Happy Valentine's Day!

 HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Whether this day brings out the romantic in you, or makes you roll your eyes and internally groan, Valentine’s Day is a time to reflect on the people and things you love most in life.

Below are some things to love, even if you despise Valentine’s Day … 

#1—CHOCOLATE: Dark, milk, smooth, or filled with coconut, nuts, etc. No matter how you like your chocolate, having plenty on hand on Feb. 14^th is very important. (And don’t forget tomorrow boxes will be 50% off! ☺) 

#2—READING: If you’re having a bad day, you can always curl up with a good book and … eat chocolate! Very therapeutic! 

#3—WRITING: Whether you’re currently writing a romance, fantasy, or horror, there is no better escapism than writing (except maybe reading). Pick up that half-finished manuscript where you left off, or start the new project you’ve had on the backburner for months.

I’ve often heard writing described as a labor of love. Some people write to relax, or as a hobby, and never intend for anyone else to read their work. Others dream of penning the next bestseller and walking the red carpet at the premiere of a blockbuster movie inspired by their work.

Recently, an agent I follow on Twitter posted a #pubtip saying (paraphrased): If you find the possibility of writing a book you’ll never make a cent on unappealing, you should think about changing careers. 

This was followed up with a tweet that very few authors are able to make a living off their writing, and advised to write because you love it, not for money.

Now despite this notion being somewhat pessimistic, to most writers, it isn’t exactly news. Even if deep down you hope to eventually make a living doing what you love, chances are if you've been writing a while, you've experienced your share of rejection.

If you’re new to the publishing world, however, it’s something to consider, as most writers don’t publish their first novel … (with the exception of Stephenie Meyer and J.K. Rowling, although, they too experienced rejection). Even if writing is a labor of love, there’s nothing better in the world than making a living off something that brings you joy each day. But if your love for writing is truly unconditional, you won’t be able to stop writing, despite hundreds, maybe (cringe) thousands of rejections. 

If writing turns out to be simply a crush for you, the publishing world might break your heart, and you may quickly become disenchanted with the notion of ever publishing anything. But don't despair. Whether you resolve to soldier on and face more rejection, or if you decide writing might not be the path you wish to follow, you can still curl up to read a good book. And don't forget the cure for all heartache ... plenty of chocolate!

Love is in the air...

It's only a few days away from Valentine's Day, so there's no better time to talk about the wonderful, scary, sweeping world of love.

Despite what people think about genre, you can actually write about love in many different ways, and it has its place in all genres. Alright, enough preamble, let's take a look at this, shall we:

1) You have your all-consuming romance. The epic love, the sweeping drama, the "one", the soul mate, the "I can't live without him". Oh the feelings, so rich and deep and evocative! Can anyone say Bella and Edward Cullen?

2) You have the slow burner. This gradually filters throughout the story. It could be like Katniss and Peeta, brought together through trials and tribulations. A thriller of such intensity that our love interests are pushed together. A survival story where they must beat the odds.

3) The love to hate you. This is seen a lot in romance novels, but can come up in all sorts of genres. You'll see it in "detective gone bad, but beautiful woman brings him back from the brink". They hate each other - she his drinking, dangerous, gluttonous self; he her airs and graces. But as the plot progresses, they begin to respect each other for who they are by unwinding the orange peel and seeing the true person within.

4) You have your "already there before the book started" romance. These characters might break up and make up. They might stay the course nice and steady throughout the book. They might break up and never make up. But these characters know each other. They understand each other.

5) I don't know who I love. There are plenty of books out there that look to characters who don't know who they feel for (take Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith for one, which is also a great book on sexual orientation. Who does he love? His friend Robby? Or Shann?). These kind of love dynamics are fascinating.

6) Familial love. No, I'm not talking that kind of love (though you can if you want. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma is a great example). The complexity of familial love (or lack thereof) can be a huge pull in a story, no matter the genre. Maybe the horrible villain is the sibling of a good character (take Caul in Miss Peregrine's, Library of Souls. He's the good Mrs. Peregrines' brother, and look how he turned out to be!). Maybe the parents are overbearing in their love. Maybe everything is happy families. There are any number of variations you can use here.

7) Friendship. Yup, These can be present in every and any book. That bond, that deliberately chosen extension of self to someone else, that caring, loving feeling. It's just as potent as romantic love, and can see people through the toughest of times, because it's made of empathy, compassion, understanding, and, yes, love itself. There are endless examples: Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Lyra and Will. Blue, Ronan, Adam, Noah, and Gansey (this last one a fantastic extended group). I need not go on.

8) Hopes and dreams. Or the lack thereof. Hopes and dreams fill people with love for the world, with desire and passion, with the need to strive for connection. They love what they dream about, and this love can be as all-consuming and complex as any other. But if they don't achieve their dreams or don't have any, does that mean love doesn't exist for them? Not necessarily so. People can hate love. They can lust after love. They can feel what love is without having experienced it (an oxymoron, I know). But they can. We don't just feel what we've experienced. We feel what we wish we could experience, too. Therefore, even the darkest, friendless, loneliness can have love of a sort.


Phew. So there you go. Not a comprehensive list, but at least something to get you started! Now go forth and love! :-)

The Christmas Crunch

It’s that time of year. Holiday lights are hanging, Christmas trees are being decorated, and in the bustle of the season all I want is to sit down and read a good book. Something to give me the warm, fuzzy feelings of Christmas.

When I was growing up, my mother would give me a book for Christmas every year. And once we had finished opening our presents on Christmas morning, I would curl up in the corner with my new book. Sometimes I would finish it that day. Sometimes it would take me until New Year’s, but it was one of my favorite parts of Christmas break: sitting down for hours and reading a story that I wanted to read.

I didn’t realize until much later that once I hit about fifteen the books my mother was giving me were actually sweet adult romances. Nothing naughty in them, of course, but the characters were adults. This month my very first Christmas story was published, and it is a sweet adult romance, built to give all the warm fuzzy Christmas feeling with a little bit of daring humor thrown in. With ballet and taxidermy how can you go wrong?

I’m usually a YA author, but for Christmas I was automatically attracted to writing about adult characters. So I started doing a little research, and there are, in fact, a good group of YA Christmas stories available. And not even like Harry Potter I-mention-Christmas-for-a-few-chapters. These are real Christmas stories.

But I’d never heard of any of them.

I suppose that’s one of the problems with writing for a specific season. Your window of opportunity to publicize and sell your book is remarkably short, so finding traction to create a huge reader base would require a miracle of Lifetime Original Movie proportions. Especially in YA where being new and hot feels even more important than in adult romance.

I know by now you’re probably thinking that my point is clearly that anyone who writes a Christmas story is insane and should never be published. But it’s not. Expectations need to be tempered, and promotions need to be done with even more intensity than a normal project. But I think it’s worth it. To be the author that put someone in the holiday mood, who gave a reader that warm and cozy feeling while they curled up with your characters, is worth the stress of releasing during the holiday season.

And who knows? You might just become a Christmas tradition.

So tell me, what’s your favorite Christmas story?

Guestopia: Interview with author Julie Fison

 

Today I am delighted to welcome Aussie author Julie Fison to YAtopia.

 

Julie is the author of eleven books for children and young adults. The latest, Counterfeit Love, about an ambitious young television reporter trying to make a name for herself, was inspired by Julie’s time as a reporter in Hong Kong. Her books also include the Hazard River series for young adventure lovers and titles in the Choose Your Own Ever After series for girls aged 10 to14.

 

Is this your first published book?

Counterfeit Love is my third YA book. The other two are Tall, Dark and Distant and Lust and Found – part of the Smitten series (Hardie Grant Egmont). I have also written a series for young adventure lovers – Hazard River (Ford Street Publishing) and two books in the Choose Your Own Ever After series. The stories have multiple endings and let the reader decide how the story goes (How to Get to Rio and The Call of the Wild).

Which genre?

It’s a contemporary romance.

Which age group?

It’s promoted as a book for young adults (14+), but plenty of fully-fledged adults have also enjoyed it.

Is it a series or standalone?

Counterfeit Love is a standalone novel.

Are you an agented author?

I don’t have an agent.

Which publisher snapped up your book?

Counterfeit Love, along with Tall, Dark and Distant and Lust and Found were published by Hardie Grant Egmont.

Do you have another job?

I have two teenage sons who keep my busy. I also write the occasional travel story and do some marketing work.

Did you receive many, if any, rejections prior?

I pitched the idea of Counterfeit Love to Hardie Grant Egmont, after writing two other YA books for them, and they agreed to take it. This was a very fortunate position to be in. But I had plenty of rejections before I got my first publishing contract.
 
What created/what were you doing or watching when the first idea for this book sneaked up on you?

Counterfeit Love is about a young television news reporter, trying to make a name for herself in Hong Kong. She falls for a guy who turns up unexpectedly as she tries to get to the bottom of a big story. The novel was inspired by my days as a television news reporter in Hong Kong. Lucy Yang certainly isn't me, but I used my experiences as the basis for the story.

How long did you plot/plan until you started writing it?

I spent a few months letting the story ferment in my head, before I got started. I always know where a story will start and how it will finish – the details in between are generally a bit scant and tend to evolve as I write.

Once you started, did the story flow naturally or did you have to step in and wrestle it into submission?

Once I got started, the story flowed pretty quickly. I write an average of 2000 words a day.

How many drafts did you write before you let someone read it? Who was that someone?

I sent the first four chapters off to my publisher and we thrashed out a few character problems before proceeding with the rest of the first draft.

How many drafts until it was published?

