I love book trailers! I also love learning new skills. I know trailers usually come BEFORE a book is out to build anticipation, but I felt like playing around with video editing software to try my hand at one and the result is this Nobody’s Goddess trailer:
Tag: Books
My Next Book: FALL FAR FROM THE TREE
While I know a number of you are anxiously awaiting the second book in the NEVER VEIL series (tentatively July 2016), I’m proud to announce I’m publishing another fantasy book soon with Patchwork Press!
Read my introduction here!
FALL FAR FROM THE TREE is a dark YA fantasy I like to think of as Marvel Comics’ Runaways meets Game of Thrones. It has four first-person POVs (crazy, I know) and weaves the story of four very different young adults, each raised by terrible people.
Add FALL FAR FROM THE TREE to your Goodreads to-read list!
Terror. Callousness. Denial. Rebellion. How the four teenage children of leaders in the duchy and the neighboring empire of Hanaobi choose to adapt to their nefarious parents’ whims is a matter of survival.
Rohesia, daughter of the duke, spends her days hunting “outsiders,” fugitives who’ve snuck onto her father’s island duchy. That she lives when even children who resemble her are subject to death hardens her heart to tackle the task.
Fastello is the son of the “king” of the raiders who steal from the rich and share with the poor. When aristocrats die in the raids, Fastello questions what his peoples’ increasingly wicked methods of survival have cost them.
An orphan raised by a convent of mothers, Cateline can think of no higher aim in life than to serve her religion, even if it means turning a blind eye to the suffering of other orphans under the mothers’ care.
Kojiro, new heir to the Hanaobi empire, must avenge his people against the “barbarians” who live in the duchy, terrified the empress, his own mother, might rather see him die than succeed.
When the paths of these four young adults cross, they must rely on one another for survival—but the love of even a malevolent guardian is hard to leave behind.
THE FADING DUSK Blog Tour!
My bestie/beta reader Melissa Giorgio released the first book in her new YA fantasy series last month, and now Xpresso Book Tours is looking for book bloggers to host stops for the official tour! If you want to review the book (and get a free copy), host a guest post or interview, or do a spotlight, sign up before slots run out!
Click here for more information!
And don’t forget you can buy THE FADING DUSK right now at Amazon or Barnes & Noble in ebook or paperback!
THE FADING DUSK (Smoke and Mirrors #1) Release Day!
Melissa Giorgio‘s brand new series, Smoke and Mirrors, begins today with THE FADING DUSK. Long-time blog readers know I’m a huge fan of her works (but also that she’s one of my best friends 😉 ) and her beta reader/editor, but I can’t recommend the book enough. It’s got magic and a Victorian-era vibe, but it’s in a made-up world. There’s danger and romance, and twists you won’t see coming. (I especially loved the twist on the “typical love triangle.”) Check it out!
In the gritty city of Dusk, seventeen-year-old Irina makes her living as the street magician Bantheir’s assistant. The job isn’t glamorous, but she loves the crowds, the shows, and most of all, the illusion of magic. But Irina’s world is shattered the night she is arrested and charged as Bantheir’s accomplice to murder—murder by magic.
Real magic, the kind that’s been forbidden since the old wars.
Irina finds the idea of flashy showman Bantheir using actual magic to kill someone laughable, but she’s the only one who sees how ridiculous the claim is. But how can she convince everyone Bantheir is innocent when they’ve already made up their minds? Desperate, Irina must decide who she can trust to help her win her freedom. Is the surly, handsome Captain Leonid telling the truth when he says he believes Irina is innocent, or is he just using her to get to Bantheir? What about Aden, the sweet soldier and longtime fan of Irina’s who claims he’s on her side?
Irina said she wanted to know the truth, but when she stumbles across a dark secret that changes everything, will she be strong enough to survive?
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon (The paperback is coming soon!)
NEVER VEIL Announcements!
I’m pleased to announce that the second and third book in THE NEVER VEIL SERIES now have official titles and tentative release dates. I’d love it if you added it to your to-read list on Goodreads! Watch for the NOBODY’S LADY blurb to appear soon.
