A Very Special Character Interview with Jeremy and Luke from The Uncrossing by Melissa Eastlake

This week Entangled Teen released a fun and magical new book from Melissa Eastlake called The Uncrossing.
Melissa was kind enough to loan me a couple of her characters for a bit, but first let me tell you a little about the book…

Luke can uncross almost any curse—they unravel themselves for him like no one else. So working for the Kovrovs, one of the families controlling all the magic in New York, is exciting and dangerous, especially when he encounters the first curse he can't break. And it involves Jeremy, the beloved, sheltered prince of the Kovrov family—the one boy he absolutely shouldn't be falling for.

Jeremy's been in love with cocky, talented Luke since they were kids. But from their first kiss, something's missing. Jeremy's family keeps generations of deadly secrets, forcing him to choose between love and loyalty. As Luke fights to break the curse, a magical, citywide war starts crackling, and it's tied to Jeremy.

This might be the one curse Luke can't uncross. If true love's kiss fails, what's left for him and Jeremy?

Amazon | Goodreads | B&N

Now as I mentioned, Melissa was nice enough to put me in touch with Luke and Jeremy for an interview of sorts so that readers and I could get to know them better.  I was a bit nervous about interviewing them and wasn't sure what exactly to ask.  Luckily they were up for some fun and were willing to “Complete the Sentences” for me.  I gave them some prompts and told them to complete them however they’d like.  Below are the interesting, but fun (and somewhat touching?) results…

The one thing you should probably know about me is…

Jeremy: Ugh, I hate this question! There’s more than one thing people need to know. Humans are complex and— 

Luke: What he means is, the one thing you need to know is, he has a curse, and I break curses. 

Jeremy: Ugggh.

I love it when…

Luke: People tell me I’m right.

I don't like…

Jeremy: Luke thinking he’s always right.

Luke: Hey!

My favorite thing to do when it rains is…

Jeremy: Sleep! That’s a trick answer, though, because that’s always my favorite thing to do.

My biggest fear is…

Luke: Failure.

Jeremy: Rejection.

The place I feel most comfortable is…

Luke: The last half or so of a ritual, when whatever spell has been broken and you’re just watching the fire burn down and making sure everything’s all right. That part. 

Jeremy: That is such a weird answer. 

Jeremy: I don’t know. “Comfortable” isn’t really something I’m familiar with.    

Luke: All right, what’s your answer?       

I get sad when…

Luke: The Knicks lose. So, you know, a lot.  

Jeremy: I don’t think it’s about what’s happening for me. It’s more like, something inside me. The more everything and everyone is fine, sometimes, the worse it is. 

Luke: Oh, man. His answer was way more serious.

Nothing makes me smile more than…

Luke: Him.

Jeremy: Aww 

Luke: Now you say me, it’ll be a whole thing.

Jeremy: Hmm. The answer is, my green hat. 

My favorite memory involves…

Jeremy: My family.

Luke: I was going to say that, too. I mean, my family—definitely not your family.

*** 

Thank you so much Luke and Jeremy (and Melissa for making this happen)!

Check out Luke and Jeremy’s story for yourself and look for my review of The Uncrossing in an upcoming post!

Blog Tour: The Long Ride Home by Tawni Waters...Guest Post & Giveaway!

The Long Ride Home by Tawni Waters

Release date: September 5, 2017

After the loss of her mother, Harley can barely handle her grief. And she can’t shake the guilt that it was her fault. No matter how she tries to dull the pain, the memories of all she lost keep surfacing. Her only distraction is Dean, her best friend (with benefits), but even their relationship has become an emotional minefield since the night they spent together on the beach…

Harley’s one true escape? The open road. So she sets out on a cross-country trip to scatter her mother’s ashes. This is her chance to finally make peace with her mom’s death, and with Dean by her side, it may be just what they need to get over the awkwardness between them. 

Except Harley has a secret, one that has the potential to change her life—and Dean’s—forever. And no matter the distance they travel, there’s no avoiding the truth.

Tawni Waters is a writer, actor, and college teacher. Her first novel, Beauty of the Broken, was released by Simon Pulse in fall 2014. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. Find her at tawniwaters.com.

Find Tawni Online

Website: https://www.tawniwaters.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tawniveewaters 

Twitter: @TawniWaters

Instagram: @TawniWaters 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7832862.Tawni_Waters 

Tawni was kind enough to share her inspiration for The Long Ride Home...

I started writing this novel when I was teaching a summer creative writing workshop at Lehigh.  I’d just won the ILA for my first novel, Beauty of the Broken, so I felt very pressured to produce something “good.”  I gave writing something proverbially “good” three tries.  I sent my agent three chapters of three different novels, and he turned them all down. I realized that what was missing from my work was a sense of a joy, so I went to the bar on my day off, drank a few glasses of wine, and gave myself permission to write whatever I wanted, even if it was categorically bad.  

