Got Questions for D. J. MacHale, author of Morpheus Road? Well, look no further!

Hi everyone!

I was recentely alreated that D.J. Machale, author of Morpheus Road among many other books, will be answering questions provided by YOU over at Ustream today at 6:00 PM.

Here's all the info straight from the people at Simon and Schuster:

Not able to meet D. J. MacHale while he’s on tour? Not to worry! You can still ask him all your questions about Morpheus Road on publication day!

Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to: http://www.ustream.tv/simonandschuster
2.  Login on the right side via Twitter or Facebook to post questions for me.
3.  D. J. will be answering the questions LIVE on pub day, 4/20 at 6:00 PM Eastern time, and you can watch it there then!

I hope you will be able to make it! Also feel free to pass the news on! :)

Contest for an ARC of Linger!!!

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other.  Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack.  And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

Comes out in stores everywhere July 20th. Pre-order here.

Enter to win an advanced review copies of LINGER, Sisters Red, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and The Replacement on Maggie's blog.

A Fantastic New Opportunity for International Bloggers!

Two of my blogger friends, Mavie (The Bookologist) and Reggie (The Undercover Book Lover) have opened up a new ARC tour site. Though, this tour site will specifically be dedicated to getting much anticipated books out to international book bloggers.

To check it out, head over this way. They already have two tours posted for two awesome books, Sing Me To Sleep and Forget-Her-Nots.

PS)

Look at the lovely winterwonderland that is surrounding my house:

You know I always think I love snow.... until stuff like this happens. Then I get annoyed and angry with it because of the fact that I can't go anywhere. Yeah, nowhere. I'm basically snowed in right now and probably will be all day tomorrow because of all the lovely severe winter adversaries the county I live is getting (We are now in a state of emergency which is just fun, fun, fun with a capital F), the interstates are starting to get closed by the governer of PA, and we're supposed to get about 15 inches by the end of this. :(

Though, the one good thing that comes from this all, is that I get to read for once. I actually just finished a really great book called Swoon at Your Own Risk by Sydney Salter. It was a really adorable read, and my review shall be coming next week, I think.

So, what about you all? Are any of you also facing this winter storm?

Cool Young Adult Related Information: Take 4!

Cool Young Adult Related Information is a feature I do occasionally in which I share different info that have been forwarded to me by bloggers, authors, publicists, exc. about different happenings in the YA world.

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First off, Climbing Rose (The Publisher behind books such as The Stillburrow Crush by Linda Kage and When Mike Kissed Emma by Christine Marciniak) is dedicating thier blog to all things romantic this February. Including having a snazzy contest where you can win your own copy of The Stillburrow Crush if you send in your crush story. Here's the info, straight from the blog:

Want to be a part of our celebration? Send us your best crush story. Were you secretly in love with your best buddy? Dreamy-eyed over your swim coach? Seriously crushing on that foreign exchange student? Tell us about it! We'll be posting crush stories on the blog all this month and asking readers to vote on them. If your crush story gets the most votes you'll win your own copy of The Stillburrow Crush.

Just e-mail your story to blaizerose (dot) cr (at) gmail (dot) com. And don't worry if your crush is a secret, you don't have to mention any names :)

So, what are you waiting for, go send in your crush story. I may just send in one my own, even though I don't have any ones that are too spectacular. haha.

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Jordan of Inside the Mind is looking to put together a Nicolas Sparks challenge. So if you would be interested in being part of it go comment on this post and tell her. Since, if she gets enough interest she'll start one up. :)

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Also, have you seen the new trailer for Forget-Her-Nots which debuted yesterday? It's defnitly up to par in greatness compared to the book. :)


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And that's it for this time!

Lonely Hearts Club Twitter Party!

I was recently alerted of a Twitter Party for The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg, an amazing book that I seriously hope you all check out. Though, enough of my blabbering, all the details are below.

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Join Lonely Hearts Club author Elizabeth Eulberg and Amy of MyFriendAmy for a Twitter party Wednesday, January 20, between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. EST!

• Be sure to follow Elizabeth @ElizEulberg and Amy @MyFriendAmy before the party!
• Join the fun! No one expects you or your tweets to be perfect; we’re just happy you made it to the party!
•  Anyone who tweets during this hour using #LonelyHeartsClub is entered to win a limited edition Lonely Hearts Club t-shirt!
•  Watch for questions from @MyFriendAmy and win awesome prizes including an iPod shuffle, $50 iTunes gift card or $25 VISA gift card!
•  To join the party, you can use our official party tweetgrid or just search #LonelyHeartsClub on Twitter.
•  Ask Elizabeth questions or chat with other partygoers about how excited you are to read LHC—just use the tag #LonelyHeartsClub in all of your party tweets! (This is added automatically in TweetGrid.)
• Please don’t post any spoilers and don’t forget to pay attention to the time zones, the party starts at 8:30pm EST.

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Cool Young Adult Related Information: Take Two

You might remember I did one of these a while back and talked about differnt YA news.  And since I have some new news to share, I though I would do Cool Young Adult Related Information: Take Two!

So, without a further ado:

First off, Beth Fantaskey, author of Jekel Loves Hyde and Jessica's Guide To Dating on the Dark Side, is kicking of a brand new contest dealing with Jeykel Loves Hyde. The goal? To create a short video trailer – like a movie preview – for Jekel Loves Hyde! The prizes include the following:

First prize:
•A visit by me to your local bookstore, library or school to sign books and (of course!) meet you.

•Signed copies of both Jekel Loves Hyde and Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side.

•Winning entry becomes the “official” trailer for the book on my website, as well as eligible for possible use by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

•And, of course, I’ll bring some other fun stuff when I visit!

Runners-up
•Two runners-up will receive signed copies of Jekel Loves Hyde and Jessica’s Guide.

Bonus Prizes!
•The first 10 entrants will receive signed copies of Jekel Loves Hyde.
 
And let me tell you is defnitly a contest you should not miss! Since, I had the lucky chance of reading an ARC of Jelel Loves Hyde and it was absoultly fantastic; a novel you simply can't miss this May!
 
To find out more info click HERE!
 
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Also, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group has just started up a blog called MacKids! There they will be posting different events as well as other exiting info!  To find out more click HERE.
 
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Lastly, Sourcebooks has a new teen like called Sourcebook Fire starting up this spring of 2010 and to kick it off they've created a really awesome Ning community. The Ning community contains different info, giveaways, and exclusive info about their books! ( And talking about there books, there whole lineup looks spectacular so far!) Amway, be sure to check it out HERE! And if you would like, you can befriend me on there here.

Really Great Contests Going on at Princess Bookie!

Princess Bookie is giving away some very cool books ( ARCS/ Hardcovers/ Paperbacks) in her Contest-A-Thon going on at her blog now and I thought I would share some that have cached my eye so far are:


4 ARC Bundle

Contains:

The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott
Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Voices Of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn

Don't all of those books look simply FABLOUS? I sure think they do. Plus, I'm dying to read all of them, especially The Unwritten Rule, because I love Elizabeth's books!

ARC for Captative by Carrie Jones

I adore the cover for this one and I've heard some many great things about the first in the series, Need, making it a must read for me! Plus, after seeing it, I really want the whole Gold Dust Eye Shadow the model's wearing on the cover, don't you? :) 

And as mentioned above she also has a ton of others happening now too!

The 250 Word YA Novel Discovery Contest!

I was recently sent an alert to a great new contest for aspiring YA writers!

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Have a young adult novel—or a YA novel idea—tucked away for a rainy day? Are you putting off pitching your idea simply because you’re not sure how to pitch an agent? No problem! All you have to do is submit the first 250 words of your novel and you can win both exposure to editors, and a one-on-one chat with one of New York’s TOP literary agents Regina Brooks.
Regina Brooks is the founder of Serendipity Literary Agency and the author of Writing Great Books for Young Adults. Brooks has been instrumental at establishing and building the careers of many YA writers, including three-time National Book Award Honoree and Michael Printz Honoree Marilyn Nelson, as well as Sundee Frazier—a Coretta Scott King Award winner, an Oprah Book Pick and an Al Roker book club selection. As an agent, she is known for her ability to turn raw talent into successful authors.

