Author Success Story: Tristina Wright shares her path to publication for 27 HOURS + a giveaway!

I'm excited to welcome Tristina Wright to share her inspiring path to pub success story for her debut novel 27 Hours, out now from Entangled Teen.  Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for a chance to win a 27 Hours prize back!

In 2005, a character started nagging at me. He was stubborn and wouldn’t take no for an answer no matter how much I tried to ignore him. After a few years of pushing him to one side in favor of day jobs and making ends meet, I started jotting down scenes and forming the first of what would be many, many drafts with this character named Rumor.

Between 2009 and 2011, I wrote probably four or five different books with Rumor and various characters, trying to find the right story for him. I thought I had it a few times, circling closer and closer each time until I hit on a dystopian concept that relied heavily on the gargoyle mythology toward the early of 2011. I polished it and began querying middle of 2011, I think?

Querying took forever. It feels like forever. The best advice I would give for querying writers is to find the writing community and dive in. Find other writers who are at the same stage as you are so you have commiserating buddies. No one else truly gets it like someone else who’s there. You can swap querying tips. Y’all can talk agents together. Y’all can swap queries and pages for feedback. I met some of my earliest critique partners when I was querying—people I still talk to and write with today.

Also, while you’re querying, work on something else. I wrote a steampunk star-crossed romance based on Eros and Psyche. Took me about a year. When it was polished and ready to query, I let the final queries on Rumor’s book run out (meaning I didn’t send out any new ones when I got rejections).

In 2012, I received an offer of rep from an agent on my steampunk romance. While that romance went on submission with editors, I pulled Rumor back out and worked on him with my agent and my critique partners. I still felt a pull toward this story and a need to tell it.

Needless to say, the romance didn’t make it very far, and we went back out with Rumor & Co. for the first round of submission in early 2014. It got close. Really close. After a very long talk, I decided to revise it, which is when I decided to put it in space. It took me not quite a year to revise it to that effect and we went back out on submission with it in late 2015.

While I was working on it, however, I would keep myself sane by tweeting lines and such on Twitter. And to make it easier to search later, I kept track of them by using the same hashtag. That’s where #queerteensinspace came from. My now-editor Kate Brauning saw the hashtag and contacted my agent and basically said, “When she’s done with that, I want to read it.”

So, she did. And then she offered. And the rest is, as they say, history.

The biggest piece of advice I’d give to writers is: Don’t call yourself aspiring. If you write, you’re a writer. There are those who will try to tell you that you don’t qualify unless… They’ll try to apply qualifications or checklists. You have to meet all these requirements. And that’s silly. Do you write? Yes? Then you’re a writer. End of discussion. You’re not aspiring. You’re a writer.

About 24 Hours:

27 Hours by Tristina Wright

Publication Date:  October 3, 2017

Publisher:  Entangled Teen

Rumor Mora fears two things: hellhounds too strong for him to kill, and failure. Jude Welton has two dreams: for humans to stop killing monsters, and for his strange abilities to vanish.

But in no reality should a boy raised to love monsters fall for a boy raised to kill them.

Nyx Llorca keeps two secrets: the moon speaks to her, and she’s in love with Dahlia, her best friend. Braeden Tennant wants two things: to get out from his mother's shadow, and to unlearn Epsilon's darkest secret.

They’ll both have to commit treason to find the truth.

During one twenty-seven-hour night, if they can’t stop the war between the colonies and the monsters from becoming a war of extinction, the things they wish for will never come true, and the things they fear will be all that’s left.

27 Hours is a sweeping, thrilling story featuring a stellar cast of queer teenagers battling to save their homes and possibly every human on Sahara as the clock ticks down to zero.

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon Australia | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Entangled

About Tristina Wright
Tristina Wright is a blue-haired bisexual with anxiety and opinions. She’s also possibly a mermaid,

but no one can get confirmation. She fell in love with science fiction and fantasy at a young age and frequently got caught writing in class instead of paying attention. She enjoys worlds with monsters and kissing and monsters kissing. She married a nerd who can build computers and make the sun shine with his smile. Most days, she can be found drinking coffee from her favorite chipped mug and making up more stories for her wombfruit, who keep life exciting and unpredictable.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

A 27 Hours Prize Pack, including:

* A 27 Hours Candle

* A set of 27 Hours Character Cards

* AND a copy of an October release *

*Open internationally wherever The Book Depository ships

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Author Jessica Kapp Shares Her Inspiring Path to Publication + a Giveaway!

Today I'm excited to welcome BODY PARTS author Jessica Kapp to Thinking to Inking, where she shares her inspiring path to publication (spoiler alert: never give up!)  Don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the post for a chance to win an Amazon Giftcard and an autographed bookmark!

It took me two long years to finish my first novel, and I didn’t do anything with it. It was a hot mess—still is—but I learned I could complete a novel, and that prompted me to start book number two. My second attempt went much faster, and within a few months I was ready to polish.