As I was scribbling on napkins, the song “Unknown Legend” by Neil Young came on.  It starts, “Out along the desert highway, she rides her Harley Davidson, her long blond hair flying in the 

air she breathes.”  Instantly, a character based on that lyrical image started speaking to me.  She said, “If you picture me as a rugged girl on a Harley, you might be right.”  I wrote the words down.  Within an hour, I had the first chapter of the book.  I sent it to my agent, and he said, “THIS IS IT! YOU ARE A GENIUS! WRITE THIS NOVEL!” So I did.  

Lyrics often inspire my writing.  I love music.  My editor at Sourcebooks had to go through and remove about 20 lyrical quotes from this manuscript, because it’s difficult and expensive to acquire rights to use lyrics in a written work.  But man, did I want to give homage to the music that was inspiring me.  I’m a groupie at heart.  I followed a rock band around the country for 20 years, so the experience of road tripping is very familiar to me.  I hope the book has an inherent music to it, even if the lyrics got nixed

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Blog Tour: The Bakersville Dozen by Kristina McBride...Author's Top Ten & Giveaway!

An intriguing new contemporary YA to share with you today.

Plus, author Kristina McBride shares some of her favorite books.

The Bakersville Dozen

by Kristina McBride
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Release Date: July 4, 2017
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller

Synopsis:

You have four days to locate five treasured trophies. Break the rules and you all die. Happy hunting!

Back in September, the town of Bakersville, Ohio made national news when a video went viral featuring thirteen of the high school’s elite in compromising positions. Now it’s May, and every month since the “Bakersville Dozen” made their infamous appearance on the national stage, one girl has gone missing. Officials are no closer to identifying the criminal.

Bailey “Like a Virgin” Holzman is getting really fed up with the scrutiny. She just wants to enjoy the rest of her senior year and have an epic summer before heading off to college. So when she discovers a note in her locker on the last day of school inviting her on a scavenger hunt, she thinks it’s just a sweet surprise from her boyfriend trying to cheer her up.

But following the clue leads her, instead, to the first official casualty. And another sinister envelope. The killer is close, and it could be anyone. Even the people Bailey’s always trusted most—her best friend, her perfect boyfriend, or the boy-next-door she’s always pined for.

With the clock ticking, she faces a terrifying choice: play the game by the killer’s rules—follow the clues, tell no one, and no cops—for a chance to save the rest of the missing girls, or risk becoming the next grisly victim.

Kristina McBride has published three novels for young adults - THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES, ONE MOMENT, and A MILLION TIMES GOODNIGHT. Her fourth novel, THE BAKERSVILLE DOZEN, will be released July 2017.

Kristina is a former high school English teacher and yearbook advisor, as well as an adjunct professor at Antioch University Midwest and Wright State University. Kristina has a thing for music, trees, purses, and chocolate. You might be surprised to learn that Kristina was almost kidnapped when she was a child. She also bookstalks people on a regular basis. Kristina lives in Ohio with her husband and two young children. You can learn more at www.kristinamcbride.com.

Ten Books I Love!

By Kristina McBride

(in no particular order because I love them all!)

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver 

The List by Siobhan Vivian 

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (ANYTHING by LHA – Twisted, Wintergirls, etc.)

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

The Pact by Jodi Picoult . . . or My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult . . . or Nineteen Minutes by Jody Picoult – I can’t decide!

The Fifth Wave series by Rick Yancy 

Wonder by RJ Palacio

Savvy by Ingrid law 

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (Tissue. Alert.)

Click the graphic or HERE to see other posts in the tour!!

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Blog Post: Such a Good Girl by Amanda K. Morgan...Guest Posts and Giveaway!

An interesting book and some fun posts from its author to share with you today.

Keep reading...

Such a Good Girl by Amanda K. Morgan

Release Date: June 20th 2017

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | iBooks 

Riley Stone is just about perfect. (Ask anyone.)
She has a crush on her French teacher, Alex Belrose. (And she suspects he likes her, too.)
Riley has her entire life planned out. (The plan is nonnegotiable.)
She's never had a secret she couldn't keep. (Not ever.)
Riley is sure that her life is on the right track. (And nothing will change that.)
She's nothing like a regular teenager. (But she doesn't have any problem admitting that.)
Riley doesn't usually play games. (But when she does, she always wins.)

She thinks a game is about to start…
But Riley always has a plan…
And she always wins.

Amanda K. Morgan is a freelance writer living in Nashville, TN. She covers events and works on freelance projects when she isn't working on her YA novels.

At age 15, Amanda finished her first novel and continued to write in college, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in English and an emphasis in Creative Writing.

Amanda's books include After Hours, written as Claire Kennedy, Secrets Lies and Scandals, and Such a Good Girl.

For more information on Amanda's freelance/technical writing, to ask for information on a specific project, or for other questions, contact her.

Website | Goodreads |Twitter

I have a couple of fun posts from Amanda K. Morgan today. 

First, I asked about the inspiration for one of her characters and she obliged.