The story went through three draft stages before it was ready to be published.

Has the book changed dramatically since the first draft?

The plot is largely unchanged but the pace of the romance is different and my editor was able to smooth out the rough edges of my characters. I love the way she can do that!

Are there any parts you’d like to change even now?

I don’t ever reread a story once it’s published because I would not like to find things that I wanted to change!

What part of writing do you find the easiest?

Once I’ve got an idea in my head, I love immersing myself in the story and pounding away on the keyboard.

What part do you find hardest?

Self-doubt is a terrible thing. I feel that the more I know, the more uncertain I am of what to write.

Do you push through writing barriers or walk away?

If I get stuck with something I literally take a walk with the dog, throw on a load of washing or take a nap. I need to let my subconscious mind recharge and let ideas drift of their own accord. I can’t write my way out of a problem. I just end up writing rubbish.

How many projects do you have on the go at the same time?

I have my head in one story at a time, but once I have a first draft written I might go on to something else. This means that I go back to my first draft with fresh eyes because I have forgotten the details of the story.

Do you think you’re born with the talent to write or do you think it can be learned?

I think a lot can be learned. I know I’ve learned a great deal since I started writing fiction. But of course there is also natural talent and great writers obviously have plenty of that.

How many future novels do you have planned?

I have loads of ideas for stories, but I can’t say how many will actually become novels.

Do you write other things, such as short stories, articles, blogs, etc?

I blog on writing, travel and parenting. I’ve also just written a short story for Rich and Rare – a collection of Australian stories, artwork and poems for teens, published by Ford Street Publishing. That one comes out later this year. I have also written the first draft of a gothic play for high school students and I will get back to later in the year.

What’s the highlight of being published so far?

I was pretty elated when Ford Street Publishing agreed to take four books in the Hazard River series. It’s also incredibly rewarding when a shiny new book arrives in the mail from the publisher. Seeing one of my books in a bookshop is exciting, too.

Give me five writing tips that work for you.

1.       Give your ideas a chance to germinate before getting started.

2.      Write as much as possible without going back to edit it.

3.      Each day reread the previous chapter so you are back in your character’s head at the point you left off.

4.      Be tough with yourself when you edit. If there’s an inconsistency in the plot that you hope a publisher won’t notice, change it. The publisher will notice it!

5.      Try to engage your reader, not impress them with fancy writing that doesn’t fit the story.

And one that doesn't.

Following a trend.

Can you give us a clue or secret about the next book?

I’ve just started working on another YA novel. It’s a contemporary romantic thriller with a hint of gothic menace. The idea came to me while I was visiting New Zealand last year. The wilderness is so beautiful but it has that lonely, remote feel to it. It’s very inspiring.

 

Thank you so much, Julie. Good luck with all of your novels, new and old!

If you'd like to find out more about Julie and her books, check out the links below.

 

Website/blog: http://juliefison.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Julie-Fison-Author/110985695600156

Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliefison

Guestopia! Interview with NA author E.L. Wicker

This month, I invited a very special author I've had the pleasure of working with, the beautiful and talented NA writer E.L. Wicker, to join us on YAtopia and tell us about her debut book, Fractured Immortal.

Hi Emma! Thanks so much for letting me interview you. Let's get to it!

Are you self published or traditional?

I self-published.

Is this your first published book?

First!

What’s it called?

Fractured Immortal

Which genre?

Paranormal Romance

Which age group?

New Adult

Is it a series or standalone?

Series

Do you have another job?

Paid job – No. But I do a vast range of things for other writers from Beta reading (which I suck at because, before you know it, I’ve got the red pen in my hand and I’m into full blown critique mode), free promotion, free formatting, free blog tour design and I have some really great critique partners.

Did you receive many, if any, rejections prior to publication?

I only queried one agent and it was a very early draft. My cheeks go pink thinking about it. The manuscript was in terrible shape and I had no business querying. Lesson learned. It takes many, many drafts to make a book!

What were you doing or watching when the first idea for this book sneaked up on you?

I was listening to ‘Let Her Go’ by Passenger and all these images started popping into my head. One image or ‘scene’ in particular and actually the only scene that made it into the book – the moment where Ilia meets Nathaniel for the first time. I felt that I needed to write the story around that scene. A few months later, Fractured Immortal was born.

How long did you plot/plan until you started writing it?

As I mentioned above, I pictured that scene and it took me a while before I realized that it wasn’t going to go away. It intrigued me and I started thinking – where can I go from here? About two months later, I began creating the characters. From there it became a case of write, write, write. There are many scenes that didn’t make it into the book. I think if I put the complete book with the outtakes, the book would double in size. I am a true pantser so if something didn’t work when I’d written it, it got chopped.

When you started, did the story flow naturally or did you have to step in and wrestle it into submission?

