On Blurbs, Giveaways, and Getting Goodies with Preorders

Before we get to the big giveaway at the bottom of this post, I wanted to make sure everyone knew how to preorder A World Without You from all the various places that are featuring the book. 


GET A WORLD WITHOUT YOU + 2 MORE BOOKS + SURPRISE GOODIES FROM QUARTERLY

What you get:

• A hardback of A World Without You that includes handwritten annotations by me
• A signed bookplate for A World Without You
• Two additional books that I've hand selected to be included with the box
• A personal letter by me explaining some of the secrets in the book and why I selected the contents of the box
• Extra goodies that are unique and tie directly back to the box and the books

Cost: $50. I know that's steep, but you're getting three books and all the extra bonus gifts--trust me, it's worth it.

How to get it:

• Go to the Quarterly website here
• Hint! If you subscribe to the NetGalley newsletter, check out the coupon code that was in it for this box!!
• Buy a subscription (don't worry--if you only want this box, it's super easy to cancel and not get any more).
• Need more info? I posted about it here.

GET A SIGNED, STAMPED BOOK + ART CARD PRINT FROM MALAPROPS

What you get:

• A hardcover copy of A World Without You 
• That is signed
• And stamped with a special one-signing-only stamp
• A beautiful art card designed by Hafsah at IceyDesigns featuring a quote from the book
• Swag!

Cost: Just the cost of the book and shipping, if you're getting it shipped. The extra goodies are included for free.

How to get it: 

• Go to the Malaprops website page here
• Add to your cart. If you want your book personalized, make sure you add a note during the check out process--I'll write whatever you want me to write! 
• More info available here!

GET A SIGNED BOOK FROM 25 LOCAL INDIE BOOKSTORES

What you get:

• A hardcover copy of A World Without You
• A signed bookplate that matches
• Some bookstores are offering additional swag!

Cost: Just the cost of the book!

How to get it:

• My publisher, Penguin, and I have teamed up with 25 bookstores across the nation to offer this special promo. 
• Just go to your local indie bookstore and look for the quote card designed by IceyDesigns pictures above. If they have the quote card on display, they have signed books for you!
• HEY! It's super important to support your local bookstores and businesses. If you ♥ books, support your bookstores!
• More info--and a list of bookstores--here!

GET THE BOOK + MY ETERNAL THANKS FROM WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD

You want my book? I super ♥ you! Here's everywhere else you can get it:

• Your library! If they don't have it, just ask--it's free for you to get books from your library, but every time one of my books is checked out, it makes my publisher happy and eager to buy future books from me, so win-win!
• Amazon: 
• Buy the hardback
• Buy the ebook
• Barnes & Noble:
• Buy the hardback
• Buy the ebook
• Chapters Indigo: hardback
• Kobo: ebook
• iBooks: ebook
• Book Depository: With free shipping internationally!

Now on to the giveaway! Win SEVEN books...and four of them are SIGNED!

This feels like the little book that could. A World Without You is something of a departure for me--darker, realer, more personal. But I think it's going to find a home on bookshelves, and I couldn't be happier.

Of course, no book exists in a bubble. I couldn't write this one without immense help from my agent, my editor and publisher, my family, my friends. My past. People who are no longer with us; people who have just joined my family.

Today, I want to take a moment and thank some people--and thank you by holding a giveaway in honor of the authors who believed in me from the very start and who so graciously endorsed my book before it was a book.

When authors are asked to go out and find other authors to blurb their book, there's a universal panic!panic!panic! alarm that goes through their heads. What if no one likes it? What if they hate it? (That last one, btw, totally happened to me with AtU...an author actually rejected me so hard she told me she hated the book and wished it wasn't being published.) There's an extra layer of anxiety, knowing that one's peers are deeply analyzing whether or not a book is worthy of their praise. So emailing or phoning other authors, hat in hand, hoping they'll like your book is incredibly nerve-wracking.

Fortunately, I have wonderful friends and colleagues who graced me with blurbs, and so to honor and thank them, I'm holding a giveaway for their books. Many of them are signed (!!!), and you'll also get a copy of A World Without You and a copy of another bonus novel that inspired me. Open internationally, closes July 17th.

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Win a hardcover of this book, signed by the author!

I have been a fan of Alex's work since The Darkest Minds, and I love Passenger even more. Time travel and swoony-ness and pirates and adventure and ahhhhh!!!

