Wanderlove

By Kirsten Hubbard

Release Date: 03/13/12

Hardcover/e-book

352 pages

Book Description from Amazon:

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America–the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria’s a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan’s a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they’ve got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can’t run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry into this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

***ARC provided by publisher for review***

I am in LOVE with this book!

Bria Sandoval has given up her opportunity to go to art school and her passion in life, drawing.  Her ex-boyfriend Toby, who is also an artist, was very critical about her art and manipulative about their relationship.  After their breakup, Bria decides she needs a change in scenery.  She chops off her long hair into a cute short haircut and she signs up with two of her friends to go on a tourist vacation to South America.  Her friends end up backing out but Bria is determined to go alone.  On the plane she meets a Starling, who is also going to South America on a backpacking trip.  When Bria arrives at the airport in South America, she is greeted by her tour group, The Global Vagabonds, which include mostly old people.  The tour group does everything in groups and when Bria meets Starling again, she convinces her to ditch the Global Vagabonds and go backpacking with her and her step-brother Rowan.

After only a couple days together, Starling has to go back to her humanitarian job and she leaves Bria with Rowan, a reformed backpacking bad boy with a wild past.  Bria is hesitant at first because she doesn’t really know Rowan and he has made it clear that he doesn’t want her to travel with them.  But she would rather spend time with him than go back to her tour group.  At first, Bria and Rowan are very awkward with each other.  They only have short conversations and both of them refuse to talk about their past.  They travel to different cities by chicken bus and water taxies and stay in hostels.  Slowly they start to let each other see sneak peeks from their past. But can they get over their trust issues and let go of the past before Bria’s trip is over? (I don’t want to give too much away about Bria and Rowan’s relationship because that’s what makes the book so great!)

As I’ve said before, I am in LOVE with this book!  Wanderlove is one of those feel-good books that make you wish the story would go on and on.  After reading this book, I felt like if I had just gone on an adventure with Bria and Rowan.  Bria, Rowan and Starling were such great characters and I felt like I could relate to them.  What makes this book so great is the fact that you can tell the author has gone to these same places and lived these great adventures instead of just getting information from Google.  I LOVED the slow build up to Bria and Rowan’s relationship, it made it that much more rewarding that they didn’t immediately jump into anything and took their time.  Oh and Kirsten Hubbard includes some of her amazing drawings that go along perfectly with the book.  Some of the drawings include Starling, Rowan and Bria herself.  With her amazing storytelling and drawings, Kirsten Hubbard is one incredibly talented author and I can’t wait to read more books from her!

I read a review on Goodreads that stated that “if you are not the adventurous type and are not interested in traveling with a backpack, this book might not be for you.” I am SO not the adventurous type, I don’t even really like camping and would much rather stay in a hotel.  Still, this is one my all-time favorite books!  Yes I loved reading about Bria and Rowan’s backpacking adventures, but what I really enjoyed the most was the their character progression and the beautiful love story between them.  I would recommend this book to everyone, even if you have never thought about taking a backpacking trip.  If you want to take a mini-adventure but don’t have the time or money, then pick up this book and dive into the world of Wanderlove.

5 out of 5 sparkly stars!

***Some of my favorite non-spoiler quotes from Wanderlove***

-I would do the last thing anyone would expect me to do:  I would go anyway.  Cue inspirational music.

-I want to argue that they don’t know anything about me-I am impulsive.  Didn’t I steal away to Santa Lucia?  Sprint off in Chichicastenango?  Journey to Central America in the first place?  I even almost ate a street cart tamale!

-“Quanto queso?” I ask the vendor.

Rowan stares at me, obviously impressed by my Spanish fluency.  Except the fruit vendor is staring at me too.

“Oh,” Rowan says, starting to grin.  “You mean ‘Quanto cuesta?’”

“That’s what I-” I pause.  Oh no.  Oh God.  I totally asked, How much cheese?

-I watch him for a while, feeling sort of possessive.  Whatever Rowan’s been through in the years that separate us, now he’s just trying to be good.  It’s ironic, almost, that I’m trying to be the opposite.

-“Did I mention I love it when you talk about art?”

“You might have.”  I pull away clearing my throat.

-He’s shed his shirt.  I feel my breath catch, and this time.  I let it.

***Interview with Kirsten Hubbard***

1. Have you been to all the places that Bria visited in Wanderlove?

Yes. Well, a couple places in Wanderlove aren’t real places — but they’re based on real places I’ve been.

2. What are some major similarities and differences between you and Bria?

Let’s see. The way Bria feels about art is drawn upon my own feelings, one hundred percent. Her sense of humor’s pretty close to mine — I wrote what I thought was funny, and hoped you guys would too. She’s more daring than I was at her age. I wouldn’t have taken off abroad on my own. But in other ways, she’s more reserved than I am. I think I’m right in between Bria and Starling.

3. What is your all-time favorite place to visit?

Black Rock City, Nevada — the once-a-year city of dust and lights! Also, Caye Caulker, Belize is very dear to my heart.

4. Can you share a picture (of anything) from one of your recent trips?

Sure! I love photographing beach doggies. This one’s in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, from a couple weeks ago.

5. Traveling and drawing are such big factors in Wanderlove, how long have you been doing them?

I drew from the very beginning. I always thought I’d be an artist — so did my friends and teachers. The writing was secondary until I left for college, believe it or not!

