BOOKANISTAS: Breakfast Served Anytime

A coming-of-age debut evokes the bittersweet joys and pangs of finding independence in one unforgettable summer away at "geek camp." 

When Gloria sets out to spend the summer before her senior year at a camp for gifted and talented students, she doesn’t know quite what to expect. Fresh from the heartache of losing her grandmother and missing her best friend, Gloria resolves to make the best of her new circumstances. But some things are proving to be more challenging than she expected. Like the series of mysterious clues left by a certain Professor X before he even shows up to teach his class, Secrets of the Written Word. Or the very sweet, but very conservative, roommate whose coal-industry family champions mountaintop removal. Not to mention the obnoxious Mason, who dresses like the Mad Hatter and immediately gets on Gloria’s nerves — but somehow won’t escape her thoughts. Beautifully told by debut author Sarah Combs, this honest and touching story of growing up is imbued with the serene atmosphere of Kentucky’s natural landscape.

This is one of those quiet books that might not seem like much when you read the plot blurb. It's not "high concept", the fate of the world isn't at stake, in fact, you might glance at this book, think, "hm, this sounds good" and then keep moving on to something shinier or fancier looking. 

That would be a huge mistake. 

The writing in this book, you guys. OMG the writing. This is one of those books that made me want to be a better writer. It's one of those books that made me stop and linger over beautiful sentence after beautiful sentence. This is a book you savor. This is a book that touches your heart. 

The characters are complex, which is one of my favorite things in a book. No one in this book is what he or she seems...they all contain multitudes. And growing with Gloria as she makes this discovery about herself and the people she meets at Geek Camp is truly a wonderful journey. 

I can't wait to see what comes in the future from Sarah Combs. This is a debut author to watch...I know there's going to be more beautiful writing from her in the future, and I can't wait to read it.
Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to today...

Rebecca Behrens raves about THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY by Maria E. Andreu

Katy Upperman praises THE EIGHTH GUARDIAN by Meredith McCardle (with giveaway!)

Lenore Appelhans is beside herself for BURN OUT by Kristi Helvig

Shari Arnold is crazy for THE THOUSAND DOLLAR TAN LINES by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

BOOKANISTAS: Open Road Summer

After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own. Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence. This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking. A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes.

I'm sure you guys are expecting a more coherent review of this book than OMG THIS BOOK I LOVE IT SO MUCH! And, honestly, I'll try to give you one. But, seriously, OMG THIS BOOK I LOVE IT SO MUCH! 

I knew I wanted to read this book when I first heard about it because it checks all of my boxes. Romance? Check. Best friends? Check. Travel? Check. Music? Check. So, I expected to like it. Maybe even like it a lot. I had no idea how much I would fall in love with this book, though. It was just so, so perfect. 

Emery Lord's writing is beautiful. I wanted to hug this book when I was done with it (in fact, I actually may have done it) because there are so many beautiful passages and turns of phrase throughout. It's been months since I read the ARC of this book and there is one particular part that I still think about because I love how gorgeously it was worded. The whole book is like that, too. Lovely writing that is totally accessible. It's one you'll want to read again and again. (I know I do!)

I especially loved the friendship in this book. I love a strong friendship between girls on the page, where the two friends love and encourage each other. This book is about the kind of friend you want to have and the kind of friend you want to be - that one-of-a-kind friendship that holds a special place in my heart. My girlfriends have always been so important in my life, so I really love reading books like this one that celebrate that friendship.

The romance in this one is amazing, too. It's a fabulous slow-burn, we can't be together but we totally want to romance between two really well-developed characters that completely sizzles. You'll want to fall in love with these two, and you'll be sad when this book is over. For real. 

I loved everything about this book. So much so that I'm downright evangelical about it. I'm singing the praises of OPEN ROAD SUMMER far and wide. Get a copy of it next week so we can gush about it, and then pass along the recommendation to another contemp lover. I promise, you'll fall in love.
Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to today...

Lenore Appelhans is nuts for NOGGIN by John Corey Whaley

Tracy Banghart swoons for STAR CURSED by Jessica Spotswood

Rebecca Behrens raves about PUSH GIRL by Bookanista Jessica Love

Christine Fonseca is riveted by SEKRET by Lindsay Smith

Kimberly Sabatini loves BRAZEN by Katherine Longshore

Katy Upperman is crazy for THE SYMPTOMS OF MY INSANITY by Mindy Raf

What A Difference A Year Makes

It's been just a little over a year since I posted this post.

I typed that up and posted it at one of my lowest points. I was frustrated with my writing and sad about the way things were going for me. I felt like nothing I did was ever going to work out, and I didn't feel like I had a good outlet for all my feels.

That very same day, just a few hours after that post went live, I got the news about PUSH GIRL.

Now, a year later, I'm in awe of how things have turned around so much since that post.

Like, I have blurbs, you guys! I don't think I ever showed you my blurbs! These amazing authors, all of whom I completely admire and think the world of, took the time to read PUSH GIRL and publicly say awesome things about it! All four of these amazing women are writers whose books I love and have spoken highly of just as a reader and a lover of YA books. This blows my mind!

“Push Girl’s Kara doesn’t want to be an inspiration, but she (and author Chelsie Hill) are exactly that in this honest, feisty, and painfully real story of one girl's adjustment to life on two wheels.”

—Deb Caletti, National Book Award finalist and author of The Queen of Everything and The Story of Us

"Push Girl is more than a survival story; it's about the power of turning pain and anger into hope and inspiration. Filled with heart and humor, it's an unforgettable, moving read."

—Tamara Ireland Stone, author of Time Between Us

“A compelling journey into Kara’s unforeseen, life-altering event and a revealing look at society’s various reactions to the physically challenged. It’s a story of love, desire and regret, tragedy, loss and triumph, of those who stand with you through the darkness and others who can’t, or simply won’t. We’re with Kara as she struggles to accept her post-accident life and forge new relationships with her friends, family and most importantly, herself. Push Girl is all life-as-normal, until suddenly, irreversibly it isn’t and Kara’s journey to build a new normal is a wrenching but ultimately triumphant one of strength, determination and heart. Go, Kara!”

—Laura Weiss, author of Such a Pretty Girl

“Push Girl is a tender, inspirational, and, most of all, important story about courage and adversity and never losing sight of who you are.”

—Jennifer Brown, author of Hate List

A year ago, all I had was a mess of a manuscript that I didn't know what to do with and a lot of frustration and despair. Now, just barely a year later, that mess of a manuscript has found a publishing home, and I have another book, one I never even dreamed of, one that has all those pretty blurbs on it, coming out in exactly TWO MONTHS. (Yes, two months from today. No, I'm not nervous at all. Why do you ask? *bites nails*)

Life is weird, you guys. Things can and will happen that you never, ever expect for yourself. Try not to let the bummer times get you down, and leave yourself open to new opportunities, because you never, ever know what they can turn into. 

And HANG IN THERE. 

I know there are some of you who are at that point I was a year ago, and you've been there for a while. You guys...I know your time is coming. I KNOW IT. Who knows...maybe you'll get your good news today. (Or after you post your most depressing blog post ever.)

How Do You Do It?

I work at a public school, and I'm very lucky that I have a principal who supports my "side job" as an author and is all about encouraging me and pumping me up as much as possible. Now that my secret writing life is out of the bag at work, I have a lot of my fellow teachers asking me how I have the time to basically work two full time jobs. The funny thing is, most of them don't even realize that I'm also working on my MFA, so when I tell them that, they look at me like I have Time Turner or something. They can't even fathom how I can go home after our (very exhausting) work day and then do something else that requires brain power.

But it has gotten me thinking...it's obviously a Big Deal that I can somehow work full time as a teacher and also write novels when I get home. So...how do I manage it?

Writing is a priority
I've realized as I've gotten older that you have to make time for the things that are important to you. I know it's a bit of a no-brainer, but I really do see people all the time talk about how much they want to be a writer, how much they wish they could do what I do, etc. But then when they have free time, they don't use it to write. If something is important, if you want to make it happen, then use the little time you have to actually do it. If it's something you want to do, DO IT. Otherwise, you're probably more in love with the idea than the actual thing, you know? I get it...the idea of being a writer is a lot easier than actually being a writer. But thinking about it doesn't get books written.

