Waiting on Wednesday -- #Scandal

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine.     This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is #scandal. 

#scandal

by Sarah Ockler

Publication date: June 17th, 2014

From Goodreads:

Lucy’s learned some important lessons from tabloid darling Jayla Heart’s all-too-public blunders: Avoid the spotlight, don’t feed the Internet trolls, and keep your secrets secret. The policy has served Lucy well all through high school, so when her best friend Ellie gets sick before prom and begs her to step in as Cole’s date, she accepts with a smile, silencing about ten different reservations. Like the one where she’d rather stay home shredding online zombies. And the one where she hates playing dress-up. And especially the one where she’s been secretly in love with Cole since the dawn of time.

When Cole surprises her at the after party with a kiss under the stars, it’s everything Lucy has ever dreamed of… and the biggest BFF deal-breaker ever. Despite Cole’s lingering sweetness, Lucy knows they’ll have to ’fess up to Ellie. But before they get the chance, Lucy’s own Facebook profile mysteriously explodes with compromising pics of her and Cole, along with tons of other students’ party indiscretions. Tagged. Liked. And furiously viral.

By Monday morning, Lucy’s been branded a slut, a backstabber, and a narc, mired in a tabloid-worthy scandal just weeks before graduation.

Lucy’s been battling undead masses online long enough to know there’s only one way to survive a disaster of this magnitude: Stand up and fight. Game plan? Uncover and expose the Facebook hacker, win back her best friend’s trust, and graduate with a clean slate.

There’s just one snag—Cole. Turns out Lucy’s not the only one who’s been harboring unrequited love...

*** Pssst! I'm throwing a #JLBBirthdayBash for my birthday week and giving away books, book swag, t-shirts, and the good folks at Rafflecopter have thrown in a free month! You can check it out, HERE.

Top Ten Character Names I Love

As I'm getting deeper into editing and writing and reading again, I'm finding a lot of the readerly blog memes to be a lot of fun and a nice break from "work"! In fact, there are two separate Tuesday memes/features I especially enjoy -- Top Ten Tuesdays, and Teaser Tuesdays. The first of those requires making decisions, however, and I tend to have a hard time doing that (for some reason... is this a writer thing?). So, while I will participate in Top Ten Tuesdays on occasion, I think the one I'm going to do more often is Teaser Tuesdays. (First one coming up next week!)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at
 The Broke and the Bookish. 

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is:

Top Ten Character Names I Love

1) Viola: I love the name Viola, and not just because She's the Man is one of my favorite movies.* I actually first found this as a book character name from is Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani.

2) Azalea: If you've followed my blog long enough, you know that my upcoming book, IF I SPEAK TRUE, was first called FLORA (I've since titled it "The Flora Series"). There are a few reasons for this, the most obvious being many characters are named after flowers and trees. So of *course* I like flower names, and I haven't heard of Azalea much, plus I really enjoyed Entwined (which is where this particular name comes from), so there you go.

3) Lennie: Four words: The Sky is Everywhere. That's really all I have to say. I love the name because I love the story and I love Jandy Nelson's voice as Lennie, so therefore I love Lennie, too. (Not to mention, it's not a typical girl name, so that's another reason I like it.)

4) Rowan: This reason is two-fold. IF I SPEAK TRUE has a Rowan (he's a good guy) and Hafsah's Unbreathable has a Rowan (not so good). Maybe it's the name. I don't know. All I know is, if I had a boy I'd name him Rowan right this very moment and never ever regret it. ;)

5) Will: Lately, it seems like every other guy character name in YA is Will. For two years, my David (sorry, IF I SPEAK TRUE on the brain right now, guys) was a Will, too, and as I continued to write and read, I realized just how popular Will is. Wills are just naturally charismatic and nice with big smiles and great eyes and the perfect hair and sometimes have an English accent, too. I don't care what book you're reading, if there's a Will, you're going to fall for him. So yeah. I love Will.

6) Jonah, Jonas, Joel: I've read the three of these multiple times (and have a Jonas myself in PITY ISN'T AN OPTION). Apparently I really like guy names that start with J. **

7) Warner: If ya'll have read any of Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me series, you will recognize this name. I just like it. It's different, but not too much. I'm finding I'm really enjoying names that should be last names as first names as long as they're not too "out there". Warner just works. 

8) Malcom: My Malcom pick comes from Suzanne Selfors' Coffeehouse Angel. I just loved him and it made me love this name. (I've seen it somewhere else but can't remember where... and not just as the creepy, tarantula-loving guy on She's the Man!***)

9) West: First time I saw this was in L.M. Augustine's Click to Subscribe. Love it. (I obviously have a thing for W names, too! Ha ha) ****

10) Emerson: Ah, back to last names for first names again. This comes from Myra McEntire's Hourglass series. I just love this as a first name for a girl!

