Bookanista Cover Love: Faking Normal by Courtney Stevens

Today is the special cover reveal of Courtney Stevens, Faking Normal:

Alexi Littrell hasn’t told anyone what happened to her over the summer. Ashamed and embarrassed, she hides in her closet and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does. 

At school, nobody sees the scratches or her pain. The only person she connects with is the mysterious Captain Lyric, who writes song lyrics on her fourth-period desk for her to complete. 

With pencil marks and music, Alexi carves out a comfortable space for herself as she and the Captain finish each other’s songs – words on a desk feel safer than words spoken aloud. 

But when Bodee Lennox, the quiet and awkward boy next door, comes to live with the Littrells, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend who understands her better than anyone. He has secrets of his own and knows all about suffering in silence. 

As they lean on each other for support, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her find the courage to finally speak up. 

Love this cover!

1) I hear the cover in real life ia A-Maz-ING with tons of special and sparkly stuff. :)
2) I love this girl. Red head with freckles. Not the normal gal you see on covers. 
3) Creates some mystery - I want to know 'what's up with the trees?'

Faking Normal will be released from HarperTeen on February 25, 2014. (earlier than the date listed on Amazon, woot woot!)

You can add Faking Normal to your Goodreads shelf and/or pre-order Faking Normal on Amazon.

Cover Reveal Contest: 


A few deets on the prize package! The winner receives: 

 - A signed ARC of Faking Normal 
 - A hand-painted cover rock by Courtney 
 - Signed postcard 
 - Silicone “Channel Your Brave” bracelet 

Since hand-painted cover rock isn’t usual book swag, you might want a little background. In Courtney's family, they paint rocks for significant events. (how cute is that?)

And, the bottom of the rock contains a sneak peek spolier!

Enter by filling out the Rafflecopter below. (U.S. only. Giveaway ends July 8, 2013.) 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway 

About the author:

Courtney C. Stevens grew up in Kentucky and lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She is an adjunct professor and a former youth minister. Her other skills include playing hide-and-seek, climbing trees, and being an Olympic torch bearer. Faking Normal is her first novel.

You can find Courtney here: Email – channelingbrave@gmail.com Twitter Tumblr Facebook 






Other Bookanista Posts include

Lenore Appelhans is bewitched by CHARM AND STRANGE by Stephanie Kuehn

Stasia Ward Kehoe delves into DANCER, DAUGHTER, TRAITOR, SPY by Elizabeth Kiem

Elana Johnson and Nikki Katz adore THIS IS W.A.R. by Lisa & Laura Roecker

Gretchen McNeil  is wowed by THE WIG IN THE WINDOW by Kristen Kittscher

Katy Upperman praises WORST CASE OF PASKETTI-ITIS by Kris Asselin

Authors of UtopYA Ultimate Giveaway

The countdown has been going on for months, and now it’s almost time! 

One of the most fun conferences of the year is about to happen, and some of your favorite authors attending UtopYA want to celebrate. 

We’ve gotten together, and have some amazing prizes so everybody can join in the fun!

2 ways to win prizes: 1 for those attending and 1 for those not attending.

1) Ultimate Swag Pack Giveaway (for those attending Utopya)

Some of your favorite authors have gotten together to give you their very best swag. I’m not talking about a signed bookmark (although those are included)—this prize pack includes the following:

·        Leather bracelet from Tiffany King

·        “Grant’s Cupcake” tee shirt from Sarah M Ross

·        Lavender/Spearmint bath salts from Heather Self

·        “Nick Rocks my World” mug and bath soaps from Ella James

·        Skull Necklace and other prizes from Amy Jones

·        Keychain from Morgan Wylie

·        Signed mini-poster and other prizes from Quinn Loftis

·        Custom USB loaded with books and Necklace from Laura Elliott

·        Modified Swag Pack from CA Kunz

·        Estilorian Swag Pack from Raine Thomas

·        Bracelet from SR Johannes

·        Archers of Avalon tote bag and coffee mug from Chelsea Fine

And that’s just part of the prizes you can win!  So now that you’re salivating and reaching out your “gimme, gimme” hands, you’re probably wondering how to enter. We’re giving you a few options:

1.   Make a video hyping UtopYA and the authors of UtopYA. Then, post this video on FB or Twitter and email it to sarah@sarahmross.com (so we don’t accidentally miss it in the Twitterverse. This video can be short and sweet – basically telling people that UtopYA is coming and about the amazing authors that are going.