ADDITIONALLY: The top 20 submissions will all be read by a panel of five judges comprised of top YA editors at Random House, HarperCollins, Harlequin, Sourcebooks and Penguin. All 20 will receive free autographed copies of Writing Great Books for Young Adults by Regina Brooks. Of the 20, they will pick the top five submissions and provide each author with commentary. ONE Grand Prize Winner will win a free 10-week writing course courtesy of the Gotham Writer’s Workshop.

Please submit all entries via the contest website at http://www.writingclasses.com/ContestPages/YAPitch.php. One entry per person; anyone age 13+ can apply. Open to the U.S. & Canada (void where prohibited). Entries for the YA Novel Discovery Contest will be accepted from 12:01am (ET) November 1 until 11:59pm (ET),
NOVEMBER IS NaNoWriMo

In honor of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo.org)—an international event where aspiring novelists are encouraged to write an entire novel in 30 days—this contest is meant to encourage the aspiring YA author to get started on that novel by offering an incentive for completing the first 250 words.

So apply now! http://bit.ly/1PYGaN

JUDGING

YA literary agent Regina Brooks, along with editors at Sourcebooks, will read all of the entries and determine the top 20 submissions. These submissions will then be read by Dan Ehrenhaft, head Acquisitions Editor at Soucebooks Fire; Alisha Niehaus, Editor at Dial Books for Young Readers (Penguin); David Linker, Executive Editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books; Michele Burke, Editor at Knopf Books for Young Readers (Random House); and Evette Porter, Editor at Harlequin. These judges will whittle the top 20 down to four winners and a grand prize winner—all five will be provided commentary on their submissions.
 
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I hope you all end up checking it out!
 
~ Lauren

I LOVE This Trailer!!

Enough said? :)

Cool Young Adult Related Information: Take 2!

Cool Young Adult Related Information is a new semi weekly thing I'm staring up ( maybe two or three times a month at most?) that allows me to share new informatioin I have recived through the week(s) dealing with they YA world.

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First, Fire was released this week (!!!!!) and in celebration Penguin has realeased a brand new trailer for it:



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Speaking of book trailers there's also two more that were recently released. One for Million Dollar Throw and one dealing with I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to be Your Class President, a book that I recently reviewed here.





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Also, Tom Dolby recently posted about his new project dealing with becoming a Secret Society Teen Ambassador!

Here's some of the info:

Want to be a Secret Society Teen Ambassador? Submit your name and US/Canada mailing address to Tom between October 7, 2009 and October 19, 2009 and the Bradford Trust will pick fifteen winners at random. Each one of the fifteen winners will receive an Ambassador Initiation Kit in the mail!

What’s in the Initiation Kit?

• “The Initiates were given what looked like tattoos at the nape of their necks.” A set of 15 temporary ankh tattoos for you and 14 Initiates. Give them out wisely!

• “Anastasia took a sip of her martini, leaving a dark red lipstick print on her glass.” Your ticket to gorgeous lips and cheeks, TheBalm’s Stainiac Beauty Queen tinted gel blush (”a hint of tint for the lips and cheeks”)! A $15 value!


• “A card was included with the package that simply read, ‘With compliments.’” A one-of-a-kind vintage New York postcard signed by Tom — use it as a bookmark!

• “Patch and Nick used to play this game in class, where they would pass notes.” One beautiful, retro-styled Field Notes mini-notebook, perfect for writing down secrets! At the Bradford Trust, we’re crazy about these little notebooks. Normally, three are $10!


• “Lauren started to open it, but Emily stopped her.” Last, but not least: a secret initiation tool — here’s a hint: it’s sealed with an ankh!

Futher info can be found here.

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Also, on to some news about this site. I'll be posting the contest winners for my remaining contests either tonight or tomorrow. Well, I guess, whenever I get the chance, so they are still open, which leaves you the chace to still click on the links above if you have yet to enter! :)

Anyway, I hope you take the chance to check out these cool new things!

~ Lauren

( FTC Disclosure: All Book Trailers were sent to me by Penguin's Young Adult Reader's Division and Tom Dolby's Ambassador program was shared with me by him.)