Shannon Delany's Blog: Shannon Delany's Goodreads Blog, page 3

This is one of those things that authors know but the public may not realize: getting a book to be carried by Wal-mart is a pretty big deal. In fact, it's such a cool thing that when I found out my debut novel was going to be hitting Wal-mart stores in August I did a little dance.

There was even some screaming.

I'm very happy.

Although 13 to Life hasn't hit all the Wal-marts yet (and I've been wearing myself out pushing to get into a bunch of indie, Borders and B&N stores beforehand), it's already been spotted in Texas and Canada (which surprised me).

On my way back from RWA in Orlando I stopped at the Barnes & Noble in Moorestown, NJ and the Barnes & Noble in Wilkes-Barre, PA to sign some books--there may still be a couple signed copies there. :)

The rest of August's going to be a busy month:

On August 13 I'll be signing at The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid, NY from 4-6pm and then August 21 I'll be in West Chester, PA signing and speaking at PAYA (an event encouraging library support and more YA novels in Pennsylvania).

Oh yeah. And book 3 in the 13 to Life series, Bargains and Betrayals , is due to my editor super soon.

And then there's a bunch of stuff going on that will hopefully be resolved and I'll be able to share some really cool new news with you. :-)

September takes me to a special event in Ithaca, NY; October 2 finds me in Hunter, NY at The Village Square Bookstore and in November (as it stands now) I get to do research on a future project in Massachusetts. December includes more travel and signings--Barnes & Noble in Nanuet, NY's on my list that month.

And then, February 15, book 2--Secrets and Shadows: A 13 to Life Novel--hits shelves nationwide.

And everything starts all over again. ;-) To say I couldn't do this all without your help--well, that'd be quite an understatement, wouldn't it?

So thank you. Thank you SO much!
~Shannon

That's right! I'm super excited about being Barry Eva's guest on A Book and a Chat this morning at 11 am EST. Do you have a question about writing? Have a question about publishing? Want to know about my debut book, 13 to Life and the series it's started? Maybe you're curious about how I have a farm, a husband, a kindergartner and still find time to write (I wonder some days, too!).

Join me today at 11 am EST. You can call into 347-237-5398 OR type a question into the chat box on blog talk radio! This is one of the few chances you'll get to talk to/hear me live unless you drag yourself to one of my currently scheduled signings (Hamilton, NY on the 22nd of June; Harrisburg, PA; Oneonta, NY June 30; Albany, NY July 10; Orlando, FL July 28 and 30; Lake Placid, NY August 13). Please pop in and share a book and a chat with Barry and me!

Talk to you soon!
~Shannon

Yup. Yesterday I gave away Tera Lynn Child's Forgive My Fins, today's Melissa Marr's Fragile Eternity and tomorrow--well, I'm not quite sure, but maybe I'll announce it while I'm Barry Eva's guest live on his Blog Talk Radio show, "A Book and a Chat." The show starts tomorrow morning (Saturday, June 12) at 11 am EST. Call-ins and questions in the chat are welcomed.

Then, June 14, I start giving away different books through the 13 TO LIFE Facebook Fanpage. On the 15th? A book a day is given away through my Twitter.

The big blow-out comes June 22 (13 to Life's release day and the day of my book birthday party at the Colgate Bookstore in Hamilton, NY) when I give away a bunch of books to celebrate!

Busy, busy!
~Shannon

There are currently 4 places (I know of) online that are hosting contests giving away copies of 13 to Life.

The most recent is hosted by an educator in Southern California who loves 13 to Life. Read her review and enter her contest (ends June 15!):
Young Adult Lit Review.

There's also a contest at Mundie Moms for a signed copy of the book, t-shirt, jewelry and swag (ends June 13).

You can also enter to win one of 2 copies of 13 to Life as part of Paranormal Summer Fest at Tynga's reviews(ends July 4).

And of course you still have a chance to enter to win a signed copy of 13 to Life through the Serial Tour.

Go forth and have fun (and good luck)!
~Shannon

This is the month of my debut novel’s release and we’re celebrating in a bunch of different ways...

1.) Today marks the beginning of my “Start Your Day with Serial” blog tour. Over at fellow debut novelist, Class of 2k10 member and all-around-great-gal Denise Jaden’s blog I’m her Teen Author Tuesday interview. Stop in and say hi!

Leave a comment to be entered into a BIG contest I’m running this month (one of several). There you’ll also find a link to 13 to Life’s Prologue, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. During the course of the Start Your Day with Serial tour you’ll be able to hop from blog to blog, find out what people asked me (and how I answered) and get to read a different section of the first novel in my 13 to Life trilogy. By the time the tour is over several someones will have won some spiffy prizes and everyone will have gotten to read most of the first 3 chapters (and prologue) in order—FOR FREE!

2.) Later today (or early tomorrow morning, depending on storms messing with our satellite reception) www.13toLifeSeries.com goes live (as more than a lame link to my author page). You’ll get to explore parts of Jess’s hometown of Junction and watch as the site grows and deepens each week.

But wait, there’s more...

3.) Tomorrow my Shifting into High Gear event starts with an interview of author Jordan Deen. Jordan writes werewolves and was kind enough to answer my questions. Shifting into High Gear is a month long celebration of transformation, shapeshifters and (obviously) werewolves. You’ll see things happening on Twitter and various websites because of it and you’ll be able to read about great authors like Jordan Deen (The Crescent), Kitty Keswick (Freaksville), Judith Graves (Under My Skin), Leah Cypess (Mistwood), Karen Kincy (Other) and Sarwat Chadda (Devil's Kiss and Dark Goddess). And from the 22nd to the 29th there will be a HUGE giveaway here for anyone who is into that sorta stuff.

But I’m not done yet...

4.) Starting June 9th I’ll be giving away ARCs and books here to commenters. Things kick off with two cool ARCs—stop by to see how you get a chance at getting the goods.

And that’s just the start...

5.) Starting June 14th I’ll be giving away “Blue Books” on my 13 to Life Facebook Fan page. If it has a blue cover or an element of blue on its cover and I’ve got it—it’s headed out the door to a lucky winner.

6.) Then on June 15th I’ll start giving away a book a day on Twitter. Yes. #abookaday

7.) June 22nd 13 to Life hits stores nationwide, my head explodes and I start doing in-person book signings.

Everything wraps up July 2nd when I go comatose—nah—just into an early hibernation. So. Serial Tour, contests galore and Shannon collapses with a snore. ;-)

June’s going to be transformative! A good month for werewolves and their shapeshifting pals!

Hope you’re a big part of the fun!
~Shannon

Tomorrow I catch a train (quite suitable considering my stories) and head to NYC to hit BEA!

I'll be catching up to my 2k10 Classmates soon--Most of them I've never met!

Yes.

Slightly terrified.

I'll be speaking (with many of my Classmates) at a few places: Books of Wonder (Tuesday night 6-8pm); The Voracious Reader in Larchmont (Wednesday 4-6pm); and NYPL (St. Agnes Branch) on Thursday at 4pm.

I. Will. Have. Swag. Glow-in-the-dark buttons. Mini-posters. Bookmarks. Postcards. A very limited number of 13 to Life chapbooks. Find me and get some. :D

We'll also be snagging a table out near the cafe on level one of the Javit's Center to do quick interviews and meetups with bloggers who wanna chat or score some swag.

I'll have my cell, so I'll be checking my Twitter (and suggest you do, too ;-)for the latest on Class of 2k10 events and meetups! So remember: http://Twitter.com/Shannon_Delany and http://twitter.com/Classof2k10

I'll also be heading up a ghost tour (with a professional guide)of East Village Wednesday night at 9pm. Wanna join us? Bring $15 and meet us at the lion sculpture in front of St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, northwest corner of Second Avenue and Tenth Street. East Village, Manhattan. Don't be late!

Hope to see you there!
~Shannon

Really quickly: a group of wonderful authors put their heads together to create a charity auction to raise money for much-needed flood relief in Nashville, Tennessee (where I was supposed to speak and attend RWA, now moved to Orlando).

I managed to obtain an "extra" ARC of 13 to Life thanks to the Not So Sweet 16 Party at this year's RT BOOKlovers Convention in Columbus, Ohio and I'm offering it, 13 to Life pins and a signed mini poster and a thanks in the Acknowledgments in book 2 of the series to the winning bidder.

So, if you want to get your hands on 13 to Life before it hits shelves June 22, and you want to help Nashville, please bid today. :-)

~Shannon

I'm three different places today thanks to modern technology and awesome, awesome fans. You want art? I have it. You want sound? I have it. You want to know about me and my werewolves? Got that, too...The things I do for you people! ;-) LOL!

Got 15 minutes? Want to hear me read from 13 to Life? I'm on BTR's Authors Read program at noon (EST) today. Can't make it at noon, that's okay, you can download the file and play it at your leisure.

Come find out how I came to write about werewolves! I'm a guest blogger at Young Adult Literature Review.

I'm sharing my first 13 to Life Fan Art! Tynga has created an awesome cover for 13 to Life using her artsy skills! Come check it out!

Have fun--it's Friday!
~Shannon

Pop over to my main blog for 13 Things I Learned thanks to the RT BOOKlovers Convention in Columbus, Ohio.

The event was amazing, the people were gracious and excited about 13 to Life and I had a ton of fun! I blew through all my free excerpt booklets (signed and numbered each), a bunch of posters and all of my glow-in-the-dark and eyeball pins (as well as many postcards and bookmarks)!

My panel, workshop and the Not So Sweet 16 Party were terrific successes and I'm totally stoked about hitting Los Angeles next year for RT.

I won gobs of YA novels and ARCs that I'll be giving away starting in June at my blog, my Twitter and my Facebook fan page. Winning's easy, but you have to play to have a chance!

~Shannon

So today we make the drive down to Columbus to RT BOOKlovers Convention. This'll be my first RT and it's supposed to be a huge event chock full of well-known authors and aspiring authors, folks in the publishing industry (other than authors) and just, generally, people who love books.

I'm moderating a panel, hosting a workshop and one of 16 hostesses for the "Not So Sweet 16" bookseller party.

I got to stay with pal (and owner of The Book Exchange--she has two very cute stores!) Annette Fitzgerald and her family and tonight we'll be staying at the Hyatt (YAY!).

I'm going to be kept hopping, but hopefully I'll occasionally update my main blog http://www.13toLife.us/blog

Take care! Keep writing and reading!
~Shannon