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The organizers hope to attract writers looking to get published. Some of the seasoned authors who are set to appear include Julia Cameron, Barbara Diane Barry, Tama Kieves, and Mari Mancusi.
Buyers can choose between two types of tickets: premier and general admission. The premier package comes with access to a VIP cocktail reception, a 10-minute pitch session with an editor, preferred seating during the conference, and an autographed Julia Cameron book.
Welcome to my stop on the Scorched blog tour presented by Sourcebooks!
Today I have an interview with the amazing Mari Mancusi, along with my review of Scorched, and a giveaway! Feel free to leave any questions or comments you may have for Mari, as she will be stopping by today (9/11/13) to answer them/comment back!
Title: Scorched
Author: Mari Mancusi
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: September 3rd 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy/Dragons
Blurb:
Trinity Don’t leave me here... It starts with a whisper. At first Trinity thinks she’s going crazy. It wouldn’t be a big surprise—her grandpa firmly believes there’s a genuine dragon egg in their dusty little West Texas town. But this voice is real, and it’s begging for her protection. Even if no one else can hear it...
Connor
He’s come from a future scorched by dragonfire. His mission: Find the girl. Destroy the egg. Save the world. Caleb He’s everything his twin brother Connor hates: cocky, undisciplined, and obsessed with saving dragons. Trinity has no idea which brother to believe. All she has to go by is the voice in her head—a dragon that won’t be tamed.
***My Review***
I first heard about Scorched at BEA '13. Since I have read Mari's Blood Coven Vampire series(which I loved), I was very curious to see that she had written something completely different, and I couldn't wait to dive in. Scorched was a mish-mash of fantasy, sci-fi, romance, and time travel. This could have been a recipe for disaster, but through Mari's spectacular writing and execution, an amazing story was born.
The story is told through three different characters' perspectives. Trinity's chapters are written in first-person narration, which really helps to let the reader get inside her head. I feel that this was very important in order to connect with her on a deeper level. It also gave me more insight into her emotions when she begins to hear Emmy's(a dragon) voice in her head. Conner and Caleb's chapters were written in third-person narration, which gives the feeling that they are different from Trinity in a major way. Since they are from the future, and therefore not of Trinity's "world" per-se, I felt the choice was spot-on.
The main characters were written beautifully, and I was emotionally invested in every single one. I felt as though I really got to know Trinity, Caleb, and Conner quite well even before they meet in the book.
There were some extremely tense and emotional moments in Scorched. The pacing is fast, as many action scenes drive the plot. You will keep turning the pages with that "need" to know what will happen next. I loved how the story was broken down into five parts, each with a title perfectly fitting each part. It was fun when, after you finished a "part", you could say "Wow, THAT'S why it was called ____". There were also a few shocking revelations that I never saw coming where my mouth(and heart) literally dropped to the floor!
I had a feeling I was going to enjoy this book just from reading the blurb and having read Mari's work in the past. What I didn't know was how emotionally invested I would get, until I found my heart in my throat many times while reading. Scorched is a beautifully written story of a girl caught in the middle of something she dosen't understand, but trying to stay true to herself and do the right thing. I won't say too much on this, but if you are someone who needs love/romance in your books, you will find what you need and more in this one.
Overall, I feel that Mari really hit a homerun with Scorched. Even though this book is meant to be more emotional and intense(a great thing), fans of her Blood Coven Vampire series will find pieces of her engaging humor here too(an equally great thing).
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves YA fantasy, sci-fi, romance, or just dragons in general! Of course if your already a fan of Mari's work, why are you not reading this right now?!?! Intense, engaging, emotional, and surprising...a must read!
My Rating:
5/5 STARS
***Interview with Mari Mancusi***
1.)Welcome to Jessabella Reads, Mari! I am soo excited to have you on the blog today. I am obsessed with the world of Scorched, where did you get the inspiration for it?
Thank you! I’ve always loved both sci-fi and fantasy so I thought it would be fun to mash up the two. I like to credit the movie Terminator for much of my inspiration, though instead of a robot/machine apocalypse, Scorched deals with a dragon apocalypse. I’ve always loved dragon books – from Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern series to Robin McKinley’s Hero and the Crown.
2.) I really connected with all of the characters in your story. Which character was your favorite to write and why?
I think Caleb is my favorite to write. He’s sarcastic and sardonic, but also hiding a lot of angst. He comes off as a jerk sometimes, but he really loves Trinity and would do anything for her.
3.) What are you reading right now?
Prodigy by Marie Lu and Doll Bones by Holly Black.
4.) What are your "must-haves" when sitting down to write?
Coffee and silence. I’m not one of those writers who does great writing in a café setting. I prefer a quiet office where I can read aloud what I’ve written. I also have surrounded myself with lots of dragon inspiration. From stuffed dragons to dragon portraits on the wall.
5.) If you could inhabit the body of any character in Scorched for 24 hours, which one would you choose and why?
