Joy Preble's Blog, page 40

A few years ago, the city of Houston paid some marketing company huge bucks to come up with a promotional scheme to get more tourists to come here. Their slogan, after months of brilliant scheming? "Houston is Hot"

Really, marketing people? Really?

It *is* hot right now - hitting 100 again all weekend. Supposed to break by mid week. And finally, finally, rain. It has not rained in two months. They are actually spraying water on the power lines because they're getting too hot. Who knew?

Beyond the heat, here's what I've got for you this morning:

1. Woman was just on Today Show discussing her on line shenanigans with a certain now ex-congressman from Brooklyn. " You knew he was married. Do you feel sorry?" asks Anne Curry. "No," says woman. "It is what it is. All that has made me who I am now." Really? And what is that?
2. Top Chef Masters still makes me happy.
3. I am in huge crushing love with Augie the blind CIA guy on Covert Affairs.
4. You are all going to love Again and Again. Which I need to finish by 7/15. I am about to enter the crazy zone. Beware.
5. Tina Fey's autobiography Bossypants is hysterically funny. Read it!!

Til next time...

Wow! Since this contest was mainly about PJ Hoover and her new YA dystopian, Solstice, I put her in charge of the contest hat! And I guess she's just magic, cause we ended up with 5 winners!


Drum Roll Please.......


The winners of the Solstice trading cards - one for each character and all with uber cool secret codes and special stuff - are:


Jim Danielson
Lieder Madchen
Bee
April X

And the winner of Solstice Trading Cards AND a signed copy of Haunted (from yours truly) is...

Tasnim

Congratulations to all! If you are reading this, please email me your addresses at joy at joypreble dot com so we can send your prizes.

And stay tuned to this blog for a guest post and giveaway with Janet Fox, in honor of her new historical fiction YA, Forgiven, which is the companion book to last year's Faithful. And later in the month, I'll be hosting fellow Houston YA writer, Christina Mandelski, whose debut novel is the fabulous The Sweetest Thing.

Plus lots more... Trust me, it's going to be one amazing blogalicious summer!

And coming in the fall, I am very, very excited to announce that I will be going to Austin Comic Con in November!! More soon, so stay tuned.

Thank you to all who entered and told me and PJ Hoover what you do when it's hot outside! (Did you notice that it is still pretty hot out, btw? At least here in Houston, where it's gonna hit 100 at least twice this week. Again!)

Your entries are headed into the contest hat. (which I've been wearing to protect my pretty face from the sun)
We will announce winners soon!

Stay cool my friends!

Yes, dear readers, another giveaway. Just go with it. I have no idea what's making me so delightfully generous. Possibly I've just lost it with this crazy hot weather we've been having. Even for Houston (where we've basically got just two seasons – summer and February), this has been a bit extreme. We hit 100 in late May and seem to have skipped right over June and July and gotten stuck in August. Okay, it's dipped back into the mid 90's this week, but seriously, it's hot. Where is Al Gore with that power point when you need him?

And speaking of global warming – which we just were, in case you didn't catch on – I've got a really hot treat for you today, gentle readers! My pal PJ Hoover – Texas Sweetheart, Austin writer, all around cool chick who does hip things like appear at Dallas Comic Con – has written a new book called Solstice. Our mutual literary agency, the fabulous Andrea Brown Literary, has published it as their first front list ebook, which is also way cool. (note how I'm throwing in the word cool to juxtapose with the hot? I am just that good of a writer)

Here's the Amazon blurb:

Piper's world is dying. Global warming kills every living thing on Earth, and each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles which threaten to destroy humanity. Amid this Global Heating Crisis, Piper lives with her mother who suffocates her more than the chaotic climate. When her mother is called away to meet the father Piper has been running from her entire life, Piper seizes an opportunity for freedom.

But when Piper discovers a world of mythology she never knew existed, she realizes her world is not the only one in crisis. While Gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper's life spirals into turmoil, and she struggles to find answers to secrets kept from her since birth. And though she's drawn to her classmate Shayne, he may be more than he claims. Piper has to choose whom she can trust and how she can save the people she loves even if it means the end of everything she's ever known.So in honor of the Solstice release, PJ and I thought we'd something different.