When she graced this blurb for the front cover of A World Without You, I almost fell over:

“A heartrending, beautifully complex look at mental illness, life, and loss. I tore through the pages, and, days later, this story still has a hold on me.” —Alexandra Bracken, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Darkest Minds series and Passenger

More Happy than Not by Adam Silvera

Win a hardcover of this book, signed by the author!

Adam's debut knocked my socks off. I loved the premise--a boy who lives in a world where select memories can be erased wants to erase being gay. But it was the end of this novel that really blew me away. Adam took risks with this book--you will not expect that conclusion, I promise!

It is my great honor that he read A World Without You and said:

"A painfully brilliant and transporting read. This novel has the rare superpower to change and save lives." —Adam Silvera, New York Times bestselling author of More Happy Than Not

The Love the Split the World by Emily Henry

Win a hardcover of this book!

When I first saw this book, I had immediate cover and title envy. How perfect is it? But then I heard what it was about--a boy named Beau (my Bo would get along well with him) and a very twisted fate. This one picks up speed and never stops until the end.

I'm so glad this Beau-author read my Bo-book :) 

"A World Without You tackles grief, mental illness, and family dynamics with both grace and generosity. I fell in love with Bo’s story of perseverance in the face of seemingly endless struggle and was left brimming with hope. Readers will emerge from this book a little stronger than when they entered.” —Emily Henry, author of The Love That Split the World 

The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin

Win a hardcover of this book!

Confession time: A World Without You wouldn't exist without The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone. Period. It's this specific book by Adele that made me think my story was possible. In it, a young artist dies far too soon, and through the transcripts by loved ones and articles about her, the reader peels back the layers of this mysterious girl's life.

This book meant so much to me, on a deeply personal level. The fact that Adele gives my book a seal of approval means more than I can say.

“Beth Revis delivers us an astonishing shape-shifter of a tale that dazzles and startles at every tense turn. Themes of love, secrets, and heartbreak are woven into a taut and bewitching narrative that will pull you in and not let you go. Don't forget to breathe.” —Adele Griffin, author of The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone

The Program by Suzanne Young

Win a hardcover of this book!

I could not put this book down. Could not. I got an ebook of The Program when it first came out, and read the entire book straight through in one night, staying up until 3am to finish. I was terrified for the characters, fascinated by the premise, and my eyes were crying so hard I had to take multiple breaks. This book is about an epidemic of suicide, and the lengths we go to try to save someone...even if it means controlling them. 

Suzanne is epic, and I'm so lucky to know her.

“A World Without You is a beautiful, devastating, mind-bending adventure.” —Suzanne Young, New York Times bestselling author of The Program series

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

Win a signed hardcover of this book!

This is a book that deeply inspired me. Neal wrote this book with his son, who suffers from schizophrenia, and the text is layered with drawings he made while undergoing treatment. The story itself is twisted and strange--much like the mind--but there are flashes of clarity for both the reader and the narrator. This National Book Award Winner is truly a masterpiece.

To thank the books that have inspired me and the authors who've supported me, I'm giving away a box full of their books to one lucky winner. 

Rules!

• Open internationally
• Closes July 19--the day the book comes out!
• One winner gets all seven books--four signed by the authors! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Quarterly Subscription Box Curation Revealed!

A few weeks ago, my editor told me that a subscription box was interested in featuring A World Without You in their next shipment. The wonderful people at Quarterly had noticed the book, and wanted to make a box themed around it.

My reaction was not subtle:

Here's the thing. I have this list of secret things I really, really hope will happen. One of those things has already happened this year (but I can't talk about it yet). So I sort of figured my good luck for this year had already been cashed in. Because one of the other things that I have secretly really hoped would happen? 

To be featured in a subscription box. 

I subscribe to a few boxes (including Quarterly's!), and every time I see an unboxing online or get my own box, I wonder what it would be like to see my box inside a subscription box. 

And this July, I get to find out. 

Quarterly's YA Literature box is just amazing, you guys. I've loved seeing how these boxes develop, and when Quarterly says I've curated it, they really mean it. This was not a casual thing. Every. Single. Item in the book, from the other books to the extra goodies, was picked through a careful selection process. I spent days looking for exactly the right items, developing the theme, selecting the other books. I wanted to pick books that fit with the theme, but that also were maybe not a title everyone had already heard of. 

I can't tell you what the other two books in the box are, but I can tell you that, like A World Without You, they are strange. Not everything is as it seems. There is sadness and hope and love and fear in all three books. They're not really science fiction, but they are weird. They each have a twist, or a new direction, or a surprise, or just something that's not quite right. And that's why I love them, and I think you will too. 

