Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby

SHOOTING STARS

by Allison Rushby


Young Adult
Walker Books

www.AllisonRushby.com


5 Signed Copies will be given away on Friday, March 2, 2012!

About the Book:

Meet Josephine Foster, or Zo Jo as she’s called in the biz. The best pint-sized photographer of them all, Jo doesn’t mind doing what it takes to get that perfect shot, until she’s sent on an undercover assignment to shoot Ned Hartnett—teen superstar and the only celebrity who’s ever been kind to her—at an exclusive rehabilitation retreat in Boston. The money will be enough to pay for Jo’s dream: real photography classes, and maybe even quitting her paparazzi gig for good. Everyone wants to know what Ned’s in for. But Jo certainly doesn’t know what she’s in for: falling in love with Ned was never supposed to be part of her assignment.

Check out our Exclusive Interview with the Author here:

1) Since becoming a writer, what’s the most exciting thing to ever happen to you?

I think the most exciting thing ever (and I doubt any writerly experience will ever top this!), was walking into an elevator and seeing someone actually holding a copy of one of my books. Of course, I'd seen people holding copies of my books before, but they tended to be blood relations, or friends. This was a real, live reader out in the wild. I was beyond thrilled.

2) What kind of research did you have to do to bring this story to life on the page?

I got to do the most amazing research, which included reading heaps of books written by paparazzos like Darryn Lyons and buying loads of trashy celebrity magazines (research doesn't get much better than this!). I learnt all about which stars are lovely to the paparazzi and which ones are horrible. It was fantastic.

3) This would make a great film. Any talks of turning your book into a movie?

A movie would be great, but I've already been lucky enough to have some TV interest. Fingers crossed it pans out!

4) When you got that first phone call announcing you had sold a novel, how did you react? How did you celebrate?

Amazingly, I missed the call! I'd been hoping to hear this news for weeks as I knew I was getting close to selling the novel. And then, the day it happened, I was in and out of the house and ignored the beeping of the answering machine as I passed it by several times. Finally, I checked my messages and there was a message from an editor saying she'd love to buy my manuscript. I was eating at the time and choked. I'm very lucky I didn't choke to death just as I'd been handed what I'd always dreamed about! I celebrated by meeting with my mentor, getting my hair done and going out to dinner with my entire family.

5) If there was one thing about Jo's life that you’d like to have in your own life, what would it be? What about the one thing about her life that you’d NEVER want to have?

I think it would be amazing if you knew exactly what you wanted to do when you grew up from an extremely young age, like Jo does (she wants to be a portrait photographer). I would have loved to have been able to say, 'It's writing or nothing!' from the age of eleven or similar. However, I can see how this would be both a blessing and a curse. While Jo knows exactly what she wants to be, it does give her tunnel vision and it's easy for her moral compass to spin out of control because of her drive. So, maybe it's something I'd both love to have and never want to have. I'll have to think about it!

About the Author:

Having failed at becoming a ballerina with pierced ears (her childhood dream), Allison Rushby instead began a writing career as a journalism student at The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Within a few months she had slunk sideways into studying Russian. By the end of her degree she had learned two very important things: that she wasn't going to be a journalist; and that there are hundreds of types of vodka. After several years spent whining about how hard it would be to write a novel, she finally tried writing one and found it was quite an enjoyable experience. Since then, she has had nine novels published and, yes, she finally got her ears pierced. Read more about the author online at: www.AllisonRushby.com.

**Please enter to win using the form on the left side bar of our website. Comments left on the post, while appreciated, are not used as entry. Thanks!

Unraveling Isobel - Winners!

3 lucky winners will be receiving a free autographed copy of Unraveling Isobel!

And here they are...

1) SD McLamb
2) Jennifer Boughton
3) Anna Dase

If you didn't win, but still want to read Unraveling Isobel, you can order your own copies on Amazon by clicking here!

Or find it in our official Free Book Friday Amazon Book Store!

Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook

UNRAVELING ISOBEL

by Eileen Cook


Contemporary YA

Simon Pulse
www.EileenCook.com


3 Signed Copies will be given away on Friday, February 24, 2012!

About the Book:

Isobel’s life is falling apart. Her mom just married some guy she met on the internet only three months before, and is moving them to his sprawling, gothic mansion off the coast of nowhere. Goodbye, best friend. Goodbye, social life. Hello, icky new stepfather, crunchy granola town, and unbelievably good-looking, officially off-limits stepbrother.

But on her first night in her new home, Isobel starts to fear that it isn’t only her life that’s unraveling—her sanity might be giving way too. Because either Isobel is losing her mind, just like her artist father did before her, or she’s seeing ghosts. Either way, Isobel’s fast on her way to being the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.