2.   Make a FB banner or meme hyping UtopYA and the authors of UtopYA. This is the same concept of the video, but for the more camera shy folks out there. Then, change it to your banner and email it to sarah@sarahmross.com to have your entry counted.

*We’re not giving a whole lot of instruction on how to do this on purpose. We want you to be creative! Get those juices flowing! Want to make a Utop rendition of “Call Me Maybe”? Or post a video of you stalking your favorite authors before you stalk them in real life at Utop? A meme of Grumpy Cat at Utop with the authors? The possibilities are endless! But make it creative! All the participating authors will vote on the one that WOW’s us the most.  

And remember: This part of the contest is open to peeps attending UtopYA only! Prizes to be picked up at UtopYA!!

2. Signed Books (for those not attending)

Not able to make it to UtopYA this year? Don’t worry! 

We have a great giveaway for you too! Enter the Rafflecopter below to win some amazing autographed paperbacks! (Open to US residents only! Sorry!!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Can’t wait to see you all at UtopYA!!

Bookanista Thursday

Here are some Bookanista Recs for this week :)

Shari Arnold marvels at THE MOON AND MORE by Saran Dessen

Tracy Banghart is thrilled by 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

Christine Fonseca shivers over SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi

Carrie Harris and Elana Johnson reveal the cover of SALLY SLICK & THE STEEL SYNDICATE by Carrie Harris

Corrine Jackson is nuts for AU REVOIR, CRAZY EUROPEAN CHICK by Joe Schreiber

Jessica Love joins the BY BLOOD by Tracy Banghart book blitz – with giveaway

Shannon Messenger  raves about JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta

Tracey Neithercott adores THE ARCHIVED by Victoria Schwab

Kimberly Sabatini is touched by OUT OF REACH by Carrie Arcos

Katy Upperman gushes over THE GIRL GUIDE by Christine Fonseca

Happy Book Bday to My Sister's Reaper!

So excited to help Dorothy release her new book! I've known her along time online and have followed her journey.

My Sister's Reaper releases in print today from Month9Books!

Sixteen-year-old Zadie’s first mistake was telling the boy she liked she could bring her dead sister back to life. Her second mistake was actually doing it.

When Zadie accidentally messes with the Reaper’s Rite that should have claimed her sister Mara, things go horribly wrong. Mara isn’t the same anymore—Zadie isn’t even sure she’s completely human. To top it off, a Reaper is determined to collect Mara's soul. Now Zadie must figure out how to defeat her sister’s Reaper or let Mara die … this time for good.

Here's an excerpt to get you started....

A jumble of sounds suddenly tumbled from my lips—sounds from a language I didn’t recognize. The voice was mine, but the movements of my tongue and teeth were not. My fingers tingled, and the flames from the candles grew warmer. My blood felt electric. Still chanting, I slowly opened my eyes. My three companions stared at me. I stopped, my mouth falling silent.

For a moment, nothing happened. We simply looked at each other, waiting. A chill crept up my neck. In that instant, wind whipped through our circle, making the candles flicker wildly. There was a sound, like plastic scraping wood, and my eyes darted to the Ouija board Naomi had set aside. My body jerked, as if I’d been holding a huge mass of energy inside of me and it had suddenly escaped.

The buzzing and electric feeling were gone. I felt like I was going to throw up. What had I just done?

“It moved,” Naomi said.

“What did?” Danny asked.

“The pointer on the board.”

“No way,” Gavin said. “Where is it pointing?”

We all scrabbled over to look at the board, but the second we reached it, all the candles went out.

