“So it's not gonna be easy. It's going to be really hard; we're gonna have to work at this everyday, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, everyday. You and me... everyday.” 
 ― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

Best Books of 2012

I read so many amazing books this year--I reached a total of _ books for the whole year, and since I tend to put down books I don't like, that's a lot of good books. But there were a few who rose above as new favorites, and here they are. The top three books I loved best in 2012:

Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan

I don't normally read a lot of nonfiction but oh my God, this book is amazing. I flew through it, shocked and enthralled by what was happening and in the back of my mind I kept thinking, "oh my God this is a true story, this really happened!" It's incredible. Susannah Cahalan is my new hero.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

So everyone has heard of this book by now, and it deserves the attention. The alternating POVs are incredible--they're both so real and authentic and I loved them equally. And by chapter 3 I was hooked and I knew I wouldn't be putting the book down until I was done. I desperately want to write a book this intelligent some day.

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

I love this book. It's beautiful, it's engrossing, it's swoonworthy, and it's not quite like anything else. It's one of those books that I read and wished the world was real and these characters were real. I want to go to their town and be their friend.

The Unbreakable Giveaway

Unbreakable ARCs are here. In fact I have three of them.

The question is who wants one? They really don't do anyone any good if they're just sitting on my bookshelf at home, right?

So I'm giving those copies away and giving someone the chance to go on a date with Ben.

Here are the details:

Two winners will get an advanced copy of Unbreakable

and

One grand prize winner will get an advanced copy of Unbreakable and be able to name a character in the novella

Now this character that you'd have to name, here's the deal--she's going on a date with Ben, and she needs a name. You can name her after yourself, after someone else, or you can make a name up.*


The contest is open internationally and is open from right now until midnight Dec 14th.
I'm happy to sign the ARCs if you want them signed.
If you haven't read Unraveling, you can still enter. I can send you a copy of Unraveling instead.

If you don't win, you can request and ARC of Unbreakable by filling out this form.

To enter the contest:
Fill out the rafflecopter below. There are chances for extra entries of course.



a Rafflecopter giveaway
*The name does have to be approved by my editor, but she's never had a problem with one of my names.

on unbreakable

I'm so excited because today is the day I get to share more details about the sequel to Unraveling with everyone!

As you may have already heard, the Unraveling sequel is called

UNBREAKABLE

This wasn't the first or only title book two has had. In fact I've been calling it three different things in my mind, but this is definitely the best. It really fits the book, the characters, and a certain relationship. It also fits in well with a few of my favorite lines in the whole book.

I can finally tell you what Unbreakable is about. Of course, I've gotten a lot of questions about Unbreakable so I'm going to offer up some quick answers right now.

1. Is it from Janelle's POV?

Yes. Unbreakable opens four months after the end of Unraveling and is Janelle's story of what comes next.


2. Will there be more of Ben in the book?

Yes. Ben and Janelle's stories are very intertwined so you'll see more of them in this book. You'll also see a lot more of Barclay, Elijah, and Cecily.

3. When is the release date?

4/23/2013

Now, I'll offer you the official description. (Just beware while we tried to avoid it, the flap copy for sequels kind of contains spoilers for Unraveling, so if you haven't read it yet, you might want to skip down.)

Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but life is finally starting to resume some kind of normalcy. Until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring, kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths—and Ben
is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn’t turn himself over within five days.

And when Janelle learns that someone she cares about—someone from her own world—has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger. Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she’s in way over her head—and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?

And, I'm even more excited to show you the Unbreakable cover of the US edition.

Here it is.

I hope you enjoy it!

News Part II

In case you missed the twitter announcement last night, the news I've been sitting on since June (yes that long!) is finally public.

The film rights to Unraveling have been optioned by MTV!

Here's the very official and cool article from The Hollywood Reporter.

Obviously I'm deliriously excited about it.

No one is talking casting or anything like that, but as more news comes my way, I will definitely share!

News, Part I

I have the first of several pieces of news:

I will have a novella out as an ebook original March 5th, 2013!

Here's where you can add it to goodreads.

Here's where you can preorder on Amazon and B&N.

