Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet. Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US. So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce.The Book Wars winner for Pure (Covenant #2) By: Jennifer L. Armentrout is...!!!!!! Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: The Dark Days Club
Series: Lady Helen #1
Author: Allison Goodman
Publisher: US - Viking Books for Young Readers, 496 Pages, (January 26th, 2016), UK - Walker Books, 496 Pages, (January 21st, 2016)
Add to Goodreads: USA Version | UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository, Foyles

Synopsis: London, April 1812. Eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall is on the eve of her debut presentation to the Queen. Her life should be about gowns and dancing, and securing a suitable marriage. Instead, when one of her family's housemaids goes missing, Lady Helen is drawn to the shadows of Regency London.

There, she finds William, the Earl of Carlston. He has noticed the disappearance, too, and is one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of powerful demons that has infiltrated every level of society. But Lady Helen’s curiosity is the last thing Carlston wants—especially when he sees the searching intelligence behind her fluttering fan. Should Helen trust a man whose reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her headstrong sense of justice lead them both into a death trap?

In The Dark Days Club, internationally best-selling author Alison Goodman introduces readers to a heroine who is just as remarkable as Eona—and yet again reinvents an establlished literary genre, making it her own.

About the Author:

Alison is the author of EON and EONA, a New York Times Bestselling fantasy duology.

Her latest novel --The Dark Days Club-- is Book 1 in a new trilogy, and will be published in the USA and UK in January 2016, and December 2015 in Australia. It has been reviewed by Publishers Weekly as "a delicious collision of Regency romance and dark fantasy". Alison calls it "Pride and Prejudice meets Buffy in English high society".

EON was short-listed for Victorian, NSW, and WA Premier’s Literary awards, and won the 2008 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel. It was also listed as an American Library Association Best Young Adult Book (2010), a James Tiptree Jr. Honour book, and a CBCA Notable Book.

Alison’s first novel, Singing the Dogstar Blues, won the 1998 Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Novel, and was also listed as an American Library Association Best Book (2004) and CBCA Notable Book. Her second novel, a crime thriller titled Killing the Rabbit, was published in the USA and shortlisted for the 2007 Davitt Award.

Alison was a D.J. O’Hearn Memorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne and holds a Master of Arts. She lives in Australia with her husband and their Machiavellian Jack Russell Terrier, and is currently working on Book 2 and 3 or The Lady Helen series.

Find Allison Online: Website | Instagram | Twitter| Facebook

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa Oh gosh, what a choice this week?! Michelle picked a great one to compare side by side... I LOVE them both! I honestly LOVE the both. UGH!

The US cover is dark and haunting, yet beautiful. Look at the intricate background.

The UK cover is also beautiful yet mysterious with a side of classic touch of Victorian feel to it.

I mean,... WOW! I have NO idea which one to choose. Hmmm....

I think I'm going to totally go against the grain and pick the US cover. I can't stop looking at it. I just love everything about how dark it is, how haunting it is and the whole feel of the thing from every angle I look at it.

So, this week the US cover gets my vote! Which one do you like the best? Give us a click and tell us below.

Michelle I first heard about this book at a blogger event, and I will admit that this genre isn't usually my thing, but as soon as Allison got up and read a snippet for us I was hooked.

Looking at these covers next to each other, it's clear to me which one I prefer the most. The US cover is dark, and gloomy, with only the silhouette among the shadows, and I think if I hadn't seen the UK cover or it was against the Australian cover, then this would have been my first pick, but standing next to the UK cover, the US one pales in comparison.

I love everything about the UK cover, from the background imagery, to the characters on the cover. I love the font and the little fan images on the corners.

Its a UK win for me this week, which cover gets your vote?

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of The Dark Days Club by Allison Goodman NOW!