Sadly, I finished revising it right when agents and publishers were saturated with similar books in my genre. Query after query I got the same reply: I can’t sell this in today’s crowded market. Determined to find a home for my manuscript, I went to the Pacific Northwest Writers Association conference and pitched it to agents.

I caught the excitement of an agent who said she loved my energy and, thank goodness, the pitch. She requested my full manuscript and I practically floated home thinking, ‘This is it. I’m on my way.’

That agent emailed me throughout her read, but there were a handful of areas that needed to be fixed. So, instead of offering me representation, she asked me to revise and resubmit. A week or so later, she sent me her notes. I jumped in headfirst and spent night after night perfecting my novel, incorporating all the elements she suggested. It was stronger and better than ever.

I sent it off and waited for her quick reply.

Weeks went by. Then months.

I wrote another novel.

I finished that novel

I polished that novel.

And when I was ready to send that new manuscript into the world, I nudged the agent to let her know I’d completed BODY PARTS.

That prompted her to finish reading the revised manuscript as well as my new one. Around that the same time, I entered Pitch Madness, and while I didn’t get in, I received an encouraging message from one of the slush readers who mentioned I came really close to getting in. She insisted I send queries into the Agent World, so I drafted a few and, with a shaky hand, hit send.

The responses came back slow at first, then two full requests came within hours of each other. A week later, an agent requested my manuscript 12 MINUTES after I queried her (cue the freakout session).

Despite the good news, rejections trickled in. The agent sitting on my old manuscript sent me a rejection. BODY PARTS still needed a home.

One of my CPs convinced me to participate in #RTSlap, a Twitter pitch event I hadn’t planned on entering. I was full of coffee and optimism, so I sent one pitch out into the Twitterverse and called it good. Later that night, I checked my account and saw an agent had favorited my tweet. Eureka! That agent was Whitley Abell, and she offered me representation shortly after I sent her the full manuscript.

We polished the manuscript and went out on submission on my birthday. It was a nice way to celebrate, but the publishing world moves at the speed of molasses sliding uphill. So we waited and waited.

Finally, on my way to pick up my kids from school, I saw that beautiful envelope icon pop up on my phone. I pulled over as soon as I could and clicked on it. The subject of the email read: OFFER RECEIVED.

My book was going to be published.

I remember crying as I dialed my husband. I remember blubbering something incoherent.

And I remember getting the first good night’s sleep in months.

About Body Parts:

Body Parts by Jessica Kapp

Publication Date: August 15, 2017

Publisher: Diversion Publishing

People would kill for her body.

Raised in an elite foster center off the California coast, sixteen-year-old Tabitha’s been sculpted into a world-class athlete. Her trainers have told her she’ll need to be in top physical condition to be matched with a loving family, even though personal health has taken a backseat outside the training facility. While Tabitha swims laps and shaves seconds off her mile time, hoping to find a permanent home, the rest of the community takes pills produced by pharmaceutical giant PharmPerfect to erase their wrinkles, grow hair, and develop superhuman strength.

When Tabitha’s finally paired, instead of being taken to meet her new parents, she wakes up immobile on a hospital bed. Moments before she’s sliced open, a group of renegade teenagers rescues her, and she learns the real reason for her perfect health: PharmPerfect is using her foster program as a replacement factory for their pill-addicted clients’ failing organs. And her friends from the center, the only family she’s ever known, are next in line to be harvested.

Determined to save them, Tabitha joins forces with her rescuers, led by moody and mysterious Gavin Stiles. As they race to infiltrate the hospital and uncover the rest of PharmPerfect’s secrets, though, Tabitha finds herself with more questions than answers. Will trusting the enigmatic group of rebels lead her back to the slaughterhouse?

Goodreads | Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

About The Author:

Jessica Kapp enjoys writing Young Adult Contemporary and Speculative Fiction. Story ideas often strike at inopportune times, and she’s been known to text herself reminders from under the covers.

She lives on a small farm in Washington with far too many goats and an occasional cow.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads  

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Author Aden Polydoros shares his PROJECT PANDORA writing process + a chance to win an AMZN gift card and prize pack!

Today, author Aden Polydoros joins us to talk about his writing process for Project Pandora and how he went from the seed of an idea to a ready-to-be-published book. 

Please give Aden a warm Thinking to Inking welcome, and make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for a chance to win a Project Pandora prize pack + an Amazon giftcard!

 When I began working on this novel, I did not know what it would be about. I had a vague idea that it would involve brainwashing. I had an image in my head of a boy waking up in a house that wasn’t his own, with a gun in his hand. That was about it. It wasn’t like this incredible revelation where I knew exactly what I was going to write, how the story was going to end, or even who the main characters were. I was just curious to find out where Tyler would end up, and as soon as I finished his chapter, I began working on one from the POV of another character.