I am a linear writer. From chapter one all the way to the end, I keep it going. Sometimes I have to stop and cut a chapter here or there because it wasn’t right or the chapter was really just a scene that needed no more than a couple of paragraphs. I battled furiously with a particular character throughout the process, but in the end, he shaped up better than I imagined him.

How long did the first draft take to write?

From October 2013 to April 2014. From there I spent nearly every waking hour rewriting, cutting, adding and polishing. In late May / early June, I thought it was complete. I thought wrong! In August 2014 my critique partners ripped their way through it and more chapters got deleted. From there another Beta reader (who is a lot like me and goes all CP on it) went through it for the first time. She did the same again prior to release to make sure it was perfect. When it was finally ready, it went to an editor and more changes were made, though they were small and involved tightening some of my language and weeding out repetitive phrases.

How many drafts did you write before you let someone read it? Who was that someone?

Honestly, I don’t know how many drafts but I can tell you with certainty that when I did unleash it, it wasn’t ready. My first Beta reader was Nori, aka ReadWriteLove28. She provided great feedback, all of which I actioned. I feel sorry for her that she had to read such an early version. Writing is a learning process, I learned a lot!

Did you employ an editor/proofreader or did you have critique partners/beta readers?

I used all of the above. I have a beta reader list the length of my arm and my critique partners, Kathleen Palm and Natasha Raulerson were excellent. Then, off it went to my editor, Kate Foster (me!) who did a terrific job honing and polishing it. Then it went back to Nancy Griffis, the most in depth Beta reader I have ever had the pleasure of working with.

Roughly how many drafts did it take before you felt ready to publish?

Far too many to count. I think my laptop is close to exploding with the amount of files I have. I have this habit of never deleting a draft, just in case.

Has the book changed dramatically since the first draft?

Yes. The first draft contained multiple POV’s. A total nightmarish mess. Lucas, Kyle, Nathaniel and Ilia all had their own chapters as well as 3^rd Omniscient flashbacks to 1810, a prologue with the antagonists POV and some other rubbish stuff!

Are there any parts you’d like to change even now?

I could have messed with Fractured Immortal for eternity but there comes a time where you have to say, that’s it – that’s the story, if you meddle anymore, you’re going to break something.

What part of writing do you find the easiest?

The dialogue between Kyle and Ilia, it flowed quite naturally and the battle scenes, which I thought would be the hardest. They weren’t easy, as such, but they were very enjoyable to write.

What part do you find hardest?

Nailing the backstory was so difficult. I knew what happened, but trying to express it without dumping it on the reader, I found that really tough.

Do you push through writing barriers or walk away?

I have a mini-fit, tell myself I can’t possibly do it, I’m totally rubbish and what on Earth was I thinking when I decided to write a book. Then I spend a while ignoring the book, maybe write a blog post or listen to music, then I get back at it. I push through the barriers eventually, but that sometimes requires walking away for a brief period.

How many projects do you have on the go at the same time?

I prefer to have only one project on the go at a time but right now, I have two, which is driving me batty.

Do you think you’re born with the talent to write or do you think it can be learned?

That’s a tough one to answer. My family are mostly artists, my sisters and my daughters can literally bring things to life on canvas, but me, I fail at drawing even the simplest of things. It became evident early in my life that I was a bookworm and writing began as soon as I could put pen to paper and structure, albeit very badly, my own scenes. The brain is a wonderful thing and a scientific study showed how, in seasoned writers, a part of the brain called the caudate nucleus becomes very active when writing. The study compared novice writers against experienced ones, that part of the novices' brains remained pretty much dormant. But can you teach that part of your brain to become active? I’m afraid I lack the qualifications to say.

How many future novels do you have planned?

I have three planned but I have another idea floating around inside my head, developing itself. I know I’m going to end up writing it because its got that same persistence about it that Fractured Immortal had.

Do you write other things, such as short stories, articles, blogs, etc?

I write blogs, I also like writing lyrics.

What’s the highlight of being published so far?

The biggest highlight so far is logging onto Twitter and one of my friends had retweeted a tweet she’d seen about my book. I was over the moon, serious happy tears.

Give YAtopia five writing tips that work for you.

When you can’t seem to form the words, listen to music to get the creative juices flowing. This works for me.

Listen. If the same thing is being flagged by different people over and over, then you have a problem so listen to what your beta readers / critique partners / editors are saying and revise.

Another listen. If your brain is nagging at you that something isn’t quite right, try to work through it before pressing on. I recently ended up ditching 40-50k words because my brain kept telling me something was off. When I found what it was, I had to rewrite because it was something that took my story in the wrong direction. I could’ve saved myself a lot of work and time had I listened.

First drafts are just that, first drafts. Don’t think your first draft of your MS is the final draft, it rarely – if ever – is. Keep at that first draft until you have a shiny manuscript.

Lastly, when you’re feeling a bit rubbish and you think you can’t do it, know this – yes you can. You just have to take a breath, regroup your thoughts and then get back at it. You CAN do it.

