Monday, October 6, 2014

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

The YA Scavenger Hunt has come to an end--and it was the biggest and best hunt yet! Winners of the team contest will be posted on the official YASH site on Wednesday, October 8th.

Meanwhile, the winner of my bonus giveaway of a $25 Amazon giftcard and a signed advanced copy of THE ETERNITY KEY is: Jessica Kent.

Winner, please send me your shipping address within the next 30 days in order to claim your prize.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Introducing LEVEL UP: NOVEL WRITING INTENSIVE with Bree Despain

Edit: Postponed! Due to overwhelming feedback from interested parties, we've determine that this fall is not going to work for most people. We've decided to postpone the class for now and revisit the idea in the spring or summer. Look for updates then.


Are you a writer? Do you want to be a published novelist? Do you feel like many conferences offer the same-old-same-old beginner information you've heard half a dozen times? Are you looking to take your writing to the next level?

Are you tired of reading this thing that sounds like a cheesy infomercial?

Then one last question . . . Do you live in (or near) Utah?

If so, then I am pleased to tell you that I am offering an in-person, four session writing intensive for intermediate to advanced writers--taught by yours truly! I've learned quite a bit about writing in the last fourteen years and now I want to pass that information on to you.


LEVEL UP: NOVEL WRITING INTENSIVE

Go beyond the basics and jumpstart your writing to the next level. This course is designed for intermediate to advanced writers who want to dive deep into techniques for characterization, plotting, and connecting readers with your story. Level up with these fun and informative presentations and workshops. PLUS - get a personal critique of your first chapter from your current work in progress!

Details:
  • 4 two hour sessions, one night a week (Thursdays @ 7pm)
  • Personal first chapter critique by Bree Despain included (up to 15 pages)
  • Located at the Daybreak Community Center
    • 4563 Kestrel Ridge Rd, South Jordan, UT 84095
    • Conference Room A
  • Runs October 30th through November 20th, 2014 
  • Cost is only $250!
     
Want to win free tuition? Refer a friend! For every friend who puts you down as a reference when they register, you will earn an entry into a drawing for a tuition reimbursement scholarship. ***

Who is this course ideal for? All ages are welcome, but please be aware that this is intended for intermediate to advanced writers so a basic understanding of writing and story mechanics will be assumed. LEVEL UP is ideal for writers who have been writing for a few years and have finished at least one manuscript (or have one well underway) but have found that their writing isn't quite ready for publication yet. I hope to help you push your writing to that next level.


Seats are limited so click HERE to register today! 
{Edit: link has been removed because the class has been postponed. See note at the top of the post.} 


About the instructor:  Bree Despain is the award winning author of both the Dark Divine trilogy and the Into the Dark trilogy. Her books have been traditionally published in over seventeen countries and have earned both critical and fan acclaim. Bree has taught in workshops and on panels about writing in conferences all over the United States. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, two young sons, and her beloved TiVo.

***Only one tuition reimbursement scholarship will be awarded per course. You must refer a friend to enter and they must record you as their reference in the indicated spot when registering. Your friend must register and attend the course in order for your entry to be eligible. You may refer as many friends as you want but space is limited so don't delay.  


Friday, August 29, 2014

Bree Despain's Salt Lake Comic Con 2014 Schedule


Next week is going to be a blast because I get to spend it as a panelist at Salt Lake Comic Con! Here's my schedule if you feel like dropping in on one of my panels or getting a book signed:

 Thursday, September 4, 3:00 pm Katniss Revealed: A Closer Look at The Hunger Games on Film and in Print, Room 251A

Thursday, September 4, 7:00 pm Writing Suspense, Room 355D

Friday, September 5th, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Signing* at the Shadow Mountain booth on the main expo floor (#111)

Friday, September 5, 6:00 pm Comic Con Writer's Retreat Part 2: Writing Your Novel, Room 255B

Friday, September 5, 8:00 pm Why We Love the Winchester Brothers: Supernatural and the Art of Characterization, Room 255B

Saturday, September 6th 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Signing* at the Shadow Mountain booth on the main expo floor (#111)

Saturday, September 6, 6:00 pm  My Favorite Disney Princess Villain, Room 251A

Saturday, September 6, 7:00 pm  The Whedonverse: Why Writers and Creators Love Buffy, Angel, Firefly and the Rest, Room 251A

Saturday, September 6, 8:00 pm Dark and Dangerous: The Appeal of the Bad Boy Hero, Room 255F
 * Autographs from me are always free. You can bring books from home to have signed or there will be books for purchase at the Shadow Mountain booth. (And I'll have bookmarks to sign as well.)

