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Giveaway of 3 Books by Lisa Schroeder plus New YALit Releases 7/28-8/3

by Jan Lewis

Hi Everyone!
It’s another great week of book releases. Here’s the roundup with an amazing giveaway from Lisa Schroeder! One winner will win a signed copy of THE BRIDGE FROM ME TO YOU plus signed copies of CHASING BROOKLYN and FALLING FOR YOU. What are you reading this week?

The ladies of AYAP,

Martina, Alyssa, Jan, Lisa, Katharyn, Erin, and Clara

YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK

* * * *

The Bridge from Me to You
by Lisa Schroeder
Signed copies of The Bridge from Me to You, Chasing Brooklyn, and Falling for You
Point
Released 7/29/2014

Lauren has a secret. Colby has a problem. But when they find each other, everything falls into place.

Lauren is the new girl in town with a dark secret. Colby is the football hero with a dream of something more. In alternating chapters, they come together, fall apart, and build something stronger than either of them thought possible–something to truly believe in.

Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Bridge from Me to You?

I love books that alternate points of view. My novel, CHASING BROOKLYN, alternates between Nico and Brooklyn and the response to that book and the alternating POVs has been really positive. With this new YA, Lauren and Colby tell the story. Lauren’s part is in verse while Colby’s is in regular chapters. Lauren has had a rough time of it, and has ended up in this small town, living with her aunt and uncle and three cousins. The verse for her part of the story allowed me to really get inside her head and express all of the emotions she’s having about her life. And then there’s Colby. He’s one of the star football players but he has dreams beyond the field, and he feels alone in those dreams. Basically, it’s a story of a girl who is haunted by her past and a boy who is haunted by his future, and they are stuck in this small town and at times, neither of them feel like they belong there, for very different reasons. So I love how the dual points of view tell the story in a unique way.

Purchase The Bridge from Me to You at Amazon
Purchase The Bridge from Me to You at IndieBound
View The Bridge from Me to You on Goodreads

YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS

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Strange and Ever After
by Susan Dennard
Hardcover
HarperTeen
Released 7/22/2014


Winner – Summer Khaleq

In the conclusion to the trilogy that Publishers Weekly called “a roaring—and addictive—gothic world,” Eleanor Fitt must control her growing power, face her feelings for Daniel, and confront the evil necromancer Marcus…all before it’s too late.

He took her brother, he took her mother, and now, Marcus has taken her good friend Jie. With more determination than ever to bring this sinister man to justice, Eleanor heads to the hot desert streets of nineteenth-century Egypt in hopes of ending this nightmare. But in addition to her increasingly tense relationships with Daniel, Joseph, and her demon, Oliver, Eleanor must also deal with her former friend, Allison, who has curiously entangled herself in Eleanor’s mission.

With the rising dead chomping at her every move and Jie’s life hanging in the balance, Eleanor is convinced that her black magic will see her through to the bitter end. But there will be a price. Though she and the Spirit Hunters have weathered every battle thus far, there will be consequences to suffer this time—the effects of which will be irreversible. And when it’s over, only some will be able to live a strange and ever after.

Susan Dennard will leave readers breathless and forever changed in the concluding pages of this riveting ride.

Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Strange and Ever After?

I have to say, I LOVE the Egyptian setting. I mean, Indiana Jones and The Mummy are still some of my favorite films, so it’s no wonder that I loved exploring 1876 Cairo so much! I mean, the dusty streets, the intense heat, the call of the muezzin, and the clash of modern buildings with old Turkish side streets–it was seriously a delight researching this book. Then, studying the Great Pyramid, Saqqara, and Heliopolis–there is just so much potential for conflict and romance in those settings!

Plus–c’mon–everyone knows that having mummies as part of a Dead army makes EVERYTHING cooler. 😉

Purchase Strange and Ever After at Amazon
Purchase Strange and Ever After at IndieBound
View Strange and Ever After on Goodreads

MORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK

* * * *

Kalona’s Fall
by Kristin Cast & P.C. Cast
Hardcover
St. Martin’s Griffin
Released 7/29/2014

With more than 12 million books in print, rights sold in almost forty countries, and more than three years on The New York Times bestseller listreaching as high as #1 the House of Night series is an international publishing sensation. Now, the excitement continues as the Cast mother-daughter duo shares the back stories of a few of the House of Night’s most importantand mysteriouscharacters.In KALONA’S FALL, the shadows in Kalonas past will finally come to light We will learn about the winged immortal’s secret history and discover how he went from being the Goddess’s Warrior and Guardian to her enemy and betrayer. Did Darkness taint Kalona as it did Neferet, or has the powerful immortal always preferred power over honor, and control over faith? This novella will be crucial to fans’ understanding of Kalona, before his role in the explosive final installment of the House of Night, REDEEMED coming in October 2014.

Purchase Kalona’s Fall at Amazon
Purchase Kalona’s Fall at IndieBound
View Kalona’s Fall on Goodreads

* * * *

Silver Shadows
by Richelle Mead
Hardcover
Razorbill
Released 7/29/2014

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

Purchase Silver Shadows at Amazon
Purchase Silver Shadows at IndieBound
View Silver Shadows on Goodreads

* * * *

Some Boys
by Patty Blount
Paperback
Sourcebooks Fire
Released 8/1/2014

Some boys go too far. Some boys will break your heart. But one boy can make you whole.

When Grace meets Ian she’s afraid. Afraid he’ll reject her like the rest of the school, like her own family. After she accuses the town golden boy of rape, everyone turns against Grace. They call her a slut and a liar. But…Ian doesn’t. He’s funny and kind with secrets of his own.

But how do you trust the best friend of the boy who raped you? How do you believe in love?

A gut-wrenching, powerful love story told from alternating points of view by the acclaimed author of Send.

Purchase Some Boys at Amazon
Purchase Some Boys at IndieBound
View Some Boys on Goodreads

* * * *

The Young World
by Chris Weitz
Hardcover
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Released 7/29/2014

Welcome to New York, a city ruled by teens.
After a mysterious Sickness wipes out the rest of the population, the young survivors assemble into tightly run tribes. Jefferson, the reluctant leader of the Washington Square tribe, and Donna, the girl he’s secretly in love with, have carved out a precarious existence among the chaos. But when another tribe member discovers a clue that may hold the cure to the Sickness, five teens set out on a life-altering road trip to save humankind.
The tribe exchanges gunfire with enemy gangs, escapes cults and militias, braves the wilds of the subway and Central Park…and discovers truths they could never have imagined.

Purchase The Young World at Amazon
Purchase The Young World at IndieBound
View The Young World 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: Jul 28, 2014
Category: Imported from AYAP
Tags: New Releases | 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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