Second, I am always curious about what books authors love to read and what books are some of their favorites.  And I was glad to see what Amanda enjoyed...we actually have quite a few in common.

So, here's Amanda...

My inspiration for Riley is very complex, but mainly, I wanted to write a character who isn’t, contrary to the title, 100% good.  I want her motivations to be complex, and her life, and I wanted to reveal her motivations piece-by-piece.  I wanted her to be brilliantly smart and strong, and I wanted her to be admirable even if it wasn’t always in the best ways.  

I really shouldn’t give away more than that!

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

 HP is life!  If I got my Hogwarts letter tomorrow, I would be so in.  I refuse to believe I’m a muggle. (Note from Jennifer: SAME!!!)

All in Pieces by Suzanne Young

This book will make you fall in love with the characters and also rip your soul into tiny little pieces.   It’s brilliance.

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

It’s a romantic gothic-dystopian inspired by Poe.  Need I say more? 

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

This is the book that made me want to read every book by E. Lockhart.  It’s just incredible.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

I want to be Laini someday.  Her writing is just gorgeous.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

 This book has been a favorite since I got it from a Scholastic book order.  It’s the perfect Cinderella retelling.  Also, why don’t adults get Scholastic book orders at work?  Wouldn’t that make the workday more fun

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Blog Tour: Internet Famous by Danika Stone...Guest Post & Giveaway!

So excited to share this book with you today! I have been looking forward to it for so long and love what Danika had to share with you all about the art of fangirling.

So keep reading to learn more and to enter the giveaway!

Internet Famous

by Danika Stone

Publisher: Swoon Reads
Release Date: June 6, 2017
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

High school senior and internet sensation Madison Nakama seems to have it all: a happy family, good grades, and a massive online following for her pop-culture blog. But when her mother suddenly abandons the family, Madi finds herself struggling to keep up with all of her commitments.
Fandom to the rescue! As her online fans band together to help, an online/offline flirtation sparks with Laurent, a French exchange student. Their internet romance—played out in the comments section of her MadLibs blog—attracts the attention of an internet troll who threatens the separation of Madi’s real and online personas. With her carefully constructed life unraveling, Madi must uncover the hacker’s identity before he can do any more damage, or risk losing the people she loves the most… Laurent included.

Danika Stone is an author, artist, and educator who discovered a passion for writing fiction while in the throes of her Masters thesis. A self-declared bibliophile, Danika now writes novels for both teens (All the Feels and Internet Famous) adults (Edge of Wild and Intaglio). When not writing, Danika can be found hiking in the Rockies, planning grand adventures, and spending far too much time online. She lives with her husband, three sons, and a houseful of imaginary characters in a windy corner of Alberta, Canada.

 Five Keys to Fangirling!

By Danika Stone

I’ve been fangirling forever. I’m pretty sure, in fact, I was born a fangirl, and it just took until high school when my best friend and I hung out in my basement watching every episode of Dr. Who in a row and then writing our own alternate universes that I finally realized what it was. I was obsessed. I was giddy. 

I was a fangirl!

There’s the occasional negative reaction to that statement – a hint of being too excited, too silly, or too focused – but I say that’s wrong. Fangirlhood is a positive state of being in a world that’s all too negative. By focusing on the good, we can make it even better. 

Here are five of my helpful hints to making your fangirl life even MORE awesome!

1. Comment on EVERYTHING. I know, I know… all fandom peeps originally start off as lurkers in the fics and vids, but the truth is, the best way to experience a fandom is to actively participate. That means commenting. Believe me, a single comment can make the difference between writing the next chapter and giving up. So share the love. That’s why you’re in fandom, after all!

2. Become a creator. The more you participate in fandom, the better it is. So find your particular niche: writing, viding, vlogging, writing meta, and then dial it up to 11! You are in a fandom because you love something. Don’t hold it inside, but share it with the world. Fangirling is a participatory sport!

3. Support your fellow fangirls. The wonderful part of fandom is the shared love of similar things. One of the nicest things is hearing support, so get out there and help. If you’re not a writer, you can still be a beta-reader. You might not be great a vidding, but your Photoshop skills could make fantastic banners. Want to write, but aren’t sure what topic? See if there’s any gifting activities going on where you write a fic requests. Support goes both ways and in no time at all, you’ll have friends helping YOU, too!

4. Avoid the haters like the PLAGUE. Ugh… we’ve all been there. Fandom wank is almost as synonymous as fandom excitement, but it can kill your love of fandom if you get involved. Steer clear of the nastiness and you’ll have a much better experience.

5. Lastly, FANGIRL LIKE NO ONE’S WATCHING! Are you obsessed with a tv show from the 80s? There are probably hundreds of people who share that love but aren’t sure where they can celebrate it. Your job, as a fangirl, is to take that joy and spread it. Because where there’s love, there’s a tribe. You’re a fangirl. Let them hear you roar!

• (1) Paperback Copy of INTERNET FAMOUS by Danika Stone

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