Golden Retriever sitting
Big, fuzzing brown puppy sitting
Hound dog sitting
Gray Pitbull sitting
Jack Russel sitting
Black and white spaniel sitting
Husky laying down
German Shepard sitting
Cocker Spaniel sittting
Young Husky sitting

Mystery YA Box Giveaway plus New YALit Releases 11/17-11/23

by Jan Lewis

Can you believe there’s only one book out this week? It sure is a good one! Since it’s a slow week, we’re doing a special giveaway.

We’re giving away a Mystery Box of recent YA books!!
(released in the last 6 months)

Use the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of the post to enter.
~The Ladies of AYAP
Martina, Alyssa, Lisa, Erin, Jocelyn, Shelly, and Jan

YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK

* * * *

Stolen
by Melissa de la Cruz
Hardcover
Putnam Juvenile
Released 11/18/2014

Nat and her drakon are the last of their kind—sworn to protect what their enemies seek to control—and she’s risked her life for their reunion. But fighting for the majestic Blue meant saying goodbye to Wes, breaking both their hearts. Back in New Vegas, citizens are threatened by the resurgence of magic and declare war on all the marked. Wes and his team travel to the extravagant indoor city of El Dorado looking for his sister, but when they are caught on the wrong side of the RSA’s strict new laws, Wes is forced to do the unthinkable—surrender and rejoin the military’s quest to uncover the magical source, the same land Nat is struggling to protect. Now he and Nat find themselves on opposing sides of a war that could potentially destroy what’s left of the world.

Purchase Stolen at Amazon
Purchase Stolen at IndieBound
View Stolen on Goodreads

YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS

* * * *

Revolution
by Jenna Black
Signed Paperback Giveaway
Tor Teen
Released 11/11/2014

 Winner – Kimberly Vaccaro

Nadia Lake and Nate Hayes find themselves at the center of a horrifying conspiracy in this action-packed finale of Jenna Black’s SF romance series that began with Replica.

From the author of the Faeriewalker series comes the stunning conclusion to the young adult science fiction thriller series that began with Replica and continued in Resistance.

At the conclusion of Resistance, Nadia Lake and the Replica of her best friend, Nate Hayes, found themselves at the center of a horrifying conspiracy. Framed for murder and wanted by the government, they have no choice but to go underground and seek refuge in the dangerous, gang-ridden slums of the Basement.

Jenna Black brings readers an action-packed final installment that will have them racing to the finish.

Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Revolution?

My favorite thing about REVOLUTION (at least that I can talk about without giving away horrible spoilers) is how side character Agnes grew and changed throughout the story. When I first introduced her in RESISTANCE, I was expecting her to last only for one book, but then she ended up taking flight with Nate and Nadia. When I was starting REVOLUTION, I was almost looking for a way to get rid of her, because I felt she was something of a distraction. But the more I wrote about her, the more I started to like her and started to see ways that she could take an active role rather than being someone who has to be protected. I loved taking a shy, meek, rule-following girl and making her into a hero.

Purchase Revolution at Amazon
Purchase Revolution at IndieBound
View Revolution on Goodreads

* * * *

The Halcyon Bird
by Kat Beyer
Hardcover Giveaway
EgmontUSA
Released 11/11/2014

 Winner – Sara Stevens

For fans of Lauren Kate and Cassandra Clare, a romance with a paranormal streak.

Mia has settled into her life with the Della Torres — Milan’s premier demon-catching family, accompanying them to exorcisms and even learning some way to be useful in the family trade. Then Bernardo comes into her life, handsome, well-mannered, someone who makes her forget her impossible crush on Emilio, her cousin. But always lurking in the background is the demon who possessed Mia once before, and who has not given up on possessing her again–this time for good.