And here's what the novella will be:

Three stories from Ben's perspective, one that takes place a year before Unraveling, one that takes place during Unraveling, and one that takes place between Unraveling and Unbreakable.

I'm really excited about it--it's so fun to be able to look at the events of the book(s) from a different perspective and then tell those stories. They'll be a little (okay let's face, a lot) spoilery if you haven't read Unraveling, but they won't spoil Unbreakable at all. And of course if you aren't into novellas, you can read both books without the novella and you won't feel like you're missing anything.

Precious...

On Addictions...

For some reason, I have one of those personalities where I easily become singularly focused on one thing just shy of the point of obsession. I essentially get easily addicted. Right now, here are my top three addictions:

Law & Order: SVU

I don't know what it is about this show, but I have probably scene every episode and still whenever I flip the channel and land on a rerun or TNT marathon, I get sucked in and watch all over again. Half the time, I'll even be watching the show thinking, "I'm sure I've seen this..." but I still don't change the channel.

Bejeweled

I was never that kind of kid who played video games. Ever. What I know of video and computer games is next to nothing. (It was my boyfriend who supplied some of the Worlds of Warcraft references that are in Unraveling). But now that I have an iphone, I downloaded a few games to play on the subway. And the one that's sucked me in, is totally Bejeweled. I don't know what it is about those stupid gems but I'm always convinced that with one more game I can score better!

All things

and

Jane Austen

(as played by Anne Hathaway, here it Becoming Jane Austen)

This is one of those addictions that I've had ever since I read Pride & Prejudice, which I read late. I had my masters before I sat down with a copy of the book and started to read, mostly because I couldn't believe I hadn't read it yet. I didn't necessary expect to like it. (There are some classics that I just don't like very much). And I certainly didn't expect to love it, but I did. I promptly read all of her books and her letters and a bunch of Jane Austen inspired books. I watched all the movies and the miniseries and even started to dream "in British." At the time, Jane Austen took over about six months of my life. Then I moved on to a new obsession (I think it might have been Veronica Mars).

But now this obsession is back. It started with Downton Abbey which I watched in two weekends (one for each season). And then it continued with  For the Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund, which I read several weeks ago. It's a post-apocalyptic retelling of Jane Austen's Persausion which is probably my favorite. The romance is swoonworthy and as soon as I finished, I wanted to go back and read the original. Instead I started watch some new BBC shows that people had recommended like Luther and Sherlock and it's safe to say I am completely hooked.

 

False Memory Winner

Thanks to everyone who entered to win a copy of False Memory by Dan Krokos. I went to his launch party last night and got a signed copy which will head out to the winner today.

And the winner is...

Ruby Replogle!!!

I love this

It totally reminds me of when I was swimming.

“I have a history of making decisions very quickly about men. I have always fallen in love fast and without measuring risks. I have a tendency not only to see the best in everyone, but to assume that everyone is emotionally capable of reaching his highest potential. I have fallen in love more times than I care to count with the highest potential of a man, rather than with the man himself, and I have hung on to the relationship for a long time (sometimes far too long) waiting for the man to ascend to his own greatness. Many times in romance I have been a victim of my own optimism.”
 ― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

August Must Read Giveaway

I've been giving away the must read books each month and this month is a big one for me. It's the release of False Memory by Dan Krokos. I simply love this book. Like I love it as much as I loved Hunger Games. I also think the author is pretty awesome too.

To win this awesome book, fill out the form below between now and midnight on August 10th (EST)!

Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn’t at all surprised by Miranda’s shocking ability.

Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn’t easy—especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can't remember loving.

Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn’t seem to matter...when there may not be a future.

“Some women choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you're wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn't love you anymore.” 
 ― Lady Gaga

Something Strange and Deadly Winner

Thank you so much to everyone who entered the July Must Read Contest. The winner of Something Strange and Deadly is

Kayla Beck

Congrats to Kayla. Everyone else should grab a copy of the book at their local bookstore--it's out today, and it's awesome.

“Hope is the thing with feathers 
 That perches in the soul 
 And sings the tune without the words 
 And never stops at all.” 
 ― Emily Dickinson

Tonight!