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Yet Another Ice Bucket Challenge Video!

I was called out to do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge by the ladies of Writers Cubed (who put on the most excellent Teen Author Bootcamp). I accepted their challenge and here are the results.




Luckily my kids couldn't lift the bucket all that high, but they sure did think it was funny.

KidA: "Mom, can we do this every day???"

I hereby nominate Natalie Whipple, Elana Johnson, and Colleen Houck to take the challenge next. You have 24 hours!

Thursday, August 7, 2014

A secret from THE ETERNITY KEY and cover reveal contest winner(s)

Four things from me today!

1. I'm going to be a panelist at Salt Lake Comic Con! I am so super excited--and they even made me this cool profile pic.




2. My ARCs of THE ETERNITY KEY arrived! I was so thrilled to get this box of books. I swear it feels like I just barely typed "the end" on this story and now it's in my hands in book form. This is my fifth book and it still feels surreal!



3. Now that ARCs are going out into the world, I thought I'd share a secret with you. (Though I don't know how well I've kept it a secret so far). THE ETERNITY KEY features three point-of-view characters.



This means there will be chapters from not only Haden Lord and Daphne Raines, but also some from one of my other favorite characters: Tobin Oshiro-Winters. I realized he had so much going on that he deserved to tell his side of the story. It was so much fun getting to delve into Tobin's head while he tries to sort through his issues with his mother, his sister's disappearance, and not to mention his love life.

4. Also now that I have ARCs, I can send one to the winner from last week's giveaway. Winners actually! I was so excited about getting my box of books that I decided to pick two winners.***
Who are:

Shaili Parmar
Magan Bagan

***Winners, please email your shipping info to me at readbree (at) gmail (dot) com and I will send you your prize. Prizes must be claimed within 30 days of this post or they will be forfeit.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Intorducing THE ETERNITY KEY: Book #2 of the Into The Dark series. Plus a super HOT suprise and a giveaway!

After slaving away over a mildly warm computer for several months, the fruits of my labors are finally starting to take form. Book #2 of the Into The Dark series is written, edited, and finally has a cover, title, and an official synopsis! Check them out below . . . and then keep scrolling for a super HOT surprise. (Trust me, you will want to see this!)


Synopsis (Warning: mild spoilers if you haven't read THE SHADOW PRINCE):
Fan-favorite author Bree Despain continues her modern-day romance trilogy inspired by the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades with this second book in her Into the Dark series.

Haden Lord, the disgraced Prince of the Underrealm, has chosen love over honor and will do everything in his power to protect Daphne Raines, the human girl he was supposed to bring to the Underrealm. Haden's choice is put to the test as the Skylords and a figure from his past arrive in Olympus Hills with a plan that could destroy all of the realms.

Embracing her destiny as the Cypher, Daphne begins to understand the immense power of her musical ability to control the elements, but she must come to terms with her feelings for Haden and what she must sacrifice in order to protect him and her friends.

Believing the Key of Hades is the only thing that can stop the Underrealm Court from releasing the monstrous Keres on the mortal world, Haden, Daphne, and their friends set out to find the Key before Persephone's Gate opens again on the spring equinox.

THE ETERNITY KEY will be hitting shelves some time in Spring 2015, but if you're looking for a review copy, I hear that it is already available on Netgalley.


Okay, so you may have noticed that the cover for THE ETERNITY KEY is significantly different from the hardcover of THE SHADOW PRINCE (Book #1 of the Into The Dark series). Well, surprise, that's because TSP has gotten a HOT (or is that HOTT!? Or maybe even HAWT??) new cover design for the paperback!***





Not only does TSP have a schmexy new cover, it also has a new official synopsis.
Check it out below:
 From Bree Despain, the fan-favorite author of The Dark Divine trilogy, comes her highly anticipated second young adult series: a contemporary adventure inspired by the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades.

Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world for six months in order to convince Daphne Raines to return with him to the land of the dead.

The best way to do this, Haden is told, is to get Daphne to fall in love with him. But getting a teenage girl to fall in love with you isn't easy, especially when Haden's life and more depends on the success of his quest. Little does he know that the tenuous peace between the Greek god of the Underrealm and the Greek god of the Sky is breaking and war is imminent.