I traveled some as a kid, but my first big trip was England, France and Spain the summer before my senior year of high school. It was a package tour group; I went along with some kids from my high school, but the rest of the tourists we met up with resembled a certain group in Wanderlove My first backpacking trip was six weeks in Central America at age 20, which is when I fell deeply, passionately in love with travel.

6. Might we ever get to read more about Bria?

*shifty eyes* I don’t think I’d write a sequel, but there are books I’d like to write about other characters in the book… who just might cross paths with Bria at some point.

7. If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?

Assuming things =/= people, or my dog… A tent. A bottle of Dr. Bronner’s. My laptop with a solar charger. Is that cheating?

8. I’m sure you’ve tried a lot of exotic foods, what is one food you would never eat?

Well, I’m a mostly vegetarian, and I haven’t eaten red meat in a decade. HOWEVER. This is because I have a choice. If the zombie apocalypse happened, I would eat anything. Except maybe that giant grub on that one disgusting episode of Man Versus Wild. It’s on youtube but I’m not linking it. You have been warned.

9. What is your guilty pleasure?

Coffee. I know, that’s boring. But it gives me migraines. Sometimes, I can’t resist.

Also, piercings. I have eight now! No tattoos.

10. What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

When I was nineteen years old, I worked at Hooters. True story.

11. What are you working on next?

Revisions for a YA speculative fiction book. Really! Also, the first few chapters of a couple books mentioned in Question Number Six. And a middle grade book, too.

Thanks so much!

***About the Author***

A travel writer and young adult author, KIRSTEN HUBBARD has danced in a Serbian nightclub (self-consciously), been slapped in the face by a Thai monkey, discovered all manner of alarming insects in hostel beds (including tarantulas), and greeted the sunrise from atop the highest temple at Guatemala’s Tikal ruins. She prefers backpacks over suitcases, takes sketchbooks on every trip, and has served as the Guide to Central America Travel for About.com since 2006. She is also the author of LIKE MANDARIN, available from Delacorte Press. When she’s not off wandering, she lives in San Diego. You can visit her website at kirstenhubbard.com.

After writing five novels for adults, I had an idea for a story which seemed more suited to a teenage readership. The prospect of trying my hand at a new kind of book for a different audience was very appealing – a change of tone, a fresh approach and so on – but it was the ideas behind the story and the main character’s situation that really drove me forward, more than a desire to switch markets.

2) Is there an author, living or dead, who inspired you particularly?

When I first started out as a writer in my early 20s, my main inspiration and influence was the Beat Generation novelist, Jack Kerouac – particularly his classic book, On the Road, which I read while I was backpacking around America. Most of my early fiction was a (pale) imitation of his style.

3) Please, tell us about your last book and, if you can, about your future
projects.

My most recent novel, Flip, is my first for teenagers and young adults. It tells the story of Alex, aged 14, who wakes up one morning to find that his soul (spirit, psyche, unconscious, or whatever you care to call it) has switched to the body of another boy, called Philip (or ‘Flip’, to his mates). Alex faces a life-and-death quest to find out what has happened and how, if at all, he can switch back . . . or be trapped forever in the wrong existence.

Currently, I’m working on the final revisions to another teen/YA novel about a 15-year-old girl, called Shiv, who goes off the rails after causing the death of her brother on holiday. It’s a cheery tale about loss, grief and guilt! I have to come up with a new title as my initial title, The Fallen One, is too close to The Fallen: 1, the first book in The Fallen series, published by my U.S. publisher.

4) How was your writing journey? Was it difficult to find an agent and get
published?

I wrote two unpublished novels (for adults) which, between them, received around 40 rejections from literary agents over a seven-year period. Then, after completing an MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, I sent the manuscript of my next novel, Acts of Revision, to an agent who had asked to see more after reading a synopsis and sample chapters. He then left that agency and never got back to me. I only discovered this when I phoned to ask what was happening and got put through to a colleague, who offered to rescue my manuscript from the pile the departed agent had left behind. He found the novel, read it and offered to represent me. Within ten days he’d got me a publishing deal.

Getting Flip published was a little more straightforward, as I already had a track record as a published author by then – and an agent. Although the agent for my adult novels doesn’t handle teen/YA fiction, he agreed to pass my manuscript to a colleague at the same agency who specialised in that market. She liked the novel, took it on, and found me a publisher.

5) What’s your opinion about this E-book revolution? Would you consider
the indie route?

To be honest, my eyes glaze over at the mention of eBooks. I don’t read them, I don’t own a Kindle or any kind of eReader, and I don’t really understand the complexities of the whole issue around electronic versus traditional publishing. I know I should be interested but I’m not!

As for going down the indie route, it’s not something I’ve given any thought to.

I’ve buried my head in the sand on all this, I suppose, but I’m hoping that my agents and/or editors will pull my head back out again at some point and make me stare the future in the face. (Or leave me buried and forget about me.)

6) Nowadays many publishers expect their authors to use social media a lot
to promote their books. Many authors, on the other hand, would prefer to
write only, without being distracted by digital trivialities: what are
your thoughts?

My writing time is squeezed enough already because of my family commitments and my part-time job as a creative-writing tutor, so I really try to ration the time I spend online.