To help celebrate, she is doing a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Bio

Dorothy Dreyer has always believed in magic. She loves reading, writing, movies, takeout, chocolate,

and spending time with her family and friends. Half-American and half-Filipino, Dorothy lives in Germany with her husband and two teens. Dorothy Dreyer is an author of young adult books. Her debut, MY SISTER'S REAPER, comes out June 18, 2013, from Month9Books. The sequel releases May, 2014.

Find her online!

Amazon Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/My-Sisters-Reaper-Reapers-Rite/dp/0985029498/

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Sisters-Reaper-Reapers-Rite-ebook/dp/B00CW079T6

The Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/My-Sisters-Reaper-Dorothy-Dreyer/9780985029494

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-sisters-reaper-dorothy-dreyer/1109686823?ean=9780985029494

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13597733-my-sister-s-reaper

Author Website: http://dorothydreyer.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/dorothydreyer

Facebook Fanpage: http://facebook.com/AuthorDorothyDreyer

Bookanista: Cory Doctorow’s LITTLE BROTHER and HOMELAND

With all the stuff going on in the media around Internet snooping with the government, this is a timely review. 

Little Brother released in 2008, yet Homeland just released. Not sure why it took 7 years but at least there was a continuation.

Little Brother

Marcus, a.k.a “w1n5t0n,” is only seventeen years old, but he figures he already knows how the system works–and how to work the system. Smart, fast, and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting his high school’s intrusive but clumsy surveillance systems.

But his whole world changes when he and his friends find themselves caught in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco. In the wrong place at the wrong time, Marcus and his crew are apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security and whisked away to a secret prison where they’re mercilessly interrogated for days.

When the DHS finally releases them, Marcus discovers that his city has become a police state where every citizen is treated like a potential terrorist. He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him only one option: to take down the DHS himself.

Homeland (sequel) 

A few years later, California's economy collapses, but Marcus’s hacktivist past lands him a job as webmaster for a crusading politician who promises reform. Soon his former nemesis Masha emerges from the political underground to gift him with a thumbdrive containing a Wikileaks-style cable-dump of hard evidence of corporate and governmental perfidy. It’s incendiary stuff—and if Masha goes missing, Marcus is supposed to release it to the world. Then Marcus sees Masha being kidnapped by the same government agents who detained and tortured Marcus years earlier.

Marcus can leak the archive Masha gave him—but he can’t admit to being the leaker, because that will cost his employer the election. He’s surrounded by friends who remember what he did a few years ago and regard him as a hacker hero. He can’t even attend a demonstration without being dragged onstage and handed a mike. He’s not at all sure that just dumping the archive onto the Internet, before he’s gone through its millions of words, is the right thing to do.

Meanwhile, people are beginning to shadow him, people who look like they’re used to inflicting pain until they get the answers they want.

Fast-moving, passionate, and as current as next week, Homeland is every bit the equal of Little Brother—a paean to activism, to courage, to the drive to make the world a better place.

Here are my top 10 reasons why you should read this series:

1) Gives you a pretty scary picture of the how the US could be run  if terrorist threats continue and we move under martial law. Scary!

2) Learn about what people can really do on computers. The author and protagonist is knowledgeable without being too technical. Yet, I learned a lot about hacking and cyberspace in general.

3) It will make you think about what you put online. Very insightful and eye opening.

4) The seriousness of hacking - it's all fun and games until the govt gets wind of it :)

5) Marcus's voice is hilarious. In the midst of being chased I found myself laughing at how he sees the world. Love when a book can make me laugh and want to run all at once.

6) If you love Fahrenheit 451 or George Orwell books, Marcus is the Winston of modern society.

7) I love the vulnerability of the tough tech guy. You feel Marcus' pain and he isn't afraid to cry, which for this book is realistic.

8) Being so timely, this is a very realistic thriller. You feel like it could happen tomorrow.

9) The cover. I totally get the feel of a group of hackers with this cover. I love it for this subject.

10) Surprisingly this book is more about freedom than entrapment.

Bonus - surprisingly a little romance/sex :)

Check out the other Bookanista recs for the day:

Lenore Appelhans  wonders at ALL YOU NEVER WANTED by Adele Griffin

Shari Arnold loves SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL by Trish Doller

Tracy Banghart embraces IMPOSTOR by Susanne Winnacker

Nikki Katz gets the shivers for 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

Stasia Ward Kehoe shares her cover for THE SOUND OF LETTING GO

Jessica Love raves about ROAD TO TATER HILL by Edith M. Hemingway

Katy Upperman celebrates THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay

Marketing Mania Week over at IndieReCon.org

Come join us over on indierecon.org for our marketing mania!

The week of June 10th on this blog we will be discussing marketing.

Because marketing is one of our greatest challenges as indie authors, IndieReCon brings you a mini-marketing know-how blitz! Featuring articles and workshops from CJ Lyons, Georgia McBride, KP Simmons and Penny Sansevieri this week promises to be all kinds of awesome!

Monday, June 10th

As a pediatric ER doctor, CJ Lyons has lived the life she writes about in her cutting edge Thrillers with Heart.  In addition to being an award-winning New York Times Bestseller, CJ is an internationally known presenter and keynote speaker.  

Join her to learn the tools you need to Build Your Brand and come away with fresh ideas for your website and tagline.

Tuesday, June 11th

Elana Johnson, independent author publicist and educator will talk to us about online marketing and how to be your own publicist. 

Wednesday, June 12th

KP Simmon from InkSlinger PR--a group whose purpose is to help authors and publishers get the word out--will talk to us about reaching that ever-elusive teen market.

Thursday, June 13th

And finally, Penny Sansevieri from Author Marketing Experts will wrap up the week with wisdom gleaned from over ten years as the leader in book marketing online and off.

Friday, June 14th - Marketing Advice from Bestselling Indie Authors & a Special Giveaway Hear some out-of-box marketing ideas from authors who have tried creative marketing methods.

See you there!

Cover Reveal for Choke (#2 in The Breathless Novelette series)

Hi guys! :)

I have a new Breathless novelette, CHOKE, coming out Monday, June 24th that I am very excited about. 

The cover was once again done by the infamous Vania over at VLCphoto. For those who don't know, Vania has done ALL of my amazing covers (and I can say that because she did them :)...and I adore her and her work!

CHOKE is the 2nd in a series of sci-fi novelettes. You can learn more about the first novelette in the series, Suffocate, if you missed it!It is a 20,000 word young adult thriller that combines the dystopic and science fiction genres. The book will be available on ebook only starting Monday, June 24th for only 99 cents! 

The 3rd novelette in the series, EXHALE, is scheduled for Nov 2013. 

=====================

When Eria escapes her home in the Biome, she uncovers more about her
features and specifications as a HumaNot. Following her father's
instructions, Eria embarks on a journey into a dangerous and unpredictable world.

Along the way, she encounters a young rebel, Dirk, who explains he's from the Anarchy, an underground human resistance rising up against the BOTs--advanced man-made robots gone wild. Together, Dirk and Eria battle underground serpents, desert dingos, sand storms, and advanced Bots that are always hot on their trail. As they become closer, Dirk reveals his hatred of machines, forcing Eria to hide

the secret of what and who she really is.
When the truth of her identity comes out, Eria is forced to become the very thing she hates the most.

====================

So here it is.....

Bookanista Thursday

Check out what the Bookanistas are recommending this week:

Carolina Valdez Miller celebrates 17 & GONE by Nova Ren Suma [YOU ARE HERE, so, don't click this one]

Carrie Harris awakens you to INSOMNIA by Jenn Johansson…with giveaway

Christine Fonseca praises THE PLEDGE by Kimberly Derting

Corrine Jackson is wild for WHEN IT HAPPENS by  Susane Colasanti

Debra Driza  applauds FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell

 Elana Johson invites you to her ABANDON release par-tay!

Katy Upperman is bewitched by NANTUCKET BLUE by Leila Howland

Lenore Appelhans  swoons for STAR CURSED by Jessica Spotswood…with an annotated snippet

Stasia Ward Kehoe is wild for THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky

Tracey Neithercott  highlights WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE by Trish Doller

Tracy Banghart  raves over JUMP WHEN READY by David Pandolfe