I'm heading to see The Dark Knight Rises at midnight in Times Square. (Seems oddly appropriate, doesn't it?) Can't wait!

“Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.” 
 ― Marilyn Monroe

“Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.” 
 ― Zelda Fitzgerald

July Must Read Giveaway

I'm insanely excited for all the awesome books coming out in 2012, and I decided what better way to celebrate than to pick the book I'm most excited for each month and give it away.

My July 2012 pick is Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard. I heard about Susan's book probably a year ago and have been dying to read it ever since. Steampunk and Zombies in historical Philadelphia--how could that not be amazing?

There’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

So to win, just fill out the form below between now and midnight on July 20th (EST)!

“Once upon a time there was a boy who loved a girl, and her laughter was a question he wanted to spend his whole life answering.” 
 ― Nicole Krauss, The History of Love

[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]

BY E. E. CUMMINGS

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)

                                                      i fear

no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

On BEA

Last week I was a little MIA. I was still recovering from BEA and the Dark Days tour which were back to back awesome and exhausting.

Some of my BEA highlights:

I spent three days at the Javitz Center surrounded by books and people who love them.

I got to walk home with a lot of books that sounded absolutely amazing, including these Buzz titles. 

And these YA Buzz titles

And I came home with these super cool books which should be buzz titles

I saw a book tower of Altered by Jennifer Rush which I am so excited to read

And I met this wonderful dog and got the book written about him.

I also did a panel, hung out with some really awesome authors, met Melissa Marr, got a copy of Carnival of Souls, and then signed some books before I left for Dark Days.

Now I'm already excited about next year!

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” 
 ― Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a Dream

Shadow and Bone Winner

So big congratulations are in order. Leigh Bardugo and Shadow and Bone are #8 on the NY Times List!

And after a huge number of people entered for a chance to win TWISTY J has won a copy of Shadow and Bone from me.

This is a seriously awesome book. I hope you enjoy it!

“This above all: to thine own self be true, 
 And it must follow, as the night the day, 
 Thou canst not then be false to any man.” 
 ― William Shakespeare, Hamlet

June Must Read Giveaway

I'm insanely excited for all the awesome books coming out in 2012, and I decided what better way to celebrate than to pick the book I'm most excited for each month and give it away.

My June 2012 pick is...


Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone. It's a YA fantasy novel that I had been hearing amazing things about even before I got my hands on an ARC. As a huge fantasy fan, I'd been dying to read it ever since I first heard about it. And I know Leigh on twitter and she's totally awesome.

And of course then I did read it. And WOW. I went in with high expectations because of all the great things I'd heard, and this novel surpassed them all. The characters are amazing, the world is real and wonderful, the plot is mind-blowing. It's a book no one should miss.

Inspired by Tsarist Russia, SHADOW & BONE brings to life a fantasy world of superstition and science, saints and samovars, in which a lonely refugee must leave behind her best friend- and first love- to save her country from the growing darkness of the Unsea. But first she must contend with the dangerous and decadent world of the kingdom’s magical elite and their powerful leader, a creature of dark charm and deadly ambition.

To win a copy of Shadow and Bone, just fill out the form below between now and midnight on June 7th (EST).

Good luck!

“Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.” 
― Edgar Allan Poe

“We sit silently and watch the world around us. This has taken a lifetime to learn. It seems only the old are able to sit next to one another and not say anything and still feel content. The young, brash and impatient, must always break the silence. It is a waste, for silence is pure. Silence is holy. It draws people together because only those who are comfortable with each other can sit without speaking. This is the great paradox.” 
 ― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

“I have survived. I am here. Confused, screwed up, but here. So, how can I find my way? Is there a chain saw of the soul, an ax I can take to my memories or fears?” 
 ― Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak

“Do you think I'm pretty?"  
"I think you're beautiful."  
"Beautiful?"  
"You are so beautiful, it hurts sometimes.” 
 ― Richelle Mead, Vampire Academy

Contest Winners!