And there you have it!***** How about you? What are some of your favorite character names?

Pssst! I'm throwing a #JLBBirthdayBash for my birthday week and giving away books, book swag, t-shirts, and the good folks at Rafflecopter have thrown in a free month! You can check it out, HERE.

* Fun fact: She's the Man is actually based on William Shakespeare's The Twelfth Night. Which I haven't read. But the main characters' names are true to Shakespeare's play. 

** If you're into zombies, Carrie Ryan's (very) short enovella, What Once We Feared, has a Jonah in it that I totally would have loved to get to know better! (grumble grumble) If you're not into zombies but like a good novel that weaves tons of elements into the story and at the end makes you go WHOA, read On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta to find another Jonah. :)

*** Pardon all of the She's the Man references. It's like one of our favorite movies (along with Stick It) so we tend to quote it a lot around here.

**** Also, West is a character's last name in the Shatter Me series. (Had to make that connection for ya'll.) And as I am a huge fan of The Princess Bride movie and saw this mentioned somewhere else, I have to add that Westely is a pretty darn cool name, too. Okay. I am done now.

***** Remember how I said I can never make up my mind? Well I can't. And had to add that I've been seeing Thomas around a lot, too, and I just *love* the name Thomas. And Cam (from Neal Shusterman's UnWholly). So I kinda shared, technically, fourteen favorite names. But it could have been worse. And for some reason most of these are guy names. I don't know why. Still, I think I did pretty well. *pats self on the back*

The #JLBBirthdayBash is ON!!!

Hi all! It's officially my birthday week! Woot! As you know, I've been adding things for the past couple of weeks, and am doing two separate giveaways. The first one is US only (because, you know, shipping costs). The second, though, is an international giveaway for *everyone* to enter! Yay! 

The #JLBBirthdayBash will run this week only and ends Saturday at midnight, PST. I've incorporated as much as I can into the photos to give you a breakdown of each giveaway, below (my cell camera stinks, so sorry they're not the best photos). Also, the Rafflecopter form is beneath each breakdown. (There are quite a few ways to enter -- two you can do daily!) 

  US Giveaway:

* Hardcover of Elizabeth Wein's ROSE UNDER FIRE (due to certain situations and language, this young adult book is definitely high-end YA -- link)
* Paperback of PITY ISN'T AN OPTION (and/or audiobook) + bookmarks (link)
* UNBREATHABLE bookmarks + button (by Hafsah Lazaif -- link -- you can also enter to win a paperback at that link)
* ask me about my favorite books t-shirt
* One Rafflecopter t-shirt (actual t-shirt design may vary)
* 2 Go Away I'm Reading buttons
* not pictured: The Dusk Gate Chronicles bookmarks (by Breeana Puttroff -- link) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
***

International Giveaway:

* One free business month from Rafflecopter (link)
* UNBREATHABLE ebook + bookmarks + 2 buttons (link)
* PITY ISN'T AN OPTION ebook OR audiobook + bookmarks
* ROOTS OF INSIGHT ebook (book 2 of The Dusk Gate Chronicles by Breeana Puttroff -- book 1 is free on Amazon [link] or, readers choice if winner prefers a book other than book 2) + bookmarks (link)
* Book Nerd bumper sticker 
* 2 Go Away I'm Reading buttons
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I can't wait to see who wins! Thanks for celebrating my birthday with me!

#JLBBirthdayBash update and writerly news

Happy Friday! 

So I received edits back for IF I SPEAK TRUE (whew!) and aside from the #JLBBirthdayBash next week, I'll probably be lying low so I can get that done. Also, I'm running a bit behind today so I'm just going to update things by saying if you haven't seen the awesome button Hafsah made for the giveaway, here it is:

I'm adding that AND another design (she made two) to the giveaway, and one or two more items will be added next week! This is big, ya'll! (I'm so excited!) Plus, I had an ask me about my favorite books t-shirt made just for me too, and I can't wait to wear it! (And potentially gush until people want to run away and hide from me for the next decade!)

If you're new to the blog or have had your nose buried in a book the past couple weeks and have no idea what I'm talking about, go HERE.

In the meantime, what are you reading? What are you writing? And what scent is that you're wearing? You smell nice!!! *nods approvingly*

Have a blessed weekend, guys! See you Monday with a fun interview (I asked Kate Tilton a whole bunch of readerly questions!!!) and the breakdown of the awesome #JLBBirthdayBash giveaway items!

