Have you read Codename: Dancer? It was nominated for a 2011 Cybil Award in the Young Adult Fiction category by the Children's and Young Adult Bloggers Literary Awards!!!

I'm ridiculously excited to have been nominated, but I'm certainly not writing my acceptance speech. Looking at the list of the other books nominated, I'm against some VERY heavy-hitters, and fully don't expect to advance any farther. But it's such a huge honor to have been recognized. Yay!

Also super cool is that the book was named an Indie Hot Pick by Romantic Times Magazine in the December 2011 issue. Whoohoo! How cool is that?

So grab your copy today. RT says it's hot. What's not to like?

Have you read Codename: Dancer? It was nominated for a 2011 Cybil Award in the Young Adult Fiction category by the Children's and Young Adult Bloggers Literary Awards!!!

I'm ridiculously excited to have been nominated, but I'm certainly not writing my acceptance speech. Looking at the list of the other books nominated, I'm against some VERY heavy-hitters, and fully don't expect to advance any farther. But it's such a huge honor to have been recognized. Yay!

Also super cool is that the book was named an Indie Hot Pick by Romantic Times Magazine in the December 2011 issue. Whoohoo! How cool is that?

So grab your copy today. RT says it's hot. What's not to like?

Wanna get some treats? Gwen, Rhonda, and Amanda are all participating in the YA Trick or Treat Trail, so if you visit our virtual "homes" on the web, you can pick up your sweets!

Gwen is giving away free e-book copies of her short story "Butterface" to each visitor. Amanda is entering all visitors into a raffle to win a pair of Nutcracker tickets to a performance near them. I'm not sure yet what Rhonda's giving away, but I'm sure it's super cool, since she's awesome!

All the details are here: http://www.gemmahalliday.com/trick_or_treat.html

Come join the fun!

Wanna get some treats? Gwen, Rhonda, and Amanda are all participating in the YA Trick or Treat Trail, so if you visit our virtual "homes" on the web, you can pick up your sweets!

Gwen is giving away free e-book copies of her short story "Butterface" to each visitor. Amanda is entering all visitors into a raffle to win a pair of Nutcracker tickets to a performance near them. I'm not sure yet what Rhonda's giving away, but I'm sure it's super cool, since she's awesome!

All the details are here: http://www.gemmahalliday.com/trick_or_treat.html

Come join the fun!

Born into a life of secrets and service, Chrysabelle's body bears the telltale marks of a comarr -- a special race of humans bred to feed vampire nobility. When her patron is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect, which sends her running into the mortal world...and into the arms of Malkolm, an outcast vampire cursed to kill every being from whom he drinks.

Now, Chrysabelle and Malkolm must work together to stop a plot to merge the mortal and supernatural worlds. If they fail, a chaos unlike anything anyone has ever seen will threaten to reign.  

Born into a life of secrets and service, Chrysabelle's body bears the telltale marks of a comarr -- a special race of humans bred to feed vampire nobility. When her patron is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect, which sends her running into the mortal world...and into the arms of Malkolm, an outcast vampire cursed to kill every being from whom he drinks.

Now, Chrysabelle and Malkolm must work together to stop a plot to merge the mortal and supernatural worlds. If they fail, a chaos unlike anything anyone has ever seen will threaten to reign.  

Wow...summer is crazy! We're gonna take a little hiatus...but in case anything strange happens, we're stating our alibi right now. Just like Ross says, "We were on a break!"

Wow...summer is crazy! We're gonna take a little hiatus...but in case anything strange happens, we're stating our alibi right now. Just like Ross says, "We were on a break!"

I love Twitter and Facebook. They're great ways to interact with other authors, writers, publishing professionals and best of all - readers. FB especially has allowed me to converse with folks who've read my books and wanted to ask questions. Twitter has given me a chance to get to know other authors better, to get involved in writing-related conversations and to have fun.

