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Hot on the heels of his latest release, A Deafening Silence in Heaven, and the announcement of his next series, The Demonists, there's another Tom Sniegoski book on the horizon: Savage.

Sidney and her friends must race to find the origin of a storm that has hit their small island home - turning every animal into savage weapons - in this suspenseful thriller from New York Times bestselling author Thomas E. Sniegoski.

The future is looking bright for Sidney Moore as she as she gets ready to leave the small island of Benediction behind for one of Boston's top veterinary schools. Only a few small bumps in the road to navigate before she can go - her father's recovery from a debilitating stroke, and her own guilt for ending her relationship with her high school sweetheart. But she's always been strong willed, and she's not about to let anything stop her from achieving her goals.

Now a storm is bearing down on Benediction, a hurricane that will bring devastating winds and rain, rising tides...and something else. Something deadly; something that will transform all the things that creep, crawl, and flutter into instruments of terror and death.

The future is looking bright for Sidney Moore...if only she can survive the storm.

Savage by Thomas E. Sniegoski will be published on May 31st, 2016 by Simon Pulse.

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Thank you to everyone who has sacrificed to protect this country.
Happy Memorial Day!

In case you never thought about doing this, you should get out your Children’s Writing and Illustrating Market guide and note the changes that you find here and other places in correct spots in the book. That way you will always have the most up-to-date info at your finger tips.

At Inkwell Management, Charlie Olsen has been promoted to agent. He joined Inkwell in 2007 and is interested in commercial fiction; young adult and middle-grade fiction and non-fiction; graphic novels and illustrated works for children and adults; pop culture, and compelling nonfiction.

Margaret Bail

has joined Inklings Literary Agency, where she will continue to represent romance, thrillers, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, westerns, and historical fiction. Previously she was at the Andrea Hurst Agency.

At the Random House Publishing Group, Andy Ward has been promoted to vp, editorial director, nonfiction, while David Ebershoff moves up to vp, executive editor.

At Crown Archetype, Suzanne O’Neill has been promoted to executive editor, while Talia Krohn moves up to senior editor and Stephanie Knapp has been promoted to associate editor.

Ryan Doherty has been promoted to senior editor and is moving from Random House Trade Paperbacks to Ballantine Bantam Dell. He will continue to oversee movie tie-in projects for RH publishing group as well.

At Simon Pulse, Michael Strother has been promoted to assistant editor.

Hope you had a Happy Memorial Day! Sorry, I messed up not getting it to post on the right date.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Filed under: Editor & Agent Info, need to know, News, Publishing Industry Tagged: Inkwell Management, Onklings Literary Agency, Random House, Simon Pulse

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Title: 34 pieces of You Author:  Carmen Rodrigues Publisher:  Simon Pulse

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

If I hadn’t received a review copy of 34 Pieces of You from the publisher, I never would have read this book, and that would have been a shame, because it is a moving and compelling read.  The subject matter didn’t appeal to me prior to receiving the ARC, and the thought of reading about a girl who overdoses, leaving her friends to grapple with their confusion and hurt, just seemed too depressing for me.  Which makes me wonder why I did pick it up, the same day it arrived in the mailbox.  Why did I start reading this, and why couldn’t I put it down?  What I found between the covers kept me turning the pages; there are so many flawed characters packed into this story, and there were so many opportunities for things to happen differently, but they didn’t.  Everyone is so caught up in themselves, that they all ignored the signals that Ellie was so clearly broadcasting.  Then again, in retrospect, everything is crystal clear, isn’t it?

I don’t want to give away any of the plot twists, so instead, let’s talk about the damaged protagonists in 34 Pieces of You.  It seems that everyone in this book is crying out for help or attention, and even when they get it, they stubbornly dig in their heels and refuse to accept it.  Ellie is so emotionally ravaged, unable to trust anyone, after she is the victim of abuse when she is a young girl. Her mother deals with this betrayal with alcohol.  Emotionally distant from her children, her coping method turns out to be one of avoidance.  Just don’t talk about it, and everything bad will go away.  Just ignore the bad things, and everything will be fine.  Ugh.  I found myself so angry and irritated with her mother.    By pretending not to see how self-destructive Ellie’s behavior was, she added to Ellie’s feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness. Even her own mother didn’t care enough to acknowledge that things weren’t right with her family.  It’s the realization that if only someone had done something, paid the slightest bit of attention to Ellie’s behavior, that makes this story, and the cascading repercussions, so tragic.  Ellie may have ultimately found some peace, but her friends and family were left reeling in the wake of her death, and ouch, not one of them emerged unscathed or unchanged.

