Blogoversary: Interview with Jodi Meadows

Book Addicts!

Today we have an acclaimed author with us. Jodi Meadows, author of the Newsoul series, and one of our favorite series. We wanted to know more about her books, so we have an amazing interview to share with you!

Infinite (Newsoul #3)
by Jodi Meadows
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: January 28th 2014
 photo addtogoodreadssmall_zpsa2a6cf28.png photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpg

Synopsis:
DESTRUCTION
The Year of Souls begins with an earthquake—an alarming rumble from deep within the earth—and it’s only the first of greater dangers to come. The Range caldera is preparing to erupt. Ana knows that as Soul Night approaches, everything near Heart will be at risk.
FLIGHT
Ana’s exile is frightening, but it may also be fortuitous, especially if she can convince her friends to flee Heart and Range with her. They’ll go north, seeking answers and allies to stop Janan’s ascension. And with any luck, the newsouls will be safe from harm’s reach.
CHOICE
The oldsouls might have forgotten the choice they made to give themselves limitless lifetimes, but Ana knows the true cost of reincarnation. What she doesn’t know is whether she’ll have the chance to finish this one sweet life with Sam, especially if she returns to Heart to stop Janan once and for all.
With gorgeous romance and thrilling action, the final book in the Incarnate trilogy offers a brilliant conclusion to the compelling questions of this fascinating world, where one new girl is the key to the lives of millions.




Hi Jodi! Thank you so much for participating in our Blogoversary event. I bet our readers are going to be as thrilled as we are to have you in this event.


We would love to know a little bit more about the author of Newsoul, so we have some quick and short questions for you: 
  • Favorite Book? I don't have a favorite book. I have LOTS of favorite books.
  • Favorite Book Boyfriend? My top three are Hector (THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson), Titus (THE BURNING SKY by Sherry Thomas), and Logan (DEFIANCE by CJ Redwine). 
  • Favorite TV Show? Hmmm. Probably FRINGE. It's off air now. That brings me great sadness. Also, SUPERNATURAL.
  • Favorite Movie? I don't think I have one!
  • Favorite Song? I definitely don't have one. I have lots.
  • Celebrity Crush (dead or alive)? No, that's too awkward for me. I prefer crushing on fictional people. 

What’s the best and the worst part of being an author?

There are a lot of best parts! You have a real obsession with favorites. But the worst part is easy. Taxes. Ugh.


What would you tell all those readers out there who haven’t read the Newsoul series yet? How would you describe it to them?

INCARNATE is about the only girl who's new in a world where everyone else is perpetually reincarnated. She must figure out why she was born, and what happened to the person she replaced. 

If someone hasn't read it . . . why not? You probably should. 


What’s the best thing about Ana? How would you describe her to our Book Addicts?

I think one of the greatest things about Ana is that she doesn't give up. Stuff gets her down, sure, but in spite of a lifetime of abuse, neglect, and distrust, she never stops fighting for what she believes in.


If you had to pick just one song that could perfectly suit or would describe the Newsoul series, which one would it be?

Oh, I don't know. I don't have just one. But a song I listened to on repeat while I was writing the synopses for the series, and the first draft of INCARNATE, is "Drought" by Vienna Teng. The mood of the song just fits right. 


Creating a unique personality for each character sometimes is difficult. Could you describe the perfect villain for you? And the perfect hero?

I almost never think of it as a creation process, but rather a get-to-know-them process. All my characters appear fully formed. It's just a matter of getting to know them well enough to write them convincingly.

And I think that would be it for any character, hero or villain (who probably doesn't see themselves as a villain): getting to know their desires and fears well enough to write about them and allow the readers to understand their actions. 


What would be your favorite book from the Newsoul series? Do you have a favorite quote that takes your breath from time to time or makes you smile?

Didn't we already discuss the favorite book thing? You can't trick me. I still don't have a favorite book. 


Imagine that we get the chance to see the Newsoul series on the big screen (*crossing fingers*). Who would you pick to play your characters?