Title: Into the Dangerous World
Author: Julie Chibbaro, Jean-Marc Superville Sovak (Illustrations)
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers, 352 Pages (August 18th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: 17-year old Ror comes from the boonies and is tough as nails and all she really cares about is drawing and painting and making art. She ends up in the ghetto that was Manhattan in 1984, where she discovers that the walls, the subways, the bridges are covered with art. Before long, she runs into trouble with Trey, the ultimate bad boy and president of Noise Ink, a graffiti crew she desperately wants to join at all costs.

When Ror falls in love with Trey, she realizes she’ll do just about anything to get up in the scene. She has some decisions to make: she wants to be a street artist but she doesn’t want get shot by the cops; she wants her stuff in the museum but she doesn’t want to die waiting to become famous; she wants to makes money selling her work in a gallery but she doesn’t want to be a puppet at the mercy of a dealer. The book follows her descent into a dangerous world, where her drawings are her only salvation.

Ror’s journey is a seamless blend of words and pictures, cinematic in its scope - a sharp-edged, indelible creation that will live inside your head.

"[T]his striking combination of story and illustration creates a powerful portrait of a budding artist." Publishers Weekly starred review 

Guest Post:

Visual Art vs. the Art of the Written Word – Julie Chibbaro

When Lisa suggested that I write about Visual Art vs. the Art of the Written Word, I jumped at the chance, mostly because that “vs.” in the title implies a fight – one thing against another, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao – and most writers love a good wrangle.
The idea appealed, also, because my book, no, our book, is a mix of art and writing. I say ours because JM, the artist who created the drawings and paintings for Into the Dangerous World, is my husband, and, well, let’s just say one can’t easily work with their husband without a fight, or two, or three. I won’t get into details, but if you’ve ever disagreed with someone you love about the merits of something you’ve produced, you will understand how our passions sometimes ran high.
But let’s go back to the original topic. While writing this book, these two forms of art were on my mind often. This was because our main character, Ror, communicates largely through drawings. She’s not a talker; in fact, she thinks in a very visual way, witha certain “synethesia,”a mental perception of the world wherein colors taste like flavors, or sound like music, to her. For instance, when she first enters her art classroom, this is how she sees it: “There were jars and jars of paints—red like strawberries, blue like lollipops that leave a stain on your mouth, green as a field of mint, yellow like lemons, purple as grapes broken off the vine, spheres fresh and wet in your hand.”
          Every day that I sat down to think about Ror, often, visions entered my head: I could see what she saw – the city, and the art on the walls, in a new and beautiful way. I could feel her, but unlike my other characters, I had a much harder time translating her thoughts, because of that intense way she visualized the world.
After a while, I realized that I needed to capture and interpret her visions by communicating them as best I could to JM. I wrote notes, and together, we worked on fleshing out what she saw. When I began to understand how she worked as an artist, I could then write scenes with her – how she felt when she met Trey and saw his artwork, what they talked about. How she looked at him: “I drew the way his tight curls burst out from under the brim of his hat, his rounded features—that curved nose—was he part Cherokee? His lips were square at the top, so full at the bottom.”
In general, I think that art and writing hit us in different senses. Visual art goes through the eyes and is immediate – it can change your life in an instant. Andy Warhol, with his colorful imprints of movie stars, transformed our whole culture. The effect of writing is a bit slower. You have to process, to think about the words, to let them simmer inside you to sense the change. But something like Fifty Shades of Grey, for example, can open up a whole world of feelings no one knew existed, those secret desires so many kept hidden out of shame.
To be fair, I don’t think there is a fight between art and words. They are, after all, both expressions of the inner self. That is the truest gauge of good art – does it articulate and communicate what the artist is thinking and feeling? If it touches you, the viewer or reader, on some level, then the artist, or writer,has done their job successfully. That, ultimately, was our guiding force.

Check out the book trailer:

Read An Excerpt:

Click on the Image to Read!

About the Authors:

Julie Chibbaro and Jean-Marc Superville Sovak are the husband and wife duo behind Into the Dangerous World (Viking 2015).