And the products that are being included with the box...I'm so excited about them that I actually ordered my own box so I could get them! The Quarterly people were such a dream to work with--they were the ones who hunted down something that had a little extra detail of wonderful when I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. 

In additional to the goodies and the three books, I've worked hard with Quarterly to make A World Without You special for the box. There's a personal letter from me, describing the theme and why it means so much to me. The books will come with a signed bookplate, and--this is really amazing--they're all annotated with 15 handwritten notes detailing hidden allusions, connections within the story, background on characters and more.  

It's basically like getting extras on a DVD. These annotations were my way of highlighting some of the most important scenes in the book, and pointing out stuff that is often ignored and hidden. 

I am so, so grateful to Quarterly for making this possible. They've turned A World Without You from a book into an experience. And they've made sure that the boxes will ship on July 18th--so no one will have to wait and everyone will get the book when it's officially released! 

If you'd like to sign up for the Literary YA Box, all you have to do is click here (before they're sold out!). Your subscription will start with this box, and it's easy to cancel any time if you choose to do so. 

Get Signed copies of A WORLD WITHOUT YOU from 25 Bookstores Across America!

Hey guys! Remember that time I asked you to vote on your favorite indie bookstores? And then I posted a lot of pics of me signing bookplates and art cards?

A photo posted by Beth Revis (@bethrevis) on May 20, 2016 at 4:44pm PDT

A video posted by Beth Revis (@bethrevis) on May 20, 2016 at 6:15pm PDT

Well, those two things are definitely connected! Here's what me and the fabulous people at Penguin/Razorbill have been working on!

We took the top twenty-five votes for favorite bookstores, and we sent each of those bookstores signed bookplates and one of the beautiful art prints designed by Icey Designs. You know, this piece of gorgeousness:

This means, if you see the above sign in the bookstores listed below, you can get a signed copy of A World Without You. And some of the bookstores have already mentioned that they'll be giving away their copy of the sign to the first reader who expresses interest. (Obviously ask first!)

We ended up with such great bookstores on the list that we sent out these special packets to more than twenty-five stores, and if there's a store with more than one location (such as Vroman's or Books Inc.), these packets were sent to all locations.

The bookstores (in no particular order) are:

Anderson's Bookshop, Naperville, IL

BookPeople, Austin, TX

Books & Books, Coral Gables, FL

Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, NC

Kepler's Books, Menlo Park, CA

Malaprop's, Asheville, NC

McNally Jackson, Manhattan, NYC

Parnassus Books, Nashville, TN

The Strand, New York, NY

The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT

Watermark Bookstore, Wichita, KS

Changing Hands Bookstore, Phoenix, AZ

Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, WA

Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Lexington, KY

Left Bank Books, St. Louis, MO

Little Shop of Stories, Decatur, GA

Mysterious Galaxy, San Diego, CA

Red Balloon Bookshop, St. Paul, MN

Vroman's, Pasadena, CA

The Regulator Bookshop, Durham, NC

Powell's, Portland, OR

Toadstool Bookshop, Keene NH

Books Inc, San Francisco, CA

Full Circle Bookstore, Oklahoma City, OK

Inkwood Books, Tampa, FL

Avid Bookshop, Athens, GA

Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, DE

I was really happy to see so many bookstores from across the nation! And remember: Go into any of the above listed stores on July 19, and there will be signed copies of A World Without You ready for you to get! You absolutely can go in now and preorder your signed copy--in fact, I would love it if you did! 

Speaking of pre-ordering, if you can't get to one of these shops or want to take part in the special pre-order campaign at Malaprops, it's still open. You can find all the details about it here.

ALSO: There's going to be a little contest going up on July 19th the involves you taking a picture inside a bookstore. I'm going to go ahead and say right now that a picture of the sign in the bookstore counts as an entry...and that there are more than 100 prizes up for grabs. So if you see the sign in your bookstore, take a picture of it and share it on social media! You'll already have a leg up on everyone else when the contest opens next month! 

Giveaway Round Up--Don't Miss These!

As you know, A World Without You is just around the corner! (Which reminds me--if you don't want to miss the special pre-order deal, make sure you order your copy now!)

In order to celebrate, I want to have a lot of giveaways--I've got to make room for new books and new swag, after all! Before I get into the June giveaway round-up, I want to alert you to a few bigger giveaways and opportunities for free books that's ongoing.