If Haden succeeds, his honor and standing will be restored in the royal court, and Daphne will be sacrificed to save us all.

The complication he didn't see coming: he's the one who falls in love.

Now Haden must choose to either fulfill his sacred duty or to follow his heart and find a way to rewrite his and Daphne's destinies.

Btw, the paperback edition of THE SHADOW PRINCE will be available in April 2015--and you can already pre-order it HERE.

GIVEAWAY:

To celebrate the new covers, I am going to give away the very first signed ARC of THE ETERNITY KEY to one lucky winner. (Please note: I don't have ARCs yet, but when they arrive, the very first one out of the box and signed will go to the winner.) All you have to do to enter is share one or both of the new Into The Dark covers with you friends. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***COVER FAQs

Q: Why did the cover for THE SHADOW PRINCE change?
A: Because if certain powers that be want a different cover for your book, and you have a smart publisher, you get a new cover.

Q: Is this the third cover design for TSP?
A: Yes, yes it is. I guess some books are trickier to cover than others. Maybe that's because TSP is so many things rolled into one story: fantasy, contemporary, adventure, mystery, romance, etc.

Q: Does this mean my hardcovers for the series won't match now?
A: Unfortunately, yes. I know, I know, that always bugs me too. But you gotta admit that new cover for TSP is pretty HOT.

Q: These covers are kinda romancey, will boys like this series too?
A: Yes, I think so! The story itself has a ton of appeal for both female and male readers. Heck, the main character is a dude! This series has everything from explosions and monsters and gods and a love story and music and quirky characters and a tiny adorable cat who will probably kill you if you make her angry. There's something for everyone! (If I do say so myself. Heheh.)

Q: Did you design the covers?
A: No! People far more artistically talented than I designed the covers for my publisher. I just write the books.

Q: Did you get to pick the cover models?
A: I didn't pick the model for Daphne on the TEK cover, but I did get some say in the model for Haden on TSP. He was one of a few that I picked out as possible hunks to get the privilegeq of being my Underrealm prince.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

My SLC Comic Con FanX Schedule

I will be speaking on eight panels and doing two signing's at this week's Salt Lake Comic Con FanXperience! I am so super excited, you have no idea. Between panels I'll be trying to sneak in pics of my favorite celebs like Nathan Fillion. If you see me wandering around, be sure to say hello. And if you deliberately want to see me, check out my schedule below:

Thursday:
4/17 6:00 pm: Veronica Mars: From Cult TV Series to Major Motion Picture


Friday:
4/18 11:00 am: The Future of Science Fiction and Fantasy in a Post-Twilight, Post-Potter World

4/18 1:00-2:00 pm: Book Signing***

4/18 3:00 pm: Writing and Mental Health

4/18 6:00 pm: How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Dr. Who


Saturday:
4/19 11:00 am-12:00 pm: Book Signing***


4/19 2:00 pm: Top Things to Do and Not to Do as an Aspiring Writer


4/19 4:00 pm: Sherlock Holmes in the 21st Century


4/19 6:00 pm: Buffy, Angel, Firefly & Marvel’s Avengers: Joss Whedon and the Art of Storytelling


4/19 7:00 pm: Werewolves, Mr. Hyde and the Incredible Hulk: Our Love/Hate Relationship with RAGE!

***There will be a bookseller at the con so you can purchase a book at the event. (But you're also welcome to bring your copies from home.)

Monday, March 31, 2014

THE SHADOW PRINCE Blog Tour Schedule

shadow_web

Look, Ma (and everyone else)-

I'm on a blog tour! 

Check out the schedule below to see where I'll be for the next two weeks. Every post has a giveaway so there are tons of chances to win a signed copy of THE SHADOW PRINCE.

