Cover Reveal and Exclusive Excerpt: Tara Fuller’s INBETWEEN

Inbetween (Kissed by Death, #1)
Coming to a bookstore near you August 7th, 2012!

Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s life has been a freaky—and unending—lesson in caution. Surviving “accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option.

It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn’t let her die before, and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the only thing he has left…his soul.

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Tara is another of my fabulously talented authors, so I’m thrilled to share an exclusive sneak peek of Emma and Finn!

Finn

I reached out my hand to her. “Dance with me.”

Emma just looked uncertainly at my outstretched fingers and chewed on her lip. “But if you touch me you’ll…”

“Then we won’t touch.” I pulled my hand back and smiled when she stood. “Just dance.”

Emma pulled her hands out of her sleeves and stared at her feet, looking lost. I stepped in closer. So close I could see my shimmer reaching out towards her skin, like metal to a magnet. I never needed to breathe, but now, in this moment, I couldn’t stop my lungs from pumping.

We moved together wordlessly. A step to the right. A smooth glide to the left. I wanted to do like I’d seen Pop do, tip her back and make her laugh like a girl in love. I didn’t. Instead, I settled for leaning in as close as I could, letting my cold, unnatural breaths coat her neck. She shivered.

“Hey, at least it won’t hurt if I step on your foot,” I said.

Emma chuckled and reached her hands up as if she meant to place them on my shoulders, then stopped herself and dropped them back down to her sides.

“I never know what to do with my hands,” she said.

“Well.” I leaned back and held up my hand. “If we were doing this for real, you’d put your left one here.”

She hesitantly raised her hand and placed it in front of mine so that our palms nearly touched.

“And in a very desirable world, mine would go right… here.” I placed my hand near her waist and she shivered, accidentally arching into my touch. My fingers scattered into a thousand iridescent particles, swimming around her like silver smoke. She gasped as I pulled my hand back and watched my fingers take shape again. I wiggled them at her and grinned.

Emma laughed. “Wow.”

I shrugged and kept moving. In the background, Billie Holiday crooned The Very Thought of You and somehow managed to put exactly how I was feeling into words.

“The mere idea of you. The longing here for you. You’ll never know, how slow the moments go, till I’m near to you,” I sang softly into Emma’s hair. Billie sounded way better of course, but the words felt too right not to say out loud.

“You’ve done this before,” Emma said. “I can tell.”

“What?”

“Danced with a girl.” She ran her palms experimentally over my chest, her skin just a breath away. I ached for her to close that space, but she never did.

I tried, unsuccessfully, to steady my voice. “Just once,” I said. “School dance.”

Emma smiled and did a little twirl. “What was her name?”

I couldn’t think. I didn’t want to think about anything that didn’t begin and end with Emma.

“Can’t remember,” I mumbled just as the flash of a girl in pink satin swaying nervously in my arms shook me. I smiled. “She wore a pink dress. I remember that. And I was so nervous, I thought I might throw up.”

“Did you love her?”  she asked quietly. We stopped moving. Silence swallowed us. Then the crackling hiss of the record sounded and new tune began.

“No,” I said. “No, I didn’t love her.”

“Have you…” Emma took a step back and tucked her hair behind her ear. She wouldn’t look at me. “Have you ever loved anyone…like that?”

I may not have been able to say the words, but I couldn’t stop myself from moving towards her. Emma looked up at me, the question still lingering in her eyes. With one last spark of resolve, I went corporal. Caged her in with my arms and pressed my fingers into her back.

“Finn?”

Emma trembled. But I didn’t think she was afraid. No, this was something else. I breathed her in, clutching her to me, dizzy from all of this contact. Our chests pressed together, and I couldn’t stop wondering what it would feel like for our mouths to touch.

I had to know.

Cover Reveal and Excerpt: GRAVITY by Melissa West

Coming October 2012 from Entangled Publishing

 The Blurb:

In the future, only one rule will matter:

Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed–arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know–especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.

As Melissa’s editor, I’m thrilled to share a little something extra today—an excerpt from one of my favorite moments in the book! Are you ready?