• Giveaway of AWWY on GoodReads
• Reviewers can request free paper ARCs here
• Reviewers can request free electronic ARCs here

And I've been working with my friends over at YA Book Central, YA Interrobang, and Adventures in YA Publishing to do a few more giveaways this month and next, so be sure to be on the lookout there as well. I'll post on Twitter when those go live, but they're pretty epic, just fyi.

So! Let's talk about June! I've got...so many...so many books to give away! I like to gather prizes, magpie-like, in preparation for launches, so I've been stockpiling for awhile. In the past, I would do one huge giveaway where one winner takes all, but I thought it might be fun to do something a bit different this time around.

Throughout the month of June, I'm going to be hosting flash-giveaways on various social media outlets! These giveaways will be short--they'll run for just 24-48 hours or so--and super simple to enter. They'll be on all the social media platforms I'm active on, and it'll be as simple as follow + share or tag a friend in comments to enter. The giveaways will be international!

Want to know what's up for grabs? Here's a sampling...but I may be adding a few surprise extras that only my followers will know about! And also--each book will come with a TON of extra swag for the winner from me and lots of other authors working to make this special!

• Signed hardcover of Renee Ahdieh's The Rose and the Dagger
• Hardcover of Their Fractured Light by Meagan Spooner and signed by Amie Kaufman
• Signed hardcover of This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
• Signed hardcover of A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano
• Signed ARC of The Hunt by Megan Shepherd
• Signed hardcover of Challenger Deep by Neil Schusterman
• Hardcover of My True Love Gave to Me signed by Stephanie Perkins (editor) and also signed by almost all the authors in the anthology!
• Signed paperback of Among the Shadows
• ARC of The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury
• ARC of The 13th Continuum by Jennifer Brody
• ARC of Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson
• Hardcover of Thicker than Water by Kelly Fiore
• Hardcover of The Third Twin by CJ Omolulu
• Audiobook of A Tyranny of Petticoats edited by Jessica Spotswood
• ...and more!!

How to win these books & more: follow me on social media! These flash giveaways will be sporadic surprises throughout the month of June, and the only way to win is to be following me!

Most of the giveaways will happen on my Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages, but I'm reserving a few for other social medias, including Tumblr, my newsletter, YouTube, and my new fave, Periscope.

Want to make sure you don't miss them? Then you better be following me! And to reward my longterm followers and the people who are the best (hint: it's you), I'm holding an extra giveaway right here.

The prize is an ARC box full of all kinds of goodies, from a time turner like Hermione wore, to a custom journal from Icey Designs, to a Doctor Who magnet...oh yeah, and an art print and ARC of A World Without You! You can see more about the prize here.

To enter for the big ARC box prize, just fill out the Rafflecopter below (open internationally). And to enter to win any of the books above, make sure you're following me online and prepared to click fast before the prize disappears!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner of the First ARC box!

Thank you all for sharing with me your favorite indie bookstores! I'm currently compiling a list of the top ones to send a special prize to (more info on that soon!) but meanwhile, let's give out a prize to YOU for submitting your store's name!

drumroll, please....

The winner of the first ARC box for A World Without You is...

Glauber,

whose favorite bookstore is Anderson's! 

If you didn't win, don't worry...I'm gearing up for another round of giveaways right now. In fact, my desk is about to topple over from all the books selected for giveaway. There are separate prizes that will be posted here and across my social media, so make sure you look around...and they'll be flash giveaways open for 24 hours only, on different days! More details to come soon, but I hope you're ready for this! :) 

Celebrate Independent Bookstores!

As you may know, I recently announced that I was offering a special pre-order set of gifts (including an art card of the quote to the left) for anyone who purchased A World Without You through my local independent bookstore, Malaprops. You can read more about that--and see the awesome stuff you'll get for pre-ordering--here, and you can actually pre-order the book and get all the goodies here.

But I wanted to celebrate all local independent bookstores. Because honestly? Bookstores are like a second home to me. In the last few years, I've been lucky enough to do several book tours throughout the nation (and even Canada!), and I am in awe of how each bookstore is unique, a reflection of their community, but also they share one important trait--a deep, unabiding love for books and readers.

So I want to spend this month celebrating that. And I want to reward the readers who patronize local independent bookstores, because they are absolutely bloody awesome. The community of people who read and spread the love of books is the best in the world!

So: I want you to tell me what your favorite independent bookstore is! There are so many, but please--tell me your favorite. My publisher and I will then pull out the top twenty five stores and send them a special thank you gift for being so awesome--a gift that means you will have the opportunity to get some special goodies too! We're going to keep the gift for the bookstores a secret...for now! Who doesn't love a good surprise?