 

Bree Despain Blog Tour
Into the Dark Book One: The Shadow Prince



Tuesday, April 01, 2014
Karin’s Book Nook
http://karinlibrarian.booklikes.com/
giveaway only

Curling Up with a Good Book
http://curling-up-with-a-good-book.blogspot.com/
Q&A and giveaway

Wednesday, April 02, 2014
GreenBeanTeenQueen
http://www.greenbeanteenqueen.com/
guest post and giveaway

Bookaholics Anonymous
http://www.bookaholicsanonymousonline.com
review and giveaway

Thursday, April 03, 2014
Book Briefs
http://bookbriefs.blogspot.com/
review and giveaway

A Backwards Story
http://abackwardsstory.blogspot.com/
review and giveaway

Friday, April 04, 2014
Two Chicks on Books
http://www.twochicksonbooks.com/
guest post and giveaway

Cornucopia of Reviews
http://cornucopiaofreviews.blogspot.com/
review and giveaway

Saturday, April 05, 2014
Jenna Does Books
http://jennadoesbooks.com/
guest post and giveaway

Jean Book Nerd
http://www.jeanbooknerd.com/
Q&A and giveaway

Sunday, April 06, 2014
Fire and Ice Blog
http://www.fireandicereads.com/
guest post and giveaway

Live to Read
http://livetoread-krystal.blogspot.com/
review and giveaway

Monday, April 07, 2014
Buried in Books
http://wwwburiedinbooks.blogspot.com/
review, “dream cast,” and giveaway

Book Chic Club
http://bookchicclub.blogspot.com/
Q&A and giveaway

Tuesday, April 08, 2014
The Book Swarm
http://bookswarm.blogspot.com/
review and giveaway

The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia
http://ceceliabedelia.blogspot.com/
guest post and giveaway

Wednesday, April 09, 2014
Miss Page-Turner’s City of Books
http://misspageturnerscityofbooks.blogspot.com/
Q&A and giveaway

Jump Into Books
http://jumpintobooks.blogspot.com/
review and giveaway

Thursday, April 10, 2014
The Cozy Reader
http://thecozyreader.com/
review and giveaway

Mod Podge Books
http://themodpodgebookshelf.blogspot.com/
guest post and giveaway

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Launch Party Pics and Contest Winners!

Saturday was the official launch party for THE SHADOW PRINCE! It was such a wonderful day. It all started with lunch with author friends Jenn Johanson, Natalie Whipple, Sara Raasch (and husband), Courtney Alameda, and Michelle Argyle at one of my favorite restaurants. Then we went over to The King's English Bookshop where I gave a book talk (that was hopefully not a ramble-fest) and signed books for all of the lovely, wonderful people who came out to celebrate with me. After that, I headed out to dinner and dessert with my awesome family. And then I went home and crashed so hard I couldn't even make it up to my bed!

Below are some of my favorite pictures from the event--all courtesy of my BFF and great photographer, Michelle Sallay

 Gotta love a full house!

 Gotta love it even more when people start reading before the signing even starts

 Me--talking with my hands as usual

 Readers, waiting in line to get their books signed!

 My boys--fighting the boredom of yet another one of mom's signings! :)

 Look at that pretty book!

 My awesome sister, photo-bombing . . . something.

 Little Stella--one of my youngest fans who was excited to win a raffle prize

 Lookin' writerly

 
 Me and the most supportive BFF ever

Now for the contest winners!

The winner of the release day contest for a $25 iTunes giftcard is: Rachelle (oreo_93)

And the grand prize winner (of an iPad Mini and a character named after you in the sequel to THE SHADOW PRINCE) is: Terresa Gordan

Winners: Please email me at readbree(at)gmail(dot)com to claim your prize! Prizes must be claimed within 30 days or else they will be forfeit.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

THE SHADOW PRINCE Release Day!!! (and iTunes giftcard giveaway)

You guys, it's here! It's finally here! The book I started seven years ago, rewrote the beginning of twenty-eight times, and love like nobody's business is finally out in the world! It's THE SHADOW PRINCE release day!!!



Which means that you can get your hands on the book . . .


and find out what's inside the pages!



Don't forget, if you buy THE SHADOW PRINCE by March 15th and send your receipt to readbree(at)gmail(dot)com, I will send you a special swag pack in return, AND you'll get ten entries in my iPad Mini + a character named after you in my next book giveaway! But remember, you don't *have* to purchase the book to enter--there are many ways to earn entries! CLICK HERE for full contest details.

But that's not the only giveaway going on this week! To celebrate the release of THE SHADOW PRINCE--a book that celebrates my love for music, mythology, and really hot princes--I'm giving away a $25 iTunes giftcard!

All you have to do to enter is change your Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram profile pic to the SHADOW PRINCE cover until March 18, 2014 to help spread good will for the book! (A pic is provided for you at the bottom of the post.) Use the Rafflecopter below for all your options for entering.

And don't forget . . .