And one that doesn’t.

Write what you know. Poppycock. If I wrote what I knew, I’d have a story about a dog that puffs heinous smelling air from his butt and an evil cat that pasted part of my manuscript on Facebook –  as my status. And while that might sound mildly amusing, I can’t write a book about smelly farts and a cat that walks across the keyboard. Well, maybe I can, but I would have to build a plot around it and they would be minor parts of the story. I don’t know how to write a mystery or a thriller, I don’t know how to write for middle grade but I also didn’t know how to write New Adult. In one of the manuscripts I’m working on now, I had to thoroughly research DNA. I knew nothing of DNA before I started writing and now I do. Write what you know, pfff. If you don’t know it – learn it. James Patterson was not a policeman, Andrew Gross was not a policeman, either, or a hedgefund manager and Enid Blyton didn’t have a magic tree in her backyard or was J.K. Rowling a pupil at Hogwarts. If it’s not real, imagine it, if it is real, research it.

Can you give us a clue or secret about the next book?

A regular character will die and it breaks my heart, but it’s key to the development of another character.

What question have you always wanted to be asked but never have? What would the answer be?

Why a book about vampires? Because I wanted to. I had neither read nor watched Twilight when I began Fractured Immortal and it’s gets on my nerves when I see people tweeting rubbish things like ‘tired of seeing vampire books – read mine, guaranteed no vampires’ – (actual tweet or close enough) –oh, get a grip. Don’t bash one genre to try and sell another. It’s not cool and I will send my dog to expel air in close proximity to your nasal passages.

Thank you so much for joining us, Emma, we wish you so much luck with Fractured Immortal. 

If you haven't read Emma's awesome book, then here are the links to purchase! Trust me, it's worth it and this is truly an author to look out for. 

amazon.co.uk 



amazon.com



Goodreads

Sneak Preview: CALL SIGN: KARMA

I wanted to kick off the New Year with a bang, so I sneaked in to take an early spot on the blog before my official post. My wonderful friend and agent, Jamie Rae, releases her NA Romance book CALL SIGN: KARMA on the 5th of January 2015, and being the wonderful person she is, she's agreed to let the YATopia readers have a sneak preview of what's to come! I  hope you all enjoy, and that you can support this fantastic author and her exciting new book!!

CALL SIGN: KARMA by Jamie Rae

About Call Sign Karma

Love in the no-fly zone… Distraught over the loss of her brother in a fighter jet accident, Tinklee Pinkerton decides to follow in his footsteps—and prove the tragedy wasn’t his fault. But when she’s chosen as the first woman to fly the Air Force’s F-35, her plan for a life that revolves around work is thrown off course by a handsome, mysterious stranger… Thanks to Locke’s seductive British accent, sweet nature, and one too many beers, Tink is soon inspired to throw caution to the wind—and herself into his arms. She thinks maybe love can heal after all—until she discovers Locke is her superior officer. Tink has no problem risking her life in the air, but with everything on the line, is she brave enough to risk her heart on the ground?

Sneak Preview Excerpt

Three quick knocks rapped on the back door.

As I ran for my weapon, I caught a glimpse of the man standing on the deck. He peered through the glass of the French doors. I swung open the closet, pulled out the Louisville slugger, and limped toward him. I may have played soccer instead of Little League, but I still knew how to swing a bat.

“Go away. I called 911,” I shouted.

I flipped on the outside deck light so I could get a better look at the man. I’m guessing the detectives, FBI, and office of Homeland Security would need a description.

He was six foot, possibly two, with short, wavy blond hair and lightning blue eyes that were squinted from the porch light. He held a handkerchief to his nose and wore a light blue, bloodstained, linen shirt that was partially unbuttoned revealing his ripped abs. I hesitated until I remembered I was in danger.

He had on khaki shorts, flip-flops, and a tattoo on his ankle. I scanned back to the top of his body. Muscular, tan, tall, and wow, those electrifying eyes. Holy hell, this guy was freaking hot. He was going to have a really good mug shot. If only we had met under different circumstances, I might actually offer him a beer.

A soft smile tugged at his lip as he dangled my smartphone in his hand. My wet, sand-covered smartphone.

“Son of a bitch,” I moaned as I remembered that it was in my back pocket when I fell into the ocean.

I had to get it into a bag of rice and fast. It had my music, my schedules, and all my passwords. I was lucky if I remembered my own number, let alone everyone else’s.

“Leave it on the deck. And go.”

I tightened my grip on the bat. Mr. Tall, blond, and handsome removed the handkerchief from his nose. A tiny flutter tickled in my chest. My head tipped slightly to the side. He didn’t look threatening. Minus the blood, lumps and cuts, he looked like he just stepped off the front cover of GQ.

“Sorry, Miss Nutter, but do you think I could trouble you for an icepack?”