Favorite swoonworthy moment:

“You shouldn’t love me, but assuming you ignore me like always, know this: I am absolutely, mind-bendingly in love with you. In every way. Every ounce of my body. My entire being…it belongs to you.”
- Jackson Locke

 Interested?

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2011 YA Superlatives: Popularity Contest

Wednesday, December 28th: Popularity Contest

Class Clown: Etienne St. Clair from LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR. He’s even funnier in this than in his book, ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS!

Mostly Likely to Start a Riot: Dez from TOUCH. She’s confident, fearless, and sexy, and the people around her will follow her anywhere. Definitely the type of girl who could incite a riot if she didn’t like what was going on.

Biggest Flirt: Dylan from THE MARKED SON. With a mother who changes men as often as she changes her nail color, Dylan has developed a serious love-’em-and-leave-’em problem. But once he meets the fiery Keira, everything changes.

Fashion King and/or Queen: Lola from LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR. I may not aspire to dress as quirky as she does, but I love how much thought Lola puts into her crazy outfits!

Girl You’d Most Want For Your BFF: Celia from WARD AGAINST DEATH. She’s a kickass assassin with a weakness for adorable boys, much to her chagrin. Definitely someone I want by my side.

Boy You Wish You’d Dated in High School: Four from DIVERGENT. I love the whole quiet strength thing. And there’s just something about the combination of vulnerability and deadliness that does it for me…

Most Likely to Become President: Calliope from LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR. She’s dedicated and disciplined. Sure, she’s done horrible things to protect the people she loves, but what president hasn’t?

Quirkiest Character: Ward from WARD AGAINST DEATH. I never thought I’d fall in love with a character that does more bumbling than butt-kicking, but Ward won me over.

Villain You Love to Hate: Alex from TOUCH. I looooove a good antagonist, especially if he has a good reason for being bad. Like love. This guy is so wickedly yummy, I’m almost Team Alex. Almost.

Favorite Parental Figure: Nathan and Andy from LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR. No way could I just pick one!

Coolest Nerd: Cricket Bell from LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR. He’s a modern version of Ward from WARD AGAINST DEATH, and I fell in love with this sexy and devoted brainiac!

2011 YA Superlatives: Head of the Class

Editing awesome books for a living is the best job a girl like me could ask for. Except…between all the fabulous manuscripts that crossed my desk and all the books I bought this year (only a fraction of which turned out to be 2011 books, ack!), coming up with a Best of 2011 list was a challenge. So many excellent stories! So many sweep-me-off-my-feet characters!! Here’s what I came up with, but man, oh, man, I can’t wait to make my Best of 2012 list…

Tuesday, December 27th: Head of the Class

Favorite Contemporary: LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Stephanie Perkins
Contemporary YA romance is my absolute favorite genre. ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS was great, but nothing could’ve prepared me for how madly I’d fall in love with LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR. I want a Cricket of my very own!

Favorite Dystopian: DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth
I read 99.99% of the dystopian that came out last year and DIVERGENT is by far my favorite of the bunch. I love the story arc and flow of the story so much, I use the book as an example of impeccable plotting in my classes.

Favorite Paranormal Romance: TOUCH by Jus Accardo
Jus is one of my CPs, but even if we’d never met, TOUCH would own this category. Dez and Kale are awesome, the action is in-your-face crazy, and my heart races every time I open this book. And not just because of the danger…

Favorite Science Fiction: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis
You know a book rocks when it elicits a visceral reaction in the reader. Beginning to end—be it pain, fear, breathlessness, or claustrophobia—ACROSS THE UNIVERSE delivered the goods.

Favorite Fantasy: WARD AGAINST DEATH by Melanie Card
Until WARD AGAINST DEATH crossed my desk, I preferred my premises to be of the paranormal or contemporary variety. But then I lost myself to Ward and Celia’s mysterious world of power, politics, and blood magic, and haven’t looked back! (also, Favorite Historical Fiction)

Favorite Romance: HUSHED by Kelley York
When this thriller crossed my desk, the achingly beautiful romance between Evan and Archer blew me away. It’s the innocence and purity of their relationship that, I think, ultimately redeems Archer, a serial killer.