But we need your help! In order to this, we need to know which bookstores you love, so we can know which ones to send the gifts to! In the space below, I've got an entry form that simply asks for the name and location of your favorite bookstore. Please fill it out--and please also let your friends and fellow bookstore lovers know!

To thank you for helping us out and loving bookstores, I'm offering you a prize, too! If you're a newsletter subscriber, you know what this prize is--an epic ARC box full of goodies featuring  A World Without You! You'll get:

• A signed ARC of my latest book, A World Without You--it's super rare and they're going fast!
• A signed art card featuring a quote from the book
• A beautiful pocket journal featuring the quote, "To Thine Own Self Be True," something highly relevant to the book, designed by Icey Designs
• Two Cadbury Creme eggs to represent a scene in the book where the characters learn how to poach eggs (it's more romantic than it sounds!)
• A Doctor Who magnet--this book has time travel, after all!
• A time-turner necklace like the one Hermione uses in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• An ocean-scented candle, since the book takes place on an island of the coast of Massachusetts

If you want a closer look at what's inside the book, you can also check out this video I made!



I have six of these boxes already made up and ready to go, and this is the first one that will be sent out! Sadly, because this is linked to something I'm doing with US bookstores, this contest is limited to entrants who have a US mailing address--but don't worry, the next contest will be international.

REMEMBER: If you want to pre-order the book with the special signing stamp and the free goodies and art, you can do so here!

TO ENTER: Fill out the Google Docs form below. And if you can, please help me spread the word--and the love of indie bookstores!--by tweeting as well! 

Special Gifts for Pre-ordering A WORLD WITHOUT YOU!

Hi guys!

Over the next few months, I'm going to be talking a lot about my upcoming book, A World Without You. This book comes out on July 19 from Penguin, and it's my most personal book yet. I really hope you love it!

As you also know, I freaking love my local bookstore, Malaprops, located in beautiful Asheville, NC. I worked with them in the past to offer a special pre-order campaign for The Body Electric, and I'm lucky enough to get to do it again for A World Without You!

If you pre-order A World Without You from Malaprops, you will get the following, shipped right to your door (or pick it up in person at the launch party on July 19):

You'll obviously get a signed, personalized copy of the book. If you order online, just be sure to tell Malaprops who you want the book personalized to, and if you have a particularly special message to include (such as "happy birthday" or, in the case of a very special copy of The Body Electric, "will you marry me"!!!!)

But did you notice that stamp up in the top corner? That is a very special stamp that I had custom-made just for this project. It will only ever be used for the first edition, first signings of my books, which means the only way you will ever get this stamp in a copy of A World Without You is to order it through Malaprops before July 19. After that, the stamp is going into retirement until the next time I have a book launch.

I love collecting books, and I wanted to give something special to the people like me to go out of their way to order a signed book on the first day it releases. This stamp is my thank you, and my way of making sure this is a limited edition, only-for-the-people-who-preorder thing!

But! Beyond the book itself, signed and stamped, if you order from Malaprops by July 19, you will also get--free with each book order--a beautiful art print designed by the wonderful Icey Designs! It features one of my favorite quotes from the book:

Isn't it gorgeous?! The quote was hand-lettered and designed by Hafsah at Icey Designs, and is printed on gorgeous matte paper with a velvet like finish. The paper is thick--really, it's more like thin cardboard, and the print can stand on its own without folding over. And it's large! Somewhere between the size of an art card and a poster (specifically 6x9"). This is really a beautiful piece of art, and words just don't do it justice! So, to help you see just how cool this art print is, I actually made a video of it, explaining it and the other features in the pre-order campaign:

I really think this is a special gift that you're going to love--and all these extras come free with every pre-order of A World Without You from Malaprops! (Also, if you'd like to get any other my other books signed and personalized, Malaprops can take care of you too!)

Here's the info you need:

To Place an Order Online:

• GO HERE
• Order as many copies of the book as you like
• In the comments section, let them know if you want it personalized or if you'd like a special message added.
• Malaprops ships internationally--if your country's not listed, please email them for estimated shipping costs

To Place an Order by Phone:

• Call 1-828-254-6734
• They can accept your credit card over the phone
• Make sure the spelling of any personalization is correct

Note: There is a limit of 400 of the art prints. Last time, we sold out at 300, so I upped the campaign to 400! If you want to ensure you get a copy with the art print, make sure you order soon!

