Interview with Scott Reintgen, author of NYXIA, and US/Can giveaway of signed ARC of NYXIA

Dear Readers:
So excited to get to promote this wonderful book, NYXIA, by Scott Reintgen, one of my favorite reads of the year!


Goodreads Book Description: Emmett Atwater isn't just leaving Detroit; he's leaving Earth. Why the Babel Corporation recruited him is a mystery, but the number of zeroes on their contract has him boarding their lightship and hoping to return to Earth with enough money to take care of his family.

Forever.

Before long, Emmett discovers that he is one of ten recruits, all of whom have troubled pasts and are a long way from home. Now each recruit must earn the right to travel down to the planet of Eden--a planet that Babel has kept hidden--where they will mine a substance called Nyxia that has quietly become the most valuable material in the universe.

But Babel's ship is full of secrets. And Emmett will face the ultimate choice: win the fortune at any cost, or find a way to fight that won't forever compromise what it means to be human.

My Rating: 5 stars

My Review: I hadn't heard about this book until I delved once again into my YA social media. Boy, I'm glad I did. I'm still in a book hangover from this terrific novel by Scott Reintgen. I describe this book as Ender's Game meets Survivor.

Nyxia stars Emmett, a prickly but likeable main character, who is thrust into a high stakes competition from the Babel company, with a bunch of teammates that he can't help but like, but also are his main competition as not all of them will get to go to space and get the full prize to help their families back on Earth. Emmett's mom has cancer, and this will get her the treatment she needs. While Emmett gets into the competition, he starts realizing there are dark undercurrents to the competition, and there's more at stake than he thinks. Will he be able to figure it out before it's too late and make it through to the next stage?

The pacing was great in this book and I couldn't put it down. The first part was really fun and I liked all the characters a lot. At the same time, it wasn't anything new, and it was very similar to Ender's Game and other such competition books we've seen before, but because of the setup and the characters, I wanted to know more. But once we hit past the halfway mark, it turns from a fun ride to something else; something unexpected happens and a couple of twists hit, and then suddenly it hits a new, unique stride. It was a solid 4 star read up until then and then reached 5 star land once Reintgen turned everything on its head. I'm picky about the sci fi I read, but Reintgen hit every note for me. I cannot wait for the next installment.

Overall, a fast paced, nonstop ride with multiple twists and an appealing backstory, with a unique and diverse cast of characters. I can't wait to see what Reintgen throws at us next! One of my favorite reads this year.

Blurb about Scott:  
Scott Reintgen has spent his career as a teacher of English and Creative Writing in diverse urban communities in North Carolina. The hardest lesson he learned in the classroom was that inspiration isn’t equally accessible for everyone. So he set out to write a novel for the front-row sleepers and back-row dreamers amongst his students. He hopes that his former students see themselves, vibrant and on the page, in characters like Emmett. You can follow him on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter at @Scott_Thought.

Interview with Scott  
1. Name books that helped pave the road for Nyxia.

Red Rising, Across the Universe, Illuminae, Zeroboxer, The Hunger Games, Ender's Game. All of these books played a role in shaping a literary world that was ready for a book like Nyxia.

2. Star Trek or Star Wars?

I enjoy Star Trek, but I live and bleed for Star Wars. 

3. Coffee or tea?

I'm a coffee drinker, but it's totally a convenience thing. The caffeine doesn't affect me one way or another.

4. Hogwarts house for yourself and Emmett (and any side characters you'd like to include)

So I almost always end up in Gryffindor. Emmett tends that way as well, although I do think he has a pretty analytical Ravenclaw side to him as well. I'd place Kaya in Ravenclaw, Bilal in Hufflepuff, and I'm going to throw Marcus Defoe the Slytherin House badge.

5. First person or third person?

I love writing in first and reading in third.

6. Favorite read this past year?

I have two of them. Warcross by Marie Lu absolutely blew me away. I've always loved Marie's books, but I felt she leveled up in a big time way with Warcross. I'm thrilled to be sharing a pub date with her, and readers can meet both of us at Changing Hands Book on Monday, September 18th in Tempe for a shared event. I've also loved getting back to reading about Fitz and the Fool from Robin Hobb's brilliant new series.