My Guilty Pleasure

With the crazy schedule I’ve kept these past couple of years, there hasn’t been a lot of time for guilty pleasures. It’s been a snag-a-piece-of-chocolate here and a watch-a-quick-movie there kind of thing, which works well for my workaholic tendencies and has been awesome for my productivity.

And then, on Halloween night, my husband caught the beginning of NBC’s The Sing-Off, an a cappella singing competition that, quite frankly, blows every other singing competition out of the water. A musician myself, I was immediately hooked after this opening number.

See what I mean? Dis-a-ster.

So instead of utilizing the prime, uninterrupted Monday nights after we’ve tucked the kids into bed for work like I’m supposed to, I’ve been perched on the edge of my couch, remote control gripped in my shaking hands. I never get fanatical about shows (okay, maybe Deadliest Catch), but I seriously cannot get enough of the two groups that caught my attention that very first night. Pentatonix and the Darmouth Aires rock my everloving music world.

Behold the sheer awesomeness that is Pentatonix…

And the freaking adorable Darmouth Aires, gah…

Last night was the finale, and while the group I love most won (PENTATONIX!!!), I’m totally adrift this morning, desperate for more. Is this what addiction feels like? I think I need help…LOL Did anyone else watch this season of Sing-Off? Feed this unhealthy addiction of mine and squee with me!

For your viewing pleasure, I’ve included the recap of all of Pentatonix’s performances. I’ve bought the mp3s of ALL these bad boys!

I’m mentoring 10 YA authors this winter…

…will you be one of them?

Who should take Edit Like a Pro – YA Edition?

• Authors with shiny new YA manuscripts in need of edits.
• Authors who have gotten requests from agents/editors, but have yet to land a contract.
• Adult romance authors trying to break into the YA market.

Young adult fiction is hotter than ever, but penning a successful book for teens (and teens-at-heart) is more than plugging young protagonists into your story. With the YA market in mind, Heather will walk you through the standard “three pass” editing method used by most publishing houses, teaching you to spot weaknesses and showing you how to fix them. By the end of the class, you will have everything you need to submit your book to a publisher or agent.

OBJECTIVES:

• Learn how to assess and edit your manuscript on a macro level, ensuring your plot fits commercially successful parameters, your stakes and conflict are compelling, YA-appropriate, and “high-concept,” and that your characters develop organically.
• Learn how to assess and edit your manuscript on a micro level, analyzing the GMC of individual scenes and sequences, the effectiveness of your point of view, pacing issues, and the voice of the piece.
• Learn how to line edit like a pro, which includes tightening prose without over editing, empowering your language, and effectively managing white space.
• Have fun while developing new writing skills!

For more information, check out the course outline and tuition costs HERE.

What Disney/Pixar taught me about critics…

Like many of the stay-at-home writers and editors I know of with small children, I work best with a steady stream of Disney movies playing in the background. No, my kids don’t sit around like zombies watching them all day, but nevertheless, they play on.

And I hear every. Single. Word.

They’re on a Ratatouille kick right now, which means I’m subjected to a lot of foodie crap (I’m SO not a foodie) and negativity from the world’s thinnest food critic, Anton Ego. Is it just me, or does the stuff he spouts sound like some of the reviews on Goodreads and blogs that specialize in being snarky?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately—especially since I’m always gauging how Entangled’s target audience will receive a book I want to acquire—and it seems to me that some people who call themselves reviewers are actually critics, which is a different thing altogether.

The way I see it, critics look for what’s wrong with a book. Reviewers look for what’s right, then discuss what didn’t work for them. That’s a pretty big distinction. It’s the difference between saying something is crap and saying, “this isn’t for me.” Here’s what Ego had to say about critics in his final review:

In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read.

Ego nailed this. Negative “reviews” tend to garner more notoriety for the reviewer than ones that gush over how awesome a book is. What does it say about our society that we put more stock in a review that tears someone’s hard work apart than we put in something positive? Do we assume the positive person is merely fangirling (or fanboying) a book so hardcore that they MUST have missed all the literary faux pas?

But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so.