Jake, Ellie’s older brother, is left with the most guilt, I think.  After b

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Today we bring you our weekly sampler of cool youth media and marketing gigs. If your company has an open position in the youth media or marketing space, we encourage you to join the Ypulse LinkedIn group, if you haven’t yet, and post there for... Read the rest of this post

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Release Date: October 4, 2011
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Chelsea Glaser does not want to spend another summer sweltering in colonial dresses and answering to the name Elizabeth Connelly at the Essex Historical Colonial Village. She just wants to get over the boy who broke her heart -- but that may prove difficult when he starts working there too. Luckily for Chelsea, a new vista of opportunity appears the night she's kidnapped and held hostage by a cute boy in a longstanding war...that is, if she's willing to turn traitor.

In Past Perfect, Leila Sales writes with a fresh and biting voice that is both hilarious and insightful. The style of the novel is almost reminiscent of internet speech, with plenty of italics and zippy one liners. It is fun and familiar, an easy and entertaining style that pulls readers into the flow of the novel. Adding to the novelty is the quirky and unexpected element of living history. The plot centers around an ongoing rivalry between two reenactment tourist traps -- Essex, the Revolutionary War town where Chelsea works, and their rival in a secret war, Civil War Reenactmentland. This unique element brings a fascinating flavor to the tale, immersing readers in the likely unknown world of war reenactment, and the relevance of history to modern life. Sales cleverly traces her heroine's growth through historical parallels, reminding both Chelsea and readers that those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it -- a lesson crucial to Chelsea's transformation.

Chelsea is snarky and sometimes a little abrasive, but she's also just a teenage girl going through the same trials everyone experiences during adolescence. Her heartbreak over her recent (and apparently ugly) break-up is heartfelt, and will resonate with readers of all ages. Though her best friend Fiona can be a little harsh, it is clear she has Chelsea's best interests at heart, even if that means a little tough love.  Fiona has a point about Chelsea's need to move on, and her inability to remember the bad times with the good -- but the novel also acknowledges that it's easier said than done. No arbitrary expiration date can be placed on heartache, and only time can heal some wounds. Chelsea's growth over the course of the novel is masterfully written, showing her development from a sarcastic shell hiding a wounded girl, to an empowered teen who knows what a healthy relationship looks like and what kind of love she deserves.

Fortunately, Chelsea finds a much more worthy love interest in Dan. Unfortunately, he's the enemy -- setting off a Romeo and Juliet-esque tale of star-crossed love, though far sweeter and much less melodramatic. Dan is smart, passionate and kind, and he recognizes how special she is in a way that her ex-boyfriend never could. It is ex

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Release Date: August 30, 2011
Series: The Fury Trilogy #1
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Emily and Chase aren't bad people -- they've just made a few mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes, right? A little remorse and everything will be fine. Unfortunately, some acts can't be taken back -- and three beautiful, mysterious girls are here to make sure they pay. As Emily and Chase are about to learn, sometimes sorry just isn't enough.

Fury alternates between two teens, Emily and Chase, and carefully sketches in the details of their ordinary, every day lives. It is surprising to discover that the mythological beings are not the main characters of this novel -- instead, they hover on the fringe, leaving the focus on the remarkably human and flawed leads. Elizabeth Miles brings her cast to life, making them seem more like people than characters. The inhabitants of Ascension are not extraordinary, and that's what makes them so authentic. They are imperfect and not all that likable -- but that seems to be the point. Emily is naive and shallow, not to mention a terrible friend, and Chase seems petty and insecure. Their off-putting personalities make sense in the context of the novel, yet it also makes it difficult to invest in their fates. Miles' skill at humanizing her characters is impressive, but they would be more rounded with a few admirable traits as well.

Em and Chase are not the most despicable people in town by a long shot, yet they're the unfortunate souls singled out for vengeance. The fact that the avenging girls are not the protagonists adds to their mystique, but it also obscures the method to their madness. The first half of the novel drags, as it's impossible to tell what transgression Chase committed or what punishment Emily is receiving for her own crimes. Crucial backstory isn't introduced until late in the novel, leaving readers feeling confused for an agonizing length of time. Yet, though Emily's story line is clearest at the outset, Chase's plot ends up being the strongest as he moves inexorably toward his fate. Though neither is endearing, Chase has the most complexity -- from his love-and-hate relationship with a childhood friend, to his attempt to rise above his socioeconomic status -- readers will feel sorry for him as his punishment progresses (even if he seems to be determinedly walking into the trap).