Julie Chibbaro was born into a family of artists, and also married one. She grew up in NYC during the explosion of graffiti art. She has written two historical novels, Redemption, which won the American Book Award, and Deadly, which won the National Jewish Book Award. JM Superville Sovak is half-Trini, half-Czech, half-Canadian. His fourth half is spent making art, for which he earned his M.F.A. from Bard College in NY.

They both live in Beacon, NY.

Find Julie & JM Online:

Website | Julies Website | JM's Website | Twitter | Julie's Facebook | JM's Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: The Uninvited
Author: Cat Winters
Publisher: William Marrow, 368 Pages (August 11th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: From the award-winning author of In the Shadow of Blackbirds comes a stunning new novel—a masterfully crafted story of love, loss, and second chances. Set during the fear and panic of the Great Influenza of 1918, The Uninvited is part gothic ghost-story, part psychological thriller, perfect for those who loved The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield or The Vanishing by Wendy Webb.

Twenty-five year old Ivy Rowan rises from her bed after being struck by the flu, only to discover the world has been torn apart in just a few short days.

But Ivy’s life-long gift—or curse—remains. For she sees the uninvited ones—ghosts of loved ones who appear to her, unasked, unwelcomed, for they always herald impending death. On that October evening in 1918 she sees the spirit of her grandmother, rocking in her mother’s chair. An hour later, she learns her younger brother and father have killed a young German out of retaliation for the death of Ivy’s older brother Billy in the Great War.

Horrified, she leaves home, to discover the flu has caused utter panic and the rules governing society have broken down. Ivy is drawn into this new world of jazz, passion, and freedom, where people live for the day, because they could be stricken by nightfall. But as her ‘uninvited guests’ begin to appear to her more often, she knows her life will be torn apart once more, but Ivy has no inkling of the other-worldly revelations about to unfold.

Title: Pretending to Be Erica
Author: Michelle Painchaud
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers, 272 Pages (July 21st, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: We Were Liars meets Heist Society in a riveting debut!

Seventeen-year-old Violet’s entire life has revolved around one thing: becoming Erica Silverman, an heiress kidnapped at age five and never seen again. Violet’s father, the best con man in Las Vegas, has a plan, chilling in its very specific precision. Violet shares a blood type with Erica; soon, thanks to surgery and blackmail, she has the same face, body, and DNA. She knows every detail of the Silvermans’ lives, as well as the PTSD she will have to fake around them. And then, when the time is right, she “reappears”—Erica Silverman, brought home by some kind of miracle. But she is also Violet, and she has a job: Stay long enough to steal the Silverman Painting, an Old Master legendary in the Vegas crime world. Walking a razor’s edge, calculating every decision, not sure sometimes who she is or what she is doing it for, Violet is an unforgettable heroine, and Pretending to be Erica is a killer debut.

Title: Endangered
Author: Lamar Giles
Publisher: HarperTeen, 288 Pages (April 21st, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Endangered is a thrilling page-turner perfect for fans of Barry Lyga's I Hunt Killers.

The one secret she cares about keeping—her identity—is about to be exposed. Unless Lauren "Panda" Daniels—an anonymous photoblogger who specializes in busting classmates and teachers in compromising positions—plays along with her blackmailer's little game of Dare or . . . Dare.

But when the game turns deadly, Panda doesn't know what to do. And she may need to step out of the shadows to save herself . . . and everyone else on the Admirer's hit list.

*covers are always subject to change.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: Saint Anything
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Viking Juvenile, 448 Pages (May 5th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.

Title: Dating Down
Author: Stefanie Lyons
Publisher: Flux, 336 Pages (April 8th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: When a good girl falls for a bad boy

She thought she loved him. She thought she could change him. She thought if she just believed in him enough, his cheating and his drugs and his lying would stop, and she'd be his and he'd be hers and they'd love each other forever.

But for Samantha Henderson, X-the boy she will not name-is trouble. He's older, edgier, bohemian . . . and when he starts paying attention to Sam, she can't resist him. Samantha's family and friends try to warn her, but still she stays with him, risking her future and everything that really matters.