First – our giveaway. If you want to win some Solstice trading cards, comment on this post and let us know your favorite things to do when it's hot outside. (remember this is a family blog!) I'll leave the contest open until Monday 6/13. And just for good measure, I'll send the winner an autographed copy of Haunted, too!But before you post, here's our surprise. It's too hot for me to come up with questions, so I asked my character Anne Michaelson – the feisty hero of Dreaming Anastasia and Haunted – to have a little chat with Solstice's Piper. Seems they have a lot in common, these two. Check it out below! And don't forget to enter the contest!

Anne: When I met Ethan I thought he was totally hot, but honestly? He was sort of stalkerish and intense. It took me a while to realize that what I felt for him was way different than I've ever felt for anyone else. And then he went away and I started going out with Ben because I wanted someone normal and uncomplicated - which complicated things even more. Mr. Danger vs. Mr. Normal – but they're both really awesome people. How about you and the whole Shayne/Reese thing? How did you end up with two guys in the picture?

Piper: Hey Anne, thanks for asking! Like you know, it is a bit of a challenge dealing with two guys, especially when they're both pulling me in opposite directions. I mean, before I met Reese and Shayne, my mom controlled every single thing I did, and Reese was such a rule breaker; it was kind of awesome. Sure, I knew I was doing things I shouldn't, but for once, it felt nice to be in charge of my own life. And then there was Shayne. Everything about him made me feel more secure except for the fact that he would never tell me the truth about anything. That, and he was a little overprotective.
So there I was with two guys, and they were both pretty hot. And the best part: they were both in love with me. Are you curious what I did about them? I hope so!

Anne: More than curious. We'll have to talk later. Seriously. But first, another question, and let me just preface by saying I see where you're coming from. My life has turned into one huge Russian fairy tale these days – and a happy ending is not necessarily guaranteed! I've made this bargain with Baba Yaga, who's a totally unpredictable witch with iron teeth and removable hands. I've discovered that I'm related to a pretty cranky Russian mermaid called a rusalka. And in book three, I'm going to face off with a guy named Koschei the Deathless who basically can't be killed. How about you? What's up with all the Greek mythology?

Piper: This girl I know, Melina, she gave me a birthday present when my mom wasn't around. My mom would have freaked if she found out. She's so overbearing. Anyway, after Melina left, I opened the present, and it was this gorgeous, ancient, Greek box. You can probably guess where this is going. Yep. Like Pandora, I opened the box. Sigh. Maybe I shouldn't have, because the next thing I knew, my whole world divided. All of a sudden Greek gods started showing up at the most unexpected places and paying all this attention to me. Who knew? I thought global warming was our biggest issue, not mythological domination.

Anne: And I thought I was the only one on the wacky life train. Possibly Baba Yaga isn't the only scary thing out there. And I'm sorry your mom keeps freaking. I get that, you know. Family stuff is pretty harsh for me lately. Since my brother David died, my parents haven't been getting along real well. I think my mother's developed an eating disorder. And now that my mom knows some of my secrets, well, I think it's making her even more freaked out. Plus if she had to pick, she'd definitely want me with Ben and not Ethan which is totally not her business, by the way! I know you and your mom are having some issues, too. Any suggestions for how to work it all out?

Piper: I have this total love/hate thing going on with my mom. I mean, on the one hand, she's really awesome in that she loves me more than anything. On the other hand, her love is so intense, it's pretty much an obsession. I can hardly go to the bathroom without my mom watching. It's so bad that back when I was 13, I actually ran away and refused to come home unless she let me go to public school. Which she did. But she calls me every day to make sure I'm still alive. So you want advice on how to deal with a family situation? Unless you want to run away, too, I don't have anything useful to offer.


Anne: Nope. Not gonna run away. So let's change the subject to something, um, lighter. What's on your ipod right now?

Piper: Well, in my world here in Solstice, we all actually have something called a FON (functional operating node). So on my FON is DON'T FEAR THE REAPER by Blue Oyster Cult


Anne: Your perfect day?