The calculating and manipulative powers of their tormentors are made starkly and terrifyingly clear as the novel spirals toward its devastating conclusion. Miles lays a strong groundwork for her mythology, immersing readers in the fear and uncertainty of a

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Before The Fallen was an ABC Family television mini-series starring Paul Wesley of The Vampire Diaries and the legendary Tom Skerritt, it was a four-book series by best-selling author Thomas E. Sniegoski. The premise: Aaron has always known that he was adopted, but he never suspected he was half-angel - or that he could be a hero in the ultimate fight between good and evil.

The first four books have been re-released in two volumes, each of which contain two books, omnibus-style. These trade paperbacks became New York Times bestsellers. The next volume, The Fallen 3: End of Days, will be available on September 6th, 2011. Take a peek:

Victory is fleeting, but defeat is eternal. The war between Heaven and Hell rages on. Aaron, half-angel and half-human, commands the Fallen in their quest to protect humanity. But evil forces gain strength at every turn. And lurking somewhere in the shadows is Archangel Gabriel's instrument with the power to call down the End of Days.

Aaron draws confidence from the girl he loves as he struggles to make peace with his legacy as Lucifer's son. These are desperate times, and Aaron knows the Fallen will need to forge new, unlikely alliances to survive.

With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, Aaron will stop at nothing to defend civilization - and the girl who holds his heart. Even if it means venturing to Hell and back.

Visit the official website for THE FALLEN.

If you can't see the trailer at the top of this post, click here to watch the End of Days trailer at YouTube.

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Title: Darkness Becomes Her Author: Kelly Keaton Publisher: Simon Pulse ISBN: 978-1442409248

 

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

Darkness Becomes Her is a fantastic read with the kind of heroine I love; Ari is impulsive, gets herself into so much trouble by acting and not thinking, and she always managing to find a way to keep herself alive.  She is tough and it takes a lot to spook her, and when she is terrified, she still manages to keep thinking.  I loved that about her!  I would have curled up into a little ball of misery and given up.  Ari does anything but.

This is the second book I’ve read this month that is set in New Orleans, and I have to say, it’s fast becoming one of my favorite cities.  I want to go there!  With its long history and the voodoo influences steeped in the traditions of New Orleans, it is the perfect setting for paranormal novels.  It’s creepy, mysterious, and even dangerous.  It is like a place set apart from the rest of the country, and that makes it a compelling, realistic venue for the things that go bump in the night. 

Ari is desperate to learn about her mother and her own past, and an impulsive decision sends her past The Rim, back to her birthplace in New Orleans.  She encounters weird and magical moments every time she turns around, and one thing stands out before all others.  Everyone seems to be afraid of her, and nobody is willing to help her remove the curse she is convinced she carries. 

The mix of Greek mythology and paranormal elements hooked me.  I also loved the re-imagined post-Katrina New Orleans.  The characters are convincing, and I grew to really like Ari’s new friends, especially Violet.  She is a cool character who sees the world in a different way, and she takes Ari and her curse in stride.  When everyone else turns on Ari, Violet is there to comfort her and just be there for her.  I hope she gets more page time in the next book, because she deserves it.  I am so curious about her backstory, and will be disappointed if we don’t get more of it in book 2!

Fun read, great setting, awesome characters – you can’t ask for much more, other than – where’s the next book?!

Grade: A-

Review copy provided by publisher

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Lots of news to catch up on…

1.)  First of all, THOMAS AND THE DRAGON QUEEN was listed last year by the New York Public Library as one of their recommended top 100 books. Yay! Listed in: “100 Titles for Reading and Sharing.”

2.) And . . . I’m happy dancing for a good friend of mine and a writer I mentored a year or so ago. Her name is Tracy Bilen. She won me as a novel mentor for a year in Michigan’s SCBWI (Soc. of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) group. Her manuscript had the basics of a great read…a riveting plot and an empathetic main character. But it needed deepening and developing. She worked hard, took many of my suggestions and always did the homework I suggested. Just this week she received an offer from Simon Pulse, a division of Simon & Schuster. YAY!  I think I am more excited about this than anything else that’s happened lately.  It’s so fun to know that soon another great young adult novel will be in the hands of readers. It will make its debut in 2012. Hugs to Tracy!!! (And we’ll roll out the red carpet when the book comes out.)

3.) A really different and fun book just made the news on National Public Radio. It’s called YOU CAN COUNT ON MONSTERS by Richard Evan Schwartz. It’s not a picture book–though it’s all about pictures of monsters (and numbers).  I’ve highlighted it to the right. Enjoy!

4.) Wow!!  Michigan rocks…In the recent ALA awards Erin Stead won the Caldecott Medal for A SICK DAY FOR AMOS MCGEE (written by her husband Philip). Sure am proud to live in Michigan!