But with all that good comes some not-so-good. Here are a few things to avoid when using social media:

1. Don't be Linda Links-a-lot - if all you do on Twitter is post links, you're going to look like a spammer. I'm not saying don't ever do it, but posting link after link isn't really interacting so much as it is shilling. No one knows what those links are until they click them and without knowing you (and trusting the content you provide) people have little reason to click through.

2. Don't add your friends to your groups without getting their permission. This is just rude. It fills their inbox with craploads of FB notifications. How do you know someone wants to be a part of Fluffy Bunny Slippers Rule? Maybe they hate fluffy bunny slippers. (Okay, I'm sure no one hates fluffy bunny slippers, but you get what I'm saying.)

3. Don't be all me me me. Constant self promotion on either FB or Twitter does you zero good. If you haven't taken the time to interact, why should I care about your commercials? I won't. No one will. And don't tell me you don't have the time to interact. You have time to post commercials, you have time for some basic communication.

Here are some great ways you CAN interact on FB and Twitter:

1. "Like" the pages of your favorite authors on Facebook. That's a super easy way to let them know you appreciate their work.

2. Retweet the important info your favorite authors post on Twitter. Are they announcing a release day? Sharing a link to something they're involved in? If it seems important to them, they'll appreciate a retweet.

3. Engage - whether you're on FB or Twitter, people enjoy chatting. Ask questions! You might just be amazed at who answers you.

I can be found on Twitter here and Facebook here. Feel free to share your personal links in the comments. Maybe we can all make some new connections!

I love Twitter and Facebook. They're great ways to interact with other authors, writers, publishing professionals and best of all - readers. FB especially has allowed me to converse with folks who've read my books and wanted to ask questions. Twitter has given me a chance to get to know other authors better, to get involved in writing-related conversations and to have fun.

But with all that good comes some not-so-good. Here are a few things to avoid when using social media:

1. Don't be Linda Links-a-lot - if all you do on Twitter is post links, you're going to look like a spammer. I'm not saying don't ever do it, but posting link after link isn't really interacting so much as it is shilling. No one knows what those links are until they click them and without knowing you (and trusting the content you provide) people have little reason to click through.

2. Don't add your friends to your groups without getting their permission. This is just rude. It fills their inbox with craploads of FB notifications. How do you know someone wants to be a part of Fluffy Bunny Slippers Rule? Maybe they hate fluffy bunny slippers. (Okay, I'm sure no one hates fluffy bunny slippers, but you get what I'm saying.)

3. Don't be all me me me. Constant self promotion on either FB or Twitter does you zero good. If you haven't taken the time to interact, why should I care about your commercials? I won't. No one will. And don't tell me you don't have the time to interact. You have time to post commercials, you have time for some basic communication.

Here are some great ways you CAN interact on FB and Twitter:

1. "Like" the pages of your favorite authors on Facebook. That's a super easy way to let them know you appreciate their work.

2. Retweet the important info your favorite authors post on Twitter. Are they announcing a release day? Sharing a link to something they're involved in? If it seems important to them, they'll appreciate a retweet.

3. Engage - whether you're on FB or Twitter, people enjoy chatting. Ask questions! You might just be amazed at who answers you.

I can be found on Twitter here and Facebook here. Feel free to share your personal links in the comments. Maybe we can all make some new connections!

So, I've been a reading FOOL lately, especially on my sparklepants new Kindle. It's been AWESOME. I recently finished Solstice by PJ Hoover, The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter, and Divergent by Veronica Roth. All really different and interesting reads. It's a good time for YA! :D

So, I've been a reading FOOL lately, especially on my sparklepants new Kindle. It's been AWESOME. I recently finished Solstice by PJ Hoover, The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter, and Divergent by Veronica Roth. All really different and interesting reads. It's a good time for YA! :D

A friend and one time guest blogger for the Fictionistas, Bria Quinlan, is up for a prestigious award tonight and I wanted to take this opportunity to wish her the best of luck.

