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Oct

I ♥ Thursday

Note: you can enter to win ARCs of BORN WICKED from Goodreads or from LibraryThing. ♥ CINDER by Marissa Meyer (debuts January 3, 2012): I love adaptations and retellings of classic works, so I was intrigued from the moment I read the hook: cyborg Cinderella. The worldbuilding here is fascinating: a futuristic Eastern Commonwealth layered with Chinese and Japanese influences, ruled by an emperor dying of the plague and a handsome prince, and a dangerous Lunar kingdom that relies heavily on mind-magic, ruled by a ruthless glamoured queen. The queen is genuinely spooky, one of the best villains I’ve read lately—and Cinder’s heartless stepmother is pretty awful too. Cinder herself is an ingenious, sympathetic Cinderella—a badly wounded girl who survived after being fitted with cyborg parts, she feels her second-class status constantly, mocked for not being able to shed tears or blush, constantly hiding her robotic hand with gloves, working as...

Sep

Friday 5

Jessica

1. If you requested BORN WICKED bookmarks and stickers, they are on their way to you! Thank you so much for all the interest. I mailed out almost fifty swag packs on Tuesday. And then on Wednesday I had an awesome hot-stone massage, and my therapist was all, you have crazy knots in your forearms! Occupational hazards from typing plus signing 200 bookmarks, maybe? 2. I did a fun interview with Cate over on The Nightstand blog, where you get to see both what she says and what she thinks. (Hint: not the same.) Check it out and leave a comment? 3. I am also participating in Wastepaper Prose’s Author Insight series on Thursdays. This week I shared my biggest misconception about the publishing industry. Apparently, my experience is atypical. 4. It’s my fifth wedding anniversary today. Tonight The Playwright and I are going to a food truck festival, Truckeroo, where...

Sep

On Writing Diversity

Jessica

I grew up in a tiny, one-stoplight town. There were lots of lovely things about it. It is beautiful; people are friendly; I had lots of teachers who taught my parents and taught with my grandfather. I felt safe. In retrospect, though, I wonder how many of my classmates didn’t. There were no out, openly dating queer kids. There were maybe a dozen people of color–any color. We definitely didn’t have off school for non-Christian holidays–though we did have off the first day of deer-hunting season! (Seriously.) One of my best friends from high school is gay. He came out maybe six years ago. I was the first person he told. He was really afraid to say, hey, this is who I am; I’m attracted to other guys; I’m gay. Even to his best friends, people he’d known since we were twelve. To his family. To his own dad. That is...

Sep

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Want to Reread

Jessica

Top Ten Tuesday is a feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. I’m actually not much of a re-reader; there are just too many books to read! I’m going to cheat and choose just 5 YA titles that I loved and look forward to rereading: 1. GRACELING by Kristin Cashore (before BITTERBLUE. I can’t wait for BITTERBLUE!) 2. THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX by Mary Pearson (in preparation for reading THE FOX INHERITANCE) 3. THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS by E. Lockhart (because this is an all-time favorite) 4. A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY by Libba Bray (Penguin’s used this as a comp title for BORN WICKED, which is so flattering!) 5. CRACKED UP TO BE by Courtney Summers (another favorite; I love all of Courtney’s books) One way to tell that I really loved a book immensely is that I reread it immediately. Finished it and went...

Sep

I ♥ Monday

Jessica

♥ FATEFUL by Claudia Gray: It’s got a great hook: werewolves on the Titanic! The feisty, sympathetic protagonist, Tess, is a servant to a wealthy family with lots of secrets. I’m a sucker for historical paranormal romance and this has a great voice. It’s a really fun, quick read–a perfect counterpoint to ASHES, the book I read just before it! ♥ UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi (releases Jan. 3, 2012): I’m always impressed when an author pulls off dual points of view so well. I love how the reader gets to see Aria and Perry grow as individuals, banishing their initial misconceptions about each other and discovering strengths they never expected. Aria is a strong, brave heroine and Perry is—well, he’s a killer archer with blonde curls and tattoos who nevertheless has a tender side. Their romance is swoony. The supporting characters are fabulous, too. I’m really hoping for more of...

I ♥ Thursday

Friday 5

On Writing Diversity

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Want to Reread

I ♥ Monday

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