Shutta

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Blogger of the Week:
Lisa McMann


I discovered YA author Lisa McMann when I began following her on Twitter. But when I read her author bio on Simon & Schuster's website and discovered we share a tremendous love for peanut butter (the world's awesomest food) that made me visit her website. And read her blog. And ask her to be my Blogger of the Week. Below she talks about her books and blogging.

For anyone not familiar with your work, tell us about it.

The Wake trilogy is paranormal YA from Simon Pulse. The first book, Wake, came out last year and it's about a 17-year-old girl named Janie who gets sucked into other people's dreams, and how Janie learns to deal with her emerging powers with a little help from a mysterious, geeky-hot guy named Cabel who has creepy nightmares. Book 2, Fade, comes out February 10, and it continues the story of Janie and Cabe in their second semester of senior year.

The third book, Gone, is scheduled for spring of 2010.

When and why did you start blogging? What did you hope to accomplish?

I originally started blogging about four years ago, while I was still trying to write a novel that wasn't crap. At that time the blog's purpose was purely to entertain the small group of readers/friends I had. That blog has since disappeared, although I've kept some of the posts just in case I ever write a memoir. Heh.

My current blog began after I got my agent, Michael Bourret--a fabulous guy as you well know. This blog is purely to inform people about my books, contests, awards, etc. I still like to play and entertain, but I do that on Twitter and Facebook now, rather than on my blog.

Do contest work well for you promotion-wise? Any tips for other blogger on offering contests?

I do contests for two reasons. One, because I love to give stuff away. It's hella fun, and I feel like it's a way to say thanks to the readers who have supported me by buying Wake and making it a NYT bestseller. And two, because contests remind readers that my books exist and brings in new potential readers.

A word about promo: Back in my early days of selling real estate, my broker sent out newsletters every other month to his past clients. I suggested to him that maybe that was a waste of money--after all, who has time or inclination to read junk mail? They just throw it out. He said, "I don't care that they throw it away. The sole reason for sending newsletters to clients is for them to read my name or see my photo and remember that connection we had for a split second before they trash it. Because you never know when they're ready to buy another house. I want to make it easy for their brains to pull up my name again when it happens." That concept stuck with me.

As authors, we know we have limited time to make an impression. And promo gets old, fast. It's tiring, it's awkward--we'd rather write, not shill. There's a reason we hide out in our caves, writing, and that's because we are (typically) introverted. We don't do sales. Contests are a great way to keep the buzz going for your book without it feeling like it's in-your-face marketing.

To do a proper contest, you need to know who some of the book bloggers are. Get to know them--they rock. Many teen book bloggers do weekly roundups where they inform their readers about current contests. These bloggers are wonderful--they willingly help spread the word for you. Cynthia Leitich Smith also often posts contests on her amazing blog. Many book bloggers would love it if you send them a copy of your book. They'll review it and maybe give it away, or point people in the direction of your contest.

What other kinds of posts can visitors expect when they visit your blog?

Besides contests, I post news about my books, like any awards or nominations Wake has received (Cybils, Borders Original Voices, BN.com Best of 2008, BBYA, etc). I'll offer links to sites where readers can find widgets and screen savers and countdown clocks with a Wake theme. And I'll also post about other books I've read that have really touched me. Too, I have my Twitter widget on my blog so people can easily see what off-topic things I'm talking about elsewhere that day as well.

Could you offer any advice to authors new to the blogosphere?

• Have a theme in mind when you start your blog.
• Post on others' blogs a lot and get to know other the bloggers you enjoy reading, and those whose blogs are like yours.
• It takes time to build a readership--work diligently on that by posting about interesting topics (think about what people might google that you happen to know a lot about) every other day or a few times a week.
• Let people know on your fave message boards, your MySpace or Facebook, etc. that you are now blogging and invite them to come check out your contest. If you don't have books of your own to give away, offer somebody else's book as a prize. Or, do like Heather Brewer does for her vampire series--offer Vlad-themed hoodies. Or like A.S. King does for her awesome debut--offer very quick contests that are tons of fun and give away V.O.G.s (very odd gifts).
• Be quirky and clever and word will spread. Also, you should definitely follow my blog, not only because I have two awesome contests going on right now, but because I just started that "follow me" feature and I want more followers than Alice Pope. ;-)

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Terrifying. Devastating. Tragic.

Those are the three words that come to mind when I think of Elizabeth Scott's Living Dead Girl. After finishing it in one sitting late last night, I'm still trying to catch my breath and desperately trying to get rid of the weight that seems to have settled on my chest. But I think it will be a long time before this happens because what has happened to "Alice" in the book can happen to a child in real life...probably has happened.

The book is told from the point of view of "Alice" a fifteen-year old girl who was kidnapped on an elementary school field trip when she was 10. Her captor, Ray, has sexually and physically abused her every day since he kidnapped her. He starves her because he doesn't want her to physically mature, he terrorizes her and tells her that he'll kill her parents and burn their house down if she tries to escape. I'm putting "Alice" in parentheses because that is not her real name. It's the name Ray gave her, the same name he gave the girl he kidnapped and killed before he kidnapped the second Alice.

Alice calls herself a "living dead girl." She's numb inside, she's hungry, she's been tortured so much that she wishes for death. She's waiting for it, hoping for it, expecting it any day; but Ray has something different in mind that is even more terrifying to the reader, and he needs Alice's help.

I've always heard stories about people getting kidnapped and having many opportunities to escape, but they don't. This is Alice's case. There are multiple opportunities for her to tell someone, to run away, to ask for help, but Ray has instilled so much fear in her that she doesn't even think about it anymore.

She truly believes that he will kill her parents, and at one point she says, "I could run, but he would find me. He would take me back to 623 Daisy Lane and make everyone who lives there pay. He would make everyone there pay even if he didn't find me. I belong to him. I'm his little girl. All I have to do is be good" (p. 34).

What is most profound is that Ray has brainwashed her to the point of her believing that she's bad, she's selfish, and that it's all her fault. On the day of the kidnapping, she wouldn't share her lip gloss with her friends. They walked away from her, leaving her alone and exposed to a monster, but she blames herself, thinks if she wouldn't have been so selfish, her life would be different. It's truly heartbreaking.

But the worst part is that people look the other way. They know something's not right, but don't step in.

Scott's writing is gripping, captivating, and horrifying. She draws you in from the very beginning, and Alice immediately becomes real, someone you ache for, someone who you want to make it, someone you want to pluck out of this nightmare of a life. If you're wondering about the language and descriptions in the book, it is evident that Ray is sexually abusing Alice. It's evident that sexual acts are being performed, but the language itself is not graphic.

When discussing why she wrote Living Dead Girl, Elizabeth Scott says, " I wrote Living Dead Girl because it demanded to be told, and I hope it speaks to you as strongly as it did to me." (read more at Simon & Schuster's website).

Did I like the story? Honestly, no. I don't like stories about children being sexually abused. Was it well-written? Absolutely. Should every parent read it? Absolutely. Should teens read it? I want to say yes. I want to say that it could potentially save lives, but it's scary. All I want to do is scoop my daughter up and never let her go.



What Other Bloggers are Saying:

(There are book reviews all over the blogosphere. Here are some of the most recent.)

Bookshelves of Doom: "I'd maybe recommend it to older teens who aren't prone to nightmares. Because this book is way more scary than any horror novel I've ever read." (read more...)

Book Envy: "This is a powerful, horrifying, extremely well written book. It is not for the faint of heart." (read more...)

Presenting Lenore: "This is a heavy, heartbreaking novel, but one that reinforces my belief that the human spirit finds ways to triumph even in the face of great evil. Short and spare, yet powerful and moving, Alice’s story lingers long after the last page is turned." (read more...)

Jenn's Bookshelf: "It has been quite some time since a book has impacted me so powerfully." (read more...) Jenn is also giving away an ARC of the novel if you leave a comment by 10/4.

The Book Muncher: "While it’s not right to like a story such as this, I think Living Dead Girl should be read by everyone, if not for enjoyment then to inform readers. It is a short but fast read, beautifully written and impossible to ever forget." (read more...)

Teen Book Review: "It’s thought provoking, and, well, as I said before, disturbing. Elizabeth Scott is an amazing writer, and she makes this story into exactly what it is supposed to be." (read more...)

Becky's Book Reviews: "Scott's writing is incredible. If I were in charge of handing out awards, one would be heading her way. " (read more...)

If I missed you, leave your link in the comments, and I'll post it.

More info:

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (September 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416960597
• ISBN-13: 978-1416960591
• Source: Library
  

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Love reading (or watching) Gossip Girl? Can't get enough of books set in blog or diary format? Get ready for the The Bradford Novels by Micol Ostow.

The buzz about this new YA series is starting early. Websites related to the series will offer exclusive content, such as character blogs and interactive opportunities for readers. The first book, GoldenGirl, will be available in January.

Want to know more? Check out my post about The Bradford Novels at SparkLife!

Feedback is welcome and encouraged, especially because this is my first post for them. Please leave a comment.

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