I think it’d be fun to be Trinity at the point where she gets to go into the Nether and fly on Emmy’s back. There’s just something about the idea of flying on a dragon that I know would be awesome. I just hope she can get over her fear of heights and allow me to enjoy my ride!
6.) Dragons are one of my favorite paranormal creatures. Tell us why you decided to write about them.
Dragons are beautiful and majestic creatures that can bond telepathically with humans and fly through the sky. Who wouldn’t want to write about them? That said, most dragon books take place in some kind of fantasy kingdom or some distant past. I wanted to explore what it’d be like to bring them to present day Texas. Dragons trending on Twitter, anyone?
7.) What are some of your literary inspirations? Favorite books/authors?
My favorite book is Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It is basically a feminist retelling of Arthurian legend and is just so enthralling and beautifully written.
For a more modern author, I’m obsessed with Cassandra Clare. I love how she masterfully mixes humor with action/adventure.
8.) Personally, I will read anything you write! Any hints about what we can EAGERLY anticipate from you next?
Thank you! Next up is Shattered, book 2 of the Scorched series, which will continue the adventures of Trinity, Connor, Caleb and Emmy. It takes place three months after the first book ends and it’s getting more and more difficult to hide out from the world—with Emmy getting bigger everyday!
Also, if you liked Scorched, I suggest you check out Tomorrow Land and Alternity, two standalone novels I published a while back that were recently re-released. Tomorrow Land is a standalone zombie novel and Alternity is kind of Matrix-y. But they’ve both got kind of a similar feel to Scorched.
About the Author:
Mari Mancusi used to wish she could become a vampire back in high school. But she ended up in another blood sucking profession –journalism — instead. Today she works as a freelance TV producer and author of books for teens and adults.
When not writing about creatures of the night, Mari enjoys traveling, cooking, goth clubbing, watching cheesy horror movies, and her favorite guilty pleasure–videogames. A graduate of Boston University and a two time Emmy Award winner, she lives in Austin , Texas with her husband Jacob, daughter Avalon and their dog Mesquite.
I love the idea of several genres blending together like this and I've a weakness for dragon stories. It will be interesting to read a book that swaps between first and third person perspectives.
Thanks for sharing about the book and the opportunity to 'meet' Mari along with the giveaway.
Thank you for the review and interview. This book sounds like a spectacular read. I am sure my daughters would fight me for it, but that is a good thing! kbinmichATyahooDOTcom
I'm fascinated with dragons, so a story with dragon shifters really caught my attention. I enjoyed the interview and I'm glad to read such a positive review. I can't wait to read Scorched, it sounds like a fantastic book.
I entered your giveaway. It would be great to win a copy of Scorched by Mari Mancusi. I enjoyed reading your review of Scorched and your interview with Mari Mancusi was great. I enjoy reading and discovering new authors and i think i would enjoy reading this book. Thank you for having this giveaway!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the giveaway, I would love to read this book, sounds enchanting, has a great cover too! And I'm totally in love with dragons. :) Greetings to the author! :)
Mari Mancusi has written a ton of YA novels, the latest of which are the Blood Coven series [read those Cover Stories]. Her very first Young Adult book, though, was Sk8er Boy. Now it's out of print and she's got the e-rights, so she was able to create her own updated cover. Cool, right? Here's Mari with the story:
"You never forget your first. And for me, that was Sk8er Boy. My first true love and the title of my first young adult romance, published in 2005. Perhaps the most autobiographical book I've ever written, it's a sort of Romeo and Juliet with text messaging.
"I originally sold the book to Dorchester, a romance publisher who had just introduced a new line of young adult books called Smooch. I had done one other romance for them, but this was my first teen book. So you can imagine how excited I was to see the cover.
"It looks pretty silly now (right), but you have to remember, at the time, those iPod commercials (see below) were really big and so I guess the artist felt it would appeal to a teen crowd. Still, though I knew it was trendy, I never felt as if it captured the feel of my actual book. It's not romantic, for one thing. It's not sweet. You don't get a good feel for the plot or characters. Oh and I hate the girl's purse! At the time, everyone had hobo bags and large purses--hers looks like something out of the late eighties. As does her outfit...
Save the date: On January 29, 2011, at 2 PM, at Book People at 6th and Lamar, Cynthia Leitich Smith and Mari Mancusi will be celebrating their new releases, BLESSED and NIGHT SCHOOL, respectively, with a party and signing!
Event is open and free to the public! The celebration will include author talks, a Q&A panel, book raffle, surprise giveaways, devilish desserts, demonic drinks and signing.
Wear red and black if you're on the side of Evil or blue and black if you're on the side of Good.
Bonus points (and possible prize) to anyone who dresses up as a vampire, shape shifter, vampire slayer, angel, or fairy!
0 Comments on BLESSED and NIGHT SCHOOL signing! as of 1/1/1900
Today, the effervescent Mari Mancusi is here to share the story of the repacking of her Blood Coven series -- so we'll see old and new covers!