I have a husband, and he does pretty much all of the cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, and dog care
I'm lucky here. I'm married to the cleanest man in America, and even before I started writing seriously he pretty much took over all these tasks because he has to have them all done just so. Fine by me! So when I get home from work, I don't have to prepare a meal or clean anything up, I can just sit down and get to business, which is awesome. He also works from home, so it's easier for him to take care of mundane tasks around the house and dog stuff than it is for me.

I don't have kids
I don't have to give my time or attention to anyone else when I get home from work. (I know people who work full time, and write, AND have kids, and, damn, I am in awe of you people. Seriously.) And, honestly, my husband gets all into his TV and I get all into my writing, and I don't even give him all that much attention. The dogs curl up in my lap, so the only attention I really have to give another living thing when I get home is idle fur stroking while I write.

I do my best to leave work at work
This one is difficult for me, because teaching is one of those jobs that you never really get a break from. But I do my best to take care of all of my lesson planning / grading / emailing while sitting in my classroom, even if it means I need to stay later than I want to. Tied into this, I never write while I'm at work. I focus on work at work and writing at home, and keep those two lines as clear as I can.

I have my own computer, and I'm on it all the time
Having a computer that is 100% mine at all times is really important. If I had to share it with my husband ever...well, that would just never happen.

I don't watch TV
My husband is obsessed with having the TV on from the second he gets up until the second he goes to sleep, so it's always on, but I'm not really invested in very much. I have the occasional show I watch with him, but for the most part, I don't watch anything. I can't write and watch TV at the same time because I want to focus on the show, and since writing is the priority, TV just had to go. I know some people who manage to watch a ton of TV and still get more writing done than me, but I just can't multi-task like that.

Being an adult is hard. I get it. There's so much responsibility, so much to take care of, that it's very difficult to fit everything in. I'm lucky in that my husband takes on a lot of the adult jobs around the house and lets me contribute to our household in other ways. But in the end, it takes sacrifice to get the things you want. I have to say no to things and skip out on things and put things off so I have the time to write because it's that important to me. I don't think anything here is groundbreaking, but it's how things go for me, and it's how I get it all done. I know it may seem crazy to some, but, man, being a parent seems impossible to me. Or being a competitive athlete. Or a lot of things. But if it's important to you, you just DO it...right?

How do you do it? How are you able to fit writing in with your real life?

BOOKANISTAS: Liv, Forever

When Liv Bloom lands an art scholarship at Wickham Hall, it’s her ticket out of the foster system. Liv isn’t sure what to make of the school’s weird traditions and rituals, but she couldn’t be happier. For the first time ever, she has her own studio, her own supply of paints. Everything she could want. 

Then she meets Malcolm Astor, a legacy student, a fellow artist, and the one person who’s ever been able to melt her defenses. Liv’s only friend at Wickham, fellow scholarship kid Gabe Nichols, warns her not to get involved, but life is finally going Liv’s way, and all she wants to do is enjoy the ride. 

But Liv’s bliss is doomed. Weeks after arriving, she is viciously murdered and, in death, she discovers that she’s the latest victim of a dark conspiracy that has claimed many lives. Cursed with the ability to see the many ghosts on Wickham’s campus, Gabe is now Liv’s only link to the world of the living. To Malcolm.

Together, Liv, Gabe, and Malcolm fight to expose the terrible truth that haunts the halls of Wickham. But Liv must fight alone to come to grips with the ultimate star-crossed love.

I'm famous for not really liking my books, movies, or TV shows creepy. At all. I'm very easily creeped out, and I've been known to be unable to sleep after even the most mildly creepy story. I was a little concerned that the creep factor of this one might be too high for me, but I found myself drawn to something about it and dove in, despite my reservations. 

This book was creepy, but in the best possible way. The school is creepy, the students are creepy, and, yeah, the ghosts that haunt the grounds of the school are super creepy. But I loved it, anyway, creepiness and all. Because it wasn't scary. It smothered on the creep without keeping me up at night, and that is the kind of story I can get behind. 

Being a romance fan, I loved the relationship between Liv and Malcom. I loved how, even after Liv's death, they brought out the best in each other. It was such a compelling relationship, and I wasn't sure what I was rooting for, because there's no real way for these two to be together. But, in the end, I loved the journey these two went on and how it changed both of them. 

I also had a lot of fun with the mystery of the school. A good mystery always draws me in; I love searching for clues along with the characters and trying to figure out what is important and what might mean something. This mystery was super compelling, and I had a hard time finding a good time to put the book down and go to bed because I wanted to know what happened! I read the whole thing in almost one sitting because I just couldn't walk away from the story. 

If you like ghosts, mystery, romance, and/or creepy gothic boarding schools, then you should check this one out. It's a lot of spooky fun.


Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to today...

Kimberly Sabatini loves LADY THIEF by A. C. Gaughen

Katy Upperman praises PANIC by Lauren Oliver

Christine Fonseca applauds DANGEROUS by Shannon Hale

Lenore Appelhans is riveted by THE GLASS CASKET by McCormick Templeman

PUSH GIRL ARC Giveaway Winner!

Thank you all so much for entering my giveaway for a PUSH GIRL ARC! It makes me so happy that all of you want to read our little book. I'm thrilled that you guys are so excited for it!

Alas, I only have one ARC to give away for now, so there can only be one winner. And, thanks to random.org, that winner is...

JESSICA!

(No, not me. Heh. This one!)

Yay Jessica! I'll be in touch with you soon so I can send off your ARC! Everyone else, thanks so much for entering, and I'll keep you posted on any future giveaways! (And you can always pre-order PUSH GIRL if you haven't already. *wink wink*)

Happy Monday, everyone! xoxo

IN REAL LIFE Book Deal News!

I know three blog posts in three days after months of almost complete radio silence is a little extreme.

BUT.

You guys, I have some news. Big news. Major news. 

YES, it's true. IN REAL LIFE, the book I have been working on and trying to get right and pouring my heart into for what seems like forever, is going to be published. 

This book has all of my favorite things in it. The internet. Romance. Road trips. Best friends. Sisters. Las Vegas. Hot musicians. Live music. Late night phone calls. Secrets. More Las Vegas. Korean girls. Boys with glasses. Girls and boys behaving badly. Oh, and kissing. Of course. I am seriously so excited I can hardly see straight. 

It's been a long, emotional road for me and this book. I wrote it and I struggled and struggled to get it just right. There were things off here and there and I worked and worked and worked to get it perfect because I truly love this book, this story, these characters.

After about a year of work, I sent it to my agent last January. And she told me it wasn't quite right.

I was at a pretty low point after that. I thought this book was perfect, so getting these comments from my agent felt like a rejection. This book was so personal, and I got it wrong. How could that be?

I was letting it sit, trying to figure out what to do and how to fix it, when I got the deal for PUSH GIRL. So I had to put fixing it on the back burner while I worked my butt off on this new story. But Hannah and Nick were never far from my heart. 

It wasn't until pretty late in the year that I was all done with PUSH GIRL and was finally able to go back to IRL. Let me tell you, having the time away from it did worlds of good for my perspective. You hear that advice a lot - put a ms away for a month, three months, six months. I always scoff at it; who has that kind of time? But when the time is forced upon you, well, the advice turns out to be right on point. Thanks to the clarity that comes with distance and some brilliant new readers, I was able to see the problems in the story...and I was able to fix them.

I'll admit...I was a little nervous about sending it back to my agent. What if I didn't fix it? What if I can't? What if I have to give up on this book that feels like it's the best of me?

But, luckily, there is a happy ending to this story. She loved it. (And she was totally right about the issues it had.) And the editor I have been working on PUSH GIRL with at St. Martin's loved it. And after two years of work on this book (with a very long break in the middle there...WE WERE ON A BREAK!), the whole thing was wrapped up in just a few weeks. 

And now it's real! And Nick and Hannah are going to be out there in the world...next year! I'm thrilled!

So, I'll leave you with this photo that has been on my Scrivner corkboard for the past two years... 

Thank you all so much for your support! I'm so excited for you to read this book!