Piper: It has to be hot, and the sun has to be shining, and it's best if my mom is out of town and a gorgeous guy asks me out. Oooh, you have to read about it in Solstice! It's totally hot!


Anne: I think I'll do that. Then I'll loan the book to Tess. Speaking of my bff – she and I just had like, an hour long debate - peanut butter or chocolate?

Piper: Peanut butter because with global warming and all that, chocolate melts too fast.

Anne: You've the quite the global warming obsession, right? But maybe for good reason…

Piper: It was great talking to you, Anne! I hope we can do this again sometime!

Anne: Ditto.


PJ Hoover's Bio:P. J. Hoover first fell in love with Greek mythology in sixth grade thanks to the book Mythology by Edith Hamilton. After a fifteen year bout as an electrical engineer designing computer chips for a living, P. J. decided to take her own stab at mythology and started writing books for kids and teens. P. J. is also a member of THE TEXAS SWEETHEARTS & SCOUNDRELS. When not writing, P. J. spends time with her husband and two kids and enjoys practicing Kung Fu, solving Rubik's cubes, and watching Star Trek.
Her first novel for teens, Solstice, takes place in a Global Warming future and explores the parallel world of mythology beside our own. Her middle grade fantasy novels, The Emerald Tablet, The Navel of the World, and The Necropolis, chronicle the adventures of a boy who discovers he's part of two feuding worlds hidden beneath the sea.

Before I announce the lucky winners, let me say thanks again to Lisa and Laura Roecker for spearheading the 'spread some indie bookstore love' event. As much as I love my local B&N and Borders - and all the wonderful CRM's and managers and booksellers who support me - I have a soft spot for the small, independent stores that champion books, readers, and authors. They are my heroes!

Also, your responses made it clear that many, many people are not close to *any* bookstore - chain or otherwise. If it's not stocked at Walmart, you're getting your books on line... or not at all. This speaks volumes - and not in a good way. I hate that just this handful of buyers is controlling what we read. The Dreaming Anastasia series has gotten - admittedly - amazing placement in the big box chains. (Sbooks marketing team, you are gods!) But if there's not a B&N or Borders (whatever is left) near you, then you don't get the choice to choose these books unless you stumble into them on line. (yes, my 1,000 Twitter followers are obviously not as powerful as my fantasy brain would like to think.)

Food for thought...

But now..... drum roll please.....

THE WINNERS!!!!

The signed copy Rachel Hawkins' Hex Hall goes to Emmie, who hangs out the Hastings in Witchita Falls. Emmie, in the words of Rachel herself (yes, we are friends! Feel free to be in awe), "Amazeballs!"

The signed copy of Sarwat Chadda's Devil's Kiss goes to Chey, who loves a store called DowntownBooks and worries that it will stay open. Chey, Sarwat (yes, another friend! I am so popular. Yep, that's what you're thinking) wants to tell you, "Brilliant!" and offer to buy you a cuppa cream tea next time you're in London. (oh wait, that's what he promised me)

I will be emailing both winners later today.
Congrats!

And stay tuned later this week for my fabulous post ever when I let Anne from Dreaming Anastasia and Haunted interview Piper from PJ Hoover's new YA Solstice. This interview is HOT!!!

til next time..

is Pam Zollman!!!

There were many great responses and Bettina and I thank you for your participation!
Pam's response to the question: Would you cross the border illegally to find your family? reflected bravery on many levels!

Enjoy Illegal!

And the rest of you - make sure to get your own copy as well.

Other books to put on your list:
Janet Fox's Forgiven - out now from Penguin
Crystal Allen's How Lamar's Bad Prank Won Him a Bubba Sized Trophy - out now from Harper Collins
and of course - if you haven't read Haunted, my sequel to Dreaming Anastasia, it's out now from Sourcebooks. A little magic. A little romance. A really crazy, malevolent Russian mermaid.

And check out previous post for ongoing contest to win signed copies of Rachel Hawkins' Hex Hall and Sarwat Chadda's Devil's Kiss!!

First – thanks to my fellow Sourcebooks authors, Lisa and Laura Roecker (Liar Society, out now!) for spearheading this love fest for our favorite indies!

That said, let's talk Blue Willow.

Blue Willow is my favorite Houston indie book store. It is small but mighty. Owner Valerie Koehler and her staff, including the indomitable Cathy Berner, are tireless and fearless champions of books and authors and readers. Houston is an enormous, spread out city. I live about 50 (no joke) miles from this store, so I don't get there as often as I'd like. If I was closer, I'd hang out every day if I could. It's just that warm and welcoming.

So here's my Blue Willow story:

In June of '09, a fresh ARC of my debut YA, Dreaming Anastasia in my hand, I trekked down to Blue Willow to say hi. I think I'd emailed first to introduce myself to Valerie, but even so, this was essentially one of those terrifying cold calls. You walk in clutching your book and hope that someone will at least take the darn thing from you and smile. Valerie was just in from her annual trip to New York to visit with publishers. She had a terrible head cold. And there I was – school teacher/mom with a dream debut author from a medium-sized publisher whose new YA imprint at that moment consisted of my book.

But I was lucky. DA resonated with Cathy Berner. I was asked to do a small after hours signing in October after the book came out. They let me sign the book wall and didn't complain when I picked the spot right next to Lauren Conrad – who'd just been there and whose line was a lot longer than mine. A lot.

We stayed in touch. They hand-sold my books and supported me in ways for which I will always be profoundly grateful. As the release of book 2, Haunted, approached, they asked me if I would like to be a featured YA author at Houston Teen Book Con. I was giddy with excitement. Honored. Delighted. The event was beyond awesome!

The Dreaming Anastasia series has done very well – far exceeding everyone's more modest expectations. I know that part of that success is because of the Blue Willow team.

If you're reading this, please support Blue Willow this summer (and of course beyond) by stopping by and making a purchase. I know they stock DA and Haunted!



And in honor of them I'll be giving away two signed books from one of my favorite author signings at that store: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins and Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda.

To be in the running, just comment on this blog about your favorite book store – indie or chain. Contest is open to US and Canada and will run through Monday June 6th.



Want to know more about Blue Willow? Here's their website: http://www.bluewillowbookshop.com/

Help me spread the word! Sourcebooks is offering the ebook version of Dreaming Anastasia for only $1.99 this week as a stock up for summer reading special!! And then go on and read Haunted!


http://www.sourcebooks.com/readers/browse-our-lists/ebook-specials.html


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00348UMSA/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=00SQSFJCRPNT7YXT01JP&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Today I'm sitting down to chat with my pal Bettina Restrepo, about her debut YA novel Illegal, out now from Harper Collins. I've known Bett for awhile – having wormed my way into her heart by schlepping up to the Huntsville Hastings for a Sunday afternoon book signing she did when her picture book Moose and Magpie came out. Huntsville, for the uninitiated, is a lovely town – truly- but is best known for being the home of the giant statue of Sam Houston, the state prison, and the Prison Museum, where one can visit 'Old Sparky' – also known as the electric chair. It's also a college town. Make what you will of all this. Let's just say that Bettina was glad to see me. We've stayed bonded ever since.
Bettina was glowing a few weeks ago at her book launch party at Blue Willow. And she's been on the road – both literally and virtually – ever since, promoting Illegal, which is a novel that comes from a deep place in her heart. It's gorgeously written, emotionally resonant, and a damn fine YA that you need to start reading immediately!

Here's what Amazon has to say:

A promise.
QuinceaÑera.
A promise that we would be together on my fifteenth birthday . . .
Instead, Nora is on a desperate journey far away from home. When her father leaves their beloved Mexico in search of work, Nora stays behind. She fights to make sense of her loss while living in poverty—waiting for her father's return and a better day. When the letters and money stop coming, Nora decides that she and her mother must look for him in Texas. After a frightening experience crossing the border, the two are all alone in a strange place. Now, Nora must find the strength to survive while aching for small comforts: friends, a new school, and her precious quinceaÑera.

Bettina Restrepo's gripping, deeply hopeful debut novel captures the challenges of one girl's unique yet universal immigrant experience.