Here’s the thing about my writing process. I don’t make outlines before I begin writing. I’ll outline the setting for a particular scene, but I don’t outline the plot. I’ll write down ideas I have at the top of the manuscript, or maybe jolt down a note about where this story might go, but that’s about it. I’m a total pantser because that’s what works for me. If I have to write off an outline, all of a sudden, the writing process begins feeling restrictive. On the upside, I end up surprising myself halfway through the story when the plot does a complete 180. On the downside, I usually have the delete some of my writing.

I don’t write in chronological order either. I may have a scene in my head that I have to get down, and that’s the one I’ll be working on, even if it’s at the end of the book and I’ve only completed the first five chapters. In the first draft, I’ll have up to seventy scenes anywhere from 100 to 3000 words long, which I’ll eventually rearrange into a cohesive story.

I decided to write 1,000 words a day. I had tried NaNoWriMo before and had failed to fulfill the 1,500 word-a-day goal, so 1,000 words seemed like a nice, doable number. Of course, there were some days when I wrote less. There were days when I wrote nothing at all and felt so frustrated with the book, I wanted to throw my laptop into a dumpster. As appealing as that thought was, I forced myself to keep writing.

After several months, I finished the first draft of my manuscript. It was 60,000 words long, and what I could best describe as a “hot mess.” I allowed it to sit for a couple weeks as I began work on a different story, then began revisions.

Before I even started revising the story, I printed it out and read through it. I made notes of things that needed to be changed, areas where the writing was weak or too telly, and scenes I didn’t like. I cut out 8,000 more words, then added another 13,000, bringing the total word count to 65,000.

That wasn’t the end of it. Once I signed a deal with Entangled Teen and began editor-advised edits, I became immersed in several more rounds of revisions. Having an editing letter makes the revision process easier because I know what I need to work on, but at the same time, it’s also more difficult because I have to make specific changes that I might not agree 100% with. I tend to approach the editing process the same way in either case; I sit down, I read through the manuscript and note places where I can make revisions, and then I work on them. I use the Track Changes and Add Comment features in Word to make notes to myself and compare different versions of the same sentence. I made a goal to revise one chapter a day and write 1,000 words, and over the course of a month, added another 40,000 to the novel’s word count. It’s just as difficult to stay motivated during the revision process as it is during the initial writing process, but what kept me going was imagining the fanart that people might eventually do of my characters. I know that sounds silly, but I love looking at fanart for my favorite shows and books, and the thought that someone might actually want to draw my characters makes me smile.

Thanks so much for joining us Aden!  Can't wait to get my hands on Project Pandora!

About Project Pandora:

Project Pandora (Assassin Fall #1)

by Aden Polydoros

Publication Date:  August 1, 2017

Publisher:  Entangled Teen

Tyler Bennett trusts no one. Just another foster kid bounced from home to home, he’s learned that lesson the hard way. Cue world’s tiniest violin. But when strange things start happening—waking up with bloody knuckles and no memory of the night before or the burner phone he can’t let out of his sight— Tyler starts to wonder if he can even trust himself.

Even stranger, the girl he’s falling for has a burner phone just like his. Finding out what’s really happening only leads to more questions…questions that could get them both killed. It’s not like someone’s kidnapping teens lost in the system and brainwashing them to be assassins or anything, right? And what happens to rogue assets who defy control?

In a race against the clock, they’ll have to uncover the truth behind Project Pandora and take it down—before they’re reactivated. Good thing the program spent millions training them to kick ass...

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon.com.au | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Entangled

About Aden Polydoros

Aden Polydoros grew up in Long Grove, Illinois, the youngest of three children. Aden’s family

moved to Arizona when he was in second grade. As a kid, he spent much of his time exploring the desert near his home. When he wasn’t searching for snakes and lizards, he was raiding the bookshelves of the local library. As a teenager, Aden decided that he wanted to be a writer. He spent his free time writing short stories. He was encouraged by his English teacher to try his hand at writing a novel, which inspired him to begin PROJECT PANDORA. The YA thriller is set for publication with Entangled Publishing in Summer of 2017. He is represented by Mallory Brown of Triada US.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads  

Giveaway!

 Project Pandora Prize Pack (US) or a $10 Amazon Gift card (INT)

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Author Melinda Friesen shares writing advice + her latest release SUBVERSION + a chance to win a copy!

Today I'm excited to welcome author Melinda Friesen, who's here to chat writing and her latest release SUBVERSION. Make sure you scroll to the bottom of the post for a chance to win your own copy of Subversion, and check out it's predecessor Enslavement if you haven't already!

Thanks so much for coming to Thinking to Inking! We're so excited to have you here! Tell us a little bit about Subversion.

Subversion the sequel to Enslavement and book two in the One Bright Future series picks up a few months after the end of Enslavement when Rielle James, protagonist extraordinaire, is hell bent on rescuing her friends. She refuses to live free while her friends are still enslaved. She devises a plan to save one of them who has been sold to a logging camp in northern Montana where slaves are disappearing without a trace.

Who's your favorite character from Subversion?

I dearly love Rielle and Nathan, my two main characters, but I introduced a new character in Subversion named Dek. Dek is a rugged, crusty, crotchety old man. He’s got a hot temper and smokes a couple packs per day. Despite his tough and cranky exterior, he’s got tons of heart. He sprang to life in my head, fully formed from his nicotine-yellowed fingers to his dirty work pants to the way his truck floor is a dumping ground for jackets and plastic coffee mugs.

How did your writing process for Subversion differ from Enslavement, the first book in the One Bright Future series?

I wrote the entire series in nine months. The writing part wasn’t much different from book to book, however, I revised, edited, and rewrote huge portions of Enslavement, so those changes had to be reflected in Subversion. Bringing Subversion into line with Enslavement was a huge task. A book that had taken me a couple of months to write, took me nearly a year to edit.

The covers for both books in the One Bright Future Series are amazing! How much input did you get in the design of your cover and what was that process like?

I really love my covers too. I did get some input, mainly in the sense of the publisher showing me the cover and me giving it the go ahead. At first, I wasn’t sure about the bar code idea because the book uses microchips, not bar codes, but eventually it grew on me because it symbolized my protagonist as a product. In terms of conveying the subject and tone of the books, the designer nailed both covers.

What advice would you give writers still working to make their publishing dreams a reality?

Work at improving your writing. Never allow yourself to stagnate. Learn everything you can about writing and publishing. Get some writer friends for moral support and good advice. And keep going!

What advice do you have for authors working on writing book two in a series? Any tips or tricks you learned along the way that you can pass along to us?

Write book two, but don’t spend a ton of time revising it. You will make changes to book one in the editing process which will translate into changes to book two. The series may deviate from your original direction as you go, so it’s best to hold subsequent books loosely and be open to going in a different direction.

What are you reading now?

I’m currently reading Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard and Blood of the Dead by A.P. Fuchs.

If you could be one character from any book or movie, who would it be?

I had a hard time of this question, but I finally narrowed it down to Elizabeth Swan from Pirates of the Caribbean. She had an amazing adventure. Or maybe it was the drinking rum with Johnny Depp on a beach in the Caribbean that intrigued me.

Congrats on the launch of the second book in the One Bright Future series, and thanks so much for stopping by!

Thank you so much for having me!

About Subversion (One Bright Future #2) by Melinda Friesen 

Publication Date: August 31, 2016

“I surrender my days, my efforts, myself to the OneEarth Bank . . .”

After fleeing slavery, Rielle James burns with the desire to topple OneEarth Bank and end its enslavement of young people as Contracts. When she learns that her friend Nathan has been sold to a logging company where Contracts die or vanish without a trace, she assumes a false identity and becomes a slave again to help him escape.

Her act of subversion uncovers the horrific truth behind the OneEarth Bank’s role in Contract disappearances and its link to a global pandemic.

Can Rielle and Nathan escape and expose the truth before it’s too late?

Goodreads | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

About Melina Friesen:

Melinda Friesen writes novels for teens and short stories. Her contest winning short stories have appeared in various periodical and an anthology. Enslavement, book one in the One Bright Future series, is her first novel. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

Giveaway Details:

·         Two (2) winners will received a physical copy of Subversion by Melinda Friesen (US/Canada) and  Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Subversion by Melinda Friesen (INT)

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Interview with Don't Kiss the Messenger author Katie Ray + Giveaway!

I'm excited to bring you another successful author chat, this time with Katie Ray who's here to chat writing and her newest release Don't Kiss the Messenger. Don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the post for a chance to win a copy!

Thanks so much for coming to Thinking to Inking! We're so excited to have you! Tell us a little bit about Don't Kiss the Messenger.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog today! I appreciate you’re hosting me. Don’t Kiss the Messenger is a YA modern day retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac. I actually followed the movie version more closely (a 1987 romantic comedy called Roxanne). Except in my case, I made Cyrano’s character a girl. I thought it would be a fun twist.

Ooh I love retellings and I absolutely love the movie Roxanne! Don't Kiss the Messenger just jumped to the top of my to-read pile. :-) Which character do you relate most to?

I was really insecure in high school, and I spent most of my time feeling like an outsider, like I wasn’t “all in.” For that reason, I can relate to CeCe.

Was your writing process for Don't Kiss the Messenger different from your previously released books? If so how? Anything that surprised you along the way?

Yes, this book was a very different approach. Since it’s a retelling, the book was basically already outlined for me. I thought that having a blue print would make the writing process easier, but it was actually more challenging. I felt tied down to the story sometimes, which made it harder for me to sidetrack and go my own way. Eventually, I figured out my own story and pacing.

The cover design for Don't Kiss the Messenger is really fun! How much input did you get in the design of your cover and what was that process like?

I really didn’t give a lot of input. I only told the designers what I DID NOT want (like a glistening abdomen or an ‘almost kiss’ kind of cover). I’m a sucker for hearts on covers (three of my other books have hearts on the cover) so this one fit my style. I really like it.

