Book Blast + Giveaway for ESSENCE by Lisa Ann O'Kane

I can't tell you how excited I am to be a part of Book Nerd Tours latest BOOK BLAST. Not only is ESSENCE an adrenaline laden debut, but the Lisa Ann O'Kane is my pub sis! (So, you know, simply by virtue of being a Strange Chemistry book, it's awesome!) 

And the cover...

OMG, I LOVE THIS COVER!

About ESSENCE

Autumn escaped a cult, but now she realizes she's fallen into another.

Growing up in San Francisco’s Centrist Movement, sixteen year-old Autumn Grace has always believed emotions—adrenaline, endorphins, even happiness—drain your Essence and lead to an early death. But her younger brother’s passing and a run-in with a group of Outsiders casts her faith into question.

Ryder Stone, the sexy, rebellious leader of the Outsiders, claims Essence drain is nothing more than a Centrist scare tactic -- and he can prove it.

Autumn follows Ryder to his Community of adrenaline junkies and free spirits in Yosemite National Park, and they introduce her to a life of adventure, romance, sex, drugs and freedom. But as she discovers dark secrets beneath the Community’s perfect exterior, she realizes the more she risks in search of the perfect rush, the further she has to fall.

You can order ESSENCE by clicking on the links below.

      

About Lisa Ann O'Kane

Lisa Ann O’Kane is a young adult author and former vagabond who once camped out in Yosemite National Park for an entire summer, an experience that inspired her debut novel ESSENCE.

Her background is in zookeeping and environmental education, and she has been kicked, cornered, bitten and chased by nearly every animal she has ever loved. She currently resides in Florida, and she is now a huge fan of shooting stars, indoor plumbing and keeping both her feet planted firmly on the trail.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK |

 TWITTER | GOODREADS

      

ABOUT THE GIVEAWAY!

3 Winners will receive an E-book Copy of ESSENCE by Lisa Ann O’Kane.
1 Winner will receive Two collectible buttons and a handmade Yosemite National Park vintage map pendant.

Must be 13+ to Enter
International Giveaway

*Book Nerd Tours is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Mail Box* 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saying Be Fearless is One Thing: A Tribute

It is completely different to ACTUALLY be fearless. Sometimes, I forget that.

This isn't going to be a regular post. I'm not going to espouse great things about the publishing industry or ramble on about the ins and outs of a debut year.

I can't. Because right now, I'm having a hard time remembering to breathe.

Yesterday, a friend of mine, perhaps  the first I made when I moved to Indiana, died. He was 37. His kids are the same age as mine. Yesterday, he had a wife. Today, she is a widow. And that sucks. On about 85 levels.

But Chris lived life. He enjoyed it. He laughed at himself and took pride in things other might have rolled their eyes at. He loved the Colts. He loved good beer... not the cheap stuff we drank at room parties at conventions, the good stuff. He loved his children. And he loved Colleen.

When we met, way back in 1997, like many college students, he was looking for his place. We were both highly charged, politically motivated kids who bled blue for the Democrat campaigns that would let us be a part of them.

And we grew older. I wish I could say we were as close now as we were then, but I can't. Life leads us in different directions. Chris found himself in service. He started a non-profit to help those who never experienced what it was like to have a father learn to become dads. He helped the poor and homeless. He worked with college students, inspiring them with his dedication to serve others. And he was one of the first ones to say congrats when something amazing happened in my life.

We both married Catholics and we both converted, lamenting to each other how we have grown more conservative with age, though not too conservative. Since Chris was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago, we have reconnected thanks to Facebook and DMs. And I am so glad I had that. Who knew sharing our disappointment that one of our local hang outs no longer made the sandwich we loved back in the day could become a treasured memory. I'm not ashamed to admit that I started stalking Chris on FB. I wanted to see his smile, the joy on his face when his kids were around. I wanted to assure myself that this was just one more obstacle for him to kick the crap out of.

See Chris is a force of nature. I can't bring myself to say was. Not just because I don't want to admit it, accept it, whatever a shrink would say, but because that force is like the wind. It continues on even after the trees have stopped swaying. Even in what we perceive as it's absence, it is there. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched. In the adventures he had. In the love that he gave.

So my friend, who lived life knowing that there was so much more to it than going through the motions, you will be missed by so many. And I am blessed to have been a small part of your journey.

Vaya Con Dios, mi amigo. I'll see you someday... at Denny's. You'll know it's me when you see the shoulder tick that only comes when you've been up 24 hours on the 4th of July. Three parades in one day starting at midnight? Bring it!

Book Trailer Is LIVE!

Yes, I know, I haven't posted in a while. I have no defense, other than it was May. It was only May because my summer is about to go nuclear. Seriously. Stay tuned for pics and stories from the movie set.

What? Did I just say movie set?