Congratulations to Karen who has won the May Must Read Contest. Her prize is a copy of Bitterblue! I have my copy on my TBR shelf and I've been staring at it lovingly. I can't bring myself to read it quite yet because I know it will be over entirely too fast. But I've been hearing such wonderful things about it.

And congratulations to Chloe B who has won the YAmazing Race stop. Her prize is a signed copy of Unraveling with a bookmark or two thrown in.

Thanks to everyone who entered both contests. If you didn't win, more contests will be underway in June!

On Casting

In honor of Unraveling's first week in the world, I'm going to cast the characters for the Unraveling movie in my mind (and by "in my mind" I mean not real). Here's who I pictures as the main characters. (And of course, I would actually have no say in the casting if it was ever something that was more than just in my mind.)

Janelle Tenner

Hailee Steinfeld: I loved her in True Grit!

Ben

Young James Franco, from his Freaks and Geeks days

Barclay

Taylor Kitsch

Now, if you were casting Unraveling, who would be in your movie?

“You are, and always have been, my dream.”
 ― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

The YAmazing Race Round 2!

Welcome to my stop on the YAmazing Race with MGnificent prizes, a crazy whirlwind blog hop featuring over 50 debut authors and prize packs featuring ARCs, gift certificates, swag, and more! If you haven’t yet been to the Apocalypsies website, please click here to start from the beginning and read the complete rules. Now on to the race!

UNRAVELING by Elizabeth Norris

Two days before her junior year, Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, her life flashing before her, then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And though it isn’t possible, she knows with every fiber of her being that Ben has brought her back to life.

But her reincarnation, and Ben’s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI-agent father’s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what’s right in front of her: Everything that’s happened—the accident, the countdown clock, Ben’s sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. As the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she’s needs to uncover Ben’s secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

UNRAVELING is a gripping story of one girl’s fight to save her family, her world, and the one boy she never saw coming.

Got all that?

Store it away in your brain for the quiz ahead! You'll be able to win some awesome apocalypsie prizes.

But before you go – bonus contest! Simply leave a comment with your email address to be entered to win a signed copy of UNRAVELING!

Ready to move on? Click here to go to the next stop on the race!

May Must Read Giveaway

I'm insanely excited for all the awesome books coming out in 2012, and I decided what better way to celebrate than to pick the book I'm most excited for each month and give it away.

My May 2012 pick is Bitterblue by the amazing Kristin Cashore who is one of my favorite novels. From the description it sounds nothing short of amazing.

The long-awaited companion to New York Times bestsellers Graceling and Fire

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck's reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle--disguised and alone--to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

To win Bitterblue, fill out the form below between now and midnight on May 7th (EST).

I've fallen out of favour 
And I've fallen from grace 
Fallen out of trees 
And I've fallen on my face 
Fallen out of taxis 
Out of windows too 
Fell in your opinion 
When I fell in love with you

--Florence + The Machine

It's Here!

It's officially April 24th and Unraveling is available in the US.

And the sequel, officially titled Unbreakable will be available in 2013!

iPad Winner!

It's time to announce the winner of the iPad Contest. This contest was for anyone between the ages 13 and 25, and it ran for a month here on the blog.

Three runners up win a signed copy of Unraveling along with a bookmark.

They are:

Adrienne Bader whose favorite books are the Harry Potter series.

Sarah Leder whose favorite novel is Divergent by Veronica Roth (wait until you read Insurgent, it's awesome).

and

Madison Morgan whose favorite novel is The Hunger Games. (one of my favorites too).

Congrats to Adrienne, Sarah, and Madison! I hope you enjoy Unraveling!
 

And the grand prize winner will get an iPad stocked with 20 of my favorite YA titles, along with a digital and hardback copy of Unraveling.

And the winner is!

Chancie Kienitz

Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest!  

Winner!

There were 167 people who entered to win a signed copy of Unraveling! I'm a little blown away by that number. Thank you to everyone who entered.

But the real reason you're here! The winner is...

Tamara Lenz!

Congrats to Tamara. I hope you enjoy Unraveling.

If you didn't win, make sure to check out the stops on the blog tour where there will be more chances to win signed copies.

“I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.” 
 ― Marilyn Monroe

I feel like I learned this the hard way, this confidence that says, I'm awesome and I deserve someone who will appreciate that. Sure, I'm not perfect. I get upset and I definitely have my moments of crazy, but they pass, and I'm worth it.

The Inspiration for Unraveling

I've mentioned this before, but the Unraveling was conceived primarily because I was in love and trying to make that work long distance. I started think about people who fall in love despite that fact that they're from different worlds, and with a little inspiration from things I love the story and the characters that are now Unraveling developed.

So, those inspirations are:

 how I felt

the original star crossed lovers

 

San Diego, one of the most beautiful cities I've ever lived

 

 poetry by Robert Frost

an awesome sci-fi show I loved as a teenager

 

 "Much Madness is Divinest Sense" by Emily Dickinson

two people I don't know but are the perfect Janelle and Ben

one of my favorite shows on television

I don't know who wrote this, but it's perfect

"Remember" by Christina Rossetti

Because all the good love stories need an epic end.

So those are my inspirations for the book that comes out in exactly one week! Tomorrow make sure you stop by Magic Urban Fantasy Reads to check out my interview and enter to win a signed copy of Unraveling.

The UNRAVELING Blog Tour!

To celebrate Unraveling's release date, we're having a blog tour. Check out each stop to see pictures from the setting of Unraveling, hear about the sequel, the actors I would cast as Ben and Janelle, and more. And at each stop you'll have a chance to win a copy of Unraveling as well as some cool swag, like these.

Wednesday 4/18: Right here
Thursday 4/19: Magical Urban Fantasy Reads
Friday 4/20: Two Chicks on Books
Monday 4/23: Justin's Book Blog
Tuesday 4/24: Release Day
Wednesday 4/25: My Five Monkeys
Thursday 4/26: Good Choice Reading
Friday 4/27: Mindy Ruiz 
Monday 4/30: Literary Exploration
Thursday 5/3: Shortie Says

And today, check out my guest post at The Nocturnal Library on my top five high points during the road to publication.

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” ― Maya Angelou


A view that always takes my breath away:

On My To Be Read Shelf

Earlier this week, I was talking To Be Read piles with several people on twitter, and Ali Trotta did an awesome post with a picture of her own To Be Read pile. So I decided to take a picture of my pile and post it here.

The catch is, mine's not actually a pile. The pile got so out of control that about six months ago when a friend of mine was moving and getting rid of two bookshelves, I snatched them and converted them into To Be Read bookshelves.

Now, I know this"pile" makes it look a bit like I haven't actually read anything and that I'm just collecting books, but I've read 18 books so far in 2012.


So here it is, my To Be Read Shelf:

The worst part about these two bookshelves is that there are several hidden rows of mass market books that are behind other books, and they're easy to forget about. Once I even forgot I owned a book and bought it again. The other sad thing, is that even if I quit real life for a year and did nothing but read these books, I would have to read more than two a day without buying new ones in order to read all these books.

Of course, the great thing is, I LOVE BOOKS and I really do plan to read all these--I just will never be bored.

Two Weeks!

We're two weeks out from Unraveling's official publication date.

This is monumental because, anyone can now check out the first 90 pages online!

 

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” 
 ― Apple Inc.

The Lucky 7 Game

Lisa Desrochers, the author of Personal Demons hit me with a challenge. Apparently, The Lucky 7 Game is making it's way around writerly circles. The deal is that if an author is tagged, we're supposed to:

1. Go to the seventh or seventy-seventh page of our WIP.
2. Count down seven lines.
3. Copy the seven sentences that follow and post them.
4. Tag seven other authors.

I can't actually post from my WIP since I'm not 77 pages in yet. So I'm going to post from Unraveling, and for anyone who's already read Unraveling, keep scrolling down to see 7 lines from the sequel.

So from page 77 on Unraveling, Janelle is investigating her father's case:

Because Alex's theory has been on my mind, I type "radiation burns."

            Naturally most of what comes up has to do with cancer patients and treatments for sunburn, which is  hardly what I'm looking for. And I don't really want to check out any of the pictures, thank you. 