Are you a write-one-thing-at-a-time author, or do you typically juggle multiple projects at once? How do you stay focused?

I’m a one-book-at-a-time kind of person. I feel like I’m in a relationship with my characters, so when I’m writing a book I’m committed to them 100 percent.

What advice would you give writers still working to make their publishing dreams a reality?

Practice, practice, practice. Write every day, even if it’s only for ten minutes. If you back away from your story for too long, it’s really hard to get back into it.

What are you reading now?

I just read Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson. I LOVED IT. I’m totally author crushing her right now.

If you could have one super power, what would it be?

Teleportation.

Congrats on the launch of Don't Kiss the Messenger. I can't wait to get my hands on it! And thanks so much for stopping by Thinking to Inking!

Thanks so much for having me! I hope you enjoy my book. If you like music, and a slow-burn, old school romance, you will love it. :-) 

About Don't Kiss the Messenger (Edge Lake High School, #1)

by Katie Ray
Publication Date: April 10, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Teen Crush

For most of her teenage life, CeCe Edmonds has been dealing with the stares and the not-so-polite whispers that follow her around Edgelake High. So she has a large scar on her face—Harry Potter had one on his forehead and people still liked him.

CeCe never cared about her looks—until Emmett Brady, transfer student and football darling, becomes her literature critique partner. The only problem? Emmett is blindsided by Bryn DeNeuville, CeCe’s gorgeous and suddenly shy volleyball teammate.

Bryn asks CeCe to help her compose messages that’ll charm Emmett. CeCe isn’t sure there’s anything in his head worth charming but agrees anyway—she’s a sucker for a good romance. Unfortunately, the more messages she sends and the more they run into each other, the more she realizes there’s plenty in his head, from food to literature. Too bad Emmett seems to be falling for the wrong girl…

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book involves one fiercely scarred girl who wants the new guy in town, the new guy who thinks he wants the new girl, and the new girl who really isn’t sure what she wants, and the misunderstanding that brings them all together. You’ll laugh, you’ll swoon, you’ll fall in love. 

Goodreads | Amazon |Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca | Entangled Publishing

About Katie Ray

Katie Ray (also known by her previous author name, Katie Kacvinsky) writes teen and new adult fiction novels. Her books have been nominated for YALSA awards, and First Comes Love was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. Her screenplay, A High Note, was a semifinalist in the Austin Screenplay Competition in 2015. She currently lives in Ashland, Wisconsin with her husband, two children, and a slightly insane dog.

Author Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Author Casey Griffin talks SECRETS OF A RELUCTANT PRINCESS, writing advice + a chance to win a signed copy and a tiara!

Today we have another successful author chat, this time with author Casey Griffin. Her latest release, Secrets of a Reluctant Princess, is out now! Please join me in giving her a big Thinking to Inking welcome, and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the post for a chance to win a copy of Secrets of a Reluctant Princess AND a tiara!

Thanks so much for coming to Thinking to Inking! We're so excited to have you! Tell us a little bit about Secrets of a Reluctant Princess.

Secrets of a Reluctant Princess is about sixteen-year-old Andy Bottom who just wants to make friends and avoid teasing. Now that her family has moved to Hollywood, it’s the perfect opportunity to blend in at a new school. Well, except for her family’s incredibly embarrassing toilet business. Oh, and the fact that they have their own reality TV show so now the whole world can laugh at “Awkward Andy” on primetime television. And that cute guy, Kevin, from the hardware store? He’s totally off limits, unless she wants to be a social pariah. When reality TV finds her a little too interesting, she finds the perfect escape in live action roll playing. There, she can get closer to Kevin and escape reality. But for how long?

Which character do you relate most to?

That’s a tough one. I think a little piece of me goes into every novel I write, and that includes the characters. If I can identify with some part of them, then hopefully so will the readers. However, I definitely try to avoid writing a character totally like myself—or other people in my life, for that matter. The qualities that I think I share with my characters is that I’m totally geeky like Kevin, the love interest. I’m gullible like Lennox. I’m blunt like Keelie. I’ve been teased like the main character, Andy, and I’m cheesy like her dad.

Was your writing process for Secrets of a Reluctant Princess different from your previously released Rescue Dog Romance series? If so how? Anything that surprised you along the way?


While I was working on Secrets of a Reluctant Princess, I definitely felt like I was beginning to find my writing groove, but the process was still a bit rough because I actually wrote it before the Rescue Dog Romance series.

When my agent was first shopping Reluctant Princess around, an editor at St Martin’s Press read it. They were so drawn to the “voice” that they asked me if I’d like to write adult romance for them. I said, very coolly, “YESSSSSS!” Then shortly after, Reluctant Princess was picked up by Entangled, and that’s how I ended up with two contracts at the same time.

I find that with each novel I write, the process becomes smoother, more refined. There might be hiccups, but the more I write, the better I’m able to work through them.