Hey! Do me a favor and let your friends know about this, k? ♥

#PaperHeartsChat Storified for your convenience :)

Recently, the good people at Patchwork Press hosted a Twitter chat in honor of my Paper Hearts series. For one hour, I answered any and all questions on writing, publishing, and marketing. Here are the questions and answers, thanks to Storify!

North Texas Teen Book Festival Schedule!

The North Texas Teen Book Festival is this weekend, and my schedule is jam packed with awesome panels. I hope to see you at some!!

---> You can see the full schedule here <--- p="">
Saturday, April 23:

10am: A Tyranny of Petticoats Editor and contributors discuss their recent historical anthology. Featuring: Andrea Cremer, Marie Lu, Beth Revis, Jessica Spotswood, moderated by Stacy Wells

11am: Time Turners A big ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey...stuff. Claudia Gray, Mari Mancusi, Carrie Ryan, Janet B. Taylor, moderated by Beth Revis

12pm: All the Feels: Emotions run high in these poignant tales. Featuring: E. Lockhart, Marisa Reichardt, Beth Revis, Adam Silvera, moderated by Mandy Aguilar

2pm: Hi-Fi Sci-Fi: Math, science, history, unraveling the mystery of YA sci-fi. Featuring: Jessica Brody, Claudia Gray, Bethany Hagen, Jenny Martin, Mary E. Pearson, Beth Revis, moderated by Mary Hinson

3:30pm: Group author signing begins!

Like I said, I really hope to see you there! And here's a special thing just for you guys...I am bringing TEN and ONLY TEN of something REALLY COOL that is about A World Without You and if you come find me and ask for it, I'll give you one! (Until I run out, obviously.)

Paper Hearts Blog Tour!

Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing my top tips for writing, publishing, and marketing in a very special 3-week Paper Hearts blog tour!

You can find out more about the tour here, at the Paper Hearts Blog Tour Headquarters, and don't forget to enter the giveaway! 

Meanwhile, you'll be able to follow along with all the tips and more by visiting each stop.

Week One, April 11-15
Monday –  http://yawordnerds.tumblr.com/ + https://www.youtube.com/user/YAWordNerds

Tuesday - http://rainydayscoffeeandbooks.com/
Wednesday - https://heartfullofbooks.com/
Thursday – www.elatimer.com
Friday – http://www.bookhavenblog.blogspot.ca/

Week Two, April 18-22
Monday – http://accioreviews.blogspot.ca/

Tuesday - https://www.youtube.com/c/flippingthroughpages
Wednesday - https://www.youtube.com/user/WhittyNovels
Thursday - https://kyramnelson.com/
Friday - http://themodpodgebookshelf.blogspot.ca/

Week Three, April 25-29
Monday – http://coffeelvnmom.blogspot.ca/

Tuesday - http://www.wendyhigginswrites.com/
Wednesday - http://www.authorpaulastokes.com/
Thursday - http://soniagensler.blogspot.ca/ 

Friday - https://www.youtube.com/user/YAWordNerds 

Easter Eggs in A WORLD WITHOUT YOU

Recently, I participated in the YA Scavenger Hunt. It was so much fun, and I hope you all had a blast finding new books to read and entering the contest! 

I wanted to make sure that everyone had access to my top secret exclusive content, so I'm adding it here as well. Hope you enjoy! 

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT

My latest book is called A World Without You, and it's a book that's truly special to me. It's about a boy named Bo who is attending a school for kids with super powers. He can control time--but he's accidentally lost his girlfriend in the past. As he frantically tries to find a way to save her, his reality starts to break down. He's not at a school for kids with powers...he's at a school for mentally disturbed students, and it's not his girlfriend who needs to be saved--it's him.

One of the things I love about writing is hiding little Easter eggs and clues in my books. I'm not going to give them all away, but my top five Easter eggs in A World Without You are:

1. The Doctor. At Bo's school, his supervisor is named Dr. Franklin, but all the kids call him the Doctor--a reference to the greatest time traveller ever, Doctor Who! If you're a Whovian you'll definitely notice one other character who's name for someone on the show.

2. The Red String. You may notice that the book cover has strings all over it. There's a reason for that! To Bo, time looks like strings, and when he wants to go somewhere in the past, he tugs on a specific string. The string that connects him to his lost girlfriend is red, a reference to the Chinese legend that a red string of fate connects us to the people we truly love.

3. Superheroes. Bo believes that he has super powers, and so does every other kid at the school, Berkshire Academy. If you look closely, you'll see a lot of references to some of my favorite superheroes, including Batman and the X-Men, but also some heroes that aren't exactly super, such as Harry Potter and Katniss Everdeen. You'll have to read closely to catch them, but they're there!

