It Raises My Hackles

So a recent article--"article" is a little generous here; it's more like an editorial rant--has been flying around Twitter, the blogosphere, etc. It's right here, if you'd like to take a read. And boy oh boy is it a doozy. And being a YA author, you can imagine how I feel about it. Oh, and Mr. Stein freely admits he hasn't read any of the books he mentions in his article. How's that for being uninformed?

Have you read a YA book that makes you think, that challenges the way you feel about life, that brings deeper meaning, that has characters and a story you can really connect to? Yes? So have I. Quite a few, in fact.

The biggest distinction between YA lit and adult lit is the age of the main character(s). YA books typically deal with character 14-17 years old. Adult lit is from there up. And to say that adults reading YA lit is embarrassing, is like saying that you're ashamed and embarrassed of your own adolescence, which maybe Joel Stein is. But those few years of my life helped determine who I am today. They don't shame me; they define me.

If I can't reach back and embrace that, then how will I find value from books written for the adult life I'm living now?

Bound...A Week Early!

So Bound is now out there! If you've been waiting, you can now get it. But a week early? So the story goes like this...

Hubby: You've had it ready for two weeks now. What are you waiting for?

Me: The release date.

Hubby: Really? Some random date even though it's ready?

Me: Yes...

Hubby: Why?

Me: Umm...

Hubby: Just release it!

Me: Okay. (His logic was overwhelming.)

So I guess, um, early April Fool's? :)

It's available as an ebook through both Smashwords and Amazon. It's available as a paperback through Amazon and CreateSpace. It will be available through other ebook retailers in a few weeks. Check the Books tab for availability. Enjoy and spread the word!

Get Your eBook Signed and Personalized

Some of you have asked how to get your ebooks signed, and I told you I'd look into it. Look into it I did. If you click on over to Kindlegraph, you can search for either The Burn or Dragon Sister (Bound will be there when it's released) and request a signature. Unfortunately, the signature doesn't get imbedded in your ebook, it's sent as a cover image with the signature. But still very cool :)

Just a little FYI: you can use your Kindle email address if you'd like the signature sent there. If you don't have a Kindle, just specify whatever email address you'd like, and the signature will be sent as a PDF. Enjoy!

Bound: The First Chapter

Bound will be released in just a few days, and if you just can't wait any longer, you can read the first chapter. I've loved creating this book. After writing The Burn, I just needed something fun to work on. Yes, I liked writing The Burn, but it's definitely not what I would call a jolly story. Bound just made me happy every time I worked on it.

Enjoy, and come back on release day!

Read the first chapter of Bound.

It's the Little Things

My sister-in-law sent me a text message last night. Apparently she had to tell one of her students to put my book away because he wasn't paying attention in class. It's small things like this that completely send me over the edge smiling. I love that people respond to my books that way. I sent her back a text saying about as much. I love my sister-in-law. She sends me these texts every once in a while, and they're the world's best therapy. Then she sent me a text back. The gist:

The boy had already read the book. And still he couldn't put it down.

Does it get any better than that?

I'll apologize to her, though, for distracting her kids from class. But secretly, I really don't feel too bad :)

Only 13 More Days until Bound!

I'm counting down the days, and it's almost here. The official release for Bound will be April 1st!

Yes, that is all. I'm just excited about it :)

Is There Really a Villain Here?

I don't know how many of you, dear readers, have read anything about the wild 'n' crazy self-publishing movement going on. Self publishing has been going on for years, but it hasn't been until a few authors earned fame and fortune (Amanda Hocking, anyone?) through self publishing that your neighbor and their cat and their goldfish decided to jump on this bandwagon and try their hand at writing a book. And it helps that there are so many easy ways to do it.

With the ease of self-publishing, people (too many people, in my opinion) are questioning the value of publishing houses. This coming from the perspective of a self-published author, and I can't bring myself to play the publishing-house-hating game. It's just not fair.

Here's a list of some gripes against publishing houses:

• They offer small royalties
• They pay itty-bitty advances
• They retain rights to your work for a long while (relatively) so you can't do anything with it
• It can take upward of a year and a half or more to see your book in print once it's been accepted
• The competition is brutal to get anything published

These are all true. But here's the part that most people don't talk about:

Publishing is a business.

To read the rest of my article about the publishing business, jump on over to What's Your Story (and you can also enter to win a signed paperback of The Burn!)

What It's All About

For those of you curious about Bound, here's the synopsis. Only a few more weeks!

After her mother dies, Elowyn Challis would do anything to bury the pain, but being shipped off to boarding school isn't what she had in mind. Things could be worse. Wyn finds a place for herself in the academy and living in the capital is just sparkling. But under it all, her mother's death still haunts her. Then Wyn discovers a secret that changes everything she believes: the bedtime stories her mother told her as a child are real, the faerie realm exists, and she is the Binder—the one mortal on earth with the power to seal the gate to Fae. It's a power Wyn's not sure she wants or can even wield. But she must confront her nightmares and her grief, or two worlds will be torn apart.

Are You Ready to Be Bound?

Why hello, gorgeous. So many thoughts come to mind. Just a few:

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways..."
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever."
"I'm just spellbound."

Ha ha. Okay, stupid joke, but seriously, thanks to Jen Foxley for an absolutely stunning cover. Every time I look at it, I just think how perfect it is. And once you read the book, you'll understand how perfect it is, too.