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Guest Post: THE SHADOW PRINCE Teaser Tuesday #11 - In which Hubby geeks out all over the place

Hi guys! It's me, Brick.  Bree is on deadline, which means she has pretty much looked like this for the last couple of weeks:
What deadlines feel like...or so I gather...
So, to try to help her out I'm posting this week's Teaser Tuesday.  Which means I get to pick  the teaser.  But first, let me tell you a quick story.

About a year and a half ago, my relatively new (to me anyway) car decided it didn't want to be a car any more.  It decided it'd rather be a cube of metal in a pile of other cubes of metal.
I think that's my car, 2nd from the left, 3rd one up
I had to respect this decision, but I didn't have to like it.  I'll be honest.  I was disappointed.  However, not being one who enjoys being car-less, I picked myself up by my bootstraps, wiped the tears from my eyes, and moved on.  That's when I found this lovely:

Yes, its a Leaf.  Yes, its electric. No, I don't have range anxiety... much.

I was very excited to get a Leaf. Sure, maybe its not the sexiest thing out there, but its still pretty darn cool. Not to mention that my car payment is only slightly more than what my monthly gas budget was--basically making it the cheapest car I've ever owned. And though it has caused us to adjust our lives a little, I've loved having it ever since. But I digress. There is a point to telling you this. So lets get to it.

Bree was still working on THE SHADOW PRINCE when I got the Leaf, and saw this acquisition as a perfect opportunity to conduct some research.  As you may have learned from reading the first two chapters last week (click here if you still haven't... which, btw- WHY NOT?!), Haden has been graced with the ability to throw lighting as part of his Underlordy powers.  So this is the conversation that was had while filling out the paperwork at the dealership:

Salesman: "We're almost done.  Do you guys have any questions?"

Bree: "Yes.  So, if you--hypothetically--could say, I don''t know... shoot lighting out of your hands... could you use that to instantly charge an electric car?"

Salesman: *o.O*

Bree: "Hypothetically of course..."

Brick: *totally straight faced and earnest* "Of course."
Salesman: "Um... yeah, I'm sure you could."

Bree: "Sweet."
I paraphrase of course.

So based off this very scientific research, and knowing that Haden both has said power and needs a much sexier car than me, he was given one of the coolest cars on the planet in THE SHADOW PRINCE.

The Tesla Model S

Holy crap that's a thing a beauty.
Ooh, and take a look inside too.

I can't even....
So not only does Haden get my dream car.  He also gets to drive it like a BAMF while being chased by an unknown assailant on a motorcycle through the streets of Las Vegas.  Oh crap, wait... was that a spoiler?  No.  No, that was just more of the teaser... hehehe, right?  Oh, and I guess it actually wasn't the model S he was driving at the time.  It was this:

Tesla Model X. Yes, he got both. Really, really not fair.
Ok.  Enough car talk.  Its' giveaway talk time  Bree is still giving away an iPad Mini and the opportunity to have a character named after you in the sequel to THE SHADOW PRINCE. So if you haven't entered to win yet, you still can, and if you have entered don't stop reading because THERE ARE NOW TWO NEW WAYS TO GAIN ENTRIES IN THE CONTEST! (Yep, you can enter again!)

Here are all the ways you can enter to win the Bree's iPad + awesome character named after you giveaway:
1 – Pre-Order THE SHADOW PRINCE through The Kings English or another bookseller of your choice like IndieBound, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books A Million. . . you get the idea. Don't forget to send the receipt to readbree (at) gmail.com to get a special swag-pack sent to you from Bree. And if you pre-order from The King's English your swag-pack will also include an exclusive pomegranate charm necklace as a special gift from Bree.

2 – Blog about this giveaway, or re-blog this post.

3 – Tweet about the contest

4 – Leave a comment on the Hypable post hosting the first 2 chapters of THE SHADOW PRINCE and let Bree know what you think.

5 NEW* – Change your avatar on your social medium of choice to THE SHADOW PRINCE book cover until March 15, 2014 (avatar shaped image available below and full book cover image available on breedespain.com) .

6 NEW* – Post the "I'm excited for TSP banner" to the sidebar of your blog, tumblr or website. (banner code and image posted below)
(For more details about the contest and info on the pre-order swag-packs, read last week's post.)