Here's Mari:
"It was the phone call I'd been praying for. Berkley finally decided to buy BAD BLOOD, the fourth book in my Blood Coven Vampire series. But they also had another surprise for me. Thanks to the success of series like Twilight, House of Night and Vampire Academy, they had decided to repackage and re-release the first three books in my series. They told me Boys that Bite, Stake That, and Girls that Growl would be getting new covers and be back in stores.
[The old covers]:
"I was thrilled, to say the least, and began dreaming of what the new covers would look like. While I always liked the first three covers, especially Girls that Growl, there were a few things that bugged me about them. One, the girl in Boys that Bite wore a jean jacket - which just looks straight out of the eighties if you ask me...
Read the rest of Mari's story, and see all her newer covers, at melissacwalker.com.
Red Hot Mug interpreted as a card and Love card on Zazzle :D
I miss my Daylight Lamp!! I used it to draw by, in the evenings, so I could still see the true colour of my pencils. As it is, I had to stop last night in the middle of this drawing as I no longer knew what reds I was using. and I continued it today in the clear light of day, sitting by the window.
I bought this lovely deep red mug at the markets last week. I haven't done it any justice as far as its real colour is concerned, but this was my attempt nonetheless :) I used watercolour pencils so scanned the above once I'd finished drawing it in case I destroyed it when I "painted" the water on. Below is the final result, which turned out neither as well nor as badly as I'd imagined:
Rayne MacDonald has had a string of bad luck lately. She completed the extensive pre-screening process to become a vampire only to have her twin sister Sunny turned accidentally instead. Then she learns that she is the new chosen one, a vampire slayer, and she cannot refuse her destiny or she’ll die. Her first job as a vampire slayer nearly kills her and results in her being turned into a
0 Comments on Girls that Growl by Mari Mancusi (The Blood Coven) as of 1/1/1900
Had another deadline and didn't get much sleep last night. Good news is that it's just about over! Am tired though, so it probably isn't the best time for starting to experiment with a new medium, but I picked up those watercolour pencils and went for it :) Well, ok it's not QUITE that different, being that it's still pencil work but hey, I added water. It's a start.
This is from a photograph, one of several, that I took of some beautiful lotus flowers (at least I assume that that's what they are, someone correct me if I'm wrong please!) in a lake right in front of the Angkor Wat in Cambodia. I haven't done them any justice, but really enjoyed using the watercolour pencils, though am not sure if I used them as I'm meant to. After I watered in the original background 'washes' I filled in more detail (yes, I'm anal!) with the pencils and an H graphite. I'm quite proud of it only because I'm finally playing around with an almost different medium. Bit by bit ...
Tarcher, an imprint at Penguin Random House, plans to host the New York City Publishing & Creativity Conference for Writers. This event will take place from April 11-12, 2014.
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Thanks for the giveaway!!
Love the cover of this book and it looks like an interesting reading :)
OMG! This is on my to-read list! Thank you for the awesome giveaway!
Your review was really good. I loved the enthusiasm you put into it. Thanks also for the generous giveaway. The cover is fantastic.
I love the idea of several genres blending together like this and I've a weakness for dragon stories. It will be interesting to read a book that swaps between first and third person perspectives.
Thanks for sharing about the book and the opportunity to 'meet' Mari along with the giveaway.
Thank you a lot for this interview i loved learning so much. i do hope to win so i can finally "pet" the dragon^^
how many books do you think the seris will count in total?
Thank you for the review and interview. This book sounds like a spectacular read. I am sure my daughters would fight me for it, but that is a good thing! kbinmichATyahooDOTcom
I'm excited for this giveaway. I love Sci Fi and Fantasy, as well. The book sounds amazing!
I'm fascinated with dragons, so a story with dragon shifters really caught my attention. I enjoyed the interview and I'm glad to read such a positive review. I can't wait to read Scorched, it sounds like a fantastic book.
this book looks and sounds fantastic! Thanks for the great review!
I would love this to be the first one of her books that I'll read. Thanks for the chance to own a copy!
Loved the trailer and review, this book sounds wonderful and I would enjoy getting a chance to win a copy. Thanks for the giveaway.
Dragons are my favorite creatures too!! Just for that reason I would love to read this but also a 5/5 rating!? I must read it soon :D
I've been hearing and reading a lot of good things about this book. Thanks for the giveaway! I'm really excited to read this one :)
I always enjoy different POV when I read. A great post thank you.
This is really cool. But I want to know what made Mari so interested in vampires?
Thanks for the giveaway!
This book sounds really great. I'd love to read it. And the cover is awesome!! Dragons are my favorite. Can't wait to read this book.
Thanks for this awesome giveaway :)
I entered your giveaway.
It would be great to win a copy of Scorched by Mari Mancusi.
I enjoyed reading your review of Scorched
and your interview with Mari Mancusi was great.
I enjoy reading and discovering new authors and i think i would enjoy reading this book.
Thank you for having this giveaway!!!!!!!!
book looks great would love to read very soon.
Thanks for the giveaway, I would love to read this book, sounds enchanting, has a great cover too! And I'm totally in love with dragons. :) Greetings to the author! :)