            When I try "radiation poisoning," a link for a story about the Chernobyl disaster pops up. In 1986 a nuclear power plant in Ukraine had a meltdown. It was considered the worst nuclear power plant accident in history. Twenty-eight people died that day, more than three hundred thousand people had to be evacuated to avoid the fallout. 

And there it is!

If you've read Unraveling and/or don't care about possible spoilers, highlight the text below to see 7 lines from the sequel which I'm editing right now.

Unbreakable begins four months after Janelle loses her best friend and watches the guy she loves walk out of her life. Though the world didn't end, the devastation of resources has drastically changed everyday life. Necessities like food and medicine have to be rationed and roads are slowly being rebuilt. Only in the last few weeks, Janelle has been focused on a new problem. 

People are going missing--disappearing without a trace but leaving their only material possessions behind.

From page 77 (just know all of these words are subject to change in edits!)

            The faint singed line of a burn on concrete—what I now know is the mark of a portal flaring to life and disappearing quickly—draws my eye, and I squat down to touch the end of it with the tips of my fingers. It doesn’t feel any different. There’s nothing about this soft mark to suggest two people were just ripped from this world.

            I look a hundred feet south, towards the bathroom and in my mind, I picture Cecily in pink sweatpants and her “I only date ninjas” t-shirt heading towards the bathroom. Her white blond hair is sleep-addled, probably from tossing and turning, and she has circles under her eyes from not actually sleeping.

And I'm passing along the challenge to these amazing writers:
1. Trisha Leigh
2. CJ Redwine
3. Lissa Price
4. Claire Legrand
5. Sean Ferrell
6. Abby Schmidt
7. Leigh Bardugo

April Giveaway

I've been doing Must Read Giveaways each month for 2012, but April is special for me. Because on the 24th, my own book, Unraveling, will be out in the world. So instead of a Must Read Giveaway this month where I give away a book by someone else, I'm going to give away a signed copy of Unraveling.

(This contest is open internationally!)

To win, simply fill out the form below between now and midnight April 20th!

It's Back!

The Night is Dark and Full of Terrors.

Game of Thrones Season 2 premieres tomorrow night!

“Without music, life would be a mistake.” 
 ― Friedrich Nietzsche




  Love. this song.

Best Book Ever

 

I have a hard time nailing down my favorite book. Part of the reason is because I have so many and it's hard to narrow it down and pick just one. Most of the time when people ask me what my favorite book is, I say Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card or The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald because they're both books that have been favorites for such a long time.

But in the past few weeks, I've been talking books that I love and elements of stories that I love and even writers that inspire me. And on book keeps coming up more than others.

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Here's what I love about it. First, it's an amazing and page turning plot about a girl who was abandoned by her mother when she was eleven and is not struggling to just get more from her life. There are several mysteries that crop up in the book--to the point where I felt a little unsure of what was happening in the beginning, but I was well rewarded when everything tied together in the end. The characters are wonderful--they're full developed, well realized, and flawed in a way that makes them so real. I want these characters to be my friends. And as always, the writing is exceptionally beautiful, and there were a number of quotes that I read and thought "Yes, that is exactly how I've felt." And for those reasons, Jellicoe Road is my best book ever.

“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.” 
 ― Elie Wiesel

Midnight Tonight!

PLA

Thursday last week, I went to the Public Library Association or PLA. 

It was in Philadelphia, which was an easy train ride.

The first thing I saw was the Random House table which had Starters by Lissa Price on display.

I also saw some other apocalypsie titles including Little Dog Lost (the cutest picture book ever!) by Monica Carnesi and Darker Still by Leanne Renee Hieber.

Unraveling ARCs made an appearance at the HarperCollins Children's booth and a at the Follet booth.

I also tried to take some pictures when I walked around, but apparently I was walking too fast because most of them came out blurry.

I did get a picture of this lovely Hunger Games poster.

And even more exciting, I snagged ARCs of Masque of Red Death by Bethany Griffin, which I cannot wait to read, and I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga which looks deliciously disturbing.