My publishers strongly advised me to create my own website (with a blog) and sign up to Facebook ahead of the publication of Flip. It was essential, they said, for a teen/YA author to have an online and social network “presence”. So, I suppressed my Luddite instincts and did as I was told. In fact, most of my friends on FB aren’t teenage readers but fellow writers or men and women of my age – we all take turns to grumble about stuff. I do very little online promotion, really.

And I don’t tweet. If I ever tweet, please shoot me.

Info about the author:

Martyn Bedford’s first novel for teenagers and young adults, Flip, was published to critical acclaim in March 2011 by Walker Books in the UK and Random House in the U.S. and Canada. It was shortlisted for the Costa Book Award, longlisted for the Carnegie Medal and was a Red House Children’s Book Awards “Pick of the Year”. Martyn is also the author of five novels for adults which, between them, have been translated into 13 languages. He lives in West Yorkshire with his wife and two daughters and teaches creative writing at Leeds Trinity University College.

To know more, simply visit Martyn’s website: www.martynbedford.com

You can also find Martyn on Facebook at Martyn Bedford-Writer.

To buy his latest book, simply click on the cover below:

It’s all I ever read so I felt like it would be good for me. And it is. I’ve tried my hand at adult romance and though I enjoyed the story, YA is definitely where I feel most comfortable.

2) Is there an author, living or dead, who inspired you particularly?

To be honest, and without sounding cliche, Amanda  Hocking was the first Indie author I’d ever read and I didn’t even know a  market existed like that. It was definitely what sparked my interest…

3) Please, tell us about your last book and, if you can, about your future  projects.

The last book I released was the third in my Significance series, Defiance. My next book is the sequel to Devour. Clara and Eli are going to  travel to South America as they run from the Horde. And when Clara gets  sick, Eli must figure out what’s wrong with her. A sickness? Or something  supernatural…

4) How was your writing journey? Was it difficult to find an agent and get  published?

I tried for months to find an agent\publishing company and after many  generic turn downs, or try again laters, I decided to just see if something > would come of it if I did it on my own. It turns out, I’m doing alright.

5) What’s your opinion about this E-book revolution? Would you consider  the indie route?

I love the e-book revolution. since I’m an Indie myself, I can appreciate the need for such a thing. I remember having to figure out which  books I could buy because hardbacks\paperbacks are so expensive. When I discovered e-books and my little Kindle app on my phone, I was hooked! You  could buy 10 books for the price of one! Especially with the way the world  and the economy is going, having something be a little bit easier and more > readily at your fingertips for a steal is so important.

6) Nowadays many publishers expect their authors to use social media a lot to promote their books. Many authors, on the other hand, would prefer to >> write only, without being distracted by digital trivialities: what are  your thoughts?

I personally don’t understand an author who wouldn’t WANT to interact > with their readers. I’m on Facebook, Goodreads & Twitter everyday. And if  you think you can just throw your book out there and not promote yourself, not do giveaways, not respond to your readers, and still be successful,  then I’http://www.shellycrane.blogspot.com/m sorry, but you are sadly mistaken Plus, your readers are the  reason you can do what you do. Why would you not want to thank them?

Info about the author:

YA author of the paranormal series Significance, Collide and Devour. Shelly is also a mom to two boys and a wife to the best guy ever. Throw in a love for candy corn and paperbacks and you get her!

To know more about Shelly, please visit her social media:

 http://www.shellycrane.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.facebook.com/shellycranefanpage

 http://www.twitter.com/#!/AuthShellyCrane >>

To buy her latest book, simply click on the cover below:

1) Why young adult? Did you choose this genre or 

were you ‘chosen’ by it?

I think it chose me! The initial spark for

 A Witch in Winter came to me out of the blue as

a YA book.I have no idea why that genre because

my previous attempts at novels had all been for

adults. But right from that initial

seed, A Witch in Winter was clearly a

YA book with a teen protagonist.

I never considered writing it any other way.

2) Is there an author, living or dead, 

who inspired you particularly?

A Witch in Winter is influenced by lots of books

including Le Morte D'Arthur by Malory and Beowulf,

the author of which is unknown. One of the most fun things

 about researching the book was making up the spells and

researching witchcraft history and grimoires.

Lots of those texts found their way into A Witch in Winter

and its sequels - book two, A Witch in Love,

is strongly influenced by the Malleus Maleficarum,

which is a 15th century

witch-hunting manual by two dead Germans called

Jacob Sprenger and Heinrich Kramer. It's not a fun read though!

 3) Please, tell us about your last book and, if you can, about your future projects.

A Witch in Winter was my first book, and it came out in January 2012. It's
about a girl, Anna, who finds a spellbook and, for a joke, tries out a love
spell. She's not intending to think of anyone in particular but then a face
floats into her head unintentionally - the face of the school heart-throb
Seth. When she gets to school on Monday she finds that he's dumped his
girlfriend and he declares his undying love for her. Of course she can't
let him stay that way, so she returns to the book to try to take the spell
off. And that's when her troubles really begin...

My future projects are the two sequels to A Witch in Winter, called A Witch
in Love, and A Witch Alone. A Witch in Love is due out July 2012, and A
Witch Alone is due out January 2013. They follow Anna's journey as she
tries to find out more about her past and her power, and as she tries to
figure out the true nature of her bond with Seth. I'm wrapping up book
three now and it's quite a daunting task to bring three sheaves of plot
threads together in a satisfying way.