7. Crit partners or beta readers, yes or no?

Yes to the nth degree. I have a writing group that meets every other week. I've submitted work to them for the last six years and wouldn't be the writer I am today without them. And I absolutely use both beta and sensitivity readers. It's crucial to me for getting the story right.

8. Favorite movie?

Finding Forrester still holds the number one spot. I think I love it even more because most people aren't that familiar with it. The story hits on every level for me, and I never get tired of watching it.

9. Name a character in another book or movie that Emmett would get along with.

I'm going to go way out to left field here and pick Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. This is just me secretly wanting to see Emmett with a dragon companion, but I really do think they'd be awesome together.

10. Song that reminds you of Nyxia.

Sound and Color by Alabama Shakes is one. There's a specific scene in the book where Emmett is listening to that particular song. Another is Polaroid by Imagine Dragons. I'll confess that most of the fight scenes were written to the tune of an Imagine Dragons song.

Now the moment you've all been waiting for! Win a signed, personalized ARC of NYXIA by Scott Reintgen! Don't miss out!
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St Louis Book Fest YA Panel: Spotlight with Zac Brewer, author of Madness and US giveaway!

Dear Readers:

Thanks for stopping by today for a great and very moving (I cried!) interview with the amazing Zac Brewer. He wrote the tremendous MADNESS, which was one of the most difficult and yet important books I have ever read. Also, this interview is one of two I'm doing online with a giveaway to promote the St. Louis Book Fest YA panel! 

Here are some details about the panel:
From 12pm-1:30pm at The McPherson (4715 McPherson Ave.) on September 23, we'll have Sherman Alexie (here for the 10th anniversary edition of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian), Nina LaCour (We Are Okay), and Zac Brewer (Madness) talking about their newest books, and also the role of today's most relevant teen issues in contemporary YA fiction.

Goodreads Book description of MADNESS: New York Times bestselling author Zac Brewer delivers his most honest and gripping novel yet, about a girl who believes she’s beyond saving—until she realizes the only person who can save her is herself.

Brooke Danvers is pretending to be fine. She’s gotten so good at pretending that they’re letting her leave inpatient therapy. Now she just has to fake it long enough for her parents and teachers to let their guard down. This time, when she's ready to end her life, there won’t be anyone around to stop her.

Then Brooke meets Derek. Derek is the only person who really gets what Brooke is going through, because he’s going through it too. As they start spending more time together, Brooke suddenly finds herself having something to look forward to every day and maybe even happiness.

But when Derek’s feelings for her intensify, Brooke is forced to accept that the same relationship that is bringing out the best in her might be bringing out the worst in Derek—and that Derek at his worst could be capable of real darkness.

About Zac Brewer:

His name is Zac Brewer...but you can call him Z. Under the name Heather Brewer, Zac is the New York Times bestselling author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, which has sold more than 1.5 million copies around the world, as well as many other books. Zac is a vocal anti-bullying advocate and an inspiration to LGBT+ teens. When he's not writing, he's plotting world domination. He lives in Bridgeton, Missouri, with his husband, two children, and four diabolical overlords that some people refer to as "cats".

Interview with Zac Brewer

1.     Madness is about a teen suffering from severe depression and suicidal tendencies. For me, the first half of the book was very difficult for me to read just because Brooke's mind is a dark place to be. But you had to live in her head for much longer, and I can imagine this process of writing this book was very difficult. Could you tell us a little bit about this process and why this book was so important for you to get out into the world?  
You’re right - Brooke’s mind is a dark place during the first half of the book. But the thing is, it wasn’t so much that I lived inside Brooke’s head, but that I used Brooke as a conduit – a way to express my thoughts and feelings during the deepest depression of my life. At the time I began writing the book, I had decided that I would pour my most private thoughts, my darkest feelings onto the page and then take my life. I had imagined it as an unfinished goodbye letter. 

But then my wonderful, loving husband stepped in and urged me to get help. Because of him, I started down the road to recovery – something that’s lined with the right medications and an intensive therapy program. His prompting saved my life.

I hadn’t planned to finish writing the book, but ultimately decided that Brooke deserved the journey I was finally benefitting from. So, I wrote the last half, as well as all of Brooke’s therapy sessions, to express how it had felt to go from knowing that I couldn’t be saved from myself, to understanding that there is always hope. 

And so, my once-unsigned goodbye letter became MADNESS. It’s important for me that it’s out in the world for two reasons, really: 1. Over 350 million people the world over suffer from depression (and those are just the documented cases). It’s such an isolating thing to experience. You feel like no one understands. I want to share with the people who suffer from depression and suicidal ideation to see that I understand and that they – we – are not alone. And 2. Publishing it is like letting go for me. Letting go of the worst period in my life. Understanding that storms may come again, but I’ve weathered it before, and I’m strong enough to do so again.  

2.     What themes do you hope your readers draw from the story? 

I once heard a quote by Jared Padalecki from Supernatural that sums up what I’m trying to drive home with MADNESS:

“There’s no shame in having to fight every day, but fighting every day, and presumably, if you’re still alive to hear these words or read this interview, then you are winning your war. You’re here. You might not win every battle. There are going to be some really tough days. There might be several tough times in any given single day, but hopefully, this will help somebody to think, ‘This isn’t easy; it is a fight, but I’m going to keep fighting.’”  

3.     For those of us who struggle to find the best ways to help someone like Brooke, can you give us any tips? Also, any info like suicide hotlines, or other places for people to find help? 

Please try to remember that you are not alone. You are never alone. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel – you just can’t see it all the time. Keep moving forward. I promise you, it’s there. And if you get stuck, just reach out. There are lots of people in there with you, ready to hold your hand. I know. I’m one of them. J

If you find yourself triggered or if you are suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts, please seek help. 

The American Psychological Association (www.apa.org)

The American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (www.aacap.org)

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org)

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s mission is to provide immediate assistance to individuals in suicidal crisis by connecting them to the nearest available suicide prevention and mental health service provider through a toll-free telephone number: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).  

4.     In many families and cultures, therapy has a bad rep. I loved the therapist in Madness. Can you speak to us a little about therapy and how it is important in helping people in depression? 

Therapy has been invaluable to my recovery – and it is an ongoing recovery. But I, like Brooke, was very resistant to it in the beginning. Like her, I thought that therapists were just nosey people who liked to think they know everything, simply because they have a framed diploma on the wall – and I’m sure there are some out there who fit the bill. Fortunately for both Brooke and myself, there are also many good therapists out there who sincerely want to help. Having a safe, validating, non-judgmental place to share all the feelings you’re experiencing is vital to survival. It’s not easy. But it works if you trust the process.

5.     Did you have crit partners or beta readers for this book and if so, in what way were their comments helpful? 

I wrote MADNESS without anyone peeking at a word I was writing until I sent it to my agent, Michael Bourret, and my editor, Andrew Eliopulos. It’s difficult to be so raw, so honest, so vulnerable – even if one is using the plausible deniability of fiction to do so. For that reason, I couldn’t let anyone but them read it once it was finished – that is, until now. Both my agent and editor gave me incredible support and wonderful advice for the best way to get my message to those who need it. I’m very lucky to have them.  

6.     For the characters Brooke, Derek, and Duckie, what Hogwarts houses do you imagine they would be sorted into and why? 

Ooooh, this is such a cool, right-up-my-Diagon-Alley question! If I had to sort Derek into a house, it would be Slytherin. But not because I view him as bad – after all, it’s the decisions of a wizard that determines whether they’re good or evil. Derrick is intelligent, and definitely abides by the house motto “Do what is necessary”.

Brooke is Gryffindor, for sure. She’s courageous, adventurous, and daring. Though she may not see it right away, she’s also incredibly brave. 

As for Duckie – that’s easy. Duckie is so obviously Hufflepuff. He’s loyal, supportive, dedicated, patient, and fair. Duckie is proof that we all need to have that Hufflepuff friend in our life. :)  

7.     Can you give us a hint as to what you are writing next? 

I’m currently working on a YA book that will be released by HarperTeen in 2019. I’m still on the first draft, and at the moment, it’s a challenge for me to label it under a specific genre. However, I can say that it’s my most ambitious novel yet and centers around a Transgender person named Quinn. I don’t want to say too much, but I will say that it was inspired by both Silent Hill and Star Trek TNG.

8.     Do you have any final words for my readers from your personal experiences?
Every day is not sunshine and rainbows. I wouldn’t lie to you and say that they are – that you can go through therapy, get on meds, and rainbows will shoot out of your butt.

I’d only say that if it were true. And I’m almost certain it’s not. Almost.

The truth is, some days, I still have dark thoughts, and wonder if I can bear to keep going. But the answer is yes. I can. Because of you, Minions. I can’t leave you alone to face the darkness. I won’t.

So when you’re there, in that dark place, and you feel like you’re all alone…just reach out and give my hand a squeeze. Because I’m here. And we’ll get through it.

Together.

And now... you have a chance to win this great book! Sign up on the rafflecopter to win a book donated by the amazing Left Bank Books!

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Interview with Akemi Dawn Bowman, author of STARFISH and INT giveaway of signed STARFISH

Dear all:
I'm so thrilled to get the opportunity to promote this amazing, amazing book, STARFISH that reduced me to a blubbering mess. In the best way of course :-) And to introduce the wonderful author, Akemi who brought it into this world.

Goodreads Book Blurb: Kiko Himura has always had a hard time saying exactly what she’s thinking. With a mother who makes her feel unremarkable and a half-Japanese heritage she doesn’t quite understand, Kiko prefers to keep her head down, certain that once she makes it into her dream art school, Prism, her real life will begin.

But then Kiko doesn’t get into Prism, at the same time her abusive uncle moves back in with her family. So when she receives an invitation from her childhood friend to leave her small town and tour art schools on the west coast, Kiko jumps at the opportunity in spite of the anxieties and fears that attempt to hold her back. And now that she is finally free to be her own person outside the constricting walls of her home life, Kiko learns life-changing truths about herself, her past, and how to be brave.

From debut author Akemi Dawn Bowman comes a luminous, heartbreaking story of identity, family, and the beauty that emerges when we embrace our true selves.

My rating: 5 couches

My Review: STARFISH by Akemi Dawn Bowman was sent to me by the publisher, and this fact does not influence my review.

This book stars Kiko, who has a very difficult relationship with her mother, disturbing past with her uncle, and is aspiring to be an artist. When she doesn't get into the art school of her choice, her dreams of escape are crumbling. But after remeeting a childhood friend and an important trip to California, Kiko learns what it means to break free and come into her own without leaning on anyone else.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I definitely didn’t expect to identify so personally with Kiko. Kiko and I are definitely not the same person, she is way more artistic than I will ever be and I have been blessed to not be paralyzed by social anxiety, and I am way beyond lucky to not have experienced the dreadful and horrific sexual abuse she suffered at her uncle’s hands. But that said, I feel at the heart of things Kiko and I are kindred spirits. I won't get into it, but let's just say this book triggered emotions that I haven't tapped into in a long time from my past.

Regardless of the personal connection, this book was beautifully written. The characters are deftly drawn, the plot moves at a perfect pace, and I was riveted to each page hoping and praying that Kiko would make it out in the end. Jamie was an amazing character and is my new book boyfriend. Kiko's mother was a very realistic psychological picture of a narcissistic woman, and her relationship with Kiko broke my heart. Hiroshi was unexpected and I loved how he and his family took the place of Kiko's home family and opened up Kiko's heart to learn what an accepting family that loves unconditionally is like. 

Overall, this book beyond exceeded my expectations at every turn, and I am delighted to have had the immense privilege of reading it. I will be picking up Akemi's next book for sure.

Blurb about our author: Akemi Dawn Bowman is the author of Starfish. She’s a proud Ravenclaw and Star Wars enthusiast, who served in the US Navy for five years and has a BA in social sciences from UNLV. Originally from Las Vegas, she currently lives in England with her husband, two children, and their Pekingese mix. Starfish will be published later this year (9/26/17, Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster), with a second YA contemporary to follow in Fall 2018. She is represented by Penny Moore of Empire Literary.

Interview with Akemi

1) I love your story about your journey to publication, and it's something I hope to do one day myself. I love that you started with fan fiction. Can you elaborate on some of your early ideas-- i.e. The Lion King fanfic?? What was that about??

Oh gosh, where to start? It was really, really bad. I was seven when The Lion King came out, and I was obsessed. I really wanted a sequel (which hadn’t even been discussed at the time), so I started writing it myself. I honestly can’t remember very much about it, except that Simba and Nala had twin cubs—both girls—and there was a lot of animal friends and hanging out around the water hole. It was not a sophisticated piece of fan fiction, by any means. But it did kick off a love for creating the stories I couldn’t find on the shelves!

2) I find it fascinating that you started with fantasy ideas involving witches and magic to this intense contemporary YA STARFISH. Can you tell me a little bit about that transition and if you had ever wanted to write a contemp YA, or if it just happened? 

It’s going to sound bizarre when I say this, because STARFISH and my upcoming 2018 release SUMMER BIRD BLUE are both contemporaries, but I never intended to write anything other than fantasy and sci-fi. The amount of contemporary I’d read prior to writing STARFISH was minimal. Not because it’s a bad genre, because it’s a wonderful genre, but because I’ve always been drawn to magical powers and fantastical worlds. But while I was on sub with the sci-fi that got me an agent, I decided to write something new to keep my mind busy. And I guess part of me wanted to write something that was miles different from what was on sub (a self-preservation move, maybe?). I always knew that if I were to ever write a contemporary, STARFISH was the story I’d want to write. So that’s what I did!

3) Tell us a little about your obsession with Pokémon.

I remember the first time I saw the Pokémon anime—it was in Japanese with English subtitles, and it was before the show or game had arrived in the US. I was home-schooled at the time too, and didn’t have any friends. When the game came out, the cartridges were color-coordinated (red or blue, depending on the version), and I had the blue version. I was only eleven, and—okay this part is kind of embarrassing—sometimes I used to hang out near the school bus stop because I was secretly hoping I’d find someone my age to hang out with. And one day this kid got off the bus and he was playing the red version. I thought he was the coolest person in the entire world, and it also turned out he lived right behind my family’s house. We ended up being really good friends for a few years. So I guess Pokémon is how I find my people!

4) Your characters felt so real to me. I know you are a Ravenclaw, but if your characters could be sorted into houses (particularly, Kiko, Jamie, Hiroshi, and Kiko's mom), which houses would they go to and why? I have my guesses!!! 

Oh, thank you! Okay, this one is easy. Kiko would be in Ravenclaw because she tends to overanalyze a lot, Jamie would be in Gryffindor because it’s in his nature to want to be a hero, Hiroshi would be in Hufflepuff because he’s a gentle soul, and Kiko’s mom would be in Slytherin because she has a combination of ego and manipulation that I just can’t picture being sorted anywhere else. I’ve previously said that Kiko’s mom would be sorted into Slytherin, but would lie to people and say she was in Gryffindor. I was promptly scolded for the Slytherin shade, so I want to clarify here and say that I don’t think all Slytherins are bad! It’s just that all bad people end up in Slytherin. (Or something like that? I should probably stop talking before I get myself into more trouble with my Slytherin friends, haha!)

5) What was the easiest and toughest part about writing STARFISH? 

I think the easiest and toughest part was the same thing—it was how natural it felt to write this story. On one hand, the words and emotions came very easily. But on the other hand, writing STARFISH was so triggering at times. I had to take a lot of deep breaths, and go through many, many bags of chocolate!

6) Tell us a little about your experiences with your two crit partners and how they've played a pivotal role in your work. 

Oh I love, love, love my critique partners. Shout out to Anisaa and Taylor! They read the very first draft of STARFISH and didn’t hate it, and I’m so grateful. It was the boost I needed to stick with the story, and to feel like I had something worth revising.

7) Art plays an important role in STARFISH. Can you tell us a little why you chose this medium and if you dabble in art (i.e. drawing or painting or something similar) yourself?

