Friday, December 3, 2010

Winter Extravaganza: Beth Revis




Beth Revis is the author of Across the Universe.

SUMMARY:
Amy is a cryogenically frozen passenger aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed. She expects to wake up on a new planet, 300 years in the future. But fifty years before Godspeed's scheduled landing, Amy's cryo chamber is unplugged, and she is nearly killed. Now, Amy is caught inside an enclosed world where nothing makes sense. Godspeed's passengers have forfeited all control to Eldest, a tyrannical and frightening leader, and Elder, his rebellious and brilliant teenage heir. Amy desperately wants to trust Elder. But should she? All she knows is that she must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets before whoever woke her tries to kill again. (Publishes on January 11, 2011.)

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How does it feel being a debut author and knowing your book will be on the shelves really soon?

AMAZING. Recently I had my birthday, and when I went to blow out the candles, I realized I had nothing left to wish for--the wish I'd been making for over a *decade* had finally come true!

What were your first thoughts about the beautiful cover of your book?

I loved the boy--I was afraid the cover would only show Amy, but half the book is Elder's. I was also glad that his skin was darker (albeit partially from shadow) since Elder is multi-ethnic.

If you were Amy, and awoke on the Godspeed earlier than planned, how would you react?

I think I would cry a lot more! It takes a lot for me to cry--but that is one situation where I think my only reaction would be tears! Overall, I think Amy's pretty brave--she does break down sometimes, but she's primarily brave. I hope eventually I would find that kind of courage.

Where did you come up with the brilliant idea of Across the Universe?

AH! I can't tell you--because the entire novel started with the twist. I came up with the end first, then built everything--the world, the characters, etc.--in order to make the ending be believable.

What do you imagine winter will be like 100 years from now?

I think it will be much colder. The world cycles in terms of temperatures, and although global warming is a threat, overall I think our climate will shift to a much colder area. Other than that, I hope that 100 years from now, winter is still a time of holidays and festivals and growing closer to our friends and family.

Imagine being trapped outside during a blizzard. What the heck would you do first?

Whip out my brand new smart phone, turn on GPS, and find the closest shelter!

I saw you loved to travel. If you could visit any three countries for a winter vacation, what would they be and why?

Oh, wow...that would be awesome. I'd go first to Egypt--I've always wanted to see the pyramids, and a cruise down the Nile sounds nice and warm. Then I'd switch it up and go to Germany, home of the Christmas trees. I've got a picturesque idea of what Germany would look like in Christmas--snow and thick coats and icicles and warm fires. Finally, I'd go to Greece--it's warm and beautiful and just sounds relaxing.

What are your favorite things to eat and drink during the holiday season?

Peppermint cho-coffee! I made this drink up myself: first, I pour hot chocolate powder in the bottom of a mug, then pour hot hot hot coffee on top of that. Stir it all together, and then drop one or two peppermint candies into the drink. YUM!

Thanks Beth, for spending the time to answer my questions and sharing about your debut book and winter!

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PRE-ORDER THIS BOOK ONLINE: Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes and Noble | Borders

FIND BETH ONLINE: Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

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*Remember, you can get an entry into the comment contest by leaving a valid comment about this interview! Full rules, entering, and details by clicking that link.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Winter Extravaganza: Sarah Ockler




Sarah Ockler is the author of Twenty Boy Summer and Fixing Delilah.

SUMMARY: Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart. She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her "boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition. Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again? Rich with emotion, Sarah Ockler delivers a powerful story of family, love, and self-discovery. (Published on December 1, 2010.)

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What was your initial reaction to the beautiful cover of Fixing Delilah, and did you have any input in its creation?

When I first saw the cover, I was totally surprised! I loved it! We had a different cover on the ARC, and the new one was such a departure. I simply adore the paper dolls -- the image (especially the torn piece) really captures the family elements of the story. Finding the right cover for a book is so tricky, and after I shared some early thoughts on the imagery and symbolism in the story, my publisher went through a lot of different images and cover mockups until they found the perfect fit for
Fixing Delilah.

What part of your book did you enjoy writing the most?

I really enjoyed developing the relationships between the women in Fixing Delilah. I don't have sisters, and I grew up with a dad and uncles and brothers and tons of boy cousins, so it was really
challenging and fun for me to explore the dynamics between Delilah, her mother, and her aunt and to imagine the intense love, the rivalry, the ups and downs that lots of girls and women experience in their families. Of course, I'm not going to lie... it was pretty fun to
write the love scenes between Delilah and Patrick, too! ;-)

Describe Delilah in three words?