 4) How was your writing journey? Was it difficult to find 

an agent and get published? 
 Well I started out by subbing my book far too early! I basically wrote it
straight off the top of my head, corrected the spelling mistakes and then
sent it out to half a dozen agents. I quickly had quite a few requests for
the full, but an equal number of rejections followed, with some feedback.
This helped me to realise what a classic mistake I'd just made, and I then
spent a the best part of a year editing and tweaking and getting feedback
from friends and critique partners. Then when I felt I really couldn't bear
to re-read the thing another time, I resubmitted. This time I was picked up
very quickly and I signed with my now agent, Eve White, within a few weeks.
Together we prepared a submission package for the trilogy and the whole
thing was concluded within a month - which was fantastic, and fantastically
quick. I don't think my heart could have stood for much more suspense!

Hodder were amazing from day one - the editor sent me their offer inside a
real mocked up grimoire, all burnt and paint-spattered, just as I describe
in the book. I think from the moment I opened the package I knew they were
the ones!

 5) What’s your opinion about this E-book revolution? 

Would you consider the indie route?

Gosh - this is the $64k question really isn't it? I have a perspective on
it from two angles, as I also work within the industry (two days a week I'm
a publicist for the adult, literary division of Random House). I know, from
being within the machine, what a hugely powerful thing it is to have the
enthusiastic backing of a publisher, and I always knew that if I could get
that kind of advocacy for my own book, I wanted it. Having a whole team of
dedicated professionals all wanting to make your book the best it possibly
can be - that's a fantastic thing. And I value the input of my editor
hugely - I've had two, and they've each, unquestionably, made the books ten
times better than they started out. The books have emerged leaner and
meaner, and they've helped me take risks I might not have considered myself.

But that said, I fully understand why other writers choose to go it alone,
and I think the exciting part of this revolution is that there's no longer
one single route to getting a book to market.

6) Nowadays many publishers expect their authors to use 

social media a lot to promote their books. 

Many authors, on the other hand, would prefer to write only, 

without being distracted by digital trivialities: what are your thoughts?

Well, again, as a publicist, I am in two modes here! I personally don't ask
authors to use social media unless they want to. I think there's nothing
worse than someone tweeting joylessly away because they feel forced to - it
just doesn't work. It's like being at a party - you can always spot the
person who would rather be at home with a DVD and is just waiting for their
partner to drag themselves away and give them the car keys.

But, equally, there's likely to be another group of people having a
fabulous time over at the bar, who weren't really expecting to enjoy the
evening and who only came because their friend guilted them into it, and
are now thoroughly surprised what a good time they're having. I think a lot
of authors come to social media because they feel they ought to, and then
really enjoy the "watercooler" experience independent of any selling that's
going on. Half the writers I see on twitter are interacting with each
other, networking, having fun - which is all valuable for someone who
spends most of their day in front of a computer with only the cat to moan
to.

And finally there's the shameless socialite who has to be dragged away at
the end of the party, with the reminder that they've got a 9.00am breakfast
meeting and wouldn't an eighth tequila slammer be a bad idea?

Which is a roundabout way of saying, I enjoy social media but I think it's
most valuable if it's genuine rather than dutiful, and I don't feel guilty
about shutting it off if I need to get some work done. After all, it's the
books that really count. You can tweet all you want, but if the books are
more boring than your tweets, you're doing something wrong.

Info about the author:

Ruth Warburton grew up on the south coast of England in Lewes,
then studied English at the University of Manchester. There she developed a
fascination with Old English and Middle English texts and while researching
A Witch in Winter she found herself returning to them, in particular
Beowulf and Le Morte D'Arthur, and seeds from these mixed with ancient
Mesopotamian demons, Voodoo spells, Tudor superstitions and 15th century
witch-hunting guides, to create the Winter Trilogy.

Find out more at www.ruthwarburton.com
Follow her on twitter @ruthwarburton
Find her on facebook at www.facebook.com/ruthwarburtonwriter

To buy her latest book, simply click on the cover below:

1) Why young adult? 

Did you choose this genre or were you ‘chosen’ by it?

I guess it chose me. I didn't even think about it.

The story of Hunting Lila was the first idea for a book that ever came to me.
After seven YA novels I'm now writing an

adult novel though.Again the story leads

rather than making a conscious choice about writing

YA or Adult.

2) Is there an author, living or dead, 

who inspired you particularly? 
So many authors inspire me to write better. I am particularly in love with John
Green right now. I could read his books all day long. The development of character,
the beauty of his prose, the dialogue, the fact that he is always saying something
important...The fault in our stars has been my read of the year so far. I also love
the Australian writers Cath Crowley and Melina Marchetta. Maggie Stiefvater writes
poetic prose that I love to savour.  Among adult fiction writers I love David
Mitchell and I just read The Sisters Brothers by Patrick de Witt which blew me away.

3) Please, tell us about your last book and, if you can, about your future projects.

I've had a really hectic but brilliant year. Last summer Hunting Lila, my debut
novel, was published and it's doing really well. There's lots of Lila (and Alex)
love out there and it got snapped up by a cool production company so I'm tentatively
hoping one day it might be made into a movie! 

It's a thriller with a large amount of romance and steam. It's about a girl who gets
caught up in this fight between a group of people with mind powers and the
government unit chasing them. Throw in the murder of her mother and a hot love
interest in the form of Alex, her brother's best friend, and you have an idea of
what the book's about. 