“No,” I replied.

“Please?”

He sounded and looked like a real life Prince Charming. The only thing missing was his white horse. Maybe the Karma gods had sent a peace offering? I shook my head. No. My house was built of stone and there was no way I was letting a freaking wolf in, no matter how smoking hot he was.

I needed to protect myself.

But why did I need protection? I looked at the bloodstain drying on his shirt. If anything, he needed protection from me.

As if he had read my mind, he shook his head and laughed. He sat my phone on the bench, raised his hand in the air in a non-threatening manner and turned to walk away. Where was he going?

I dove forward and gripped the door handle ready to pull it open, but I stopped as my father’s stern, no-nonsense voice boomed in the back of my head––“Don’t ever let strange men into the house.”

But when in my life would I meet another crazy beautiful man with a British accent that twisted my lady parts into a knot? His hand rested on the railing as he was about to walk down the steps and out of my life forever. I cursed under my breath and prayed that I wouldn’t wind up on the news.

“Wait,” I called to him as I swung open the door.

Buy Links

Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Call-Sign-Karma-Jamie-Rae-ebook/dp/B00OZUMI7O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419799396&sr=8-1&keywords=call+sign+karma

BN.com- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/call-sign-karma-jamie-rae/1120657536?ean=9781616506711

iTunes- https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/call-sign-karma/id934875813?mt=11

About the Author

 

JAMIE RAE is a New Adult and Young Adult author. She writes with one goal in mind - to create stories with a positive message that will stay with the reader long after they've finished reading.

Jamie is an avid reader and loves discovering stories with a great hook. She will not eat, sleep, or speak until she reaches the end. The Harry Potter years weren't pretty! Convinced that her Hogwarts letter was lost in the mail, she keeps a watchful eye for owls hoping her children will have better luck.

In her other life, Jamie Rae creates smiles to last a lifetime as an orthodontist, keeps her heart overflowing with love as a mother of three and has perfected the art of nomadic living as a military spouse and Air Force veteran. Jamie has a passion for critters of all shapes and sizes and you can often find her sneaking them into her own home or volunteering for rescues.

Social Media

Website- www.jamieraewrites.com

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/JamieRaeAuthor

Twitter- https://twitter.com/JamieRaeWrites

Instagram- JamieRaeWrites

Blog- http://jamieraewrites.wordpress.com

Tumblr- https://www.tumblr.com/blog/jamieraewrites

 Teasers 

Fast moving YA relationships

I want to tell you a story. Let me know if you've heard this one before:

There's a girl - a little bit shy, a little bit nerdy, the type of girl that the guy at school look over. Then along comes this new guy, who is instantly popular. He's bad-arse, has a tattoo and seems to be more mature than the "boys" at school.

Shy girl is infatuated, but bad-arse boy is cold and aloof towards her. He rebuffs her attempts to strike up conversations, and leaves her feeling confused cause she knows she's got the hots for him. Then suddenly he admits he likes her and they start going out - and kissing...a lot. Shy girl knows that he's "the one" and hates it when he doesn't turn up to school, only wants to be with him, ditching her friends.

Does it sound cliche? One minute he's giving her the cold should and the next minute they're making out. Shy nerdy girl gets the popular jock and falls hard and fast.

I've been reading a lot of reviews lately and the biggest complaint I've been reading is fast moving relationships, how a guy and girl fall for each other so fast. Now I'm all for making stories realistic, but my beef with these reviewers is a lot of relationships do move fast for teenagers. Girls are scratching into desk's the latest guys that they "love", wishing these guys would notice them. Not all teenage girls are like this, but a lot of them are.

When I went through high school a lot of couples would become couples because they kissed at a party, and then they start going out. Others do form relationships though friendship, dating and taking it slow. New guys or gals are particularly exciting to teenagers as they've got this X-Factor about them.

If authors have a fast moving relationship in their stories, for me they are depicting a stage of life that a lot of teenagers go through. Admittedly, relationship and dating dynamics change in the "real world" and that could be why reviewers who are in this "real world" judge fast-moving relationships harshly, or because they think writers have an obligation to get girls to tackle relationships in a more mature and responsible way.

Looking at a show like GLEE, plenty of kids hook up quickly on the show without that developing friendship. But if a paranormal element is thrown in, people will criticise it for moving too quickly.

Think about your high school (or if you're no longer in high school, think back to when you were) and the relationships in them.

Was there relationships that seemed to pop up out of nowhere? Did you ever kiss a guy or girl before being in an official relationship with them or after only being going out after a short amount of time? Where there girls that were just SO in love with their boyfriend?

AND - tell us your favourite literary couple.

Share them with us, cause I've already shared mine with you. That cliched story at the top of this blog, that's how I met my husband.

Not triangles, but threesomes?

