Submissions for the next Pitch+250 Contest will be accepted starting on Sunday, April 28th at 3:00pm Eastern time. The submission window will close on May 3rd at 11:00pm Eastern time, or when we receive 100 submissions, whichever comes first. The entries will consist of a pitch of no more than 100 words plus the first 250 words of your manuscript. Please note that the pitch word limit has been lowered. Think logline, not query. Click here for the contest info. Find out about our fabulous judges here!

THIS WEEK’S GIVEAWAY

Quintana of Charyn
by Melina Marchetta
Hardcover Giveaway (3 Copies)
Candlewick
Released 4/23/2013

The climactic conclusion of Printz Award winner Melina Marchetta’s epic fantasy trilogy!

Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi and his companions travel through Charyn searching for Quintana and building an army that will secure her unborn child’s right to rule. While in the valley between two kingdoms, Quintana of Charyn and Isaboe of Lumatere come face-to-face in a showdown that will result in heartbreak for one and power for the other. The complex tangle of bloodlines, politics, and love introduced in Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles coalesce into an engrossing climax in this final volume.

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Pretty Dark Nothing
by Heather L Reid
Signed Paperback Giveaway
Month9Books, LLC
Released 4/23/2013

It‘s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent. When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.

Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Pretty Dark Nothing?

Pretty Dark Nothing is full of demons, and I don’t mean the hot fallen angel, bad boy types. These demons are the evil, hairy, sulphurous kind, bent on manipulating and destroying Quinn’s life. They feed on her insecurity and magnify her fragile emotional state. She’s not sure if she’s going crazy or if they’re real, all she knows is that she wants her old life back, to go back to being popular and in control, but the demons have other plans for her. What I loved most about Pretty Dark Nothing was writing the juxtaposition of Quinn fighting a private, frightening war with her demons while trying to navigate the reality of her contemporary high school life and keep it all together. She’s gone from being popular and in control of her life to being plagued by nightmares of demons and she doesn’t know why. She doesn’t trust herself and fears she might be going crazy which makes her feel isolated and alone. She wants to reach out, but doesn’t quite know how. While she struggles with an emotional internal battle, she still has to deal with family, friends, rivals, grades and a cheating ex-boyfriend. Throw in some romantic sparks with a mysterious psychic amnesic named Aaron, all while the demons are pushing her to the brink of madness, and I hope it’s a recipe for something darkly paranormal and not quite typical. I won’t give anything away, but I love the ending and can’t wait to see her rising from the ashes in book 2.

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The Rules
by Stacey Kade
Hardcover Giveaway
Hyperion Book CH
Released 4/23/2013

1. Never trust anyone.

2. Remember they are always searching.

3. Don’t get involved.

4. Keep your head down.

5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival-and that of her adoptive father-depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening-and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules.

Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Rules?

I loved seeing the relationship develop between Ariane and Zane. I had fun with that, as neither one of them were expecting it and it certainly made things more difficult for both of them at times. I feel like people come into our lives at just the right time to shape our journey or nudge us along a slightly different path, and that’s what I hope comes across through their relationship.

Also, though I know people will hate her, I had so much fun with Rachel. It is really very freeing to have the chance to unleash your worst impulses, to do things you would never do, through a fictional character. Sometimes, it feels good to be bad. 😉

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LAST WEEK’S GIVEAWAY WINNERS

The Kissing Booth
by Beth Reekles
Paperback Giveaway
Ember
Ebook released 4/9/2013
Paperback released 5/14/2013

Winner: Cindy R. Wilson

A cool, sexy romance novel,written by seventeen-year-old British sensation Beth Reekles.

Meet Rochelle “Elle” Evans: pretty, popular, and never been kissed. Meet Noah Flynn: badass, volatile, and a total player.

When Elle decides to run a kissing booth at her school’s Spring Carnival, she locks lips with Noah and her life is turned upside down. Her head says to keep away, but her heart wants to draw closer. This romance seems far from a fairy tale.