In January my second book was released - Fated - which is about a kickass demon
slayer and the Shadow Warrior / half-human sent to kill her. It's darker and very
steamy. 

The sequel to Hunting Lila - Losing Lila - is released this coming August which I'm
also very excited about. 

I have exciting news beyond that, but I can't talk about it yet.

For more info on my books check my website. www.sarahalderson.com 

4) How was your writing journey? Was it difficult to find an agent and get published?

I have had an amazingly easy journey to getting published and still feel like I
somehow lucked out big time. I finished my book, sent out a dozen submissions, was
signed almost immediately and had a deal within about two months.

For all the details I've written my story here:

http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/1021080-my-story

5) What’s your opinion about this E-book revolution? Would you consider 

the indie route?

 I still sell the vast majority of my books in print but that's changing all the
time I would say as more people switch to e-readers. Living in Bali with no access
to book stores I admit to being a Kindle addict. I buy about three books a week on
it and I carry it everywhere. I still love proper books though. As for the indie
route I think people really underestimate the value of an editor and a copy-editor!
I would be lost without mine. They really do transform a good book into an
excellent one. Publishing houses also ensure distribution to the major bookstores
and I sell a lot of copies through places like Waterstones and Dymocks. I am so
grateful for my publisher and realise how lucky I am to have their support.

Having said that, publishers aren't in the business of taking risks, they're a
business, and a lot of amazing writers aren't getting picked up for whatever reason.
I write really fast (about 4 books a year) and my publisher can really only take on
two books a year max from me, so yes, I am considering the indie route for books
that I want to see published and which they are on the fence about. The figures
might not work for them but they work for me. I would not make the mistake though of
skipping the editor or copy-edit part. Just because it's indie is no excuse for it
to be worse quality.

6) Nowadays many publishers expect their authors to use social media a lot to 

promote their books. Many authors, on the other hand, would prefer to write only, 

without being distracted by digital trivialities: what are your thoughts?

I'm a social media addict as anyone who follows me on Twitter will know. I totally
agree with publishers expecting their authors to use social media. It's the future.
Readers, especially younger ones, expect to be able to reach out and connect
instantly with their favourite authors. And it's a great buzz when someone you
admire responds to you. I still squeal when an author I adore tweets me back. Also,
I really enjoy engaging with people who love books...I get recommendations all the
time. It's brilliant. And I really feel like I have made some great connections with
bloggers and fans. It makes me really happy. I don't do it because I have to. I do
it because I really love it.

On the other hand it is a huge distraction...I will grant you that. I'm forever
checking Facebook and Twitter when I should be writing but then again, it's all part
of the job. I accept that.

Info about the author: Sarah finished her first novel 'Hunting Lila' right

after having left the UK for Bali, where she settled with her husband and daughter.

She is currently working on several

exciting new book projects and screenplays.

To know more about her, please visit her website: http://sarahalderson.com/

To buy her latest book, simply click on the cover below:

I have always read Young Adult books, so writing in that genre just seemed
natural to me. I still feel connected to the young characters. Whether they
are falling in love for the first time or learning something about
themselves such as discovering their weaknesses or strengths. They still
resonate with me. Sometimes it’s a reminder of what I felt at a certain
age. Others it’s a mirror image of something I’m feeling in the present.

2) Is there an author, living or dead, who inspired you particularly?
I can’t say that there is any one author who has inspired me. There are
numerous authors who inspire me on a day to day basis. I’m always finding
new authors that I love for different reasons. I do have some favorites
though, Anne Rice being one of them.

3) Please, tell us about your last book and, if you can, about your future projects.

The last book I released was a Young Adult Paranormal Romance titled Marked
(Marked Duology Book 1). It’s about a seventeen-year-old girl who has a
birthmark with a hidden meaning, falls for a boy she should probably stay
away from, and survives an animal attack that changes her life forever.
I’m currently working on the finishing touches of the sequel, Changed
(Marked Duology Book 2). It will be released on May 21.

4) How was your writing journey?

My journey was full of ups and downs just like most authors. I was (and
still am) a stay at home mom of two children who wrote during nap time and
early in the morning. In 2010, after querying for months for a YA
Paranormal Romance project of mine I got an idea for something completely
different. Something so different for myself that I didn’t even know the
type of genre it fell into. This was when I sat down and wrote Shattered
Soul. A novel that I later found out to be YA Contemporary. I wrote
Shattered Soul in three months from start to finish. I sent query after
query and the rejections just kept filling up my inbox. Around September of
2010 I hit an all time low with my writing and began thinking of it as a
hobby or pass time until my daughter became old enough to start
kindergarten and I could begin looking for work outside of the home. I
stopped querying and also stopped writing for a few months.

In December my husband bought me a Kindle for Christmas and that was a
pivotal point for me. I read a book called Hollowland by an author I’m sure
you’ve all heard of, Amanda Hocking. I enjoyed the book and went online to
find out more about her books, that was when I learned she was
self-published. It was like a light bulb went off. Now, mind you, I had
thought of self-publishing a few years before this but the site that I
looked at charged you for self- publishing with them so I immediately ruled
it out. But this, this was different. I began to buy How To books on
self-publishing and researching authors in the top spots on my Kindle to
see which were self-published and which weren’t.