The cover design for Secrets of a Reluctant Princess is fantastic! How much input did you get in the design of your cover and what was that process like?
Entangled gave me a big list of questions about things like scenes in the book that resonate with me, and what color I’d like (yay pink!), but I was honestly open to anything. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s so eye grabbing. I love it!

Are you a write-one-thing-at-a-time author, or do you typically juggle multiple projects at once? How do you stay focused?

I’m usually working on two different projects at a time. At one point, my deadlines overlapped between projects, so I was working on three different novels, all at various stages in the writing process. I think that I get bored if I’m not always working on a new novel. It keeps my mind active and in the routine of writing.

To keep all my projects straight and to refocus when hopping from one to the other, it always helps to go over the outline as a refresher. My outlines are usually pretty detailed, so I don’t have any problem figuring out where I want to go next. It gets me pumped about picking up where I left off. If all else fails, I’ll start reading the novel from the start to get back into it.

What advice would you give writers still working to make their publishing dreams a reality?

“You never fail until you stop trying.” – Albert Einstein

Don’t feel disheartened if your current book doesn’t sell. Writing is a process. We learn, we grow, we constantly improve our craft. Rejection is just part of the process. It doesn't mean failure.

There is no failure in the path to publication unless you give up trying. No matter how many books it takes, if you truly love writing, you’re still doing something you enjoy, regardless of the outcome. As long as you keep trying and growing as an artist, you’ll get there. You just need to believe in yourself.

What are you reading now?

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion and The Diviners by Libba Bray (See? More than one even when reading).

If you could have one super power, what would it be?

I’ve spent many an hour pondering and debating this question. I’ve always said it would be to fly. That would be so amazing. But after the last couple of years, I think I’d want to be like Quicksilver. He moves so fast that it’s almost like he’s walking through a still photo. Just imagine how many books I could complete and still have time to catch up on Game of Thrones (seriously people, no spoilers. I’m way behind).

Congrats on the launch of Secrets of a Reluctant Princess. I can't wait to get my hands on it! And thanks so much for stopping by Thinking to Inking!

Thank you so much! I hope you like it :-)

About Secrets of a Reluctant Princess:

Secrets of a Reluctant Princess by Casey Griffin
Publication Date: March 7, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Teen

At Beverly Hills High, you have to be ruthless to survive…

Adrianna Bottom always wanted to be liked. But this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Now, she’s in the spotlight…and out of her geeky comfort zone. She’ll do whatever it takes to turn the rumor mill in her favor—even if it means keeping secrets. So far, it’s working.

Wear the right clothes. Say the right things. Be seen with the right people.

Kevin, the adorable sketch artist who shares her love of all things nerd, isn’t exactly the right people. But that doesn’t stop Adrianna from crushing on him. The only way she can spend time with him is in disguise, as Princess Andy, the masked girl he’s been LARPing with. If he found out who she really was, though, he’d hate her.

The rules have been set. The teams have their players. Game on.

 

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About Casey Griffin:

Casey Griffin can often be found at comic conventions on her days off from her day job, driving 400 ton dump trucks in Northern Alberta, Canada. As a jack of all trades with a resume boasting registered nurse, English teacher, and photographer, books are her true passion. Casey is a 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel finalist, and is currently busy writing every moment she can.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

One (1) winner will receive a signed copy of Secrets of a Reluctant Princess + a Tiara!

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NYT besting selling author Brenda Drake talks writing advice, GUARDIAN OF SECRETS plus a chance to win an Amazon giftcard & Swag!

I'm SO excited to have New York Times bestselling author Brenda Drake with us today, chatting writing advice and her latest and Greatest, Guardian of Secrets, the second book in The Library Jumper series. And I gotta be honest -I'm totally fan girling over here.

If you don't know Brenda Drake, you need to. First of all, Thief of Lies, the first book in the series, is un-put-downable. If you haven't read it you need to drop everything you are doing and read it now (after you read the interview, of course 😉) Second, Brenda does a tremendous amount for the writing community, including leading Pitch Wars and Pitch Madness. I have Pitch Madness to thank for my agent, and I am one example of about a thousand writers she's helped. *bows down with gratitude*

I'll stop gushing and get to the questions. 😋 Don't forget to scroll to the bottom for a chance to win a $50 Amazon giftcard!

Thanks so much for coming to Thinking to Inking! We're so excited to have you! I've been following your blog for years--I'm kinda fan-girling over here. What you do for writers is tremendous - thank you x 1000!

Aww, that’s so sweet. Thank you for hosting me today!

Thank YOU for bring here. Tell us a little bit about Guardian of Secrets.

Well, it’s the second book in the Library Jumpers series. The Wizard Council sends Gia into hiding with her family, friends, and the Sentinels. Nick struggles to control his growing powers. Jealousies and mistrusts arise within the tight group. As Gia and Nick jump to some of the most stunning libraries in search for the remaining Chiavi, a new threat arises within the libraries. During one of their searches, Gia trips a trap door ends up in a wasteland full of danger and secrets. To return to her family and friends, Gia will have to make a sacrifice, one that will cost her someone she loves.

Who's your favorite character?
This is such a difficult question. All my characters are favorites. When I don’t like them, I cut them out or kill them. Ha! But seriously, I think it has been Gia in the Library Jumpers series. She’s a combination of many girls I love in my life. When I’m in her head, I can relive the joys I’ve had with my girls.

Was your writing process for Guardian of Secrets different for Thief Of Lies, the first book in the The Library Jumpers series, or your other books Touching Fate and Cursing Fate?

My writing process is basically the same for all my books. Before I start a story, I do short character bios and setting research. Next, I do a four-act plot graph. It’s skeletal and I only use it as a road map for the story. Then I write, letting the characters and inspiration lead me on that road, fleshing out the story as I go. Sometimes, I go off-road and take a detour, but the direction I’m going usually stays the same. After I have a first draft, I revise it.

Will there be a third book in the series?

Yes, there will be. I’m currently writing the final book, Assassin of Truths. It’s been a challenge, but I’m really loving the ending.

The covers for both books in the Library Jumpers Series are amazing! How much input did you get in the design of your cover and what was that process like?
My publisher is great at taking my vision of what I wanted my covers to look and making it even better. So I guess, I just had some input at the beginning and they took my ideas and worked with it, coming up with the beautiful covers. I absolutely love them!

What advice would you give writers still working to make their publishing dreams a reality?

Learn your trade. The best way to do that is to read and research how the publishing industry works. Write something every day. It doesn’t have to be much. Something as simple as a page a day would work, and you never know, by the end of the year, you’ll have written a novel. If you’ve finished that novel and are searching for an agent, never give up. Rejections can hurt, but don’t get discourage. Instead, learn from them. Keep writing and querying new stories until the right one clicks with agents. And learn patience—you’ll need it. Publishing is excruciatingly slow at times.

What advice do you have for authors working on writing book two in a series? Any tips or tricks you learned along the way that you can pass along to us?

Keep a series bible. This is where you put descriptions of all the characters in the series and all the settings. I also keep notes on what I need to tie up in the following books. Jot down notes and ideas for the next books as they come to you so you won’t forget them.

Gia from Thief of Lies and Guardian of Secrets can travel to libraries all around the world, which is pretty bad ass. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

I would want the power to go back in time and visit my loved ones that have passed away.

Aw, I love that. What are you reading now?

I can’t say what I’m reading right now, because I’m judging for the RWA RITA awards. We’re not allowed to reveal which books we are judging. It’s top secret. I will say, it is something that I would have never have picked up for myself, and I’m loving it!

Favorite Writing Snack?

Coffee and Gold Fish crackers, but not together. Yuck! Or maybe not yuck, because I do eat the smore’s ones with my coffee.

Congrats on the launch of Guardian of Secrets. I can't wait to find out what happens to Gia next! And thanks so much for stopping by Thinking to Inking!

This was fun! Thank you so much for hosting me today.

About Guardian of Secrets:

Guardian of Secrets (Library Jumpers #2) by Brenda Drake 

Publication Date: February 7, 2017 

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Being a Sentinel isn’t all fairytales and secret gardens. 

Sure, jumping through books into the world’s most beautiful libraries to protect humans from mystical creatures is awesome. No one knows that better than Gia Kearns, but she could do without the part where people are always trying to kill her. Oh, and the fact that Pop and her had to move away from her friends and life as she knew it. 

And if that isn’t enough, her boyfriend, Arik, is acting strangely. Like, maybe she should be calling him “ex,” since he’s so into another girl. But she doesn’t have time to be mad or even jealous, because someone has to save the world from the upcoming apocalypse, and it looks like that’s going to be Gia. 

Maybe. If she survives.

Goodreads | Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks 

Other books in the series: Thief of Lies (Library Jumpers #1)

Gia Kearns would rather fight with boys than kiss them. That is, until Arik, a leather clad hottie in the Boston Athenaeum, suddenly disappears. While examining the book of world libraries he abandoned, Gia unwittingly speaks the key that sucks her and her friends into a photograph and transports them into a Paris library, where Arik and his Sentinels—magical knights charged with protecting humans from the creatures traveling across the gateway books—rescue them from a demonic hound.

Jumping into some of the world's most beautiful libraries would be a dream come true for Gia, if she weren’t busy resisting her heart or dodging an exiled wizard seeking revenge on both the Mystik and human worlds. Add a French flirt obsessed with Arik and a fling with a young wizard, and Gia must choose between her heart and her head, between Arik's world and her own, before both are destroyed.