Reckless. Independent. Lovable.

What do you hope readers will take away with them?

At one point in the story, Delilah thinks, "I wonder how much we don't see. How much of our lives we witness and accept as truth when the rest of the iceberg -- the heaviest, bulkiest part -- is buried and invisible." I hope that readers will come away from Fixing Delilah with an understanding that there is an entire world inside each of us -- our secrets, our hopes and fears, our dreams and wishes, our mistakes and shame, our life experiences. We can never know everything about another person, but we can assume that we have this in common: we're all capable of screwing up, and we're all capable of immense love. I especially hope that moms and daughters remember that and come away from Delilah's story with a new appreciation for one another, even when things aren't perfect.

Do you have any family holiday traditions?

Every Christmas my mother gets us matching PJs -- she and I usually end up with something similar or even identical and girly, and then my dad, my husband, and my two brothers end up in some variation on the same boy-theme. The thing is, we're not allowed to wear the PJs to bed. We have to put them on Christmas morning so they look all nice for pictures. We've been doing this since we were kids, so sometimes my brothers and I will trade PJs just to mix it up, or my dad will put on a Santa tie to really bring the whole ensemble together. Yes, it's totally embarrassing, but I love it anyway! Here's a pic of me and mom last Christmas in our fuzzy PJs that make us look like giant marshmallow peeps! Who knows what this year will bring?!

What's on your Christmas list this year?

Aside from those new PJs, I'm hoping for... books! What else? ;-)

Do you have a pile of books ready to dig into during the holiday season, and if yes what are they?

During the holidays, I always get into a paranormal mood. I just love curling up under a blanket by the fire with a spooky, dark story! To that end, after soliciting a bunch of recommendations on Twitter, I just compiled a list on Goodreads of YA books about witches. I'm starting this week off with Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, and then I'll dive into the Wicked series by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie. I'm also thinking about re-reading Harry
Potter, but that's a pretty big commitment! Witches first! If you'd like to check out the witch list, here's the link: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/740903-sarah?shelf=witch-books&sort=author

Do you have a favorite Christmas carol?

I've always loved Silent Night. So simple and beautiful. I also like the Ringing of the Bells and Greensleeves, any classical Christmas music, certain jazz stuff like Etta James Christmas, and of course the soundtrack from Charlie Brown Christmas, not to mention the Chipmunks Christmas which was like the soundtrack of our childhood Christmases, and I have this Celtic Christmas CD I like a lot... I actually love Christmas music!

What do you imagine winter will be like 100 years from now?

Hmmm. 100 years? Probably warmer, with a lot of fake snow pumped in for the occasion. It's almost too scary to think about!

Thanks again for hosting me today, Ashley! Happy holidays to you and all book lovers! :-)

Sarah, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and sharing some insight about your book and winter!

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ORDER THIS BOOK ONLINE: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Borders | Book Depository

FIND SARAH ONLINE: Website | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads

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*Remember, you can get an entry into the comment contest by leaving a valid comment about this interview! Full rules, entering, and details by clicking that link.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Winter Extravaganza: Comment Contest


CONTEST CLOSED




To kick-off the start of my Winter Extravaganza, I'm having a comment contest! This is open to all followers and non-followers of my blog who live in the U.S.! Comments make me (and authors) extremely happy so I want to give back by offering three YA upcoming books to three different winners!

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THE PRIZES:
-a SIGNED copy of
Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler, which was published today! :)
-Drought by Pam Bachorz, which publishes on Jan 25.
-Vixen (The Flappers) by Jillian Larkin, which publishes on December 14.



SUMMARY: Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart. She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her "boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition. Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again? Rich with emotion, Sarah Ockler delivers a powerful story of family, love, and self-discovery.