May 14th 2011 I took the plunge. I self-published Shattered Soul and
haven’t looked back since. I currently have three titles out with a fourth
coming soon. Sales have began increasing. It was slow to start, but lately
things have been mind blowing for me. In February of this year I sold more
copies of my books than May- December of 2011 combined. This is a big
achievement for me and I am eternally grateful to every new reader who
finds me.

5) What’s your opinion about this E-book revolution?

I think it’s wonderful. It’s definitely changing the way things work in the
publishing industry. I’m not saying that the traditional route is becoming
obsolete, but I am saying that as a writer we now have more options for
ourselves.

6) Nowadays many publishers expect their authors to use social media a lot to promote their books.
Many authors, on the other hand, would prefer to write only, without being distracted by
digital trivialities: what are your thoughts?
I enjoy connecting with other authors and especially my readers. I try to
stay active on Twitter and post on my blog a few times a week. As with
anything else in life I believe there has to be a balance.

Info about the author:

A girl who loves the color green, hates milk, likes it when her nail polish chips because it gives
her nails more character, enjoys peanut butter on pancakes, and daydreams often. She writes YA contemporary and
paranormal romance fiction.
To know more about her, please visit her blog: http://jennifersnydersblog.blogspot.com
To buy her latest book, simply click on the cover below:

THE DANCE

by Barbara Alfaro

You, breathless turn inside the dance

have asked before is he the one?

Is this only your new romance?

You, breathless turn inside the dance

of destiny, karma, and chance.

Another song has just begun.

You, breathless turn inside the dance

have asked before is he the one?

Info about the author:

Barbara Alfaro is a nice lady, living in the States (Maryland) with what I think is the cutest dog ever (I have a soft spot for animals, I can’t help it).

She’s the author of “Mirror Talk,” a memoir about a Catholic girlhood and working in theatre, a book of poems called “Singing Magic,” and a collection of plays titled “The Sirius Interview & Other Short Plays.”

Excerpts from all three books appear on her blog.

Each book is available on Amazon.com or can be directly purchased on her blog: http://barbara-alfaro.blogspot.com.

She’s the winner of a Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award for her play “Dos Madres” and her poems have been published in various literary journals.
Her favorite authors are Charlotte Bronte and Charles Dickens and her favorite filmmakers are Woody Allen and the Coen brothers. She lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with her husband Victor and our neurotic miniature poodle mix Pip (the cute dog I’ve mentioned at the beginning of this blurb). She’s a native New Yorker who misses that shiny city of dreams. To buy her latest book, simply click on the covers below;

I was chosen by it! As a mom, K-8 school library assistant, and author, I

read everything from picture books to young adult so it feels natural to me
to write young adult. Choosing first person, present tense for Mercy Lily
also felt very natural for this particular story. It’s such an intimate
story, using that point-of-view allowed me to get the emotions on the page.
Writing it was intense at times and I knew I was on the right track.

2) Is there an author, living or dead, who inspired you particularly?

So many authors! It’s hard to choose! Mary E. Pearson, Lisa Schroeder,

Kashmira Sheth…just to name a few young adult authors who inspire me.
Their writing styles are beautiful and they’ve all carved out nice careers
for themselves and are just nice people. I’m lucky to consider them friends
and comrades, too.

3) Please, tell us about your last book and, if you can, about your future
projects.

Mercy Lily – Sixteen-year-old Lily’s roles as veterinary assistant and

daughter blur when her terminally ill mother seeks a compassionate end to
her suffering.

Mercy Lily is my first young adult novel and the story itself stems from

questions I had about life, death, quality of life, and coping with loss. It
is a book that I opened many veins for and I hope readers enjoy it as a
story, but also hope that it creates dialogue about the premise of death
with dignity and the life and death choices people in our society face
today.

Even though Mercy Lily is a young adult novel, it has found an adult

audience and I’m glad for that crossover market. I’ve heard from several
mothers and daughters who have read it and passed it on to other family
member as well. It’s opened up discussions about quality of life, death, and
individual wishes, and that is such a rewarding thing for me. I wanted to
reach young adults because they are the future and will have a voice on such
important topics in the near future. Plus, I hope the story is something
they will look back on and remember when they have their first experience
with death and it will offer some perspective and comfort. Overall, the
novel is a realistic, contemporary work of fiction and has a
thought-provoking premise, but it’s a family sage with lots of light moments
and humor sprinkled throughout.

I’m working on several things that I’m excited about and I have several

queries, proposals, and pitches out to a few agents and editors right now.
My middle grade novel, tentatively titled, Dream, is a fantasy/magical
realism story full of dilemmas, humor, and heart, and lends itself to a
series very well, so fingers crossed there! I’m also taking notes and
writing tidbits of scenes for another YA novel that’s been brewing in my
brain for some time. It’s a medical thriller romance drama set in the not so
distant future. I also have a several nonfiction projects in the works.

4) How was your writing journey?

I’ve always loved to read and write, but I began writing seriously with an

eye toward publication in 1996 when I joined the Society of Children’s Book
Writers & Illustrators. I spent several years reading books on craft,
attending conferences, and being an active member in critique groups before
I really began submitting my fiction. I wrote several articles on the craft
of writing for the Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market and received
my first nonfiction book contract from Enlsow Publishers in 2005. My books
for Enslow include a biography on Newbery Award winning author, Lois Lowry,
the very first published biography on mega-popular author of the Twilight
saga, Stephenie Meyer, and a book on getting into the acting business. I was
working on my fiction all the while I was writing and publishing the
nonfiction titles, plus I have a day job and a family, so it can be a
juggling act but I love it!