Use the rafflecopter below to enter now! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Banner Ad

Source Code for Banner:
 <a href="http://www.breedespain.com/#!into-the-dark-series/c186o" target="_blank">  
 <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Haby2ACjpnps7Xfs5zi3a32I-kiWBIkiqN0NNsJGJJjYZwT5RGjPd6xsB8_4sHob-3v9hDqxHM8vaHls65eOlUXep5C7oFYsnkpu0fWp9PhHUJehnlIlvSZOE8YQn2lBCFAckXy_6Opt/s1600/Excited4TSP.png"   
 height="320" width="177" />  
 </a>  
Social Media Avatar   

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

The Shadow Prince Teaser Tuesday #10: Read the first chapter and enter to win an iPad mini!

I am very excited for this week’s Teaser Tuesday. Hypable is hosting the release of the first 2 chapters of THE SHADOW PRINCE! The post is live now so go check it out by clicking the link above or clicking here.

I’m so excited about this that I wanted to go BIG on the giveaway, too.  So it’s like this:

For the next four weeks I am giving away some awesome swag for anyone who pre-orders THE SHADOW PRINCE.  

If you pre-order or purchase THE SHADOW PRINCE from my local indie, The King’s English Bookshop, on or before March 15, 2014 you’ll get:
  1. Your copy of the book signed
  2. A signed bookmark 
  3. An awesome TSP temporary tattoo
  4. And a really cool pomegranate charm 
(Swag items are while supplies last...but don't worry, I have a lot of swag.)

Just make sure you mention that you want your book signed in the special comments section when checking out. This offer also applies to people who buy the book at my launch party at The King's English on March 15th. (At 2pm--be there, yo!)

Or, if you pre-order or purchase THE SHADOW PRINCE on or before March 15, 2014 from any other bookseller and send your receipt and mailing address to readbree (at) gmail.com with the subject line of “THE SHADOW PRINCE Pre-Order Promo,” I will send you:
  1. A signed bookmark
  2. A signed bookplate sticker
  3. And a TSP temporary tattoo
(Again, swag items are while supplies last.)
  
But wait… there’s more!

Because I am so excited about this first chapter preview and all the great swag, I am also giving away an iPad mini!
(black or silver... you get to choose!)
Yes.  You read that right.  I’m giving away an iPad mini! (16G WiFi model in the color of your choice.)

And if that wasn’t awesome enough of a prize, I’m also offering to name a character in book 2 of the Into The Dark trilogy after the winner.  That means your name could be in my next book!  And this isn't just some walk on character either...

Okay, so you have four ways to enter to win this awesome prize package:

1 – Pre-Order THE SHADOW PRINCE through The Kings English or another bookseller of your choice like IndieBound, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books A Million. . . you get the idea (and don't forget to send the receipt to readbree (at) gmail.com to get your swag too).

2 – Blog about this giveaway, or re-blog this post.

3 – Tweet about the contest

4 – Leave a comment on the Hypable post and let me know what you think of the first chapter.

The more options you do, the more entries you’ll get! So, you know, doing all four is probably a good idea. Oh, and don't worry. If you have already pre-ordered the book, you can still get credit for this giveaway and your swag by sending your receipt to the email referenced above.

Now for the terms.
  1. Unfortunately, I have to keep this giveaway to the US and CA only.  
  2. Giveaway is open from now until 12am on March 16th, 2014. 
  3. Any pre-order or purchase before that time is qualified both as an entry and for the swag while supplies last.
  4. Winner will be announced here on March 18th.
  5. Winner must claim prize within 30 days or it will be forfeit.
  6. No purchase necessary. Can't buy the book? Reserve it at your local library and do any of the other options to get your entries. 
Use the rafflecopter form below to get started. Don't forget to head over to Hypable to read the first 2 chapters of THE SHADOW PRINCE. I hope you enjoy it!

*Winner for last week's Lunar Chronicles giveaway: Megan Peet!  (Winner, if you didn't get my email, hit the contact button in the menu above and send me your shipping address in order to claim your prize.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

The Shadow Prince Teaser Tuesday #9: Meet Joe Vince (with gifs) and Lunar Chronicles Giveaway

You know what's infinitely better than a Monday? A Tuesday. Especially if it's a THE SHADOW PRINCE Teaser Tuesday!

Today we get to meet another one of my favorite characters from THE SHADOW PRINCE: Daphne's father--the Joe Vince. Daphne has barely met her famous father (he's a pretty big deal in the music biz...) four times in her life, so you can imagine her surprise and apprehension when he shows up out of the blue with a court order for full custody of her and the offer to attend a prestigious music program at a ritzy private school in California.