Why yes. Yes I did... but hold on, because it's not the answer to your prayers. It's A Wonderful Death is not in line for the big screen... yet. *Crosses fingers, blows on a dandelion, searches lawn for a clover of any leaf variety.*

In my other world, where I do the library thing, we're gearing up for Summer Reading, with our major project being the production of an original screenplay.

But enough about that. There will be plenty of time to dish on this! It's time for something I have been keeping a secret for weeks!

IT'S A WONDERFUL DEATH BOOK TRAILER!

Thank you, thank you. Oh heck, I can't wait another minute, so here you go!

That's it! Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Your Feel Good Post of the Day

When I was in sixth grade, my friend called me a cry-baby. And, as much as it hurt, it was true. It still is. I am a crier. I think it comes from my empathetic nature. I ugly cry when good things happen as much as when bad things happen. It's who I am. There are still stories about my kids I can't tell people without tears welling up. Stories that are YEARS old.

But I think that's what makes me the kind of writer I am. Because even if I have never experienced something, a part of me connects and feels just a little bit of someone else's joy or pain.

Which is why I don't watch the news any more. I tend to get bogged down by the horrible stories. Like the missing airplane or the ferry that became a tomb. (See, I know current events.) And don't even get me started on the Ukraine situation or the fact that known kidnappers were caught in the town next to me this morning.

In my personal opinion, and this is not based on anything scientific and I'm sure an amateur statistician could poke holes in the validity of this statement, but I think our brains are being programmed to think that bad things, negativity, hate, and despair are the norm.

I don't want to think that the horrible things are the norm. Because I KNOW there is so much good in the world. So today, I'm starting to post a "Feel Good Post". It won't be everyday, but when I find something that makes me feel good, I want to share it. Be it a dog who's owner has just come back from deployment or this little video of inspiration. I hope you like these moments of good!

NERD BLAST {Summer on the Short Bus}

Introducing...

I am so excited to be a part of this book blast. 

Why? Um... read this and you'll know why!

SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Running Press Kids

Spoiled, Versace-clad Cricket Montgomery has seventeen years of pampering under her belt. So when her father decides to ship her off to a summer camp for disabled teens to help her learn some accountability, Cricket resigns herself to three weeks of handicapped hell. 

Her sentence takes a bearable turn as she discovers the humor and likeability of the campers and grows close to fellow counselors. Now, if she can just convince a certain Zac Efron look-alike with amazing blue eyes that she finally realizes there's life after Gucci, this summer could turn out to be the best she's ever had.

Summer on the Short Bus is a very non-P.C., contemporary YA with a lot of attitude, tons of laughs, and a little life lesson along the way.

Want to know more about Bethany?

Bethany lives in San Diego with her husband, two kiddos (one of whom is differently-abled), and a chocolate lab who has no regard for personal space. She believes that prayer solves problems and that Jake Ryan is going to show up at her door any minute now…. She is represented by Rachael Dugas of Talcott Notch Literary Services. You can get to know Bethany better by following her on Twitter, Facebook, and of course her website.

Praise for SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS

"Crandell creates a wonderful and relatable protagonist with Cricket but even better than that, she surrounds her with equally relatable, flawed, and real characters...This book is an absolute winner!" – Feathered Quill Book Reviews

“A novel oozing with heart and humanity.” - Ken Baker, E! News correspondent and author of Fangirl and How I Got Skinny, Famous and Fell Madly in Love

“A hilarious and heartwarming ride.” – Jennifer Salvato Doktorski, author of How 
My Summer Went Up in Flames and Famous Last Words

Find more about the SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS by visiting 

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Indiebound | GoodReads

About the GIVEAWAY!!!!

One Winner will get: a Signed Copy of SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS
One Winner will get a $25 Gift Card to Amazon or B&N – winners choice!

Open Internationally for the Gift Card. Book Ships in US only. Must be 13 + To enter

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Give a book, change a life, twitter style

Okay, maybe change a life is a bit drastic, but you could at least change someone's day! 

Last week, two of my reading queens of the 5^th grade class came to me and asked if the library had any books they were getting rid of. Of course, being the supportive and nosey librarian that I am, I asked why.

When they told me about a project they and a few of their fellow 5^th graders were starting, my heart sang and tear threatened to spill over. They were on a mission to collect books for teens who, due to medical issues, were required to spend time, sometimes a lot of time, at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital. It seems that there are a lot of books for little ones, but when it came to YA lit, not so much. They couldn’t imagine anything worse than being confined to your room and not having any good books to read.

Honestly, I’m perfectly healthy and the idea of not being able to read good YA lit is depressing. I assured them that I had just done a weed a few months before and hadn’t gotten around to donating them anywhere and they were there’s for the taking.