Is Elle headed for heartbreak or will she get her happily ever after?

Purchase The Kissing Booth at Amazon
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The Grass Is Always Greener
by Jen Calonita
Signed Hardcover Giveaway
Poppy
Released 4/16/2013

Winner: Brooke Armstrong

How many secrets can one family keep?

Amid preparations for Emerald Cove’s extravagant Founders Day celebration and their own shared sweet sixteen, Isabelle Scott and Mirabelle Monroe are longing to break free from the tight constraints that come with being the daughters of a prominent public figure. When Izzie’s estranged aunt, Zoe, breezes into town, the already uneasy family dynamic is turned on its head.

Izzie’s finally found her footing in Emerald Cove by leading the Social Butterflies, her school’s prestigious club, and she has no interest in getting to know yet another long-lost family member. But Mira, who’s on a mission to try new things and make new friends, is drawn to Izzie’s artsy aunt. And when Mira meets a handsome, brooding painter, her entire perspective on life begins to shift.

As tensions mount in Emerald Cove, Zoe’s laid-back attitude appeals to both girls. But when she offers Izzie the chance of a lifetime, it’s time to make a tough decision. What’s more important: family or freedom?

Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Grass Is Always Greener?

For me, BELLES has always been a series about family and what makes one–is it the one you’re born into or is the one you make along the way? Izzie’s never had a family…till now and when a new and unexpected person shows up on her doorstep at the end of WINTER WHITE, Izzie has no idea what an impact this person will have on her new life with the Monroes. I love seeing how Izzie and Mira have grown and changed over the three books–learning to rely on each other, making new friends, but keeping the old (to steal from an old Girl Scouts song!), and figuring out who you want to let into your heart. I also love spending time in their world and exploring cotillion and sixteenth birthdays! The girls will be having a party of their own and as you can imagine, it will be quite interesting when it comes to planning with Mira a major party girl and Izzie hating the whole tradition. I invite you to share your own sweet sixteen birthday or year experiences with me on Twitter with the hashtag #thegrassisalwaysgreener. I’ll be retweeting every single one I find and I’ll also be sharing my own sweet sixteen photo. Boy is it a doozy!

Purchase The Grass Is Always Greener at Amazon
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Dead Silence: A Body Finder Novel
by Kimberly Derting
Signed Hardcover Giveaway
HarperCollins
Released 4/16/2013

Winner: Tiffany Johnson

Violet thought she’d made peace with her unique ability to sense the echoes of the dead and the imprints that cling to their killers, that is until she acquired an imprint of her own. Forced to carry a reminder of the horrible events of her kidnapping, Violet is more determined than ever to lead a normal life. However, the people who run the special investigative team Violet works for have no intention of letting her go.

When someone close to Violet becomes a suspect in a horrific murder, she finds herself pulled into a deadly hunt for a madman with an army of devoted followers. Violet has survived dangerous situations before, but she quickly discovers that protecting those closest to her is far more difficult than protecting herself.

Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Dead Silence: A Body Finder Novel?

When I was trying to come up with titles for the fourth Body Finder novel, I was brainstorming with my family when one of my nephews suggested “Death in Bloom.” Even though the title didn’t make the final cut, I liked it so much I decided to use the line in the book, and as it turns out, it’s one of my favorite lines because it worked so perfectly for the scene!

As weird at this may sound, one of my favorite things about DEAD SILENCE is that it’s darker than the other books in the series, and also gorier. I know, right??? I also feel like this book was a good way to end to the series, without necessarily tying everything up with a perfect little bow. It definitely leaves some wiggle room for readers to ponder what might happen to these characters in the future.

Purchase Dead Silence: A Body Finder Novel at Amazon
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The Symptoms of My Insanity
by Mindy Raf
Advance Reader Copy Giveaway
Dial
Released 4/18/2013

Winner: Vivien Probst