SUMMARY:
Ruby dreams of escaping the Congregation. Escape from slaver Darwin West and his cruel Overseers. Escape from struggling to gather the life-prolonging Water that keeps the Congregants alive--and Darwin rich. Escape from her certain, dreary existence, living as if it's still the early 1800s, when the Congregation was first enslaved. But if Ruby leaves, the Congregation will die without the secret ingredient to the Water: her blood. So she stays, and prays to their savior Otto, who first gave Water to the Congregants... and fathered Ruby before he vanished. When the Congregants discover Ruby's forbidden romance with an Overseer, they beat Ford to stop her from running away with him. Ruby steals their store of Water to save Ford's life and is banished. Ruby has everything she's dreamed of: a modern life with Ford. But the modern world isn't what she thought it would be, and Ruby can't forsake the Congregation. Love and loyalty push Ruby to return and fight for her family's freedom.


SUMMARY: Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they? Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden... Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry... From debut author Jillian Larkin, VIXEN is the first novel in the sexy, dangerous, and ridiculously romantic new series set in the Roaring Twenties . . . when anything goes.

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Rules and Other Handy Things You Need to Know:
Starts today and ends on December 31.
Open to the U.S. only.
3 winners picked randomly for each book and emailed the next day; will have 4 days to claim their prize.
Comments apply to
only Winter Extravaganza posts!!!
One comment per person per post = one entry. No duplicate comments accepted.
The more comments you leave, the more entries you get into the contest!

I will keep track of all your comments, under the display name you write in the form, on a spreadsheet. *Must be a real comment, showing that you actually read the post!*

Please fill in the form below if you would like to enter this contest. This is your initial entry, so I can keep track of your comments easily and add them up at the end. Remember, all comments must be LEGIT, not just "Great post!" or "Thanks for sharing!" to count. If you fail to follow the above rules, you'rrrrrre out of the contest! I want this to be fun, fair, and easy so just don't be a rebel okay? :)

My Winter Extravaganza Has Begun!




IT'S FINALLY DECEMBER 1ST! We unpacked all of our Christmas decorations from the attic, and will be getting the tree soon. :) I'm learning some new Christmas jazz music for piano, buying lots of hot chocolate, and have put many adorable sweaters on my Christmas list this year. So far, it's a great start to the holiday season. Also, this is going to be an extra special month for Books Obsession... because I'm having a WINTER EXTRAVAGANZA!

Every day of December I'll be featuring an author whose book is being published this winter - ranging from November to February (even though winter doesn't technically start until Dec. 21, but shhh!). I'll be having tremendous amounts of giveaways and contests, author interviews, guest posts, chapter sneak-peeks and excerpts, reviews, etc. So be sure to check back every day and spread the word. I'll be updating this post every day, linking all of the Winter Extravaganza posts on here for easy access. Have fun, learn about new YA authors, add some books to your holiday wish list, and enjoy! This is a month to celebrate good up-coming literature and a fantastic winter ahead, and to thank all of my lovely followers. (:

Dec. 1 - Comment Contest
Dec. 2 - Sarah Ockler Interview
Dec. 3 - Beth Revis Interview | The Latte Rebellion Giveaway
Dec. 4 - Maurissa Guibord Guest Post
Dec. 5 - Warped Giveaway
Dec. 6 - Cover Guess Contest
Dec. 7 - Antony John Interview
Dec. 8 - Five Flavors of Dumb Giveaway
Dec. 9 - Ally Condie Interview
Dec. 10 - Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings Giveaway
Dec. 11 - The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball Giveaway
Dec. 12 - Mary Hooper Book Excerpt
Dec. 13 - Fallen Grace Giveaway
Dec. 14 - Suzanne Selfors Interview
Dec. 15 - A.M. Robinson Guest Post
Dec. 16 - The Education of Hailey Kendrick Giveaway
Dec. 17 - Eileen Cook Interview
Dec. 18 - Jen Bryant Mad Lib
Dec. 19 - The Fortune of Carmen Navarro Giveaway
Dec. 20 - Michael Northrop Guest Post | Lorraine Zago Rosenthal Interview
Dec. 21 - Trapped Giveaway
Dec. 22 - Hilari Bell Interview
Dec. 23 - Trickster's Girl Giveaway
Dec. 24 - Dia Reeves Guest Post
Dec. 25 - Ty Roth Short Story
Dec. 26 - So Shelly Giveaway
Dec. 27 - Rebecca Davis Guest Post | Chasing AllieCat Giveaway
Dec. 28 - Brendan Halpin Guest Post | Fallen Angel Giveaway
Dec. 29 - Jenny Moss Interview | Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance Giveaway
Dec. 30 - Brent Hartinger Chapter 1 Excerpt
Dec. 31 - Invisible Things Giveaway