As moody and vivid as it is captivating, Dating Down is told in scenes and bursts of poetry that create a story filled with hurt, healing, and hope.

*covers are always subject to change.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: The Conspiracy of Us
Author: Maggie Hall
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile, 336 Pages (January 13th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: To fight her destiny as the missing heir to a powerful and dangerous secret society, sixteen-year-old Avery West must solve an ancient puzzle in a deadly race across Europe. Forbidden love and code-breaking, masked balls and explosions, destiny and dark secrets collide in this romantic thriller, in the vein of a YA DaVinci Code.

Avery West's newfound family can shut down Prada at the Champs-Elysees when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a bombing when they want to start a war.

They are part of a powerful and dangerous secret society called the Circle of Twelve, and Avery is their missing heir. If they discover who she is, some of them will want to use her as a pawn. Some will want her dead.

To thwart their plans, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the landmarks of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul and through a web of ancient legends and lies. And unless she can stay one step ahead of beautiful, volatile Stellan, who knows she’s more than she seems, and can decide whether to trust mysterious, magnetic Jack, she may be doomed after all.

Title: I Was Here
Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Viking Juvenile, 288 Pages (January 27th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Cody and Meg were inseparable.
Two peas in a pod.
Until . . . they weren’t anymore.

When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss.

Title: A Darker Shade of Magic (A Darker Shade of Magic #1)
Author: V.E. Schwab, Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Tor Books, 400 Pages (February 24th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: From V.E. Schwab, the critically acclaimed author of Vicious, comes a new universe of daring adventure, thrilling power, and parallel Londons, beginning with A Darker Shade of Magic.

Kell is one of the last Travelers—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes—as such, he can choose where he lands.

There’s Grey London, dirty and boring, without any magic, ruled by a mad King George. Then there’s Red London, where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne—a place where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. And once upon a time, there was Black London...but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see—a dangerous hobby, and one that has set him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations, who first robs him, then saves him from a dangerous enemy, and then forces him to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—and that is proving trickier than they hoped.

*covers are always subject to change.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: Dirty Secret (The Burke Brothers #1)
Author: Emma Hart
Publisher: Pocket Star, (December 1st, 2014)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Amazon UK

NOTE: This is a "New Adult" novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 17+

Synopsis: Conner Burke never expected Sofie Callahan to come back.

Where she’s been for the last two and half years is a mystery, and so is the reason she left in the first place. Now, though, she’s back in their hometown of Shelton Bay, South Carolina, at the same time Conner’s band Dirty B. is home on a tour break.

Sofie Callahan has spent the months since her father’s death avoiding anything to do with her hometown. But with her brother in Afghanistan, she has no choice but to return and sort out her father’s house, even if it means facing the boy she fell in love with and revealing the reason she left.

Conner has questions, and when his broken heart and her guilty one collide, Sofie has to start answering them. Their present is rocky, their future unknown. Only one thing is certain: Sofie’s daughter will change everything.

Title: Reborn (Altered #3)
Author: Jennifer Rush
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 336 Pages (January 6th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: An action-packed, romantic, and suspenseful third book in the Altered series.

The Branch is in shambles, but Anna, Sam, Cas, and Nick can't rest easy. Remnants of the organization lurk unseen and the flashbacks to their old lives are only getting stronger--especially Nick's.

Following scattered memories and clues from his Branch file, Nick sets off alone in search of answers and in search of the girl who haunts his dreams. But the sleepy town where she lives in full of secrets and Nick soon learns that uncovering their shared past may have deadly consequences.

Title: I Was Here
Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Viking Juvenile, 288 Pages (January 27th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Cody and Meg were inseparable.
Two peas in a pod.
Until . . . they weren’t anymore.

When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss.

Three books for this week! Two young adult and one "New Adult". If you could read ONE of these right now, which book would you want?

*covers are always subject to change.

Title: Trafficked
Author: Kim Purcell
Publisher: Viking Juvenile, 384 Pages (February 16th, 2012)
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis: A 17-year-old Moldovan girl whose parents have been killed is brought to the United States to work as a slave for a family in Los Angeles.

Hannah believes she’s being brought from Moldova to Los Angeles to become a nanny for a Russian family. But her American dream quickly spirals into a nightmare. The Platonovs force Hannah to work sixteen-hour days, won’t let her leave the house, and seem to have a lot of secrets—from Hannah and from each other.

Stranded in a foreign land with false documents, no money, and nobody who can help her, Hannah must find a way to save herself from her new status as a modern-day slave or risk losing the one thing she has left: her life.

Top Ten Writing and Life Lessons of 2012 

from a 2012 Debut Novelist to Future Debut Novelists

I didn’t know that when my first novel, TRAFFICKED, came out, I’d learn so many lessons about writing, which also, surprisingly, apply to anything in life. Here are my top ten writing/life lessons of 2012.

1. If It’s Too Much, Ask for Help. 

I’d wanted to be a novelist for most of my life and I thought that once I reached that goal, well, the hardest part was over. Boy, was I wrong.  My workload doubled this year between writing blog posts, doing school visits, teaching at writing conferences and doing book events. You’ll need all hands on deck at this time. Get more babysitting. Get cleaning help. Ask friends and family for help.

2. Get Professional Help

I don’t mean a therapist here, but that wouldn’t hurt either. I’m talking about a publicist. Most writers don’t have a huge publicity department behind them. If your book is a priority for the publishing house, you’ll learn this early, like three months ahead. If it’s not, hire a publicist to help. I hired Deb Shapiro, and she was fantastic getting the word out. For a less costly option, you can also go with one of the bloggers who help authors put together blog tours like Amy Del Rosso.

3. Start Early and Be Realistic about Time

I tend to be overly optimistic about time. I think I can do something in half the time it really takes. Give yourself three to six months before your book comes out to do the marketing, not a month and a half before like I did. Be early for events. I’ve been to a few events where authors sail in at the last minute and it’s not cool.

4. Avoid Seeking out the Approval of Others

Don’t look your book up on Amazon/Goodreads/Google. Don’t look up your stats or your ratings. At least don’t go on five times a day. Don’t let your heart soar with the 5’s and crash with the 1’s. Don’t read every reader review, dissecting every word. No good can come of it. Enough said.

5. Keep Working on Your Next Project

For writers, this means keep writing. Writing isn’t hanging out with writers or talking about writing or writing about writing – all these activities are pretty tempting once your book comes out. Most of the writers I know need to write – they become crazy people if they don’t. Plus, if you’re on to your next book, you won’t be so obsessive about your first and this is a very good thing.

6. Learn Everything You Can About Social Media and Technology

Like lots of novelists, I’m a little old fashioned. I love good old paper books. But warning - you don’t want to be like one of those old farts who can’t work their television. At the start of 2012, I definitely had some resistance about social networking. I love talking to people in real life and I didn’t want to waste time. However, since I reached out and gave Twitter/Facebook/Reddit a big old hug, I’ve found it’s a wonderful way to connect with other writers and reach out to readers. Bloggers have been a huge help too – they’ve spread the word to thousands of people I never could have reached otherwise.

7. Stand up for Yourself and Your Work

Nobody cares more about your work than you do. If you want a book tour and nobody else is arranging it, call bookstores yourself. Make sure you know enough people in the area to ensure a crowd. I arranged my own book tour and at every bookstore I had from twenty to sixty people. Thank you, big family.

8. Help Others

The people I know who help others are usually happier people and experience more success in their careers and this is true for writers too. Make sure you give to the writing community. It might be as simple as spreading the word about books you like. You could organize events for writers or volunteer your time visiting lower income schools. Or you could do something totally amazing like blogger Kieran Viola did and organize a huge online auction with over two hundred YA authors to help victims of Hurricane Sandy. If you dare.

9. Do Whatever Keeps You Sane

Meditate, run, do yoga. Find your peace. If your book is doing well, it’ll be hard not to let that stroke your ego. If your book is bombing, it’ll be hard not to let it wound your ego. Get zen. Find a daily practice outside of your writing that keeps you sane.

