, glued to her cell phone and laptop, surfing Facebook and e-mailing with her friends, until the day her long-lost father sends her a link to a mysterious site featuring twelve photos of her as a child. Unable to contain her curiosity, Pandora enters the site, where she is prompted to play her favorite virtual-reality game, Zero Day. This unleashes a global computer virus that plunges the whole world into panic: suddenly, there is no Internet. No cell phones. No utilities, traffic lights, hospitals, law enforcement. Pandora teams up with handsome stepbrothers Eli and Theo to enter the virtual world of Zero Day. Simultaneously, she continues to follow the photographs from her childhood in an attempt to beat the game and track down her father, her one key to saving the world as we know it. Part The Matrix, part retelling of the Pandora myth, Doomed has something for gaming fans, dystopian fans, and romance fans alike.

I'm switching over to Rafflecopter for the Monday Giveaway stuff. Here goes:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Poll on Prologues

As I'm starting to work on Secret Project RH this morning, I'm debating whether or not to start with a prologue. And, if I use a prologue, whether it should be a snippet that happened before the story began (i.e. a taste of backstory that sets up the book) or something that happens later in the story (i.e. a teaser of exciting action to come).

Personally, as a reader, I love prologues. But the internet would lead me to believe that I'm in the minority. So my poll has two questions.

1. Prologue, yay or nay?
2. If yay, then would you rather read a prologue about something that has already happened or something that will happen?

Thanks for the feedback!

Looking Ahead to 2013

Now that I finally posted my Looking Back at 2012 blog, I can start thinking ahead about 2013. I'm planning big things for this year. Big things.

Writing

First, while I'm waiting to hear back on a couple of other projects, I'm working on a couple of new YA proposals. Three, actually. They don't have much in common except for kick-butt girls, action and adventure, and (of course) romance.

I'm also planning to work on more books in the City Chicks series, starting with finishing up Cassie's story (Try It On) in the next month or so. Later this year I'll work on Fiona's story (Red Hot Riding Hood) and a holiday-themes story for Kit (Chris's sister from Straight Stalk).

Also on the list are some Oh. My. Gods. tie-in novellas, starring Nicole, Cesca, Nola, and Phoebe. The first one will be Goddess In Time and it will give you all the answers you ever wanted about Nicole. I'm planning to work on that one in February, so check the Works in Progress bar to the right and make sure I'm on track!

In writing-related business, I want to overhaul my website. I have a design in progress, but I'm not sure I love it. I also want to blog more, with more posts about writing, more bonus material, and more pictures from the real world.

Travel

After all the travel-related crazy of last year, I'm starting off slower this year. I'm not actually planning any travel until March, when I'll be heading to Milwaukee for USITT. In April I'll be in Houston for TeenBookCon and in Fort Worth for TLA. Then I'll be off to Kansas City in May for the RT Convention and Atlanta in July for RWA.

When I have the official release date for Sweet Legacy I'll make plans for a launch signing at Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston. That should be the last of my writerly travel for the year.

Sadly we won't be making our annual summer bus trip to Los Angeles to see Cirque du Soleil's Iris because the show is closing this month. I will have to find other excuses to visit SoCal and eat at my favorite restaurant.

I would love to add some international travel this year. It's been too long since I left the country. Maybe we can make it to the PLASA show in London this October. Or maybe some other international recruitment for the summer program.

Then again, I would like to make it to one of my Top Five Must Visit places:

• Buenos Aires
• Cape Town
• Sydney
• Tokyo
• Morocco

We'll have to see how the year and the finances and the schedules go. But if not this year, then the very next for sure. What I wouldn't give to have the ability to travel the world full time.... Must work on that.

Personal

Life has been pretty emotional in the last year. Between my dad's death and two big moves and some other personal issues, it's no wonder I've fallen off the vegan wagon. Often. Oh I haven't been eating meat or scrambled eggs, but there has been a lot of cheese. This year, with rare exceptions, I'm tightening the grip on my vegan diet. Besides, with the amazing new Daiya cheese blocks, how can I even miss the real thing?

On the other side of the health front, I'm getting started in yoga and joining the local Masters swim team. I'm planning to do each about three times per week to start. I could definitely use the mental decompress that comes with yoga and I miss the swimming pool. It'll be good to be training again.

That's pretty much the plan. Write a lot. Travel as much as possible.  And work on a healthy lifestyle.

Check out my previous planning posts:

• Looking Ahead to 2012
• Looking Ahead to 2011

Looking Back at 2012

This post is a little late this year because my mom and I were in a cleaning frenzy the entire week between Christmas and New Year. The house is literally sparkling and I am ready to charge forward in 2013.... but not until I take a look back at 2012.

Writing

Again I had two books out in one year, with hardcover editions fo my sixth (Just For Fins) and seventh (Sweet Shadows) young adult novels. Fins Are Forever and Sweet Venom came out in paperback. Several foreign editions released, with Forgive My Fins coming out in Brazil, Italy, and Indonesia, and Sweet Venom coming out in the UK. (There are more, I'm sure, but it's so hard to keep track!)

I worked on several secret projects and new proposals (most are still in progress) and I wrote the third book in the Sweet Venom trilogy, Sweet Legacy (which should be out in the Fall and should have a cover very soon). I am so very happy with how the stories for Grace, Gretchen and Greer turned out.

On the self-publishing front, I started the third book in the City Chicks series. This on is Cassie's story, tentatively titled Try It On, but I think that will change before I'm done.

And even though I really, really, really wanted to do NaNoWriMo this year, it didn't work out. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure it fits into my schedule from now on.

Travel

If you've read my blog regularly over the years, you know that I love to travel. A lot. But 2012 was a cray-cray-crazy travel year, even for me. Some of it was theatre-related travel with my mom. A lot of it was writing-related travel. Here's everything I can remember...

• Seattle --  Mom and I packed up my apartment there, putting all of my stuff into a storage container that could be shipped wherever we wanted it to go. I was sad to leave the Emerald City so soon after moving there, but it was a choice I had to make.
• Houston -- TETA TheatreFest
• Austin -- PLASA Focus
• San Francisco -- Sweet Legacy research
• Long Beach -- USITT Annual Conference
• Chicago/Wisconsin/Minneapolis -- RT Convention and visiting family
• Colorado/Las Vegas -- We left Oklahoma, via Colorado, just planning on being in Vegas for the summer until we decided where we wanted to live. But by the end of the summer we had decided to stay here.
• San Diego -- Signing with Tracy Deebs
• Los Angeles -- Cirque du Soleil's Iris
• Houston -- Launch Just For Fins at Blue Willow Bookshop
• Anaheim -- RWA Conference
• Los Angeles -- IKEA
• Miami -- Birthday vacation
• Houston -- Launch Sweet Shadows at Blue Willow Bookshop with Sophie Jordan
• College Station -- Library event
• Tulsa/Missouri -- Family stuff
• Austin/Houston -- More Sweet Shadows signings with Sophie Jordan, Mari Mancusi, and Tracy Deebs
• San Diego -- Escape
• Los Angeles -- Halloween production at RedCat
• Missouri -- Thanksgiving with family
• Fresno -- Christmas with family
• Los Angeles -- Cirque du Soleil's Iris

OMG, no wonder I'm dizzy!

Personal

In 2012 I became a Mac groupie. It really started several years ago when I got my first iPod. Then an iPod shuffle. A couple years later I got my first iPhone (I'm on... number four now) and two years ago I got my first iPad. Now I've ditched my Toshiba for a MacBook Air (LOVE!) and in addition to my iPhone 5 and iPad Mini (also LOVE!) I have an Apple TV and an Airport Extreme router. And as much as I thought the transition would be hard, it's been super easy. I'm a Mac and I'm not looking back.

My mom and I moved from Oklahoma to Las Vegas and, even though I'm not a big Vegas fan in general, I am actually really liking the area where we live. I have made a few new friends and our house is just perfect. Aside from my ultimate dream of moving to LA, I'm pretty happy where I'm at.

Oh, and on an entertainment note, I have to say I am sad (devastated, maybe) that one of my favorite shows ever (Leverage) is over. I know why they did it and it was better to go out on top AND the series finale was just absolutely the perfect ending that mirrored their amazing beginning... but I'm still sad.

So that's it, my 2012 in a (very long) nutshell.

Check out my previous reflections posts:

• Looking Back at 2011
• Looking Back at 2010