Today I bring with me a slightly odd, perhaps controversial subject, and I would love for all our readers to weigh in on this.

We've all seen the Love Triangle done to death in YA. Boy1 loves Girl, Girl loves Boy1. Boy2 loves Girl, Girl loves Boy2 and has to choose between them. (I don't even think I've read a book where it's been two girls after the same guy and he has to choose. Am I looking at the wrong books?) In all honesty, I find myself shying away from books when I know beforehand they have a love triangle because, to me, it's always so obvious from the start who she's going to end up with.

But...but...

What do you think about threesomes?

I'm talking about three people who all feel strongly for one another and are in a relationship together. Alternatively, I guess it would be one central person who is with two people at once, although the two aren't necessarily interested in eachother.

Obviously, this kind of situation would have a whole slew of tensions and problems beyond those of a regular one-on-one relationship. The three involved would need to be a tight-knit, emotionally inseperable trio. They're the threesome who you just can't imagine pairing two of them together because what happens to that third person? (I guess they're the Riku/Sora/Kairi's of the YA world, for any of my fellow gamers out there.)

Or maybe this threesome gives it a try, and all hell breaks loose and they realize, "This was a terrible idea!"

We're seeing popular YA books trickle onto the shelves dealing with issues like polygamy and the like, so obviously this kind of thing isn't unheard of. Weigh in, everyone! What do you think? Would you secretly (or not so secretly) root for your love triangle to hook up?

Yes? No? Maybe?
	No, absolutely not. I like my couples to be just couples.
	Maybe, if it were done right.
	Only if all three were involved with each other so no one is ever left out.
	Once in awhile would be okay, but don't make it a trend.
	Yes, please!
	I like my love triangles just how they are, thanks.
pollcode.com free polls

Me and My "Girly" Books

So, the other week I was reading Elizabeth Miles' upcoming YA debut, Fury, and was asked by a classmate if it was "one of those girly books". I simply said no and continued reading. Despite my rather casual response,  I actually get really irritated when people say things like that to me. So what if the book I'm reading is "girly"? So what if I like "girly" books? And what even constitutes as a "girly" book?

It's no secret that most of today's YA paranormal romances are geared specifically toward teen girls. As a result, people associate those books with, well, girls. And I think that's where the "problem" lies. Why do we draw certain connections between things and why do they matter to us? I know marketing certain books for a certain audience helps, but I also feel like it alienates readers, too.

So, readers of YATopia, do you think of books as "girly" or "boyish" books? What do you think of this labeling system?

Love Story: My Theme Song for YA PNR

As many of you know, I'm not only a writer of novels, but a writer of songs. Most of you probably know me from my song that HarperTeen is using as the official song for Lauren Oliver's novel, Delirium, or my song inspired by Sea by Heidi R. Kling.

Anyway, I thought I'd debut a "new" (new to you, ancient to me) song here on YATopia and get my music to a different range of readers. Here's a little ditty I wrote/sang/played called "Love Story" and I hope you like it! The lyrics were inspired by Stephenie Meyer's New Moon, but then I realized they pretty much sum up most YA paranormal romance novels, haha.

Happy listening!

Speaking of music, don't forget to check out my Delirium giveaway! HERE

Romance & mini review for WITH OR WITHOUT YOU

Romance is pretty much a staple in YA books these days.

Oh, sure, you can find books where the main character doesn't have a love interest, or even where romance isn't a main aspect of the story. But if you compared the number of books with romantic plots versus non-romantic, I think the scale would be tipping toward the former.

I'm not saying this is a bad thing. These are teen books, and a majority of teens are dealing and thinking about this kind of stuff a lot.

They have boyfriends/girlfriends they love, hate, that they date because 'why not? it's the thing to do'. Some date for social status, some date because they think their boyfriend/girlfriend will be easy (or because they're not). Some think they can't live without their significant others, some are more logical (like I was) and realize this is unlikely to be a forever thing, but why not enjoy it while it lasts?

Sometimes kids don't date at all, either for religious (or parental) reasons or simply because they aren't interested. (And that does happen. I had two close friends who never dated anyone all through high school, and it wasn't because no one wanted to date them.)

Some kids date the same person on and off, over and over again, until their friends roll their eyes and say, "Why bother breaking up? You're just going to get back together again." (I had friends like this, too.)

Couples stay together for days, weeks, months, years. Some are committed to the same person through all of high school, others go through significant others every other day of the week.

My point being, there is such a huge variety of relationships out there amongst teens. Drama-filled and not, true love and not. My disappointment with a lot of YA romance is that so much of it is of the one true love variety. While this is fine and good once in awhile, I do wish there were more. Some aspect to leave me wondering will they or won't they? Because so many of the books I pick up are predictable. Maybe they're filled with fascinating and unique plot twists and concepts, sure, but the romantic element, from the time the love interest steps into the picture, is always clear. In the TWILIGHT saga, I never had any doubt who Bella would end up with.