*”Mia has a strong gift for the family trade, which, like the novel’s other elements…are portrayed in exquisite, affectionate detail. This one goes to the head of the class.” – Kirkus, starred review

“Sets the stage for a thrilling sequel. By the book’s close, Mia is armed and ready–she whispers to the demon lurking beyond, ‘You’ll have to wait. But I’m coming. Believe me, I’m coming.’ Readers will be ready, too.” – Booklist

“A supernatural novel with a fresh promise, worthy of note.” – School Library Journal

Purchase The Halcyon Bird at Amazon
Purchase The Halcyon Bird at IndieBound
View The Halcyon Bird on Goodreads

* * * *

The Name of the Blade
by Zoe Marriott
Hardcover Giveaway
Candlewick
Released 11/11/2014

 Winner – Jeanette Green

Ancient Japanese gods and monsters are unleashed on modern-day London in this first book of an epic trilogy from acclaimed fantasy writer Zoë Marriott.

When Mio sneaks the family’s katana — a priceless ancestral sword — from her parents’ attic, she just wants to spice up a costume. But the katana is much more than a dusty antique. Awakening the power within the sword unleashes a terrible, ancient evil onto the streets of unsuspecting London. But it also releases Shinobu, a fearless warrior boy, from the depths of time. He helps to protect Mio — and steals her heart. With creatures straight out of Japanese myths stalking her and her friends, Mio realizes that if she cannot keep the sword safe and learn to control its legendary powers, she will lose not only her own life . . . but the love of a lifetime.

Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Name of the Blade?

It’s a toss up, really. I adore the Kitsune – those are shapeshifting foxes from Japanese myth who can live for thousands of years and also shoot lightning out of their tails. They’re reluctant allies of my protagonist, Mio, and I loved writing about them, their strange fascination with humans, their knotty, snarky politics, and their amazing underground kingdom in the spirit realm. However, there’s also a moment in the book which I had to fight quite hard with my editors to keep, in which the heroine grows four inches in about thirty seconds and her pants split, revealing her Hello Kitty underwear. I wanted to show that you can like cute pink underwear and also be incredibly kick-ass. And I did eventually win, and the Hello Kitty underwear stayed. So I’m really fond of that, too.

Purchase The Name of the Blade at Amazon
Purchase The Name of the Blade at IndieBound
View The Name of the Blade on Goodreads

* * * *

Autumn Falls
by Bella Thorne
Hardcover Giveaway
Delacorte Press
Released 11/11/2014

 Winner – Brenda Hoffman

With her fiery red hair, new-girl outsider status, and tendency to be a total klutz, Autumn Falls definitely isn’t flying below the radar at Aventura High. Luckily, she makes some genuine friends who take her under their wing. But she also manages to get on the wrong side of the school’s queen bee, and then finds out the guy she’s started to like, funny and sweet Sean, hangs with the mean crowd. Now her rep and her potential love life are at stake.

When Autumn vents her feelings in a journal that belonged to her late father, suddenly her wildest wishes start coming true. Is it coincidence? Or can writing in the journal solve all her problems? And if the journal doesn’t work that way,  is there a bigger purpose for it—and for her?

Purchase Autumn Falls at Amazon
Purchase Autumn Falls at IndieBound
View Autumn Falls on Goodreads

* * * *

Stone Cove Island
by Suzanne Meyers
Advance Review Copy Giveaway
Soho Teen
Released 11/11/2014

 Winner – Clarisa Ramirez

The Stepford Wives meets Stephen King in this debut mystery: a sleepy New England beach town is wrecked by a hurricane that reveals an unthinkable 30-year-old secret.

When a catastrophic hurricane devastates Stone Cove Island, a serene New England resort community, everyone pulls together to rebuild. Seventeen-year-old Eliza Elliot volunteers to clean out the island’s iconic lighthouse and stumbles upon a secret in the wreckage: a handwritten, anonymous confession to a thirty-year-old crime.

Bess Linsky’s unsolved murder has long haunted the island, and the letter turns the town inside out. Everyone who knew Bess is suddenly a suspect. Soon Eliza finds herself in the throes of an investigation she never wanted or asked for. As Stone Cove Island fights to recover from disaster, Eliza plunges the locals back into a nightmare they believed was long buried.