10. Be Kind

The golden rule is applicable to many parts of the writing life. Be kind to everyone from booksellers to librarians to PTSA moms. At readings, read for a minute less than you’re allowed. If you’re on a panel, make sure you don’t talk more than your share. Thank every blogger, panel organizer, festival organizer, reviewer, who supports your book in any way. Give some love to booksellers, maybe even cookies. It takes a village to get any book out there.

Peace. Happy New Year.  And Happy Writing Life.

About the author:

Kim Purcell is the young adult author of Trafficked, a novel about a seventeen-year-old girl from Eastern Europe who’s forced to be a modern-day slave in America. When she’s not writing or teaching writing, she loves doing yoga, going for long runs with her dog and dancing anywhere music is playing, much to the chagrin of her two girls.

Find Kim Online:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

GIVEAWAY!!!

Enter to win a SIGNED COPY OF TRAFFICKED!

• ONE winner will receive a copy of the above title.

Rules and how to enter:

• Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter this giveaway.
• Name & Email Address must be provided. (Easy Entry, just click the form & it does it for you!)
• You must be at least 13 years old to enter.
• This giveaway is open to US & Canadian residents.
• Giveaway ends:  January 21st, 2013 (12:01AM EST)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kim, thanks for asking me to host this guest post for you! Wonderful tips and it was sweet of you to share such insight to readers and future authors. 

Also, I have to say a HUGE thank you for also providing a copy of your debut title Trafficked to giveaway.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: Flash Point
Author: Nancy Kress
Publisher: Viking Juvenile, 400 Pages (November 8th, 2012)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: Reality TV meets a chillingly realistic version of America--and the fame game is on!

Amy had dreams of going to college, until the Collapse destroyed the economy and her future. Now she is desperate for any job that will help support her terminally ill grandmother and rebellious younger sister. When she finds herself in the running for a slot on a new reality TV show, she signs on the dotted line, despite her misgivings. And she's right to have them. TLN's Who Knows People, Baby--You? has an irresistible premise: correctly predict what the teenage cast will do in a crisis and win millions. But the network has pulled strings to make it work, using everything from 24/7 hidden cameras to life-threatening technology to flat-out rigging. Worse, every time the ratings slip, TLN ups the ante. Soon Amy is fighting for her life--on and off camera.

Title: Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters
Author: Suzanne Weyn
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 320 Pages (January 2013)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: A new generation is creating a monster....

Doctor Victor Frankenstein's previously unacknowledged beautiful, intelligent twin daughters (from an early marriage when he was a student) have come to Frankenstein's Castle to claim it as their inheritance.

Shortly thereafter they learn that a serial killer is on the loose. They try to ignore this -- Gretchen takes up her father's work, while Ingrid throws lavish parties. Gretchen and Ingrid form a love triangle with a young naval officer with a debilitating disease. Though he loves Ingrid, he agrees to work with Gretchen on a series of body transplants that improve his condition. Before long he is even walking without his cane. He does not know that the science that is helping him is the science of death itself . . .

A twisted, macabre journey of romance and horror.

Two books I can't wait to read this week. Both couldn't be more different from one another. Oh and if anyone else is looking forward to Flash Point, I was just approved for it on Net Galley & can't wait to read! Who else is with me being excited for these two?

*covers are always subject to change.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: Blood Fever (The Watchers, #3)
Author: Veronica Wolff
Publisher: NAL Trade (August 7th, 2012)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME —
EVEN IF HOME IS WHERE THE DEAD LIVE.

It’s the start of the fall semester, and a new crop of Acari and Trainees have descended on the Isle of Night. Watcher training has intensified, and Drew has a new roommate named Mei-Ling. But Mei-Ling harbors a dangerous secret that drove the vampires to abduct her against her will. Drew knows she shouldn’t get involved, but she can’t seem to leave her roommate to fend for herself.