I realized something a few weeks ago. Reviews written by critics don’t mean anything to me as an editor. They’re entertainment, not objective reviews from readers, whose opinions I’m actually interested in. I can spot a reader review a mile away, and no, they’re not always positive. The entire vibe is different when a book disappoints a reviewer who looks at it like a reader—concerned and confused, versus cynical and degrading. Readers readily admit a book just wasn’t their thing, then happily recommend it to friends who they know will love it. Readers are my target audience, not critics.

But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talents, new creations. The new needs friends.

As an editor, I love reading readers’ reviews because it helps me see how their tastes are changing as they change, enabling me to select books from our submission pile that match what readers are looking for. They’re kind of like real time constructive criticism, and I love them for it—especially if I’m working with an unknown author who doesn’t have legions of fans to fall back on. Unknown authors who find their careers in jeopardy before they’ve even begun when snarky websites and critics get a hold of them.

Because we all know the new kid makes for an easy target.

If you’ve seen Ratatouille, you know that Anton Ego’s character arc is the strongest in the movie. He goes from notoriety-seeking food critic to responsible reviewer, even though it ultimately costs him his job. The writer and editor in me sighs with contentment every time I hear his final review. If a hardass like Ego can figure it out, there’s hope for the new kids on the block. I’ll leave you with his closing remarks.

Last night, I experienced something new, an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau’s famous motto: Anyone can cook. But I realize, only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau’s, who is, in this critic’s opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau’s soon, hungry for more.

I know I’d eat at Gusteau’s after reading this. Would you?

CONTEST: 1 Picture + 1k words = September’s #pw1k

A picture is worth a thousand words. Literally.

We call it #pw1k.

HOW IT WORKS:

On the first of every month, I’ll post a picture on my blog. It might be a person, it might be a location—one can never tell with me. Your job is to write about it. We’re flexing our flash fiction muscles here, so keep the word count under 1k.

Entries are due by midnight PST on the third Sunday of the month. I’ll put on my Managing Editor hat Monday morning and chose the five best entries, which I’ll post no later than Tuesday. You’ll have five days to vote for a winner.

Winners will receive a full edit of either the piece they’ve submitted, or the first 20 pages of his or her WIP—winner’s choice. He or she will also receive a virtual badge announcing their awesomeness!

RULES:

• This is a YA-focused blog, so all entries should be suitable for the young adult marketplace. Know your genre. That means no rape for titillation, pornography, bestiality, etc. If it can be shelved in the Barnes & Noble YA section, I’ll accept it.
• The word count must remain under 1000 words. That’s roughly three to four double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman pages.
• Paste your entry into the body of an email. I will not open attachments.

SEPTEMBER SPECIFICS:

• Paste your 1k word or less entries in the body of an email and send them to contest (at) heatherhowland (dot) com.
• Entries are due by midnight PST on September 18th.
• I will post the five finalists no later than September 19th.
• Voting will take place here on the blog September 19th – 25th.
• Winners will be announced September26th.

SEPTEMBER’S PICTURE:

I’ve been obsessed with this picture since my CP Jus Accardo asked me to pick it up for her almost a year ago. There are soooooo many possibilities here. In 1k words or less, write me a story that will snag my overactive imagination and drag it along for a ride.

(click to enlarge)

Ready, set, GO!

And the August 2011 #pw1k winner is…

Juliana Haygert!!

Go read Juliana’s story THE PENDANT and congratulate her on the win!

Be sure to check back on Thursday, because I have a doozy of a picture for September’s #pw1k! There may be a mirror involved…

#pw1k August: Voting is now open!

Welcome to the voting portion of August’s PW1K contest! If you’re wondering what all the excitement is about, check out the contest post here.

We have four fantastic finalists this month. I hope you read all the awesome entries!

 Rules refresher:

• Anonymous voting will take place here August 22nd – 28th.
• Winners will be announced August 29th.
• Only one vote per person. The poll is tracking cookies and IP addresses to make sure we all stick to this!
• Comments are enabled, but please frame all responses in a positive light. Bashing is not tolerated on this blog and your post will be removed immediately.
• The winner will receive a full edit of either their short piece or the first 20 pages of a WIP!