Well, it wouldn't be up to me, which is probably a good thing. I'm TERRIBLE at faces. I don't actually have a dream cast. I wouldn't want that to be my job. 


Can we get a hint on what you are working on? What are your future plans?

My next project is called THE ORPHAN QUEEN, coming in 2015. It's straight fantasy. My agent and I have been calling it Batman meets Game of Thrones. Magic. Masked vigilante. Kings and queens. Dip pens.


Thank you so much for your time, Jodi, and for participating in our Blogoversary part. And of course, for sharing just amazing stories with us, readers. We look forward to reading more of your books in the future!


Jodi Meadows lives and writes in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with her husband, a Kippy*, and an alarming number of ferrets. She is a confessed book addict, and has wanted to be a writer ever since she decided against becoming an astronaut. She is the author of the INCARNATE Trilogy and the forthcoming ORPHAN QUEEN Duology (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen). Visit her at www.jodimeadows.com

*A Kippy is a cat.



Blogaversary Day 6 - Win Signed Bookmarks from Michelle Madow


Today we have in our blog Michelle Madow, author of the book The Secret Diamond Series. It is an honor to have her today and we would get to know a little bit more about the Secret Diamond Sisters. 


The Secret Diamond Sisters (The Secret Diamond Sisters #1)
by Michelle Madow
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: Published February 25th 2014
 photo addtogoodreadssmall_zpsa2a6cf28.png photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpg

Synopsis:

Savannah. Courtney. Peyton. 

The three sisters grew up not knowing their father and not quite catching a break. But it looks like their luck is about to change when they find out the secret identity of their long-lost dad—a billionaire Las Vegas hotel owner who wants them to come live in a gorgeous penthouse hotel suite. Suddenly the Strip's most exclusive clubs are all-access, and with an unlimited credit card each, it should be easier than ever to fit right in. But in a town full of secrets and illusion, fitting in is nothing compared to finding out the truth about their past.


Hi Michelle! Thank you so much for having us today and for celebrating our blogoversary with us. 
I visit Las Vegas every year because of a family event, and I was walking through my favorite hotel — The Wynn — when I thought, “What would it be like to live here?” From there, the idea for The Secret Diamond Sisters formed! I love how the city bursts with magic and excitement. Vegas does everything as big as possible, so being there is like entering a fantasyland. My favorite part is definitely all the different hotels. Each one is a different theme, and they all have such distinct personalities. A few of my favorite hotels are mentioned in The Secret Diamond Sisters (Paris, the Venetian, and many implications to the Wynn), so hopefully readers are transported into these magical hotels while they’re reading the book!

There are SO MANY differences between these three girls -- they're sisters, and they love each other, but they are all extremely different. Peyton is the oldest, the most stubborn, has taken the brunt of the difficulty of dealing with an irresponsible mother who recently spiraled into alcoholism. She hasn't gotten over a certain heartbreak, and has trouble trusting anyone anymore. Courtney is the responsible, goal-oriented sister, who oftentimes acts as the mediator between Peyton and Savannah, and has put school and work before having friends or a boyfriend. Savannah is the youngest and most naive -- she's been protected by her sisters -- and is very innocent in comparison to them, but it also leads to her being an optimist who always believes the best in everyone. When I was in high school, I related the most to Savannah, but nowadays, I'm definitely the most like Courtney, because of my focus on writing and how I put it before anything else in my life. 

Royals by Lorde is best representative of The Secret Diamond Sisters! And I'm not the only one who thinks so -- SO many reviewers have related the book to the song.


I have an entire blog post dedicated to casting (although I see The Secret Diamond Sisters much more as a television show), which you can check out here in detail: The celebrities I see as the characters in The Secret Diamond Sisters.


The second book in the trilogy, Diamonds in the Rough, will release on October 28, 2014! In Diamonds in the Rough, major secrets will be uncovered that will change everything. Romances will be brought to new levels. I don’t want to give anything away, but I hope you end up feeling completely differently about certain characters by the end of Diamonds in the Rough than you did at the end of The Secret Diamond Sisters!