Bria is more than just my writing friend, she's one of the people in my life that makes it possible for me to be me. If you have a friend like that, you know what I'm talking about. Being around her brings out the best qualities in myself and she keeps me true to who I am underneath all the layers we wear to please other people.

The award she is up for is called the Golden Heart. It celebrates authors who have not yet signed publishing contracts but who have EXCELLENT manuscripts.

I hope you will all join me in sending happy thoughts to Bria and the other contenders. They all deserve kudos for working so hard and being willing to submit themselves to peer review.

A friend and one time guest blogger for the Fictionistas, Bria Quinlan, is up for a prestigious award tonight and I wanted to take this opportunity to wish her the best of luck.

Bria is more than just my writing friend, she's one of the people in my life that makes it possible for me to be me. If you have a friend like that, you know what I'm talking about. Being around her brings out the best qualities in myself and she keeps me true to who I am underneath all the layers we wear to please other people.

The award she is up for is called the Golden Heart. It celebrates authors who have not yet signed publishing contracts but who have EXCELLENT manuscripts.

I hope you will all join me in sending happy thoughts to Bria and the other contenders. They all deserve kudos for working so hard and being willing to submit themselves to peer review.

I'm at the RWA National Conference today, so author Leslie DuBois is stepping in. Thanks, Leslie!

________________________________________________________

Mean Girls Meets Center Stage



Two of my favorite things in the world are dancing and teeny bopper movies. I’ve been dancing since I was a kid and even taught dance for a six years. And name a movie starring teens since the 1980s and I’ve probably seen it…a dozen times. So put them together and I am one happy tapper (get it? Tapper instead of camper! Ain’t I clever?) Anyway, so that’s kind of why I decided to write my latest novel The Queen Bee of Bridgeton. It’s like Mean Girls meets Center Stage.

Side note: If you haven’t seen either of those movies go add them to your Netflix queue immediately. I’ll wait.

Okay, great, you’re back.

Those are two of my all time favorite teen movies. I love the comedic cruelty of Mean Girls and the awesomely inspirational dancing of Center Stage.

But one thing sets The Queen Bee of Bridgeton apart. See, the heart of this novel is in the ghetto. Growing up in a poor black neighborhood, ballet was not high on the priority list of most of my associates. But for me, it was something I couldn’t live without. We couldn’t afford the tuition to the local dance school so my mother cleaned the studio in exchange for free lessons for me.

This is where the inspiration for my main character Sonya came from. Like me, she was determined not to let anything come between her and her dream of dancing. Mix in some antics from my own version of Regina George, add a dash of brilliant choreography, and throw in a cow (yes, a cow) for some comic relief and voila, you’ve got The Queen Bee of Bridgeton.

Right now the eBook version of The Queen Bee of Bridgeton is on sale for 99 cents, but only until the end of June. You can win a copy of the eBook (as well as Amanda's eBook) along with a FREE KINDLE through the Kindle INDIEpendence giveaway which is ending soon. (See ticker in lefthand sidebar.)

Thanks for having me, Fictionistas! I hope you enjoy my book!

***
Leslie DuBois is the pen name of author Sybil Nelson. As Leslie, she has written The Queen Bee of Bridgeton, Guardian of Eden, and Ain’t No Sunshine which currently has over 33,000 downloads. As Sybil, she is about to publish the third book in the award winning Priscilla the Great series.

I'm at the RWA National Conference today, so author Leslie DuBois is stepping in. Thanks, Leslie!

________________________________________________________

Mean Girls Meets Center Stage



Two of my favorite things in the world are dancing and teeny bopper movies. I’ve been dancing since I was a kid and even taught dance for a six years. And name a movie starring teens since the 1980s and I’ve probably seen it…a dozen times. So put them together and I am one happy tapper (get it? Tapper instead of camper! Ain’t I clever?) Anyway, so that’s kind of why I decided to write my latest novel The Queen Bee of Bridgeton. It’s like Mean Girls meets Center Stage.