There are so few exceptions. BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE is one that comes to mind. Not only was the ending surprising as far as the romance goes, it was completely natural and had me going, "oh! I hadn't expected that, but it makes perfect sense!" another one was FEED, which was shocking and heartbreaking all at once.

In my own writing, I do try to strive for some sense of realism. My books aren't heavy on the romance, but there always is a romantic element. But it's more plot pushing the romance along rather than the other way around.

I like gritty, I like real. I like couples arguing and breaking up, I like growth. The two who split up because, despite loving each other, things just aren't working. And if, later down the line, the two of them have grown up, matured, and worked past these issues? Then getting back together seems all the more romantic to me. Overcoming obstacles! Defeating co-dependency! Go team!

Sometimes? Having the pair who you just know is meant to be together no matter what happens? That's okay. But when it becomes the norm in YA, the effect of it weakens. Choose your one-true-love-at-all-costs carefully.

What say all of you? Do you prefer your stories with Happily Ever Afters, or do you like to mix it up? Any books you'd recommend because the relationship(s) were just that unique and fun/exciting/heartbreaking to read?

Recommend some heartbreaking books to me! I love them!


***

Also, starting my mini-reviews... This week is:

WITH OR WITHOUT YOU by Brian Farrey

Eighteen year-old Evan and his best friend Davis get beaten up for being loners. For being gay. For just being themselves. But as rough as things often seem, at least Evan can take comfort in his sweet, sexy boyfriend Erik–whom he’s kept secret from everyone for almost a year.

Then Evan and Davis are recruited to join the Chasers, a fringe crowd that promises them protection and status. Davis is swept up in the excitement, but Evan is caught between his loyalty to Davis and his love for Erik. Evan’s lied to keep his two worlds separate. Now his lies are about to implode…and destroy the very relationships he’s been trying to protect.

Great romance. Bittersweet ending (heartbreaking and amazing all at once) and fantastic characters. Gritty, real, beautifully written. No real problems with this book aside from wishing they'd included more about the Chasers. More defining moments to ramp up tension. But I never found myself bored. Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year.

Kelley Vitollo also did a (much more thorough) review on this book.

Abandoned Love

I'm all for happy endings. I'm not one of those readers/writers who wants to see the main couple go through various trials and mood swings just to prove how in love they are. I believe relationships can be happy and healthy, and that they can start and continue this way. I think I might be the only one who thinks this because I've noticed that in the second book of most paranormal YA romances, the male love interest ALWAYS leaves. Let me break it down:

1. BOY is increasingly moodier than in first book.
2. BOY isn't there for main character.
3. BOY leaves.
4. BOY returns in the end only to declare his love and validate his moodiness/absence by said declaration. All this occurs in like one paragraph and then the main character rushes to accept the reasoning.

Now, I know no relationship is perfect and thus the need for conflict, but this device is something I'm growing tired of. Can't the couple face some other form of conflict? And why does the love interest have to leave? Did New Moon start this trend? (I'm sure it didn't, but I thought I'd throw it out there, haha)

So, my friends, what do you think of this trend? Do you like it? Do you hate it? Are you guilty of using it? :-)

Sneak a peek - YA Heaven

Have you ever caught someone looking at you, and it's an attractive someone who sets your heart aflutter? The sneaking sideways glance, the blush when you catch them, or they catch you. The stomach-churning thought of talking to them. It was the height of my day as a teenager.

This afternoon when I was driving my kids to footy training I saw just such a moment when stopped at the traffic lights. I promise I'm a people watcher, not a creepy peeper. I was drawn to their interaction, taking me back to when I was 15.

On opposites sides of the road waiting to cross was a girl from private school, in one of the dorkiest uniforms I had ever seen. But she had beautiful long wavy brown hair spilling out from underneath her hat. Across from her was a tall dark-haired teen, minus a shirt. He obviously played a lot of sport.

He spotted her checking him out, and smirked to himself. She blushed and tried to look coy. I could see both their postures shift. She tried to look like she wasn't that into him, and failed badly. He kept moving around in poses to show off his shirtless physic.

They kept sneaking looks at each other and as the green light came on for them to cross they locked eyes, turning their heads to look eye-to-eye as they passed. She blushed again and he looked decidedly pleased at her reaction (as did she at his).

I wanted to yell at him "Don't be an idiot - go get her number" but there can be something romantic about that elusive person who is an unknown quantity. Those moments can mean so much.

I remember one time at a train station I was in a rush to get where I needed to be, and felt anything but attractive. A guy walked by and looked straight at me and said "Beautiful, just beautiful." Then he disappeared into the crowd. Boy did I smile for the rest of the day.

But it's moments like these that is why I love reading and writing YA. That innocence, those daydreams, the whole notion of what could be and is to come.

So - got any memories to share? Tell us about why you love YA so much.