Michelle Madow has visited Las Vegas every year since she was fifteen years old, and was inspired to write The Secret Diamond Sisters while walking through the beautiful Wynn Hotel. She grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore, then went to Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. She wrote her first novel, Remembrance, in her junior year of college, and later went on to self-publish it as book one in the Transcend Time Saga. She wrote The Secret Diamond Sisters in the year following graduation, and is so happy to finally share it with the world! 


Michelle lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where she is writing more novels for young adults. She loves reading, spending time with family and friends, traveling, shopping, sunshine, Disney fairy tales, and Broadway musicals. She loves connecting with readers online, so be sure to follow her on Facebook (facebook.com/MichelleMadow), Twitter (@MichelleMadow), and Instagram (@MichelleMadow). 


Signed "The Sister Diamonds" bookmarks (INT)


COVER REVEAL: Honor Reclaimed by Tonya Burrows + GIVEAWAY



Hey Everyone,

I am honored to share with you guys the cover second book in the HORNET series by Tonya Burrows!
If you guys haven't checked out this series or this author yet! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? 





Honor Reclaimed
by: Tonya Burrows
Release Date: 5/27/2014
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Former Marine scout sniper Seth Harlan is new to HORNET and anxious to prove he can still do his job despite an ongoing battle with PTSD. He remembers all too well what it's like to sit inside an enemy camp, praying for rescue and waiting for death. So when a black ops soldier contacts HORNET to rescue a buddy who was left behind, all sorts of nasty memories strain his newfound stability.
When an interview with a runaway Afghan child bride leads photojournalist Phoebe Leighton to an arms deal involving a suitcase bomb powerful enough to wipe out a mid-sized town, she realizes this is one battle she can't win on her own. Forming an unlikely alliance with a ragtag team of military and government delinquents, she meets Seth, a sniper carrying as many emotional scars as physical, who impresses her with his steely will and ignites passions within her she thought long dead.
Suddenly this mission is about a lot more than an abandoned soldier. Racing against the clock, Seth, Phoebe, and the rest of HORNET struggle to stop that bomb before it reaches it's final destination: The United States.

Author Bio: Writing has always been my one true love. I wrote my first novel-length story in 8th grade and haven't put down my pen since. I received a B.A. in creative writing from SUNY Oswego and I'm now working on a MFA in popular fiction at Seton Hill University.
When I'm not writing, I spend my time reading, painting (badly), exploring new places, and enjoying time with my family. Give me a good horror movie over a chick flick any day. (And, let's be honest, I'll take a bad horror movie too!) I'm a geek at heart and pledge my avid TV fandom to Supernatural and Doctor Who. I'm also a big fan of The Voice. What can I say? Guilty pleasure.
I share my life with two dogs and a ginormous cat. I'm from a small town in Western New York, but I suffer from a bad case of wanderlust and usually end up moving someplace new every few years. Luckily, my animals are all excellent travel buddies.


**GIVEAWAY**

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Blogaversary Day 5 - Win an ARC of Fire&Flood by Victoria Scott



Hey Everyone!

Welcome to Blogaversary Day 5!
Today we are celebrating my offering an ARC of Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott! 







Fire & Flood (Fire & Flood #1)
by Victoria Scott
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: February 25th 2014
 photo addtogoodreadssmall_zpsa2a6cf28.png photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpg

Synopsis:
A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own. 
Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.
Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.
The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?


Victoria Scott is a teen fiction writer represented by Sara Crowe. She's the author of the FIRE & FLOOD series published by Scholastic, and the DANTE WALKER trilogy published by Entangled Teen. Her books have been bought and translated in eleven foreign markets including the UK, Turkey, China, Poland, Germany, Australia, Israel, Taiwan, Brazil, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

Victoria lives in Dallas with her husband and hearts cotton candy something fierce.




Win (1) ARC of Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott (INT)




Please Follow