I've always had a very clear idea of what Joe would be like, and more specifically, what he would look like. I didn't even have to think about it. It was obvious as soon as I knew who the character was.  Imagine, if you will, a cross between David Tennant (specifically his character in Fright Night) and the lead singer from The National, Matt Berninger. Picture a British, mid 40's, leather pants wearing, binge drinking, but extremely talented rocker with the soul of quirky dork.

To help you picture him, here's a quick teaser of how Daphne describes him their first morning together in her new home.

"Joe finds his glasses: thick-framed, nerdy, hipster specs that clash with his leather pants, skull rings, and long, rocker hair.

Three things I know for sure about Joe so far.  The longer portions of his hair are extensions, he never wears his glasses in public, and even though he tries to pull off an ubercool, leather-clad, Top Forty rocker persona for the press, when I listen real closely, I can hear that he has more of this geeky, Indie singer-songwriter vibe. It's always baffled me, the few times we've met."

Are you seeing it yet?

I hope so, but to help you out here are a few visuals (because who can resist a good David Tennant gif?):

Just picture David Tennant in Fright Night. . .




in a mash-up with Matt Berninger of The National...





As an added bonus, here's an awesome song by The National:

Okay, giveaway time!

This week, in honor of re-tellings and re-imaginings of fairy tales and mythology, I'm giving away signed copies of CINDER, SCARLETT, and CRESS by Marissa Meyer! Marissa does a truly awesome job of bringing new life to old stories, something I hope to have done as well with THE SHADOW PRINCE.

Oh, and since I finally have an official Author page on Facebook, you can get extra entries this week by going and liking the page!  Click here if you want to go straight there. Otherwise, use the rafflecopter below to enter this week's giveaway.

The winner of last week's Teaser Tuesday is Jessica Klase.

(Winner, if you didn't get my email, hit the contact button in the menu above and send me your shipping address in order to claim your prize.)


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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

THE SHADOW PRINCE Teaser Tuesday #8: Save the Cat! (and giveaway)

It's Tuesday and that means it's time for a new teaser from THE SHADOW PRINCE! Today's teaser is about one of the most lovable characters in TSP--and one who isn't even a person. According to Greek mythology, Hades, the god of the Underworld, kept a giant, monstrous, three-headed dog named Cerberus as a pet.



So I decided that my character Haden Lord (who was inspired by Hades) should also have a pet. And naturally his pet would be . . .

 

the world's smallest cat!

Brimstone, Haden's cat (or hellcat, to be more precise) is based on this picture of Mr. Peebles (the Guinness Book of World Records' holder for smallest living cat in the world) but she looks more like my blue kitty, Ava, when she was just a wee girl.



 Brimstone is described as being "barely bigger than a guinea pig . . ."

 

But don't let her size fool you! Brim is a full-grown cat, and she hates being called a kitten. That's something you should keep in mind since Haden warns that you should never get a hellcat angry!

So why give Haden, a prince of the Underworld and a trained warrior, a pocket-sized feline for a pet?


First off, because it's unexpected. Secondly, if you follow me on Instagram, you've probably noticed that I like kittens. And thirdly, because I think it's important to find a way to show what makes a character--especially a character who might seem less-than-human or not all that emotionally available at first--lovable or redeemable. There are several ways of doing this, and in screen writing, showing this redeeming quality (or moment of compassion) is called "Save the Cat." Two of my favorite ways of creating a likable character is by showing something or someone that my character loves, or by showing who loves my character despite their flaws--even if that someone is a pet.

Here's an excerpt from THE SHADOW PRINCE about Brimstone:

"She's a tiny little thing, but a good deal bigger than the puff of fur she'd been when I rescued her from one of the owls' clutches when she was only a few days old. As a runty newborn, she'd been tossed out of the nest by her mother, left to die in the Wastelands. That's why I'd saved her--and that's why she rarely left my side and could always find me no matter where I was--we'd both been rejected by the only family we'd ever really known. That made us kin."

So Haden "saves the cat" by literally saving a (hell)cat. But Brimstone isn't just a plot device, she's an important character in the book. I think of her as the older sister that Haden always needed. She scolds him when he's being thoughtless, prods him to do the right thing, and even tries to help him out with the ladies on occasion. Brimstone is fiercely loyal and deeply bonded to Haden, and he to her--a connection that plays out in important, and hopefully unexpected, ways in the book.