Side note: If you haven’t seen either of those movies go add them to your Netflix queue immediately. I’ll wait.

Okay, great, you’re back.

Those are two of my all time favorite teen movies. I love the comedic cruelty of Mean Girls and the awesomely inspirational dancing of Center Stage.

But one thing sets The Queen Bee of Bridgeton apart. See, the heart of this novel is in the ghetto. Growing up in a poor black neighborhood, ballet was not high on the priority list of most of my associates. But for me, it was something I couldn’t live without. We couldn’t afford the tuition to the local dance school so my mother cleaned the studio in exchange for free lessons for me.

This is where the inspiration for my main character Sonya came from. Like me, she was determined not to let anything come between her and her dream of dancing. Mix in some antics from my own version of Regina George, add a dash of brilliant choreography, and throw in a cow (yes, a cow) for some comic relief and voila, you’ve got The Queen Bee of Bridgeton.

Right now the eBook version of The Queen Bee of Bridgeton is on sale for 99 cents, but only until the end of June. You can win a copy of the eBook (as well as Amanda's eBook) along with a FREE KINDLE through the Kindle INDIEpendence giveaway which is ending soon. (See ticker in lefthand sidebar.)

Thanks for having me, Fictionistas! I hope you enjoy my book!

***
Leslie DuBois is the pen name of author Sybil Nelson. As Leslie, she has written The Queen Bee of Bridgeton, Guardian of Eden, and Ain’t No Sunshine which currently has over 33,000 downloads. As Sybil, she is about to publish the third book in the award winning Priscilla the Great series.

No, not Christmas. It's conference season! Around here, the rest of the year is known as cake eating season, because there's been no cake eating these last few months. Lots of working out and eating right (mostly) in anticipation of fitting into conference clothes.

Today is my RWA Nationals shopping day. I'll be headed out for a little retail therapy with one of my author bffs, who will also be looking for a few good buys. It's a fun way to prepare for the week ahead. Really, it's just a great excuse to shop and spend the day with a friend.

I know some women don't like shopping (I think they have medication for that now), but I love it. I excel at shopping the way some people do math. If shopping were an Olympic sport, I'd be the Michael Phelps of shopping. It's in my genes. If you could see my mother shop, you'd understand.

So, I'm off to peruse the stores and see what fabulous things need me to bring them home. Wish me luck!

No, not Christmas. It's conference season! Around here, the rest of the year is known as cake eating season, because there's been no cake eating these last few months. Lots of working out and eating right (mostly) in anticipation of fitting into conference clothes.

Today is my RWA Nationals shopping day. I'll be headed out for a little retail therapy with one of my author bffs, who will also be looking for a few good buys. It's a fun way to prepare for the week ahead. Really, it's just a great excuse to shop and spend the day with a friend.

I know some women don't like shopping (I think they have medication for that now), but I love it. I excel at shopping the way some people do math. If shopping were an Olympic sport, I'd be the Michael Phelps of shopping. It's in my genes. If you could see my mother shop, you'd understand.

So, I'm off to peruse the stores and see what fabulous things need me to bring them home. Wish me luck!

I'm so excited...and I just can't hide it! I'm going to be editing (and participating in) a YA short story ebook anthology called The First Time. NYT Bestselling author Jessica Verday is publishing it. Click HERE for the cover--isn't it stunning? And look at that lineup of authors!

(FYI: I keep trying to add the image in here but it won't add...*sigh*. So I'll come back later and add the actual cover on here when I can!)

The book will come out in October, so stay tuned! Thanks for letting me gush!!

I'm so excited...and I just can't hide it! I'm going to be editing (and participating in) a YA short story ebook anthology called The First Time. NYT Bestselling author Jessica Verday is publishing it. Isn't the cover stunning? And look at that lineup of authors!


The book will come out in October, so stay tuned! Thanks for letting me gush!!