Purchase Stone Cove Island at Amazon
Purchase Stone Cove Island at IndieBound
View Stone Cove Island on Goodreads

* * * *

Stranger
by Sherwood Smith and Rachel Manija Brown
eBook Giveaway 
Viking Juvenile
Released 11/13/2014

 Winner – Hannah Clark

Many generations ago, a mysterious cataclysm struck the world. Governments collapsed and people scattered, to rebuild where they could. A mutation, “the Change,” arose, granting some people unique powers. Though the area once called Los Angeles retains its cultural diversity, its technological marvels have faded into legend. “Las Anclas” now resembles a Wild West frontier town… where the Sheriff possesses superhuman strength, the doctor can warp time to heal his patients, and the distant ruins of an ancient city bristle with deadly crystalline trees that take their jewel-like colors from the clothes of the people they killed.

Teenage prospector Ross Juarez’s best find ever – an ancient book he doesn’t know how to read – nearly costs him his life when a bounty hunter is set on him to kill him and steal the book. Ross barely makes it to Las Anclas, bringing with him a precious artifact, a power no one has ever had before, and a whole lot of trouble.

Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Stranger?

Rachel: My favorite thing about Stranger is that, as its review in Kirkus said, it’s a “utopian dystopia” – a post-apocalyptic world that you might actually want to live in. Sure, it has little technology, scarce water, giant tarantulas, nosy neighbors, encroaching empires, and killer trees. But it also has telekinetic squirrels, flying cats, illusion-casting rabbits, live music, lavish parties, and really great food. And while some people will be prejudiced against you if you’re poor or have mutant powers, there is absolutely no prejudice on the basis of race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. I’m not sure I’d want to live there, but I’d definitely like to visit. 

Purchase Stranger at Amazon
Purchase Stranger at IndieBound
View Stranger on Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Jan Lewis

Jan Lewis writes YA fantasy of the contemporary and traditional varieties. She lives in Oklahoma with a husband, two kids, two cats, a dog, and a mother. Instead of unpublished, she prefers to call herself pre-published. While she enjoys drafting, her heart is truly in rewriting and editing. She loves ladybugs, fairies, blue roses, cats, musical theater, and pretty much all things geek.

Post © Jan Lewis and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.
Posted: Nov 17, 2014
Category: Imported from AYAP
Tags: New Releases

Welcome to Transmedia Mutts

Yellow origami dog on a teal background

Unleash your creative bark!

Shout out to AYAP!

Logo for Adventures in YA Publishing

Thank you to the women who started Adventures in YA Publishing and ran it for years. AYAP and TMM have merged to form Adventures in PUPlishing, and the legacy AYAP posts are now part of TMM. Click here to learn more about the earlier AYAP team.

 

Click to Join our Facebook Group

Share advice, practice pitching, celebrate successes, and support each other through writing and publishing adventures.

The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p> <p>Your main character needs to be:<br /> • Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br /> • Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br /> • Active enough to drive the story<br /> • Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p> <p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />
The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p> <p>But your theme needs to be:<br /> • Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br /> • Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br /> • Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br /> • Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p> <p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />
The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p> <p>In general, your plot should:<br /> • Hook readers fast<br /> • Build tension that a child can follow<br /> • Create page turns that feel natural<br /> • Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p> <p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.
The Arms of your story are the side characters.
The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p> <p>Your setting should:<br /> • Make your character's world feel real<br /> • Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br /> • Connect different scenes and moments organically<br /> • Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p> <p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black. 

Use of this site constitutes an agreement to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

AFFILIATE LINK DISCLAIMER: This site contains affiliate links, images, and ads to purchase various products. As an Amazon Associate, and a member of other affiliate programs, this site earns a commission from qualifying purchases if you click on one of these links, images, or ads.

© 2025 Transmedia Mutts, LLC. All Rights Reserved.