4. Classics.  I love more than just pop culture and superheroes! As the story progresses, Bo gets increasingly paranoid, and at one point creeps around his room, thinking that people are watching him. This is, of course, a reference to the brilliant short story "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. And fans of Bach will notice a famous fugue woven into the story.

5. "And now for something completely different." This is an actual line of text in the story, and if you know what it's referencing, we should totally be besties.

That's it! There are definitely more secret surprises in A World Without You, but I'm going to leave those for you to find on your own...

Spring 2016 YA Scavenger Hunt!

HEY HUNTERS! Today's the day where a bunch of YA authors get together and blast the internet with an epic search game where the winners get tons of books and prizes! If you're just joining me here, then this is the perfect place to start! Just read the post, enter my extra contest, jot down the number that's hidden on this page (don't worry, it's easy to find if you read the post), and click the link for the next entry.

And also: HI! My name's Beth, and I write YA sci fi and weird stuff. My first series was the Across the Universe trilogy, and since then, I've written a book about what happened on Earth while Amy and Elder were in space, a series of nonfiction books about how to write and get your stuff published, and I have a new book coming in July called A World Without You. It's about a boy who thinks he's at a school for kids with superpowers but is actually in an asylum for students who are mentally disturbed. If you're a book blogger and want to request some of my books for review, please click here!

Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt! This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!

Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are SIX contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the RED TEAM--but there is also a red team, a gold team, an orange team, a red team, and an indie team for a chance to win a whole different set of signed books!

If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.

SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE

Directions: Below, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the red team, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). 

Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by APRIL 3, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

SCAVENGER HUNT POST

About the Author:

CHRISTINA FARLEY is the author of the Gilded series, a YA contemporary fantasy series set in Korea and upcoming middle grade, THE PRINCESS AND THE PAGE, set in France. GILDED was nominated for Korea’s 2014 Morning Calm, Ohio’s 2015 Buckeye award, and 2015 Tomes It List. As a child, she loved to explore, which later inspired her to jump on a plane and travel the world. Christina’s adventures sparked her to write stories, infusing the real world with fantasy. Currently she writes from home in Clermont, FL with her husband and two sons—that is until the travel itch whisks her off to a new unknown. 

Find Christina Here:

Website

Twitter

YouTube

Facebook

Tumblr

Goodreads

Instagram

Gilded Series website

About the Book:

Find it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads | Indie

Gilded Series’ Fan Cast


Hey guys! This is Christina. GILDED as a TV series or movie would be completely amazing, don’t you think? For a complete listing of all the characters go to The Imagine Film List here.

So you’re wondering what my dream cast would be? Here they are!

To learn more about this series, visit the Gilded Series website. Watch GILDED's book trailer here!

And don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books by Beth, Christy, and more! To enter, you need to know that my favorite number is 48. Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the red team and you'll have all the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

BONUS GIVEAWAY!

In addition to the main Scavenger Hunt, I've got a special giveaway only for the people who enter the Rafflecopter below! Your prize is a copy of the YA historical anthology I was lucky enough to be a part of, A Tyranny of Petticoats. The winner will get a signed, hardcover of the anthology, plus a special print designed for the book, plus something extra special that has to do with my upcoming novel, A World Without You that will come out in July! Open internationally, contest closes when the YA Scavenger Hunt closes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONTINUE THE HUNT

To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author!

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On Writing Violence

Today, I have to write a battle scene.

It necessary to the plot of the book. It's a story about war, and a war cannot be fought without a battle. And this particular battle is a turning point for my character, which means that I have make it hurt. Sacrifices will be made. I cannot sugarcoat this scene. It wouldn't be fair to the reader or the characters.

But before writing this scene, I got online. And saw the links to the terrorism attacks in Brussels.

And...I paused. I'd been plotting this scene in my head all morning, I knew just how I wanted to show it, which characters wouldn't make it and which would. But faced with the very real tragedy of Brussels--which, of course, reminded me of the other tragedies of terrorism and war throughout the world.

And suddenly this scene I wanted to write--needed to write--felt...wrong. There is so much violence in the world, real violence that has nothing at all to do with characters made of ink and paper. Part of my hesitation was in the fact that I didn't want to add more violence to an already violent world. Part of it was in the truth that I had not experienced this level of violence personally, what right did I have to tell a (fictional) version of anything so tragic?