Check out our Exclusive Interview with the Author here:

1) What are you working on next?

I am working on a book that is currently called Shady Sadie. It’s the story of Sadie, who is a teenage con artist. When she realizes that she looks like an age enhanced photo of a missing child she decides to pull the ultimate con… until she begins to suspect she may actually be the missing child.

2) Since becoming a writer, what’s the most exciting thing to ever happen to you?

How do you pick one? Every time I get an email or letter from a reader it makes my entire week. This past Halloween one of the kids that came to the door asked if he could have my autograph since I was an author. I gave him a huge handful of candy. I am still thrilled every time I realize that people other than my friends and family are reading my books.

3) As writers, we all love to procrastinate. What’s your favorite procrastination activity?

Knitting! I’m a yarn junkie. I have piles of it in the house. I’m not a great knitter, I don’t tend to do anything too complicated, but I can make a basic sweater, socks and tons of scarves. Doing something tactile with my hands is a great way to get out of my head.

4) If you could choose one dessert or snack food that you could eat as much as you want of (and never gain an ounce!) what would it be?

Homemade chocolate chip cookies, still warm from the oven. I put in a touch of cinnamon and it gives them that extra kick.

5) What’s your favorite part of the writing process? Your least favorite part?

My favorite part is when I find that perfect idea, the one that is going to be IT. I love the beginning of a book when everything is new and exciting and I can see all these possibilities. My least favorite part is about three quarters of the way through when I realize that what I thought would be a perfect ending isn’t going to work and I have to sort something out.

About the Author:

Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in six different languages. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer. Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.

You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at: www.EileenCook.com.

**Please enter to win using the form on the left side bar of our website. Comments left on the post, while appreciated, are not used as entry. Thanks!

Cliques, Hicks, and Ugly Sticks - Winners!

10 lucky winners will be receiving a free autographed copy of Cliques, Hicks, and Ugly Sticks!

And here they are...

1) Deserae McGlothen
2) Sarah Knowles
3) Alison Renz
4) Myra Wells
5) Jim Hendrie
6) Jennifer Parker
7) Anthony Kendrick
8) Carly Emmett
9) Jane Hoh
10) Shirley Boisvert

If you didn't win, but still want to read Cliques, Hicks, and Ugly Sticks, you can order your own copies on Amazon by clicking here!

Or find it in our official Free Book Friday Amazon Book Store!

Cliques, Hicks, and Ugly Sticks by KD McCrite

CLIQUES, HICKS, AND UGLY STICKS
Confessions of April Grace

by KD McCrite


Young Adult

Thomas Nelson
www.KDMcCrite.com

10 Signed Copies will be given away on Friday, February 17, 2012!!!

About the Book:

Just when April Grace thought the drama was over...

After an automobile accident, Isabel St. James—resident drama coach and drama queen—needs help putting together the church play. Mama insists April Grace and Myra Sue will help. April’s fall is now devoted to spending every afternoon with Isabel and Myra Sue—if anyone is as big of a drama queen as Isabel, it’s Myra Sue. Plus, she’s dumb. (Okay, not dumb, but "older sister dumb.") If that’s not enough, Isabel is wreaking havoc in the community trying to get Rough Creek Road paved, the new boy at school will not leave her alone, and then Mama drops the biggest bombshell of all... April Grace is no longer going to be the baby of the family...

Girls will completely relate to April Grace and love her sense of humor as she deals with siblings, boys, and the many changes that come with growing up.

Check out our Exclusive Interview with the Author here:

1) How did you get the idea for the novel?

Several years ago, I wrote a short story about the spooky old storm cellar we used when I was growing up on the farm. I hated that cellar. It was dark, damp, and full of creepy, crawly things. My mom often sent me down there to bring up a jar of green beans, or pickles, or maybe a box of empty canning jars, and it was always an experience. I'd exhaust every excuse I could think of not to go, and as I approached the door to the cellar, I'd imagine all sorts of things that could be lurking inside. Once inside, I'd linger in the doorway, inspecting the gloom for anything that did not belong. Then I'd grab whatever I'd been sent to fetch and run as fast as could, back to the safety of the house. After I grew up, I realized a story about me, the cellar, and my imagination could be funny. When I read it to my writing critique group, one of them said, “You really should write a book about that little girl. She's hilarious.” So I used that character and placed her in some situations I thought would spark a lot of funny scenes. The book was In Front of God and Everybody.

2) Considering a book from the first word you write to the moment you see it on a bookstore shelf, what’s your favorite part of the process?

My favorite part of writing is the initial creation, coming up with characters, the setting, and the storyline, then actually writing it. What’s your least favorite? Rewriting more than two times. It becomes tedious then, and I begin to second guess myself and my ability to tell the story.

3) If you weren’t a writer, what job would you love to try out?