P.S. I use a lot of exclamation points!!!
P.P.S. Had a cool idea I'm starting up November 1st on my Tumblr so let's connect if we haven't already!

Pride and Prep School Scavenger Hunt Amazon #giveaway

Yesterday was Pride and Prep School's book birthday and we're celebrating with a Scavenger Hunt and $20 Amazon gift card giveaway! (Pride and Prep School is the third installment in Stephanie Wardrop's Snark and Circumstance enovella series--a modern, snarky YA re-telling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.)

Here's how to play:

Go to Stephanie's blog for questions from all three enovellas. One coordinating photo answer will be featured on each of our participating blogs. Once you've matched the questions to the photos,  go to Stephanie's post and share your answers in Stephanie's comments section. (For example: Q 1: a bird; Q 2: a burrito, ect.) Each correct answer gives you one entry into the drawing to win a $20 Amazon gift card! (If you're unsure about answers, Snark and Circumstance, Charm and Consequence and Pride and Prep School are all only 99 cents each right now on Amazon--links are below--or, you can just guess!) 

The deets:

The Pride and Prep School Scavenger Hunt will run 

from today, Wednesday, October 16th through Sunday, October 20th. 

Stephanie will post a winner on her blog Tuesday, October 22nd.

Are you ready? Then let's get started! 

Go HERE to find Stephanie's Pride and Prep School Scavenger Hunt questions, then find the photo answers located somewhere on each of the participating blogs below:  

Participating blogs:

Adrianne James (link)

Rachel Bateman (link) 

JC Emery (link) 

Monica B. Sanz (link) 

ST Bende (link) 

Nicole Zoltack (link) 

Jaycee DeLorenzo (link) 

Louise Gornall (link) 

Nazarea Andrews (link)

Thanks for helping us celebrate Pride and Prep School's book birthday, and see you back at Stephanie's blog!!!

* Snark and Circumstance on Amazon (link) 
add to Goodreads (link)

* Charm and Consequence on Amazon (link)
add to Goodreads (link)

* Pride and Prep School on Amazon (link)
add to Goodreads (link)

Waiting on Wednesday -- Prince of Shadows

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is Prince of Shadows. (I first learned about this on IceyBooks' WoW a couple of weeks ago, and since then, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it!)

Prince of Shadows

by Rachel Caine
Publication date: February 4th, 2014

From Goodreads:

A standalone built around the character of Benvolio, from Romeo and Juliet. The novel will be told from the point of view of Benvolio, who is Romeo’s cousin and, in Shakespeare’s play, attempts to get the lovelorn Montague interested in other girls after it’s discovered that Juliet is a member of the clan his family despises: the Capulets. Caine’s novel, her agent said, explores a scenario in which Romeo and Juliet are not the only couple to fall into dire romantic straits and is “a tale of intrigue, betrayal, hatred, and tragedy,” about “lovers lost, and lovers found.” (From Publisher's Weekly)

#JLBBirthdayBash update

Happy Friday! I am so excited about my upcoming #JLBBirthdayBash! Like I said, more items are being added to both giveaways all the time (the good folks at Rafflecopter have offered to throw in a few things, too!). Here's the latest update (and remember, there's more to come!!!):

Here's a breakdown:

US Giveaway:

* Hardcover of Elizabeth Wein's ROSE UNDER FIRE (link)
* Paperback of my debut, PITY ISN'T AN OPTION + bookmarks (link)
* UNBREATHABLE bookmarks & buttons (by Hafsah Lazaif -- link)
* The Dusk Gate Chronicles bookmarks (by Breeana Puttroff -- link) 
* ask me about my favorite books t-shirt
* Rafflecopter t-shirt
* and more!!!
**just added: Go Away I'm Reading button

International Giveaway:

* One free business month from Rafflecopter 
* UNBREATHABLE ebook + bookmarks & button
* PITY ISN'T AN OPTION ebook OR audiobook + bookmarks
* reader's choice ebook from The Dusk Gate Chronicles by Breeana Puttroff + bookmarks
*Book Nerd bumper sticker 
* and more!!!
** just added: Go Away I'm Reading button

So keep checking back because I asked Hafsah to make some special things and I can't wait to show you what they are!!! (Plus... more STUFF!)

Also: The PITY ISN'T AN OPTION audiobook giveaway on my Facebook page is almost over... I'm giving three audiobooks away and there's only a few entries so your chances of winning one are pretty high! :) (I believe it's required to like the Facebook page to enter, but you can always like it and then unlike it later!) Click HERE to enter.

Have a blessed weekend!