Nobody’s Lady (Book 2 in the NEVER VEIL SERIES), Tentative Release Date: July 2016
Nobody’s Pawn (Book 3 in the NEVER VEIL SERIES), Tentative Release Date: February 2017
Also, I just got word that NOBODY’S GODDESS was selected to appear in Barnes & Noble stores nationwide! You can now search the “Pick Up in Store” option (next to the “Add to Bag” button) to see if it’s stocked in a store near you. If it’s not there, wait a few weeks, or better yet, ask your local store to stock it for you to make sure you can find it.
My GMMG To-Read List (Just a Small Portion of It, Anyway!)
It’s practically summer, which is one of my favorite times of the year to read. Yes, I read all year round, but I have very vivid memories of curling up with books all summer long between school years and even just taking a blanket outside to sit under a tree and read when my parents forced me to go outside to “get fresh air.” (I’m still a cave troll to this day.) So when a number of other YA authors who write for GMMG Books (that’s Month9Books and Swoon Romance as far as YA goes) were talking about what we want to read soon, we decided to highlight a few of each other’s books on our to-read list. Don’t get me wrong, ALL of the GMMG YA books (that I haven’t read already) are on my to-read list, but I have some particular reasons for wanting to read these:
I HEART Robot by Suzanne van Rooyen
Suzanne and I met online through Ifeoma Dennis’ WIP Marathon in summer 2013 before either of us announced our book deals with the same publisher. But even if I didn’t know Suzanne a little better than some of the other authors on my list, I’d want to read this book! It’s got a dystopian Scandinavian setting (how frequently do you find that in YA?) and romance between a human and a robot–all based on their mutual love of music. And it’s a love against the backdrop of a civil war? I’m ready to swoon! Not to spoil anything (I haven’t read it yet, either, so does it really count as a spoiler?), but I hear there’s positive LGBT representation, too, so yay for diverse YA books!
Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil
Cover love! I had to get this on my Kindle as soon as possible because this seems to be one of those times when you can judge a book by its amazing cover. I love YA fairy tale retellings, and this one is a YA retelling of The Snow Queen. I, like half the world, enjoyed Frozen the year before this book came out, so I’m even more of a fan of the fairy tale than ever. It follows the POV of the snow queen herself, so I’m especially intrigued to see if she’s still a villainous character or more of an anti-hero. Since she kidnaps a hot young math genius, I’m guessing she’s at least still got a villainous streak, and I love my heroes in shades of grey.
Of Breakable Things by A. Lynden Rolland
This cover scares the crap out of me. Seriously. But it makes me want to read it! This has been on my Kindle for a while, too. This story takes place in the afterlife. I have a thing for stories like What Dreams May Come and Life, A.D. that turn life after death into another adventure instead of just a resting place. There’s definitely a romantic element, too, as the main character decides to live on in the spirit world because of a young man she loved. It’s not in the synopsis, but I’ve heard it also deals with Ehler-Danlos Syndrome (ah, the title makes even more sense), and I’m eager to see how a YA book tackles this. I also met Ms. Rolland at BookCon this year (Ms. Weavil was there, too, but I didn’t have a chance to say hi) and I know she’s funny and friendly!
The Funeral Singer by Linda Budzinski
I’m far more of a fantasy/dystopian/paranormal reader than a contemporary reader, but when I gravitate toward contemporary, it’s got to have a special hook that draws me in. The Funeral Singer is about the daughter of a funeral home owner, an amazing singer who lends her talents to eulogies and dreams of escaping the morbid business in which she finds herself. One viral-sensation graveside singing video later, she’s rewarded with fame and a hot rock star boyfriend. There seems to be hints about a love triangle, too, which is a trope I adore. There’s something intriguing about the funeral home setting that starts off this rags-to-riches story that makes me think there’s something special here. How many YA romances involve funerals?
BookCon 2015 and Another Visit to NYC
I made my first trek to BookCon on Saturday, May 30th, 2015. It was the day of my first signing as an author (mostly–I’d attended a local writer fair a week earlier, but that didn’t really count) and the day I got to meet a lot of awesomely supportive Month9Books authors and staff after talking to them online for so long. It was also the only day this trip that I got to hang with my fellow YA author, bestie and beta reader Melissa Giorgio, as she was busy attending BEA (lucky!) half the time I was there and working the rest.
It wasn’t my first rodeo as far as a book-only convention goes. I’ve twice gone to ALA’s conference when it was in Chicago. (Although I’m not a librarian, the show floor tickets are available to the public.) I think I was expecting it to be more like that, with ARCs flowing like water to all who pass by, but apparently that’s more of a BEA thing. There were ARCs and free books to be had, but they were much scarcer or you had to play a spin-the-wheel game to only get one per booth (although that made the whole thing kind of fun). Then again, I didn’t even arrive until early afternoon. I’d heard the morning was crazy crowded, but there was plenty of room to walk through the convention center by the time I got there.
There were events and signings going on throughout the day, and I should have gone to more, but I mistakenly (?) thought they’d be packed! The one event we did try to go to, a YA/kids fantasy panel with Maggie Stiefvater and Jackson Pearce, did fill up while we dared to leave the area for a few minutes, so we wound up having to listen from nearby and were mostly unable to see them.
There were a lot of pretty booths to look at, and I loved being a part of all of the book lovers’ energy and excitement. My signing was the last one Month9Books was doing on Saturday, and by that time (5:00, an hour before the show floor closed), a lot of people who had been there had left the building. Plus, I was a new author. A number of people came, but perhaps not as many as had come to earlier signings. I was genuinely excited to meet the new readers, who were (I think) mostly drawn in by my book’s fabulous cover design. One of my editors (whom I met for the first time) even said she met an eager reader earlier in the day who was really looking forward to my signing, which made me awestruck! I tried to be friendly to everyone who stopped by, although I know I can be awkward in social situations. (Shout-outs to Melissa and my boyfriend for sitting nearby and being my cheerleaders!)
While I signed, I met Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicki, authors of the incredibly popular Branded and Hunted, and they were super friendly and each got a copy of my book–and gave me signed copies of theirs! After the con, I met up with a few other Month9 authors and staff and enjoyed a dinner with the likes of A. Lynden Rolland, Donna Galanti, Elizabeth Holloway, Natalie Decker, Lindsay Leggett and Annie Cosby. (There were more at the dinner–including author/publisher Georgia McBride, but we sat in two separate groups and I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to the others.) It was my first time eating in a “diner” in NYC, and they served delicious food–and a lot of it. We talked about BookCon experiences (although some hadn’t attended yet, as they were signing Sunday), writing and general get-to-know-each-other stuff.
I did a number of bookish things this trip–my boyfriend’s and my 8th trip to NYC together. (He has family there we visit, although they weren’t even in town this trip, but we got to housesit for them.) We tried to keep the spending to a minimum, so we did a lot of free and cheap things. Looking at books is always free. (Buying them… Not so much, ha.) We visited The Strand, and I bought Magic Under Glass and an adorable cats-and-books tote bag. We also toured the NY Public Library and saw plenty of nifty things.
On Tuesday, June 2nd, we attended Adam Silvera’s launch party for his debut, acclaimed book, More Happy Than Not. (Lauren Oliver was the moderator, and there were a number of other authors, agents and editors milling about! I stood next to Alex London in the line to get Silvera’s autograph, although I was slow to recognize him and almost too chicken to ask him if I was right, ha.) It was the most crowded I’d ever seen a Books of Wonder event, as he has a lot of fans already (and he used to work at the store). Luckily, my boyfriend and I got there early, so we got front-row seats when the vast majority of people there had to stand! Not only did I get Silvera’s autograph (and gave him my business card–even though I felt embarrassed talking to him about my own writing), I managed to run into Oliver on her way out and asked for her to personalize the signed book of hers I’d bought there, and she kindly obliged. (I did talk to her a bit about my own writing, too.)
I also went to Japanese bookstores as I do every time I visit NY: Kinokuniya (both in Manhattan and near Mitsuwa in New Jersey) and Book Off! We also went to Nintendo World almost every day to collect Street Passes, and we saw a live taping of The Nightly Show one night, which was so fun.
See more of my trip pictures at my FB page and on my (new) Instagram!
THE FADING DUSK Cover Reveal
My long-time readers know that YA author Melissa Giorgio is my beta reader and best friend–and that I’m her beta reader, too. I’ve been a huge cheerleader for the Silver Moon Saga, her 3-book, 2-novella debut series. Now it’s time to get excited about the first book in her new YA fantasy series, Smoke and Mirrors, which begins this summer with THE FADING DUSK. Just look at this AMAZING cover from Mae I Design!
