THE DREAM THIEVES AND ORLEANS GIVEAWAY AND ASK THE EXPERT INTERVIEW

Happy Monday! I'm SO excited for tomorrow. Because I get to meet Shannon Messenger, author of KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES, EXILE, and LET THE SKY FALL. I've been following her blog forever and can't believe she's coming to Ann Arbor. For anyone in the area, she'll be doing a YA panel discussion with authors Andrew Smith, Sonya Sones, Brittany Geragotelis, and Lauren Barnholdt on October 1 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. This event is sponsored by Literati Bookstore and will be at the Ann Arbor District Downtown Library in the multi-purpose room. I can't wait!

I also want to let you know that I may not be stopping by as many blogs this week. My in-laws are coming for a week visit tonight. So I need to spend my time with them (except for tomorrow night) instead of being on the computer. Hope you understand.

Next I have some winners to announce.

The winner of CASSAFIRE is WANDA!

The winner of CASSASTORM is SHERRY ELLIS!

The winner of ALL OF YOU is NATASHA D!

The winner of THE TOWN THAT DISAPPEARED is BARBARA WATSON!

And the winner of the Stuck in a Good Book Giveaway Hop is MISTI who picked THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT!

Congrats! E-mail me your address so I can send you your book. Please e-mail me by the end of Wednesday or I'll have to pick another winner.

Today I’m thrilled to have Audra here to share her advice for my ASK THE EXPERT series. She’s a 6th grader who is an avid reader and likes to write.

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself, your school, and what you like to read.

I live in Ferndale, Michigan and attend an elementary school that goes up to 6th grade, so I’m not in middle school yet. This year I have two teachers, Mr. Williamson and Ms. Zold. I love nature, even though I live in the city. I love catching frogs and newts and playing in the woods. My favorite animals are foxes, cats, squid and octopi. I love to read fantasy. In the month of March, reading month, I read more than 7,000 pages. I want to go to the University of Michigan after high school and study Chemistry.


2. I love to read fantasy too. And wow! That’s a lot of reading in one month. How do you find out about the books you read? What about new books coming out?

Normally I just look for books at the library and I usually find something. I like to go to the new fiction book shelf display first. The librarians sometimes put books aside for me that they think I may be interested in reading. It has been a while since there have been new books, I think they should really get more books, fantasy books.

3. Awesome your librarian sets aside books for you. Too bad they aren’t getting much new in. What are you reading now? What books are you waiting to be released?

I am reading The Candymakers right now. I just finished reading Little Women, Little Men, and Jo’s Boys. I wanted to read Little Women after seeing the play with a friend. I don’t look for books to come out unless they are part of a really interesting series.

4. I loved Little Women when I was a kid. Do you buy most of your book or get them at the library? How often do go to a bookstore?

I get most of my books at the library because it’s only two blocks from my house. I have a library card and it is more convenient to use it than to buy books. I only go to the book store about eight times a year. If there is new book that I really, really want from an interesting series that isn’t at the library yet, I will go to the bookstore.

5. I’d SO love to live two blocks from a library. You are so lucky! I know you also write and are part of a writing fiction club at school. Tell us about what you like to write and about the writing club. 

In fifth grade a parent of a boy in my grade, who is an editor and writer, volunteered to work with a group of kids interested in writing. Once a week for about half an hour we met and discussed writing the story with a focus on details and dialogue and a climax. We wrote a story that was realistic fiction, but mine was so mystical it was almost fantasy. My story is called The Summer Moon. It is about a girl name Luna and her friend, Leila, who discover a secret room and a mysterious note, and then they are off on an adventure.


6. Your story sounds good. And you did a great job summarizing it in one sentence. Many writers, including me, struggle with that. Has your writing influenced what you like to read at all and if so, how?

Actually, I think my reading has influenced my writing. I read tons of fantasy so my writing has edge of fantasy in it.

7. My reading influenced what I write too. And like you I love writing and reading fantasy. Has your teacher recommended any blogs or websites to your class or to you?

In sixth grade we are making our own BLOGS that we will update three times a week and hopefully that will be good, but no, she hasn’t recommended any websites yet (school is just getting started).


8. That’s so cool you’re starting a class blog. Are there things your favorite authors could do that would make you more likely to visit their website, their blog, or become a fan on Facebook?

I think authors should add games that are like you’re in the book so you can experience the book in a virtual way.


9. That’s a great idea. Have any authors visited your school? Who? Is there anything you’d recommend that an author do to make their presentation more interesting to you and other kids at your school?

Yes, Johnathan Rand, author of Michigan Chillers and American Chillers has visited my school. Authors could make their speeches more fun by acting out skits from the book and calling kids up to help.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Audra. Good luck with your writing and reading.

So I’ve got two ARCs to give away today. First is THE DREAM THIEVES, the second book in The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater, one of my favorite authors.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

The second installment in the all-new series from the masterful, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater!

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after...

I enjoyed that we got to know way more about Ronan, his mysterious dreams, and his family life. One of the things I loved about THE RAVEN BOYS was the complex characters and I felt the focus on Ronan in this story was showing us more of how Maggie Stievfater creates such amazing characters.

There is still the hunt for Glendower and problems in Cabeswater now that the ley lines have been woken. And we get to meet fascinating new characters like Mr. Grey and see more of Blue’s mom and her aunts. I really loved learning more about them, especially her mom.

There were some very sweet scenes between Blue and Gansey. My only complaint is that I want more! I loved the new twists to the story and I can’t wait to see where the next book in the series takes us.

The other ARC m giving away is ORLEANS. It’s a dystopian story that I’ve heard great things about, but just don’t have time to read right now.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

First came the storms.
Then came the Fever.
And the Wall.

After a string of devastating hurricanes and a severe outbreak of Delta Fever, the Gulf Coast has been

quarantined. Years later, residents of the Outer States are under the assumption that life in the Delta is all but extinct… but in reality, a new primitive society has been born.

Fen de la Guerre is living with the O-Positive blood tribe in the Delta when they are ambushed. Left with her tribe leader’s newborn, Fen is determined to get the baby to a better life over the wall before her blood becomes tainted. Fen meets Daniel, a scientist from the Outer States who has snuck into the Delta illegally. Brought together by chance, kept together by danger, Fen and Daniel navigate the wasteland of Orleans. In the end, they are each other’s last hope for survival.

Sherri L. Smith delivers an expertly crafted story about a fierce heroine whose powerful voice and firm determination will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

So there will be two winners. Thanks to Scholastic and Penguin for providing these ARCs. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment about Audra's interview and telling me which book you want (no guarantees) through October 12th. I’ll announce the winner on October 14th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, please leave it in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. You must be 13 or older to enter. International entries are welcome. But there will be no more than one international winner due to postage costs.

Here’s what’s coming up:

On Thursday I’m interviewing Meagan Spooner as part of her SHADOWLARK blog tour. This is the second book in her Skylark dystopian series. I can’t wait to read this and have Meagan share with us all. And there will be a giveaway of both SKYLARK and SHADOW LARK. Hurry to enter because one contest ends October 6th and the other ends October 9th.

Next Monday I’m interviewing debut author Mindy McGinnis and giving away an ARC of her YA post-apocalyptic story NOT A DROP TO DRINK about a world with little water. I loved that this was a really character driven story that had a contemporary feel to it.

The Monday after that I’m interviewing Jenny Lundquist and giving away an ARC of THE PRINCESS IN THE OPAL MASK, a YA fantasy about a girl forced to always wear a mask. This was a fantastic story that kept me up into the wee hours of the night.

Tuesday that week I’m participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop. There have been lots of great new releases this Fall and I’ve got lots of great book choices for you.

And Wednesday that week, I’m super excited to feature Tu Publishing books. This is a fantastic publishing house that publishes fantasy and sci-fi middle grade and picture book stories that are multicultural. I’ll be giving away THE MONSTER IN THE MUDBALL, a fun middle grade adventure, WOLF MARK, a YA paranormal story, and CAT GIRL’S DAY OFF, a YA urban fantasy.


And don't forget our Tuesday Tips and Casey's Thursday agent spotlights.

Hope to see you on Thursday!