Goodreads

About Branda Drake

Brenda Drake is a New York Times bestselling author of Thief of Lies (Library Jumpers #1),

Guardian of Secrets (Library Jumpers #2), Touching Fate (Fated Series #1), and Cursing Fate (Fated Series #2). She grew up the youngest of three children, an Air Force brat, and the continual new kid at school. She hosts workshops and contests for writers such as Pitch Wars and Pitch Madness on her blog, and holds Twitter pitch parties on the hashtag, #PitMad. When she’s not writing or hanging out with her family, she haunts libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops, or reads someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).

Website - Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - Goodreads 

Giveaway Information: $50 Amazon Gift Card with Guardian of Secrets swag pack *International winners will only get $50 GC*

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Author Merrie Destefano talks LOST GIRLS, her advice to writers + a giveaway!

I'm excited to have another author stop by to share their thoughts on writing. Please join me in welcoming Merrie Destefano to Thinking to Inking! Her latest release, LOST GIRLS is out today from Entangled Teen. Don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the post for a chance to win a Kindle Fire and a copy of Lost Girls!

Welcome Merrie! Congrats on the release of LOST GIRLS. It sounds fantastic and the cover is beautiful! Tell us a little bit about your path to publication. How did LOST GIRLS differ from other books you've released, if at all? What advice do you have for writers still working to make their publishing dreams a reality?
Thank you very much for the kind words about Lost Girls! I love the cover too. (Yay!)

Lost Girls is different from other books that I've already released in a few ways. First, it was written for the young adult market. My two previous, traditionally published books were written for the adult market. That said, my second book, Feast had a teen character in it—Elspeth—and I really enjoyed writing her scenes. In fact, a lot of people told me she was their favorite character in the book. She seemed to come alive on the page better than many of the other characters. So, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when the next book I wrote was a young adult novel, Fathom (self-published). After that, I was hooked. YA books had stolen my heart.

Lost Girls is also different from my other books because it's my first contemporary novel. It didn't start out that way, though. In the first draft, it had many science fiction elements. When those were taken out, the story became much stronger—a result that surprised me. I hadn't realized what a powerful story line I had hidden beneath all the fantastical elements.

If I was going to give advice to other writers who hope to be published one day, I'd say, don't give up. There is a group of writers I've been friends with since I first started writing book-length manuscripts. Guess which ones have published their books? The ones who kept writing. Those that stopped, for whatever reason, are not published yet. The only way to become a better writer is to keep writing. The only way to get published is to keep writing. Of course, you'll need to study the industry, work on your craft, perhaps join a writer's group and go to a few writer's conferences, but ultimately the thing that will make your work stand above the work of everyone else is that you have been serious about your desire to write. And if you are a writer hoping to be published one day, I say, Yay for you! Go for it! I hope I see your book on the shelves one day!

About LOST GIRLS:
Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano
Publication Date: January 3, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Teen

Fight Club meets Black Swan—Rachel wakes up in a ditch to find she doesn’t remember the last year of her life, and that everything—including herself—is vastly different than she remembers.

Yesterday, Rachel went to sleep listening to Taylor Swift, curled up in her grammy’s quilt, worrying about geometry. Today, she woke up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised, and missing a year of her life.

She doesn’t recognize the person she’s become: she’s popular. She wears nothing but black.

Black to cover the blood.

And she can fight.

Tell no one.

She’s not the only girl to go missing within the last year…but she’s the only girl to come back. She desperately wants to unravel what happened to her, to try and recover the rest of the Lost Girls.

But the more she discovers, the more her memories return. And as much as her new life scares her, it calls to her. Seductively. The good girl gone bad, sex, drugs, and raves, and something darker…something she still craves—the rush of the fight, the thrill of the win—something she can’t resist, that might still get her killed…

The only rule is: There are no rules.

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About Merrie Destefano 

CURRENTLY A FULL-TIME NOVELIST and magazine editor, Merrie Destefano’s next novel, LOST GIRLS, releases on January 3, 2017. Her other novels include AFTERLIFE and FEAST, both published by HarperCollins, and FATHOM, which was self-published. The editor of Victorian Homes magazine, she has also been the editor of American Farmhouse Style, Vintage Gardens, and Zombies magazine, and was the founding editor of Cottages & Bungalows magazine. 

With 20 years experience in publishing, she worked for a variety of publishing/broadcasting companies that include Focus on the Family, The Word For Today, and PJS Publications (now Primedia). Besides editing and writing, her background includes print buying, writing/producing radio promos, directing photo shoots, developing new products, writing jacket copy for books, creating sales media packets and organizing direct mail campaigns.

Born in the Midwest, she currently lives in Southern California with her husband, two German shepherds, a Siamese cat and the occasional wandering possum. Her favorite hobbies are reading speculative fiction and watching old Star Trek episodes, and her incurable addiction is writing. She loves to camp in the mountains, walk on the beach, watch old movies, listen to alternative music—although rarely all at the same time.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Instagram | Blog 

Giveaway:

All prizes listed below will be given to one prize winner. Prizes listed are for a US winner only; if an International winner is chosen, the prize will be a $50 Amazon gift card.

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