There are two careers I would have liked to pursue. One is geology because I love rocks and the study of the earth. The other work I think would have been awesome is some sort of meteorology, maybe even a storm chaser. I probably got both these interests from my dad who loved nature as much as I do.

4) How do you come up with your characters' personalities?

I try to create characters that will either compliment or clash with my main character. In the “Confessions of April Grace” I needed someone who could, by her very nature, bring out the funniest, sassiest observations from April. Isabel St. James is everything April Grace dislikes, and the feeling is mutual. There is an instant chemistry between the two that results in almost continual conflict. With each book, I try to introduce a new character than will "push buttons" to create conflict. The characters that compliment April Grace are there as a supporting cast and are necessary, but nothing would be more boring than to read a story in which all the people are just alike. Plus, it helps to have names suit the character, don't you think?

5) When you got that first phone call announcing you had sold a novel, how did you react?

When my first novel was sold, the editor called me about 9 o'clock on the evening of April 1. She said, “I loved your book and we want to publish it. I'd like to see anything else you have.” My response was, “This is an April Fool's joke, right?” But it was no joke. We celebrated by doing the “happy dance” in the living room, my husband, our two daughters and me, then I called all my friends and family, some of whom were already in bed, but I didn't care.

About the Author:

KD McCrite grew up on an Ozark Mountain farm along an old dirt road, just like April Grace Reilly in the Confessions of April Grace series. She loves writing stories that make people laugh and think. For a while, she worked as a librarian, but these days she sits at her desk and makes up stories. Visit the author online at: www.KDMcCrite.com.

**Please enter to win using the form on the left side bar of our website. Comments left on the post, while appreciated, are not used as entry. Thanks!

The Future Door - Winners!

10 lucky winners will be receiving a free autographed copy of The Future Door!

And here they are...

1) Sara Kemp
2) Heather Gorsuch
3) Abbey Smith
4) Elizabeth Hastings
5) Cindy Ramirez
6) Desmond Warzel
7) Jeannie Smyth
8) Ashley Barnes
9) Christine Russell
10) Annette Taylor

If you didn't win, but still want to read The Future Door, you can order your own copies on Amazon by clicking here!

Or find it in our official Free Book Friday Amazon Book Store!

The Future Door by Jason Lethcoe

THE FUTURE DOOR
No Place Like Holmes Volume 2

by Jason Lethcoe


Young Adult

Thomas Nelson

10 Signed Copies will be given away on Friday, February 10, 2012!!!

www.NoPlaceLikeHolmes.blogspot.com

About the Book:

A mystery is afoot at 221 Baker Street, but will Griffin Sharpe be able to figure out the clues before the future catches up with the past?

When Sherlock Holmes moves out of Baker Street, a new tenant moves in—a mysterious woman named Elizabeth who has long been a fan of Holmes. When she discovers that Griffin and his uncle are also detectives, she becomes very friendly. So when Elizabeth goes missing along with a special invention, Griffin sets out to rescue her. But finding Elizabeth will take them on a race against the clock that bends time itself!

Check out our Exclusive Interview with the Author here:

1) How did you get the idea for the novel?

I've always been a fan of Sherlock Holmes, and wondered who his neighbor might be. I mean, we've all heard of 221 B Baker Street. Who lives at "A"? It was funny to me to think that he might also be a detective, just not as good.

2) Your characters seem so alive and real...what's your secret?

There's a lot of me in my characters and also people I know. I try to write characters I would enjoy having lunch with.

3) After this many books, how do you keep the content and story fresh? For you and your readers?

I try to write the books that I would want to read... the ones that I wish I could find on a bookstore shelf. I never get tired of writing exciting, imagination driven stories.

4) What genre have you not yet written but really want to try?

A space western.

5) This would make a great film. Any talks of turning your book into a movie?

There is some buzz around it... We'll see!

About the Author:

Jason Lethcoe has worked as a director, animator, and storyboard artist for the past 22 years. He is currently employed at Sony Pictures Animation. His work has been included in such features as The Little Mermaid and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. He is the recipient of several awards including the Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration - Paperback Book for his most recent series,The Mysterious Mr. Spines. Visit the author online at: www.NoPlaceLikeHolmes.blogspot.com.

**Please enter to win using the form on the left side bar of our website. Comments left on the post, while appreciated, are not used as entry. Thanks!

Alienation - Winners!

5 lucky winners will be receiving a free autographed copy of Alienation!

And here they are...

1) Mary Boldin
2) Kris Olson
3) Lucinca Fountain
4) Lynne Smith
5) Beverly McClure

If you didn't win, but still want to read Alienation, you can order your own copies on Amazon by clicking here!

Or find it in our official Free Book Friday Amazon Book Store!