Now, most of the books were pulled because they were old or tattered, but a few are in decent shape. Still, their plea got me to thinking: I know writers. I know avid readers. 90% of my twitter followers are somehow related to the book industry. So I thought I would try a test to see just how powerful the social media machine can be. I’m sending out a plea of my own, to you, my literary friends. A chance to give back and maybe, just maybe, help a teen escape the confines of needles and IVs to a world that is romantic, full of adventure, or even a little more scary than their own lives.

My goal, through social media, is to collect 50 books from twitter followers. That’s it. In the next two weeks, if you have a moment to pull an already completed YA book from your shelf or dig out a duplicate from your TBR pile… you know you have them… and mail them to me, you just might make a teen’s day.

Post in the comments below with your email and I will send you my mailing address. If we hit 50… let’s go for 100… maybe, if we can collect enough books, every teen who leaves the Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital will have a prized book in their possession! I’m starting it off with two books from my private collection… who’s with me?

I thank you in advance and remind you to BE FEARLESS with every moment you have!

My Writing Process Blog Tour Rolls On!

Today is an AWESOME day! First of all, the sun is shining and , with the exception of a few piles that were huge a week ago, the snow is gone. Yes, spring is kicking and screaming to return to the Hoosier State. It’s also an awesome day because my amazing Agency Bro, Joshua David Bellin, invited me to be part of the “My Writing Process” Blog Tour. I highly recommend you click on his name and check out his blog! Seriously, he's one of the most awesome person on the planet!

 Now that the frivolity is over, let’s get down to the nuts and volts (shout out to those who have been watching Catching Fire on a loop for the last four days) of my writing process.

1)     What am I working on?

My current WIP is a pretty big departure from It’s A Wonderful Death. To begin with, every character is alive. In Genesis I Trust is a contemporary romance that centers on Genesis, a high school junior who, when her political operative father decides she needs to take a larger interest in the family business, is yanked out of her posh private school and forced to work on the campaign trail. Along the way she reluctantly falls in love with the son of a candidate from the wrong side of the aisle. I think the plot is best summed up as Romeo and Juliet meets Scandal, sans the body count.

2)     How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I think there is something a little formulaic in contemp romance. Boy and Girl meet, obstacle, must overcome to be together, happy ever after (although not always). What makes this book different is the “inside” perspective of a teen living and working the world of politics. Her actions have consequences that go beyond her love life and could have serious ramifications on a national level.

3)     Why do I write what I do?

I love YA literature. But more than that, I love working with teens. Even though I have two kids of my own, I remember what it was like to try and figure out where my place in the world was. I remember being overwhelmed by trying to live up to someone else’s expectations. If my writing helps even one person take a deep breath and carry on, then everything else is cake. YA literature doesn’t get the respect it deserves and I hope to be a small part of the wave of writers who changes that!

4) How does my writing process work?
I’m kind of manic when I write. You know how some writers have this time of day where no one disturbs them and they write XXXXX number of words a day? That is not me. I am more of a binge writer. I tune in to the writing, work for 20-30 days, pretty much ignoring everyone else around me and then produce an, albeit, crappy first draft. Many rounds of editing later, it’s ready for the light of day. Don’t get me wrong. I want to be a methodical writer, but life doesn’t always work that way. I think it just goes to show that there is no right or wrong way to finish a novel.

Well, that’s me in a nutshell… not really… me in  a nutshell… that would be a tight fit… but that’s my writing process, for better or worse. Thanks for stopping by and make sure to check out the next people on my branch of this blog tour next week. For those of you keep track, yes that is March 17^th, aka St. Patrick’s day, aka I better get my corned beef out to thaw later this week!

Kristine Carlson Asselin writes contemporary Young Adult & Middle Grade fantasy. She has written fourteen nonfiction books for the school library market with Capstone Press and Abdo Publishing, the newest (Dangerous Diseases ) came out in February 2014. She is one of the co-directors of SCBWI-New England this year, and her debut Young Adult novel, Any Way You Slice It, is due from Bloomsbury Spark in late fall 2014. She is represented by Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. You can find out more about Kristine by checking out her website: kristineasselin.com

Jason Leclerc's first book, Momentitiousness, represents a new genre of  short stories--he calls them moments--that are tangential in space and time.  The "Novel Collection," as he calls it, is an adventure that draws on topics ranging from Arbitrage and Zombies. His poetry blog, PoetEconomist, is consumed by readers around the world and he is currently in talks regarding the adaptation of a short story from Momentitiousness onto the film screen. Learn more about this writing pioneer by visiting his website at: www.momentitiousness.com.

AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or being a tomboy running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. 22 countries, surfing with sharks and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts. She is the author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, PW and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, then published with a small press, was a Seventeen Magazine Summer Read. She currently resides in New York with her husband and three children. Visit her at www.amaliehoward.com.