5) What’s your opinion about this E-book revolution? Would you consider
the indie route?

It’s not something I’m planning on at this time but I won’t discount it for

the future. I have several friends who are finding great success and
readership going Indie and that’s what it’s all about.

6) Nowadays many publishers expect their authors to use social media a lot
to promote their books. Many authors, on the other hand, would prefer to
write only, without being distracted by digital trivialities: what are
your thoughts?

I have to have a balance so I’m using Facebook, Goodreads, and blogs such as

this one to put my time and energy. I’m on Twitter but don’t use it
regularly. Being hyper-connected is somewhat intimidating for me so I really
pick and choose based on my comfort level. I had to cut back on blogging on
LiveJournal but I’d like to get back to that. Writing has to come first for
me.

Info about the author:

After many years of mud pies, skinned knees, sibling rivalry, crushes, boyfriends and heartbreaks, Lisa got serious and penned her first novel when she was sixteen. She received her first rejection letter when she was eighteen. It was from Cosmopolitan Magazine. She still has it!

Her young adult novel, Mercy Lily, debuted from Flux October 2011. It’s received a number of very nice review.

Along with publishing fiction, she has written three nonfiction books for Enslow Publishing. Lois Lowry: The Giver of Stories & Memories(2007) , So You Want to Be a Film or TV Actor? (2008), andStephenie Meyer: Author of the Twilight Saga (2009).

To know more about Lisa, please visit her website: http://www.lisaalbert.com

To buy her latest book, simply click on the cover below:

I definitely chose this genre because it’s what fit my personality. I’m so freaking
immature, silly and not a grown up- that I couldn’t fathom trying to write books for
them! lol

2) Is there a children’s/ya author, living or dead, who inspired you particularly?

To be completely honest, there isn’t anyone who inspired me before I started writing
my books. But there are people who inspire me NOW as I move forward and try to grow
as a writer/storyteller. Colleen Hoover (the Slammed series) & Rachel Higginson
(Star-Crossed series) to name a couple.

3) Please, tell us about your last book and, if you can, about your future projects.

I just released Chance Encounters. It’s a story about following your heart- and what
happens when you think your life is perfectly wonderfully, until you meet that
person that throws it all out of whack! It’s an honest love story about how
difficult life can be sometimes.

And then I literally went through In Dreams (my debut novel) and rewrote the entire
thing. The story didn’t change- the order of the story didn’t change- but there was
a ton of exposition and “head hopping” that needed to be addressed. I tried to let
it go and chalk it up to it simply being my first book that I didn’t have
professionally edited- but that wasn’t good enough for me. I couldn’t stop obsessing
about the shape it was in and I would cring when someone said they were about to
read it. I took out most of the exposition and replaced it with dialogue. I
addressed the majority of the head hopping issues, but I’ll admit- I like the
varying points of view at times, so I left some of it in. But i’m happy to say that
the book is in MUCH better shape than it was before. And I sincerely hope it helps
people enjoy the story more.

Right now i’m working on the follow up to In Dreams- which actually takes place in
the past. In Dreams hints at the idea of reincarnation and past lives, so Before the
Dreams is a one of those lifetimes. It’s going to be so cool. And sad. lol

4) How was your writing journey? Was it difficult to find an agent and get
published? + 5) What’s your opinion about this E-book revolution? Would you consider
the indie route?

I couldn’t get an agent for the life of me! I tried- oh, did I try. And at first I
chalked “self publishing” up to failing. But I can’t even begin to tell you how
happy I am that it all worked out the way it did. Self publishing, while a TON of
work, is the most rewarding, gratifying and humbling experience. I love the control
I have over my content, my story, my designs, my release dates and my prices.

6) Nowadays many publishers expect their authors to use social media a lot to
promote their books. Many authors, on the other hand, would prefer to
write only, without being distracted by digital trivialities: what are your thoughts?

I have a twitter account and a facebook fan page. I admit that I barely ever tweet.
It’s just not as personal in my opinion. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my facebook page because
my actual readers find me there! And that’s who I want to talk to. That’s whose
opinions I want. The whole social media aspect IS very time consuming. And all the
time you are doing things like that, you are aren’t writing- it’s hard to find the
balance. But, I enjoy meeting, talking to and getting to know my readers. So it’s
all worth it to me.

Info about the author:

Jenn is a woman who can’t be defined or put into some little box with labels and categories. she might be a mom, but it’s not all she is. She might love Taco Bell to ridiculous levels, but that’s not all she loves. She might like the foam in her Chai Tea Latte more than she likes the Chai itself, but that’s … well, that’s just weird. She is definitely weird. As a whole though, She’s pretty undefineable. At least, that’s how she feels

To know more about her and her work, please visit her website:  http://www.j-sterling.com/

To buy her latest book, simply click on the cover below:

A little of column A, a little of column B. I was originally interested in writing Middle Grade books, and had a number of manuscripts ready to follow up my first published novel Attack of the Intergalactic Soul Hunters. The publisher, Llewellyn, told me they were no longer interested in Middle Grade because it didn’t sell very well. They were, however, about to launch a Young Adult imprint named Flux. Did I have anything written in that age range, they asked. Of course, I replied, knowing full well I did not. Then I took one of my Middle Grade manuscripts, raised the age of my main characters by about three years and sent it in to them. That book became Epoch, my first YA novel.
After that, I figured YA was the best genre for me to start building an audience with. By the time of Epoch’s publication, I had several young adult stories in mind. It was an adjustment, but a good one. I realized I have a lot to say regarding adolescence and high school, and the stories keep coming.

2) Is there an author, living or dead, who inspired you particularly?

Ooh, let’s see… Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett and Robert Rankin would be the top three on my list. Thanks to them, I learned how much fun words can be.

3) Please, tell us about your last book and, if you can, about your future
projects.

My most recent novel, The Cupid War, was released last August to much Internet acclaim (and I’ll pause here to offer up a great big thank you to every person who reviewed it, blogged about it, rated it or recommended it. You are all awesome). It’s the story of a teen boy named Fallon, and it begins with his death.
In life, Ricky Fallon was a depressed teenager desperate to escape his smothering friend Susan Sides. After accidentally falling to his death, he becomes something more. Fallon joins those responsible for spreading love to the living – the Cupids. But the afterlife isn’t like a box of chocolates. Fallon must deal with an obnoxious leader while fighting the Cupids’ enemies – the Suicides. If that weren’t enough, Fallon discovers that his former friend Susan just might be the deadliest being on either side of life. When Fallon meets Trina Porten, a teenage girl with a psychic gift, he makes a valuable ally among the living. Together, they must convince the Cupids of the threat Susan poses before Susan discovers the full extent of her power.

For my current writing project, I’m having a go at the whole vampires-in-high-school craze. I’m not one to jump onto someone else’s bandwagon, but I will point and laugh at that bandwagon as it goes past! I’m about two-thirds of the way through the first draft and having a lovely time.
I’m also pulling together some ideas for another middle-grade novel. I’ve been developing a character for several years now, and I think his time has come.

4) How was your writing journey? Was it difficult to find an agent and get
published?

Yes it was. And then suddenly it wasn’t. I began my search for a publisher back in 1991 and received many form rejection letters, but managed to get a few short stories printed. I thought I’d struck gold in 1994 when I submitted a novel to a brand new publishing company that a friend had told me about. They gave me a contract and everything, and it seemed too good to be true. Because it was. They dropped the deal when they realized real money would be required to actually publish something.
I kept writing, and my stories got better. I encountered some publishing scam artists, and learned what “Share The Risk” means. I published more stories, even got into screenwriting for a very brief period, and continued to produce novel-length fiction. Then, I finished work on what would become Attack of the Intergalactic Soul Hunters, and had it accepted by the first publisher I submitted it to! A year later, my first novel was published and in stores across North America. The process was nowhere near as simple as I’m making it out to be (they wanted substantial rewrites, for one thing), but that’s basically how it happened.
As for landing an agent, well, that happened with the publication of Epoch. When I had the contract in hand, I asked my publisher to name for me some agents that they’d worked with, then I contacted those agents and eventually chose one of them. He helped me negotiate the contract, and would go on to get me two more novel deals with Flux. Sadly, he retired from the agenting business, and I am once again on my own.

5) What’s your opinion about this E-book revolution? Would you consider
the indie route?

Nah. This eBook thing is just a fad. Give it a year and print will make a strong comeback.
Ha, ha! Seriously, I will absolutely consider going E. In fact I already have one novel published in ebook format – Closets, from SynergEbooks – and my three YA titles are available now as downloads. I plan on taking a look at many other ePublishers – including the Amazon option – in the near future.

6) Nowadays many publishers expect their authors to use social media a lot
to promote their books. Many authors, on the other hand, would prefer to
write only, without being distracted by digital trivialities: what are
your thoughts?

Again, columns A & B. I’ve had a lot of fun with social media lately, gaining friends/followers and posting pictures and other content to my blogs. It can be a bit of a distraction from my novel writing, if I let it.
There is an expectation from publishers that authors will use the Internet to sell millions of books. Some publishers and even agents have gone so far as to tell new authors not to bother with writing a book until they have a sizable online presence. It’s as if they think that social media sites are a kind of electronic magic, capable of creating an instant readership. The Internet can be used for building an audience, yes, but it’s hardly something you can do over the weekend. I’ve been at it now for many years, blundering away and making mistakes and taking advice when and where I can. It’s slow going, but I’m getting there.
Developing an online presence can and will help an author get the word out about themselves and their work, no question. Leaving an author with the sense that their book’s success or failure depends entirely on their social media efforts is both short-sighted and crazy. For the best chance of success, an author and his publisher need to work together.
Info about the author: 

Timothy Carter is a writer of far-fetched fiction for young adults and the young at heart (and mind). Born in England during the week of the final lunar mission, he has a great love of outer space and tea. Timothy is the author of The Cupid War, Epoch, Evil?, Closets, Section K, and Attack of the Intergalactic Soul Hunters. He lives and writes in Toronto with his wife and cats.

To know more about Timothy, please visit his Social Media:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TimothyCarterAuthor
http://worldsoftim.blogspot.com/
http://www.timothycarterworld.com/
http://twitter.com/#!/TimothyCarterAu
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=344169026145

To buy his latest book, simply click on the cover below: