giveaway
In Search of the Write Space: Jessica Khoury
Oct 22, 2012
In Search of the Write Space: Lenore Appelhans
Oct 17, 2012
In Search of the Write Space: Susan Dennard
Oct 09, 2012
E.C. Myers
Sep 28, 2012
E.C. Myers was assembled in the U.S. from Korean and German parts and raised by a single mother and a public library in Yonkers, New York. He has published short fiction in a variety of print and online magazines and anthologies, and his first young adult novel, FAIR COIN, is available now from Pyr Books. The sequel, QUANTUM COIN, will be published in October 2012. He currently lives with his wife and a doofy cat in Philadelphia and shares way too much information about his personal life at ecmyers.net and on Twitter @ecmyers. (Author Photo: S. Kuzma Photography.)
A Note From Meg
Welcome to “In Search of the Write Space,” a new feature on my blog where authors share pictures of their work spaces, giving us all a little glimpse into their creative lives. If you didn’t see this week’s earlier post from Kat Zhang, be sure to check it out for a chance to win her debut novel. This time we’ve got E.C. Myers, author of FAIR COIN and its upcoming sequel, QUANTUM COIN. He’s totally awesome, and so is his space, so I’m going to hand it over to him to take you on your tour!
I share this desk with my wife, and we sometimes work side by side. My favorite part of this setup is my clicky old keyboard, which is probably my wife’s least favorite part.
I tend to be more productive away from the distractions of my apartment, so I wake up at 5:30 every weekday morning and write at this Starbucks near my office before work. I pretty much take my netbook everywhere with me.
On weekends, I prefer working all day at the Chestnut Hill Coffee Co. This is the view from the window seat where I usually write; until recently, that building was a shuttered Borders, which was kind of a depressing sight while working on my books.
This is the mighty bookcase that separates our bedroom from the office space. I like to work surrounded by books, especially our favorite children’s and young adult books; the column on the left holds my “vanity” shelf and research collection. Oddly enough, the Superman cape is my wife’s.
This is what you see when you first enter our apartment; we kind of segregated the bulk of our adult books and graphic novels out here. That image from the Narnia books is the essence of fantasy to me: the surprising juxtaposition of the wondrous and the mundane that creates the best magic, and the only kind I know — imagination.
Quantum Coin
by E.C. Myers
Ephraim thought his universe-hopping days were over. He’s done wishing for magic solutions to his problems; his quantum coin has been powerless for almost a year, and he’s settled into a normal life with his girlfriend, Jena. But then an old friend crashes their senior prom: Jena’s identical twin from a parallel world, Zoe.
Zoe’s timing couldn’t be worse. It turns out that Ephraim’s problems have just begun, and they’re much more complicated than his love life: The multiverse is at stake—and it might just be Ephraim’s fault.
Ephraim, Jena, and Zoe embark on a mission across multiple worlds to learn what’s going wrong and how to stop it. They will have to draw on every resource available and trust in alternate versions of themselves and their friends, before it’s too late for all of them.
If Ephraim and his companions can put their many differences aside and learn to work together, they might have a chance to save the multiverse. But ultimately, the solution may depend on how much they’re willing to sacrifice for the sake of humanity…and each other.
I’m giving away one advanced reader copy of QUANTUM COIN that has been SIGNED and can be personalized to you by the author! Entries are open to US and Canada residents only. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below, and be sure to check out the various ways you can earn extra entries. If you’re a Pinterest user, you can score big on the extra entries scale!
“In Search of the Write Space” is an ongoing feature at meaganspooner.com that showcases authors through the spaces they carve out for creativity. You can find out more about the feature, and see a list of past guests, by clicking here.
If you or someone you represent would like to participate in “Write Space,” check out my policies and fill out the application form here!
Kat Zhang
Sep 23, 2012
A Note From Meg
Welcome to my new recurring feature, “In Search of the Write Space!” In this series authors share pictures of their work spaces, giving us all a little glimpse into their creative lives. If you’re new to the series, be sure to check out last week’s guest, Sarah J. Maas, for a chance to win her debut, THRONE OF GLASS! This week we’re joined by Kat Zhang, author of WHAT’S LEFT OF ME, and college student extraordinaire. She’ll take us through what it’s like trying to carve out a creative space when you’re living in a dorm room!
The Tour
1.
Here’s my desk! It’s not super-special because I live in a dorm, so all my furniture is just standard university-issued stuff. I have pasted some stuff on the plain white walls, though. I’ve got some pretty bookmarks, as well as letters people have sent me 🙂 Right now, there are also some lovely flowers my friend Savannah sent me for my release day!
2.
A close-up of the books on my desk. There’s WHAT’S LEFT OF ME on top–actually the book I used as a guest book at my launch party. Beneath that are three school books: one for my screenwriting class, and two for my sci-fi class. Yes, I do have the best classes ever this semester. Be jealous 😛
3.
Because I’m at school, the majority of my for-fun books are on my shelf at home, and I have mostly school books. The HOW FICTION WORKS is for my honors colloquium, and THE OXFORD BOOK OF MODERN SCIENCE WRITING is for my sci-fi class. I’m sadly no longer in the Sociology class, but I kept the book because it was so interesting 😀
4.
This is my pet—I mean muse—I mean friend 😉 The lovely Biljana Likic, who came all the way from Toronto to attend the launch party!
5.
Whenever I stay up super late to write/do homework/both, I tend to bake myself midnight snacks. They extra cookies/pastries then go to my lucky (or not-so-lucky, depending on what you think of my baking skills…lol) first class the next day 😛
6.
And of course, every writer needs to be well fed. Even better when you invite lots of friends over and cook up a storm! I love to cook because it keeps my hands busy while letting my mind brainstorm or work through plotting problems.
What’s Left of Me
by Kat Zhang
I should not exist. But I do.
Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t…
For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet… for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.
I’m giving away one advanced reader copy of WHAT’S LEFT OF ME that has been SIGNED by Kat herself! Entries are open to US residents only. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below, and be sure to check out the various ways you can earn extra entries. If you’re a Pinterest user, you can score big on the extra entries scale!
“In Search of the Write Space” is an ongoing feature at meaganspooner.com that showcases authors through the spaces they carve out for creativity. You can find out more about the feature, and see a list of past guests, by clicking here.
If you or someone you represent would like to participate in “Write Space,” check out my policies and fill out the application form here!
In Search of the Write Space: Sarah J. Maas
Sep 19, 2012
Sarah J. Maas was born and raised in New York City, but after graduating from Hamilton College in 2008, she moved to Southern California. She’s always been just a *tad* obsessed with fairy-tales and folklore, though she’d MUCH rather be the one slaying the dragon (instead of the damsel in distress). When she was sixteen, she discovered FictionPress.com, and shared a (very rough) draft of Throne of Glass, a YA epic fantasy retelling of Cinderella. For the six years Throne of Glass was on FictionPress (at the time called Queen of Glass), it developed a massive fanbase–which later gave her the confidence to attempt getting it published.
Many rewrites and revisions later, Throne of Glass is less a Cinderella retelling and more of an original epic fantasy, and it was published by Bloomsbury Children’s in August 2012. Over the years, she’s written several other novels (most of them fairy-tale retellings), and when she’s not busy writing, she can be found geeking out over things like Han Solo, gaudy nail polish, and ballet.
A Note From Meg
Welcome to my brand new recurring feature, “In Search of the Write Space!” In this series authors will be sharing pictures of their work spaces, giving us all a little glimpse in to their creative lives. I’m excited to have Sarah J. Maas as my very first featured author! She’s a deeply awesome person with an equally awesome writing space. Without further ado, here’s Sarah to take you on your tour. (And don’t feed the puppy; she’ll never stop begging otherwise.)
The Tour
My desk!
Where the magic happens (Seriously. I have a crystal ball.). Uber-weird writing quirk: I keep a mirror behind my desk so I can act out the scenes in my book and study my gestures/expressions.
My Super-Unintellectual Writing Couch
When I get stuck on a particularly hard scene, this is the couch I turn to for some quality Brooding. If anything, though, it’s good for a mid-afternoon nap.
My Writing Companion
My dachshund/jack russel/black lab/eerily-bat-like mutt, Annie. She keeps me sane. Unless she’s trying to sit on my lap while I write, which makes me…not-so-sane.
My (tiny) reference section
In my office, there’s this hideously ugly bookcase built into the wall (left over from another era), which I won’t show (unless you want your eyes to bleed), BUT this is part of it…specifically, my little reference section. It’s got everything from books on Russian folklore to my leather-bound edition of LORD OF THE RINGS to my favorite childhood picture books.
My Nightstand
I keep a small library of books on my nightstand at all times–some of the books (like Nalini Singh’s GUILD HUNTER series) are there because I love them and I’m prone to rereading them at random times, others are books I’ve yet to read. I have two copies of THRONE OF GLASS there, too–one of them is the first copy I ever bought from a real bookstore; the laminated one is my author copy that I bring around to events to have everyone sign (think of it as the ultimate yearbook).
My Other Couch
This is my favorite reading spot in my house. We have a sunroom attached to our master bedroom, and I just looove curling up on the couch and getting lost in a book.
Throne of Glass
by Sarah Maas
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.
Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king’s council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.
Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her… but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.
Then one of the other contestants turns up dead… quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.
I’m giving away one hardcover copy of THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J. Maas! Entries are open to US residents only. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below, and be sure to check out the various ways you can earn extra entries!
UPDATE: I’ve decided to also throw in a THRONE OF GLASS bookplate that has been signed by the author! Whee!
“In Search of the Write Space” is an ongoing feature at meaganspooner.com that showcases authors through the spaces they carve out for creativity. You can find out more about the feature, and see a list of past guests, by clicking here.
If you or someone you represent would like to participate in “Write Space,” check out my policies and fill out the application form here!
SKYLARK bookplates are in! (And they’re awesome.)
Jul 18, 2012
Today on the SKYLARK blog tour I’m over at Cuddlebuggery, doing an interview the likes of which you’ve never seen before. Check it out now, and enter to win a copy of SKYLARK!
SKYLARK hits stores in two weeks. TWO WEEKS. People have asked me how I’m doing, whether I’m totally panicking or totally excited. And the truth is, I don’t really know how I’m doing. Perhaps “in shock” or “in denial” would be closest to the truth. I’m just sort of doing my thing, while in the background this OTHER thing, this bookish thing, this huge thing I can’t look at directly, is happening in two weeks.
At any rate, I wanted to celebrate the two-week-away date by showing you guys some SUPER AWESOME SWAG that I just got in, and have been dying to show you all…
SKYLARK Bookplates!
These are the bookplates that you can win as prizes in the SKYLARK swag giveaways, as well as in my own SKY’S THE LIMIT Contest for SKYLARK. And though I do say so myself, they’re pretty freaking awesome (click below for a bigger view).
The SKY’S THE LIMIT Contest for SKYLARK!
Jul 05, 2012
Today is my birthday. Last year on my birthday I held a contest to celebrate in which I gave away free books. This year, I decided to continue in that tradition… but the difference is, this year I can give away MY OWN BOOK. International folks, be sure to read on—everything except prize levels 2 and 3 are open internationally!
So, without further ado, let me introduce…
The SKY’S THE LIMIT Contest for SKYLARK!
So cheesy it hurts, I know. But I’m excited, and if you keep reading, I think you will be too. This contest was in a big way inspired by the amazingly awesome Beth Revis, and the Epic Contest of Epic that she held for the release of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. She gave away 100 prizes, some big, some small, and some completely epic.
Well, I wanted to put my own twist on it. What makes this contest unique, you might ask?
What makes it unique is that everyone who enters will win.
Big Announcement… and Postcard Extravaganza!
Jun 10, 2012
First of all, before you do anything else, click over to Crits for Water and check out today’s auction! Amie and I are giving away a critique, PLUS Adams Literary will look at your query, PLUS (seriously, this package is crazy) Disney-Hyperion editor Laura Schrieber will read your first chapter AND call you on the phone to discuss it with you! Have you gone to check it out? Yes? Okay, then carry on below.
Well, I think I’m finally recovered (mostly!) from BEA. It was my first Book Expo, and man, what a way to start! My editor, Andrew Karre, spoke on the YA Editors Buzz Panel about SKYLARK, and then I got to sit with the other amazing buzz authors and discuss our books on our own panel. I also got to meet a wonderful bunch of bloggers at the blogger breakfast with me, Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff.
And then—one of the craziest experiences yet—I got to do this:
Look at that line! Total madness. I got to meet so many awesome people while I signed, I wish I could’ve had more time to talk more! One guy told me that he wasn’t even going to come to BEA that day—but he came JUST to get his hands on a copy of SKYLARK and get it signed. Dude, whoever you are, you made my day. And given what an incredible day it was, that’s saying something.
COVER REVEAL over at The Story Siren!
Apr 04, 2012
Hey guys, you know how I keep teasing you with the fact that I’ve been sitting on the cover of SKYLARK for, oh, months now?
Well, the teasing is over! Skylark’s beautiful (I’m unbiased, I swear) cover is now UP on The Story Siren. Hop on over to see it, and while you’re at it, enter to win one of THREE advanced reader copies of the book! Plus, I answer a few questions about the cover process, and my own reactions to the cover.
Head over to The Story Siren. . . . (Read more…)