Luckily, Drew has other things on her mind—like vampire Carden. A blood bond to a brawny, eighteenth-century Scottish bad boy tends to preoccupy a girl. And though she’s still figuring out what this bond means, one thing has become clear: She craves him in a major way.

But then bodies start turning up on the island. All the evidence points to the existence of a rogue vampire, and the sinister vampire Alcántara is gunning for Carden, even though Drew has proof that Carden had nothing to do with the murders. Now she has to find the true killer—without endangering Carden, Mei-Ling, or herself…

Title: My Life in Black and White
Author: Natasha Friend
Publisher: Viking Juvenile, 304 Pages (June 28th, 2012)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: What if you lost the thing that made you who you are?

Lexi has always been stunning. Her butter-colored hair and perfect features have helped her attract friends, a boyfriend, and the attention of a modeling scout. But everything changes the night Lexi's face goes through a windshield. Now she's not sure what's worse: the scars she'll have to live with forever, or what she saw going on between her best friend and her boyfriend right before the accident. With the help of her trombone-playing, defiantly uncool older sister and a guy at school recovering from his own recent trauma, Lexi learns she's much more than just a pretty face.

Title: Miracle
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Publisher: Simon Pulse, 224 Pages (June 5th, 2012)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: Megan is a miracle. At least, that’s what everyone says. Having survived a plane crash that killed everyone else on board, Megan knows she should be grateful just to be alive. But the truth is, she doesn’t feel like a miracle. In fact, she doesn’t feel anything at all. Then memories from the crash start coming back.

Scared and alone, Megan doesn’t know whom to turn to. Her entire community seems unable—or maybe unwilling—to see her as anything but Miracle Megan. Everyone except for Joe, the beautiful boy next door with a tragic past and secrets of his own. All Megan wants is for her life to get back to normal, but the harder she tries to live up to everyone’s expectations, the worse she feels. And this time, she may be falling too fast to be saved....

Three book again this week... and each are must reads! What do you guys think of the three books listed here?


*covers are always subject to change.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: Gilt (The Royal Circle, #1)
Author: Katherine Longshore
Publisher: Viking Juvenile, 398 Pages (May 15th, 2012)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: In the court of King Henry VIII, nothing is free--
and love comes at the highest price of all.

When Kitty Tylney's best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII's heart and brings Kitty to court, she's thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat's shadow, Kitty's now caught between two men--the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat's meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head.

Title: The Hunt (The Hunt #1)
Author: Andrew Fukuda
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin, 293 Pages (May 8th, 2012)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: Don’t Sweat.  Don’t Laugh.  Don’t draw attention to yourself.  And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.

Gene is different from everyone else around him.  He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood.  Gene is a human, and he knows the rules.  Keep the truth a secret.  It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him.  He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

Title: The Lost Code (The Atlanteans, #1)
Author: Kevin Emerson
Publisher: HarperCollins, 435 Pages (May 22nd, 2012)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: WHAT IS OLDEST WILL BE NEW, WHAT IS LOST SHALL BE FOUND.

The ozone is ravaged, ocean levels have risen, and the sun is a daily enemy. But global climate change is not something new in the Earth’s history.

No one will know this better than less-than-ordinary Owen Parker, who is about to discover that he is the descendant of a highly advanced ancient race—a race that took their technology too far and almost destroyed the Earth in the process.

Now it is Owen’s turn to make right in his world what went wrong thousands of years ago. If Owen can unlock the lost code in his very genes, he may rediscover the forgotten knowledge of his ancestry…and that less-than-ordinary can evolve into extraordinary.

Yep! It's that time of the week, for another Wow. And I'm back with 3 titles this week that I think sound not only exciting but different. Exciting and different = a must read. I tend to have a hard time with historicals, yet with Gilt, I just can't wait for it. It sounds utterly captivating to me. And then The Hunt, which comes out next week.. I thought I had this one in a previous WoW and noticed it's been missing... eek! Sorry, but seriously, is it about vampires? Or something else? The synopsis doesn't call them that, so I'm very curious about what the things are the author has written about. Last, but not least - The Lost Code. It sounds mysterious and thrilling, who things that make a book a must read for me. 

So, what do you guys think of the three books this week? Anything you see here that you can't wait to read too?

*covers are always subject to change.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: Legend (Legend, #1)
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile, 336 Pages (November 29th 2011)
Preorder here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

Title: Audition
Author: Stasia Ward Kehoe
Publisher: Viking Juvenile, 464 Pages (October 13th 2011)
Preorder here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: When high school junior Sara wins a coveted scholarship to study ballet, she must sacrifice everything for her new life as a professional dancer-in-training. Living in a strange city with a host family, she's deeply lonely-until she falls into the arms of Remington, a choreographer in his early twenties. At first, she loves being Rem's muse, but as she discovers a surprising passion for writing, she begins to question whether she's chosen the right path. Is Rem using her, or is it the other way around? And is dancing still her dream, or does she need something more? This debut novel in verse is as intense and romantic as it is eloquent.

Another two that I can't WAIT to read! I'm lucky to have Legend here and I hope to get a chance to read it soon. It sounds like a thrilling read! And then Audition, the cover might be simple, but I love it. And then the synopsis sounds like it's something I'd love!! Yay, for both of these titles! Who's waiting for these titles too? What do you guys think of this weeks WoW?

*covers are always subject to change.
*I am not compensated at all for any of the links within this post.

Title: Waiting for You
Author: Susane Colasanti
Publisher: Viking Juvenile, 336 Pages (May 14, 2009)
From: Amazon/Christmas Gift

Synopsis: At the beginning of her sophomore year, Marisa is ready for a fresh start and, more importantly, a boyfriend. So when the handsome and popular Derek asks her out, Marisa thinks her long wait for happiness is over. But several bumps in the road—including her parents’ unexpected separation, a fight with her best friend, and a shocking disappointment in her relationship with Derek—test Marisa’s ability to maintain her new outlook. Only the anonymous DJ, whose underground podcasts have the school’s ear, seems to understand what Marisa is going through. But she has no idea who he is—or does she?

In this third romantic novel from Susane Colasanti, Marisa learns how to “be in the Now” and realizes that the love she’s been waiting for has been right in front of her all along.

Review: 3.5 Stars - This was the first book I've read by Susane Colasanti and while it was a nice... it just didn't wow me. The story and the characters were enjoyable enough to keep my interest, making this an easy and quick read that I would have been able to finish in one sitting if I had more time when I first picked up the book.

The story between our main characters was often predictable. Marisa is the girl who wants to reinvent herself and try to figure out not only who she is, but what she wants - with the start of a new year in High School. Her crush is the popular guy, Derek who doesn't really even know who Marisa is. She ends up paired with boy, Nash who is a neighborhood friend from her past to work on a class project. It was the classic story of Invisible girl crushing on popular boy, Nerdy boy crushing on invisible girl. Not to forget about the quirky sidekick Sterling, or the mystery DJ that the school's talking about and was pretty easy to figure out whom this mysterious DJ was early on in the book.

By about halfway through reading you knew just where each character was headed and what was going to happen with the turn of each page. Not that it was bad, just no surprises.

Throughout the story we learn all that Marisa has been through last year and what she's dealing with now as her family hits a few pumps in the road. As a reader we see her struggle to keep a grasp on things around her as she tires not to slip back into anxiety that troubled her much of the year before. I was able to connect with Marisa in this aspect of her life as she struggles with anxiety. This part of the story was well written and shows us all that something such as anxiety can hit anyone and anytime, with no rhyme or reason.

The highlights were references to John Mayer songs and how each song can be a truth for just about anyone during various stages in your life. I did really enjoy these little references throughout the book and it was little things like that that made me enjoy this further.

I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.

FTC Disclaimer: I DID (this book was given as a Christmas gift by a family member) pay for this book and have NOT been compensated at all in any way or means for reading and writing this review.