 I love art, but I’m SO bad at it. I’ve loved drawing before I realized I loved to write! And when I was in high school, all I wanted to do was take art classes. I did two years of ceramics and a year of painting, but I’m laughably bad. I chose art for Kiko because it gave me a chance to paint with words, in a sense, but also because I knew how important it was for Kiko to have a way to communicate. Art felt like the right voice for her—she needs her drawings and paintings to say the things she can’t.

8) I want to know a little more about your other book on sub, I AM THETA. Can you tell us a little about it? 

Sadly, I AM THETA is no longer on submission. It was pulled from sub when STARFISH sold, so I’m happy things turned out the way they did. But it was a YA sci-fi about a girl who hunts down Glitches (people with superpowers), all the while trying to hide her telepathic brother from the people she works for. It will always have a special place in my heart!

9) What are your all time favorite books, ones that have inspired you? 

HIS DARK MATERIALS was a big one for sure, as was the Harry Potter series. But I also loved ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS when I was a kid. It inspired me to write a very terrible short story about a girl who lived with wolves, which I often think of as the first “book” I finished writing. Of all the books I’ve read, ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS was the one that inspired me to be a writer.

10) Are you writing any other books right now? And if so, can you give us a very vague sense of it?

 I am! SUMMER BIRD BLUE is currently going through edits with my wonderful editor, Jen. It’s about a teen songwriter who loses her sister in a tragic accident, and is sent to Hawaii to live with her aunt while her mother deals with her own grief. It’s about family and loss and learning how to say goodbye to someone who is already gone. I can’t wait to share more, because this book is so very special to me!

And now, the moment you've been waiting for-- the amazing giveaway! Enter away, it's a generous INT giveaway!!!

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Details and Instructions for #OneDarkThrone Twitter Party with the amazing @KendareBlake

Hey gang! I'm so thrilled to get the chance to promote the amazing Kendare Blake as well as her amazing quartet of books, Three Dark Crowns! So at long last, here are the details of the party! I have to show off the promo pics that I made because I'm super proud of them. :-)

Just a couple of reminders for the party: 
WHERE: Twitter, use #OneDarkThrone to join
WHEN: Tuesday, August 29th, 8:30pm-9:30pm CST for ONE HOUR.
WHO: The Twitter bookish population!
GUEST AUTHOR: Kendare Blake (@kendareblake), author of the Three Dark Crowns QUARTET!

Tips for the party: 
1. You should have a twitter account.
2. You should be following me @CAhnBooks and @KendareBlake to be 1) eligible for prizes, 2) ensure that I see your tweets and that I can contact you with prize information. We will confirm this so make sure you do this!!!
3. After each comment, you should end it with #OneDarkThrone or else I won't see it. The EASIEST way to follow a twitter party is to hook up your account to a chat program. I use http://tweetchat.com All you have to do is put #OneDarkThrone at the top of the page where it says "Enter hashtags." Then you should be good to go! The other nice thing about this is that you don't have to type the hashtag after each comment, the program automatically does it for you. And you don't have to search for the hashtag, it automatically just follows the convo.
4. For some of the prizes, I'll be selecting winners RANDOMLY throughout the party, so the more you participate and the LONGER you participate, the more likely you are to win a prize.
5. Retweets will NOT count towards a prize. But these are nice to do for your fellow tweeters if you like what they are saying.
6. PRIZES: You can only win one book prize, but possibly you could win a book + swag. There will be 2 categories you can win prizes in: random or the contest prize. However, you can only win prizes that ship to you (US versus INT). Kendare is generously giving away some UK editions of Three Dark Crowns and some anthologies (1 book INT, the rest US only). She is also giving away a few signed bookplates (INT).
7. PRIZE form: There will be a Google document I will direct you to if you have won a prize. You will select which prize you have won, and this will be checked so be honest!! Just follow the instructions so that you will get your prize. Kendare nor I are responsible for prizes lost in the mail (we will just feel very very bad if it happens!).
8. Contest: There will be one INT contest in the last part of the party. You will need to include #contest along with #OneDarkThrone so that I see it.
9. To those poor souls who don't have a twitter account. It's totally EASY. Get a twitter account! I finally got one for my blog, and it took literally seconds to set up. I'm so sorry, but if you don't have a  twitter account, you won't be eligible for the prizes.