Interview with MG author Jessica Lawson and a GIVEAWAY!!

June 1, 2016 By BeckyWallace 1 Comment

Today I have the pleasure of hosting the amazing Jessica Lawson, author of THE ACTUAL AND TRUTHFUL ADVENTURES OF BECKY THATCHER, NOOKS & CRANNIES, and the newly-released WAITING FOR AUGUSTA! She’s going to give us an inside peek at her new book and tell us a little bit about her writing process.

But first, here’s a little more about WAITING FOR AUGUSTA:

A month ago, Ben Putter’s dad died, and (crazy idea or not) Ben’s certain the lump in his throat is actually a golf ball. The lump won’t go away and it turns out Dad’s not quite gone either. Still warm in his urn, Ben’s father suddenly speaks up to ask why he’s in Alabama instead of sprinkled on Augusta National Golf Club’s 18th hole, the way he always wanted.

Ben might be going a little crazy, but escaping Hilltop, Alabama, sounds like a darn good idea (and just maybe it will make that lump go away). As he makes his way to Georgia, Ben partners up with a mysterious runaway named Noni, and they embark on a journey full of adventures at every turn.

Between Dad nagging to be put to rest, Noni keeping suspiciously tight-lipped about her past, security patrolling at all hours during the famed Masters tournament, and the lump in his throat staying put, creeping onto Augusta National may not be as easy as Ben originally thought. And letting go of a Dad who’s finally listening is going to be even harder.

BW: WAITING FOR AUGUSTA is a story of loss and the search for redemption. What motivated you to write this particular story?

JL: Roald Dahl’s Danny The Champion of the World is one of my favorite books—the father-son relationship in that story is so pure and beautiful, and I’ve always wanted to write a father-son story because of it. Then one day, several years ago, my brother-in-law and husband and I were in the kitchen, talking about where we might want our ashes scattered after we died (a rather morbid conversation, I know). My brother-in-law is a huge golf fan and I jokingly said, “You probably want to be scattered at your local golf course.”

He scoffed and replied, “No way! I want to be scattered at Augusta!” (the famous American course where the Masters is played each year). And right there in the kitchen, this little seed was planted, and I eventually merged the father-son idea with my brother-in-law’s comment. The story became one of a son, struggling to fulfill his father’s last wishes—the story of a father and son who didn’t connect very well in life trying to find a mutual sense of understanding under impossible conditions.

BW: What comes first for you, plot or characters?

JL: Characters always come first, usually along with a setting. Plotting is my nemesis.

BW: *fist bump* I’m right there with you, sister. I was really struck by the hints of magical realism in the story. Was that something you intended to put into the story or did it develop from the plot?

JL: I think it developed from the plot. Once you stick a talking cremation urn into a story, the rules of reality become more flexible in other areas as well 

BW: If only the rules of reality were flexible in, like, this reality. The setting is so rich and vibrant. Do you have any ties to the south, good barbecue, or golf? Do you draw on your own life to create your stories?

JL: First of all, thank you! I don’t typically draw from my own life while writing (other than borrowing a funny phrase or two from my kids). I’ve never lived in the South, but I’ve loved visiting (I was there last year for the Decatur Book Festival, a fabulous festival outside of Atlanta). I adore barbecue and my husband makes excellent pork on our backyard smoker. I’d love to go on a barbecue tour of the South someday~ each kind of barbecue has its own regional flavor. As for golf, it’s been a steady presence in my life since marrying my husband. I’ve watched more Golf Channel in the last 9 years than you’d believe. I’ve read books about players, golf philosophy, and Augusta National. There are old golf clubs in nearly every room of my house, and my 7YO daughter is entering the local Drive, Chip, and Putt qualifier that (if she advanced enough) ends in a live competition at Augusta National just before the Masters tournament. I’ve kind of fallen in love with the sport without ever having been a player (other than on the driving range).

BW: This is your third published novel. What advice do you have for those who are pursuing publication?