And here's what Bettina herself had to say:

1. One thing that always fascinates me is the writer's journey. I know mine has been rather twisty, turny and tumultuous. How about yours? Can you give us a quick glimpse into the road that led you to the day that Illegal appeared on bookshelves and virtual shelves?

9 years times 365 days = 3285 days, which doesn't seems so long now. Illegal was the book that taught me to write and re-write a novel. 2 agents, 35 rejections. It was a lesson in patience.

2. What's your writing process?
I wish my writing process was clearly defined so that I could repeat what works, but I seem to be all over the place. Truly, the story comes in a vision where I know the beginning middle and end. Then, I write 50 pages, change everything and then decide to do an outline. Then at page 350, I decide everything is wrong, and rewrite the first 100 pages. Personally, the entire process is convoluted and something I'm trying to improve.

3. Illegal puts faces and personal stories on the topic of illegal immigration. I've heard you speak about what influenced and inspired you to write this book. Can you talk a little about that here?

I worked in an ethnic supermarket as an auditor – so my job was to watch and listen. I noticed how precarious the financial life was of many of the patrons. I translated those moments, traveling through the stores, watching people, and my own personal story into Illegal.

4. Reading Illegal got me thinking about my grandparents, all of whom immigrated from various spots in Europe to America. They didn't know a soul here, just came on faith that things would be better. So although they came through Ellis Island, the emotions are somewhat similar. And I always wonder - would I have been brave enough to basically pack my belongings in a bag and come to a country without even being able to speak the language. How about you? Would you do what Nora and her mother do?

It's very scary to think about packing up what little you have and just showing up somewhere else. Now that I'm older, no, I wouldn't do it.
But, as I recall my childhood – I was a child of immigrant parents who were also military. We were constantly packing up and moving to a new place. Sometimes I knew the language, sometimes I didn't. There never seemed to be a support system – and yes, it was always scary.

4. Chocolate or peanut butter?

Yes. Both. Constantly.

5. Where do you write?

I have a faux office in the front of my house facing thte front window so I can spy on people in the neighborhood.

6. How do you balance writing time with the rest of your life?

Precariously. I write from 7-11 with one break to walk the dog and put in laundry. Then, I lunch, take a quick nap or exercise at the gym (I love ZUMBA). Then, at 2 pm, my mommy/carpool hat comes on. After he goes to bed, I walk the dog and collapse into the bed to read. Then, back up at 5. Repeat, Rinse.

7. What's next for Bettina Restrepo? Any projects in the work you can tell us about?

I have another novel in its final stages (or so I hope) of revision. Like I said, it's a convoluted process, so I never know when it's done.


CONTEST: Want to win a signed arc of Illegal?

Comment on the following question: Would you cross the border illegally to find your family?

Best answers go into the contest hat and the winner gets the signed arc! Contest is open until 5/25! Good luck!

Need to write, so a few quick updates. Hope to be better with the blogging soon. But end of school, son's imminent wedding, impending book deadline... it's wild around here right now!

Interview coming soon with Bettina Restrepo, author of Illegal, writer pal and all around fantabulous human!

Until then, check out Bettina's schedule of book events, along with the Class of 2k11 and other folks at BEA: http://bettinarestrepo.com/?p=540

Someday I will make it to BEA. I'm hoping for next year. Am I the only one who's never been? Speak up people. Give me some armchair company!

Am writing like crazy to meet my Again and Again deadline in July. I am so excited about book 3 of the Dreaming Anastasia series. You want romance? You want some time travel? You want to find out about Ethan's past? This is your book. I'm very excited about how Anne and Ethan's story is turning out. More on that soon.

Cindy Wexler at my local Borders in Houston is an amazing person who supports me and the DA series in huge ways. So yes - some Borders are still alive and well and kicking. And staffed by wonderful book loving souls.

Two more weeks until I am no longer teaching full time. Interesting what happens when you tell people you're leaving. Some are happy that you're going to follow your dream. Some immediately treat you like you're invisible. Some ask for your stuff. (equipment, files, you name it; the vultures start to circle). "Will you give me all your files?" "Can I put my name on a sticky note on your document camera?"

A reader created this really cool book trailer for Dreaming Anastasia