BOOK & AUTHOR INFO:
The Fading Dusk by Melissa Giorgio
(Smoke and Mirrors #1)
Publication date: July 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
(Smoke and Mirrors #1)
Publication date: July 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Synopsis:
In the gritty city of Dusk, seventeen-year-old Irina makes her living as the street magician Bantheir’s assistant. The job isn’t glamorous, but she loves the crowds, the shows, and most of all, the illusion of magic. But Irina’s world is shattered the night she is arrested and charged as Bantheir’s accomplice to murder—murder by magic.
Real magic, the kind that’s been forbidden since the old wars.
Irina finds the idea of flashy showman Bantheir using actual magic to kill someone laughable, but she’s the only one who sees how ridiculous the claim is. But how can she convince everyone Bantheir is innocent when they’ve already made up their minds? Desperate, Irina must decide who she can trust to help her win her freedom. Is the surly, handsome Captain Leonid telling the truth when he says he believes Irina is innocent, or is he just using her to get to Bantheir? What about Aden, the sweet soldier and longtime fan of Irina’s who claims he’s on her side?
Irina said she wanted to know the truth, but when she stumbles across a dark secret that changes everything, will she be strong enough to survive?
Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24809058-the-fading-dusk?ac=1
AUTHOR BIO:
Melissa Giorgio is a native New Yorker who graduated from Queens College with a degree in English. She’s always dreamed of being a writer and has been creating stories (mostly in her head) since she was a little girl. Also an avid reader, Melissa loves to devour thick YA novels. When not reading or writing, she enjoys watching animated films, listening to music by her favorite Japanese boy band, or exploring Manhattan.The Sight Seer, published June 12th 2013 by Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly, is the first book in the Silver Moon Saga. In November of 2013, An Autumn Dream, a Silver Moon Saga novella that takes place between books one and two was published. The Soul Healer, the second book in the series, was published in April of 2014. A Promise of Magic, the second novella in the Saga, was published in November of 2014. The Shadow Stealer, the final book in the series, released February 27th, 2015.
Twitter: @melissa_giorgio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissagiorgiofan
Wordpress: http://melissagiorgio.wordpress.com/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/melissagiorgioauthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/melissagiorgio8/
The NOBODY’S GODDESS Chapter x Chapter Blog Tour
NOBODY’S GODDESS is out in the wild! It’s surreal and a little nerve-wracking, but I’m definitely excited. Thanks to all the friends, family and professionals along the way who helped me become the writer I am and let me share these characters I love so much with all of you!
The two-week blog tour hosted by Chapter By Chapter has begun! I’d love for you to read all the interviews and guest posts I did for the tour, as well as to read a special exclusive scene from the lord’s POV. I’ll link to those below and update as they appear, but there are also reviews on the blog tour, too, so be sure to check out the link to Chapter By Chapter so you can read all of those as well.
Month9Books is doing a giveaway for the tour and offering up five digital copies, so be sure to enter!
Skye’s Scribblings: The men and their masks
Literary Meanderings: Interview
Danasquare: Interview
WS Momma Readers Nook: Interview
A Book Addict’s Bookshelves: Humorous publication story
Kimber Leigh Writes: Character profiles
Next Page Please!: What if Noll was a young man?
Mythical Books: Magic and love in fantasy stories
Two Chicks on Books: An exclusive scene from the book told from the lord’s POV
I’m Lost in Books: Diversity in fantasy
We Do Write: Interview
For a full list of all of the blog tour stops, click here.
Blog Hopping for Nobody’s Goddess
Thanks to the awesomeness of other authors, bloggers and book websites, I’m going to be stopping by a number of sites to promote NOBODY’S GODDESS over the next few months. Most of these will take place near my book’s release, but it started back in March. I was asked a lot of fun and challenging questions for interviews, so if you’re interested in NOBODY’S GODDESS and writing in general, check them out.
Author Crush Friday (Glitter Magazine)
Anime Meets YA (The Dragon Sisters)
Fresh Take (Fresh Fiction)
WOW Wednesday (Adventures in YA Publishing)
Wednesday Debut Interview (Operation Awesome)
Diversity in YA
Dear Teen Me
Write All Year Pep Talk (Patchwork Press)
Author Suzanne van Rooyen Interviews Me (Month9Books Blog)
Submission Hell, It’s True (Mindy McGinnis’ Blog)
Amy McNulty 