JL: Don’t give up! I wrote 8 novels before the 9th finally landed me an agent. Find friends who will be supportive and lean on them during tough times (and there are plenty, even post publication).

BW: You’re speaking my language. “Don’t give up” and “You can’t fix a novel until you write a novel” are my two favorite pieces of advice to give. 😉 Alright. This is your first novel with a male protagonist. Was there anything you did/thought about differently?

JL: I think father-son relationships come with their own set of nuances, especially historically. Expectations for both sexes were slightly more narrow than they are now (though we’ve still got plenty of room for improvement) and my character, Ben, struggles with his interests being seen as less than masculine. That said, I tend to focus on emotions when I figure out my characters and emotions are gender fluid—so writing a boy versus a girl isn’t overly different for me in that respect.

BW: What do you have in the works now?

JL: I’m working on a book that’s supposed to come out in Fall 2017. It’s about a young girl who finds mysterious messages in bottles underneath one of her town’s five covered bridges. It’s a contemporary story set in a place where the past and traditional arts (woodcarving, blacksmith work, weaving, etc.) are embraced and treasured.

LIGHTNING ROUND

1. Plotter or Pantser: PANTSER
2. Salty or Sweet: SALTY
3. Romance or Adventure: ADVENTURE
4. Beach or Mountains: MOUNTAINS
5. Music or TV: MUSIC
6. Drink of choice: MINT WATER (fresh garden mint leaves blended with ice water)
7. Favorite band or song: PATTY GRIFFIN (singer/songwriter)
8. Biggest pet peeve: BEING INTERRUPTED WHEN I HAVE A THOUGHT TO WRITE DOWN FOR A MANUSCRIPT (usually a “brilliant” thought that ends up getting deleted later )
9. Favorite part of writing: WRITING ‘THE END’ ON A FIRST DRAFT~ IT’S SO SATISFYING, EVEN IF I KNOW THAT I’VE GOT TONS OF REVISING TO DO.
10. Books or movies: BOOKS
11. Clean the toilet or Clean the kitchen: TOILET (way faster)
12. Least favorite part of writing: DELETING SENTENCES I REALLY LIKE, BECAUSE THEY SERVE NO REAL PURPOSE.
13. Down time or dance party: DOWN TIME, DOWN TIME, DOWN TIME (did I mention I have children?)
14. Dream vacation: WARM PLACE, WATER TO LOOK AT, BOOKS TO READ, FRESH SEAFOOD AND FRESH VEGETABLES AND FRESH BREAD, COMFY BED w/ GREAT PILLOWS

Thank you so much for having me, Becky!

AND PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!

Spring 2016 YA Scavenger Hunt is ON!!!

March 29, 2016 By BeckyWallace 95 Comments

YA SCAVENGER HUNT FOR SPRING 2016 IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!!!!

Hello, and welcome to the Spring 2016 YA Scavenger Hunt! I’m Becky Wallace, author of STORYSPINNER and SKYLIGHTER, and your hostess for this leg of the tour. I’m so glad you stopped by!

You are hunting on the RED TEAM:

How awesome are all of those books? You’ve made an excellent decision. 🙂

If you’re looking the original first page for the SKYLIGHTER, you’ll have to keep looking! And you totally should because it involves this:

Scary, huh? Gives me the shivers every time I look at those nasty beasties. To find the exclusive content, you’ll have to follow the blog hop! Before you go though, you should check out the amazing author I’m hosting!!

But, first, a few rules.

DIRECTIONS: Below, you’ll notice that I’ve listed my secret number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on TEAM RED, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!)

HINT: THE SECRET NUMBER IS HIGHLIGHTED IN RED!

ENTRY FORM: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

RULES: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by SUNDAY, October 4th, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

On this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each participating YA author, you also get a secret number. Add up the numbers, and enter it for a chance to win a major prize–one lucky winner will receive at least one signed book from each author on my team in the hunt! But play fast. This contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online until noon PST on Sunday, April 3rd!

There are NINE contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the RED TEAM, but there is also a BLUE TEAM, GOLD TEAM, GREEN TEAM, ORANGE TEAM, PURPLE TEAM, TEAL TEAM, SILVER TEAM, and PINK TEAM! Check out each team for a chance to win nine different sets of signed books!

If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.

Now that all the technical stuff is out of the way, I’ll introduce the author I am hosting on this hunt.

Amy Plum

BIO:

Amy Plum is the author of DIE FOR ME, a YA series set in Paris. The first three books — DIE FOR ME, UNTIL I DIE, and IF I SHOULD DIE — are international bestsellers, and have been translated into thirteen languages. The fourth and fifth books are digital novellas, entitled DIE FOR HER and DIE ONCE MORE, and they are followed by a sixth digital compendium INSIDE THE WORLD OF DIE FOR ME. Amy’s newest series is a duology: AFTER THE END and UNTIL THE BEGINNING. The first book of her YA horror duology, DREAMFALL, will be released by HarperTeen in 2017.

Amy grew up in Birmingham, Alabama before venturing further afield to Chicago, Paris, London and New York. An art historian by training, she can be found on most days wither daydreaming or writing (or both) in a Parisian café.

The book Amy is showcasing in the YA Scavenger Hunt this season is:

INSIDE THE WORLD OF DIE FOR ME

ABOUT THE BOOK: This can’t-miss companion to Amy Plum’s internationally bestselling series is a compendium of everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the eternally enchanting world of revenants. Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series and Tale from the Shadowhunter Academy series, the DIE FOR ME series is wholly original and brimming with action and romance.

Set in Paris, DIE FOR ME introduced readers to revenants, undead beings who must sacrifice themselves again and again to save the lives of strangers. This companion book is the guide to all things revenant, including loads of never-before-seen material. Fall in love all over again with Kate and Vincent by reading their private letters. Relive pivotal moments from other characters’ points of view. Discover deleted scenes from throughout the series. Learn all about the long history of revenants and how Amy Plum went about creating it. And get a guided tour of the City of Light from the author herself.

And, as promised, here’s a special video Amy has put together with all the reasons you should check out her new book…AND IT’S IN PARIS.

Yes, yes, yes to all of that! Food, facts, and insider fun!! Here are all the places you can find (and *cough* buy for $1.99) INSIDE THE WORLD OF DIE FOR ME.

Add it on Goodreads

Or download it here!

Check out more on her Website, Twitter, and Facebook pages!

And don’t forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books by me, Amy, and many more!

To enter, you need to write down my favorite number, 21, find all the other numbers on TEAM RED add them up, and you’ll have the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

And since you’ve hung out this long, why don’t you enter the bonus contest? Three winners will receive a hard back copy of STORYSPINNER, and one winner will receive copies of both STORYSPINNER and SKYLIGHTER! Enter below!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ready to move on to the next blog so you can find more bonus content and the secret numbers you need to enter the GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY?

Go visit Joshua David Bellin’s site!

Teaser No. 2 and FIVE hardback copies up for grabs on Goodreads!

February 12, 2016 By BeckyWallace Leave a Comment

Dun, dun, duuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!!

FIVE AND A HALF WEEKS TILL SKYLIGHTER IS HERE!!

This is the point when authors start to have mini panic attacks about marketing, about their book being real, about upcoming book events, and launches, and what they’re going to wear, and…the list goes on, my friends.

One way you can help an author out is to (obviously) pre-order their books! I’ll leave this right here, if you’re so inclined to do that. And here’s the post about WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU PRE-ORDER.

If you want to take your chances, and WIN one of five copies of SKYLIGHTER, you can use this little box of helpfulness below. And, when you add it to your To Be Read (TBR) shelf that helps authors out too!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Skylighter

by Becky Wallace

Giveaway ends March 01, 2016.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway