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

Five Things I’ve Learned Publishing a YA Trilogy PLUS A Giveaway

by Martina Boone
  1. Readers have uncanny timing. Whenever I feel like I hit a writing (or publishing) wall, I inevitably get a note from someone who gets the books, or connected with the books, or needed something in one of the books, or just plain loves the books, and that reminds me all over again why I write. I love meeting readers at book festivals. It’s such a privilege to see what books mean to them, not just my books, but books in general. This is what books meant to me when I was growing up, and I seeing their excitement and joy in reading, I feel like I’m part of a club that didn’t exist when I was in school. Then reading was something I shared with one or two special friends and mostly made up a secret compartment of my life.
  2. Bloggers are incredibly generous. I have met some of the most amazing people through this series. A lot of them are mentioned in the acknowledgments of my books, but there are so many others who it’s been my pleasure and honor to get to know. I don’t know if people realize how many books come out every month. To get people like Jaime Arnold or Hannah McBride to be willing to organize blog tours, to have blogs that I read before I was published champion my books–that’s amazing. And if y’all don’t think that authors appreciate each and every review, you’re wrong. We truly, truly do!
  3. Authors never stop fangirling. (At least this one doesn’t.) I’m awkward. Okay, I’m lame. It never fails that I end up running into a hero at a book festival and gushing awkwardly. I watch other authors playing it cool, not discussing their love for author X or author Y in front of that author. Me? I’m all “Ohmygosh, I adored XXX. Gush, yadda, yadda, yadda. More gushing.” I leave and think, “Could I have been more awkward?” And unfortunately, the answer is almost always no.
  4. Writing a book never gets easier. Seriously. I still have these epiphanies all the time that I keep hoping is going to teach me to make writing easier. But every book is a puzzle. Part of that is that I really need to find a chapter of Overcomplicates Anonymous. My books have more layers than sedimentary rock, and I spend most of my time trying to figure out how not to make that sink the book. Making a book read simple when it’s complex is probably way harder than making it simple in the first place, but I can’t write that way. Some day. Maybe. 
  5. Three books speed by. ILLUSION, the last book in the series, comes out in two weeks. Two weeks. How is that possible? It’s so strange to think the series will officially be over at that point, that I have to leave the world of Watson Island. I mean, I know that officially readers will continue reading it and discovering the series even after ILLUSION comes out, but this launch day will be incredibly bittersweet for me, like having a child graduate from high school. I’m incredibly proud and happy and grateful to have had the opportunity to be part of this life that I brought into the world, but I’m also teary-eyed and a little bit heartbroken to let it go.

THIS WEEK’S GIVEAWAY


Win a charm bracelet featuring all the elements of the series, Barrie’s shoes, the key to the secret tunnel, the sacred tree, Eight’s sailboat, the teapot from the tearoom, a horse, a feather, love, dreams, wishes, and–of course–a curse.

There’s also a charm bookmark for Illusion.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don’t forget the wonderful blog tour going on right now. Start this week’s posts over at Mundie Moms!

ABOUT THE BOOKS

compulsion
Simon & Schuster, Simon Pulse
ISBN: 18732883

Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.

Three hundred years ago, an ancient spirit cursed one of the founding families of Watson Island and gave the other two magical gifts that became compulsions. Arriving for the first time at her aunt’s plantation home, Barrie Watson finds herself haunted by the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she can’t see. With the help of Eight Beaufort, who seems to know what she wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family’s twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.

RT Book Reviews Top Pick & Editor’s Best ~ USA TODAY Must-Read Paranormal ~ Goodreads Best Books of the Month & YA Best Books of the Month

IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

persuasion
Simon & Schuster, Simon Pulse
ISBN: 148141125X

As reporters chasing rumors of a stolen shipment of Civil War gold descend on Watson Island, Barrie Watson discovers more is buried at Colesworth Place than treasure. A mysterious, magical man claims the key to the Watson and Beaufort gifts and the Colesworth curse also lies beneath the mansion, and Barrie has no option but to help him find it. While she and Eight Beaufort struggle to make sense of the escalating danger and their growing feelings for each other, Barrie must decide not only whom to trust, but which gift is more reliable—Eight’s or her own. With the fate of the founding families at stake, she has to choose between what she feels deep in her heart and what will keep her loved ones safe.

IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

illusion
Simon & Schuster, Simon Pulse
ISBN: 1481411306

Caged by secrets all around her and haunted by mistakes that have estranged her from Eight Beaufort, Barrie Watson is desperate to break the curse that puts her family in danger—without breaking the beautiful magic that protects Watson’s Landing. To do that, she must heal the rifts that have split the families of the island apart for three hundred years, unravel the mystery of the Fire Carrier and the spirits he guards, and take control of forces so deadly and awe-inspiring they threaten to overwhelm her.

With the spirits that cursed Watson Island centuries ago awake and more dangerous than ever, she finds an unlikely ally in the haunting and enigmatic Obadiah, whose motivations and power she still can’t read—or trust. His help comes at a price, however, plunging Barrie into a deadly maze of magic and wonder, mystery and intrigue that leads through history to places she never imagined she could go.

IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

A BIG SHOUT OUT 

Happiest of Book Birthdays to FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP by Sarah Glenn Marsh! I was honored to get to do an early read for this book and to get to gush about it. Here’s what I and a few other people said! Read the praise, then hop out and buy your copy! : )

“Beautifully-written with mysteries and love lurking within the pages as dangerously as an ancient evil waits in the drowning deeps of Sarah’s unique setting on the Isle of Man. Don’t miss this one!” —Martina Boone, author of Compulsion and the Heirs of Watson Island trilogy

“Haunting—gripping—beautiful. So powerful!” —Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Beka Cooper trilogy

“Fear the Drowning Deep is gorgeous. Lyrical. Atmospheric. Magical. Sarah Glenn Marsh’s debut is perfect for anyone who’s ever looked out at the sea with awe, and wondered what kind of creatures lurk in the deepest places. Utterly haunting.” —Jodi Meadows, author of the Incarnate trilogy, the Orphan Queen duology, and My Lady Jane

“Readers will be swept away by Bridey’s love story, every bit as thrilling and mysterious as the Isle of Man’s deep, dark sea.” —Tricia Rayburn, author of the Siren trilogy

“[A]tmospheric historical fantasy . . . evocative setting, memorable characters, and use of obscure folkloric elements all contribute to the novel’s strong sense of place.” —Publishers Weekly

“[T]his watery take on “Beauty and the Beast” will be catnip to paranormal-romance readers.” —Kirkus Reviews

* * * 

Fear the Drowning Deep
by Sarah Glenn Marsh
Hardcover
Sky Pony
Released 10/11/2015

Witch’s apprentice Bridey Corkill has hated the ocean ever since she watched her granddad dive in and drown with a smile on his face. So when a dead girl rolls in with the tide in the summer of 1913, sixteen-year-old Bridey suspects that whatever compelled her granddad to leap into the sea has made its return to the Isle of Man.

Soon, villagers are vanishing in the night, but no one shares Bridey’s suspicions about the sea. No one but the island’s witch, who isn’t as frightening as she first appears, and the handsome dark-haired lad Bridey rescues from a grim and watery fate. The cause of the deep gashes in Fynn’s stomach and his lost memories are, like the recent disappearances, a mystery well-guarded by the sea. In exchange for saving his life, Fynn teaches Bridey to master her fear of the water — stealing her heart in the process.

Now, Bridey must work with the Isle’s eccentric witch and the boy she isn’t sure she can trust — because if she can’t uncover the truth about the ancient evil in the water, everyone she loves will walk into the sea, never to return.

Purchase Fear the Drowning Deep at Amazon
Purchase Fear the Drowning Deep at IndieBound
View Fear the Drowning Deep on Goodreads

Martina Boone

Martina Boone is the award-winning author of the romantic southern gothic Heirs of Watson Island series, starting with COMPULSION from Simon & Schuster, Simon Pulse and the Celtic Legends Collection of novels set in Scotland, Cornwall, and Ireland beginning with LAKE OF DESTINY. She’s passionate about improving lives through literacy and the love of books, and she runs the Compulsion For Reading program to distribute books to underserved schools and libraries.

She lives with her husband, children, Shetland Sheepdog Phinney, and Zoey the lopsided cat, and she enjoys writing contemporary romantic fiction with a hint of magic set in small towns and beautiful places. When she isn’t writing, she’s addicted to travel, horses, skiing, chocolate flavored tea, and anything with Nutella on it.

Post © Martina Boone and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.
Posted: Oct 11, 2016
Category: Imported from AYAP
Tags: Martina Boone | YA Fiction Giveaways

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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. 

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