For more Brim and Haden, be sure to check out THE SHADOW PRINCE on March 11th!

(BTW, I kind of dream of the day someone does some Haden and Brimstone fanart!)

Now for a giveaway!

Brimstone loves music so I am giving away one of my silver lyre necklaces. Brim also comes from a long line of ancient mythological creatures, so I am also giving away a signed copy of RELIC by Renee Collins, an exciting book about people who harness special powers from the bones of ancient magical creatures.



Enter to win using the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

Last week's Teaser Tuesday winner is: Madeline Hale!

(Winner, if you didn't get my email, hit the contact button in the menu above and sen me your shipping address in order to claim your prize.)

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Teaser Tuesday #7: Get a sneak peek inside the book (and giveaway)

Happy, happy, Tuesday!  I hope you're having a good one. Did you know we are only 6 weeks away from THE SHADOW PRINCE debut on March 11th?!!!

If you're in Utah, I hope you'll join me for the official TSP launch party on Saturday, March 15th at 2:00 p.m. at The King's English Bookshop. There will be prizes and food and me smiling and talking my face off.  (A full list of TSP events is coming soon!)


So a couple of big boxes arrived on my doorstep yesterday.


Everyone was very excited to see what was inside . . .


As it turned out, the precious cargo was my author copies of THE SHADOW PRINCE!!!! I duly freaked out and squeeeeed and took a million pictures.

 
Even Mei Mei wanted to get in on the action.

 
Or more likely eat the box they came in.

Since I went a little nuts with the pics, I thought that for today's Teaser Tuesday I would give a little sneak peek of the ins and outs of the hardcover book. (Because I'm book-nerdy and I love that sort of thing--so hopefully you do, too.)



First a look at the gorgeous cover. It's even prettier in person than in the comp renderings I've seen before. (Interesting thing to note: in the comp pictures the background seemed more greenish, in these pics it looks more blackish, but in person it's actually more blueish.)



Here's the spine of the dust jacket. (So you know what you're looking for in case the bookstore doesn't display the book face-out. ;) )



 Here's the back of the book with a pull-quote to entice readers. (And it's one of the quotes that I shared as a teaser a few weeks ago.) Love the way this looks!


Here's what the book looks like without its dust jacket. (You know, just in case you're a guy reader, or you know a guy reader, who might like the book but might think the cover isn't gender-neutral enough, you can just slip that cover off and viola, a nice plain blue book! But you know, as far as any picky guys are concerned, as far a both story and cover go, I think this book is pretty boy-friendly.) (P.S. My carpet isn't orange. That picture is just weird.)


 
Here's the spine of the actual book. I have to admit, I am swooning over that gold lettering. How gorgeous is that?!

 Now for a look inside:



The flap jacket copy. (a.k.a. the book summary.)



The title page. (This is the very first hardcopy of THE SHADOW PRINCE that I have ever signed!)



Here's a pic of page one. (If you have really good eyes, you just might be able to read it.)


 
Here's a picture of the first page of chapter two.


 
This is one of my favorite things about the interior design. Each chapter that is from Haden's point of view is marked by the astrological symbol for Hades. (Ya know, because he's from the Underworld and all.)


 
And each chapter by Daphne is marked by the astrological sign for Lyra. (Why? Well, you'll have to read the book to find out.)



Actually, all the other symbols on the cover are astrological symbols for different Greek gods. I bet you can guess a few.



Here's a picture of the very last word in the book. Any guesses as to what it is?

So how big is the book?


 
About the size of a kitten.


Giveaway time:

I've already promised three of these hardcopies out to previous Teaser Tuesday contest winners, but I thought I would give away the copy that I used as my model today.*** (As in, the very first hardcopy that I've signed.) Enter to win using the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

Btw, if you decide to PRE-ORDER your copy of THE SHADOW PRINCE, be sure to save your receipt. You might want it later. (HINT, HINT pre-order goodies/contest *cough, cough*)

***Kitten not included

Oh and I can't forget. Last week's winner of ROOMIES is: Jamie G.

(Winner, if you didn't receive my email, please hit the contact button in the menu and send me your shipping address to claim your prize. It must be claimed within 30 days or it will be forfeit.)

 a Rafflecopter giveaway