It made me think--does the world need a book with more violence? But of course, the answer is yes. Because while my book takes place during a war, it's not about war. It's not about the violence either.

It's about surviving the violence and war and tragedy. It's about seeing the evils of the world and fighting anyway, with nothing more than the hope of a better world. It's about believing that you can make a difference, and that the price to make that difference is worthwhile.

Violence in real life is senseless and tragic and evil. Violence in fiction doesn't always have to be. Because the story I'm telling isn't about the story of war. It's not even the story of a soldier. It's the story of a person. And if I can show through fiction how wrong violence is, and that it's people who live through it and die by it, not random, faceless numbers, but people, then I have done what I can do with words to change the way the world is.

So I'm off to write my scene. And I write it with the knowledge of what's happened in the world, and the hope that one day, terrorism will only exist in ink and paper.

Attention Book Bloggers! How to Get Free Review Copies

Hey guys! I've got two books that are currently available for free to book bloggers! If you review books (even just on GoodReads or Amazon), you're welcome to sign up and try to get a copy--it costs you nothing but a second of time.

A World Without You is my first contemporary novel...but you guys know me, and I promise you it's weird and awesome and there's kissing but also a lot of tragedy and not everyone makes it out alive and maybe super powers are real and maybe they aren't, you have to figure it out for yourself.

It's about a boy who thinks he can travel through time, and he needs this power to save his girlfriend, trapped in the past. It's about a girl who thinks her brother is having mental delusions and is getting help at a school for emotionally disturbed kids. It's about the two of them--brother and sister--and the way their family is broken but also the way it's tied together.

It's a strange little book, but it's one of the most important things I think I've ever written, and I hope you like it.

TO REQUEST A REVIEW COPY OF A WORLD WITHOUT YOU, CLICK HERE.

My Paper Hearts series has also been selected for a short run on NetGalley, a program designed for reviewers to read copies for reviews. The first book, Paper Hearts: Some Writing Advice is currently available for download!

My Paper Hearts series came about because so many of my readers also wanted to be writers. You guys probably know my (ridiculously long) journey toward publication. These are the books I wish I'd had before I was published, and they're the result of answering questions, posting articles, and joining discussions in the lit community for the past five plus years.

The first volume is all about the craft of writing, and it's less straight-instruction and more philosophy and advice. Nothing in writing is a simple answer--there is no right way to write--but there are methods that may be able to help, and standards to the business if you're seeking publication.

TO REQUEST A REVIEW COPY OF PAPER HEARTS, VOLUME 1: SOME WRITING ADVICE, CLICK HERE.

A Tyranny of Petticoats: Girls Kicking Butt in America!

It's March, which is Women's History month! It's also the month that A Tyranny of Petticoats comes out! This awesome collection of short stories--edited by the amazing Jessica Spotswood--follows women in America throughout history in fifteen awesome short stories.

This is seriously a collection not to miss--the stories are simply fantastic. One thing that struck me was the way women have often been ignored throughout history, and yet they quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) get things done. My own story is about a teacher on the frontier in the Wild West, and there's no doubt that the women who took a similar role had an integral part in shaping the West and, indeed, all of America. We don't know their names, we only know their legacy.

One of my favorite quotes is by Virginia Woolf: "For most of history, Anonymous was a woman." Not every important person in history is remembered, and most of the ones who are forgotten are women.

• The author of the first novel in the world was a woman
• The first computer programmer was a woman
• The first orphanage in America was established by a woman
• Women fought in the American Revolution and the Civil War
• Women played an integral role in abolishing lynching and establishing civil rights
• Without a woman, Lewis & Clark would totally have died, let's be real
• The most badass pirate ever was a woman
• A woman could struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig
• A woman revolutionized India
• A woman used her skills as a runner to advocate for tribal peace
• A woman started a campaign to plant trees throughout Africa, affecting global environmentalism
• A woman's bravery changed the face of education for girls world-wide--despite the point-blank range bullet shot in her head by the Taliban in a failed effort to stop her 
• A woman helped shape Burmese history and democracy

How many of these women did you know? I have to admit--I learned a lot just by looking for more names to add to my ever-growing list of women to admire. And most of these women--despite changing the world--are forgotten. 

That's what I love so much about A Tyranny of Petticoats. While there are real-life women portrayed, it also shows the stories of women throughout history that are forgotten, nameless, but there. 

A Tyranny of Petticoats comes out March 8th, and if you pre-order from One More Page bookstore, you'll get a very limited edition print by Simini Blocker (which you can see to the left here). It's beautiful--don't miss out on this!