Making the Cover: "Wakefield" 2.0 by Erin Callahan & Troy H. Gardner

Hello lovelies!

I'm treating you to something different today. Not quite your classic cover reveal, but the illustrated story of how a concept is made into a cover. Cool, uh? 😃

 
Before we start, a short recap is due. In 2013, I received a review copy of Wakefield from the very hands of authors Erin Callahan and Troy H. Gardner. To cut a long story short, since then we have developed a great author/blogger relationship. I reviewed the three collaborative books they have put forth so far (after Wakefield, the sequels Tunnelville and Perfection), beta-read for both of them, and cheerleaded like a champion at every step of their writing journey. The books Erin and Troy co-authored are the first half of the Mad World double trilogy, originally published by a small press. After Book 3 came out - that is, in June 2013 - the two of them have been working at refining their craft, while also tending to their individual projects. Now, since the rights for the first three installments were reverted to them, Erin and Troy have decided to go indie, and are ready to kick off Wakefield, Tunnelville and Perfection again, before they start publishing the second half of the series. This involves a whole rebrand, of course, starting with the covers. Troy is the one in charge of them, and today on the blog he kindly shares his creative process in a Wakefield making-the-cover post. (Note: Wakefield 2.0 is scheduled for Dec. 22nd, as an ebook for now, with a paperback edition coming soon - so keep your eyes peeled!). Here goes...(...P.S.: watch the very end of the post for Wakefield new blurb, along with a preorder link!).

EXCLUSIVE Cover Reveal (+ Blurb): "The Art of Escaping" by Erin Callahan

Welcome to a very special cover + blurb reveal...

...Yes, I like to tease 😁

You know, as a rule, I don't do reveals. Well, I don't do mass reveals, or reveals for books that I'm not interested in. So, when I do one, you know there's a solid reason behind that. In this case, actually, three of them 😉.
Reason #1: Erin Callahan is one of the first authors I talked to when I started blogging. I only know her virtually, but I think it's safe to say she's a great human being, and I can testify she's a talented (and blogger friendly) author 👍.
Reason #2: I beta-read this book back when it didn't have a publishing house yet, and now that it's almost ready to go into the world, I'm so happy and proud of it as if I were its godmother (which, in a sense, I am. One of its godmothers/godfathers at least...).
Reason #3: it's a darn good book 😄.
So, here goes...

Book Blitz: "I Stop Somewhere" by T.E. Carter (with Excerpt)

  Welcome to the I Stop Somewhere book blitz!

 
Today is my stop for the book blitz regarding I Stop Somewhere by T.E. Carter. This book blitz is organized by Chapter by Chapter, and it runs from 7 till 11 August. I Stop Somewhere will be released on 2/27/18 from Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan in the US and on 5 April 2018 from Simon & Schuster in the UK. For those who need to get their bearings, this novel is described as "The Lovely Bones meets All the Rage". After the page break, you'll find all the book vitals, plus an excerpt and a giveaway! But first let me reiterate a small detail...I never do promo posts unless it's a book/author I'm familiar with, or a book I want to read. This one made my TBR list, so without further ado, and with thanks to Chapter by Chapter, here goes...

EXCLUSIVE Cover Reveal (+ Blurb): "Deadgirl: Goneward" by B.C. Johnson

Welcome to a very special cover + blurb reveal...

Big tease, I know ;)

You know, as a rule, I don't do reveals. Well, I don't do mass reveals, or reveals for books that I'm not interested in. But this is one of my favourite series ever, so it gets the spotlight, and for free too. Heck, I would even pay for doing it myself. Or maybe not really...but you get the idea 😉.
I believe you heard me raving about Deadgirl and Deadgirl: Ghostlight once or twice. (Oh, but in case you are from another planet or simply new to my blog, don't worry...I'll recap 😀). The one below is the third installment in the Deadgirl four-book series, titled Deadgirl: Goneward. It involves four friends, a road trip and a lot of paranormal mischief. Because you know, main character = dead girl. PHANTOM girl - which is different from ghost girl, in case you're wondering. Lucy Day is something you have never seen in YA. You'd better take my word - I'm the expert in dead-undead characters, as this page testifies 😂.
So, here goes...

Cover Reveal & Author Interview: B.C. Johnson ("Deadgirl: Ghostlight")

Welcome to the cover reveal for Book 2 in the Deadgirl series!

Well, this is an unofficial cover reveal, to tell you the truth. Curiosity Quills Press has recently decided not to do official ones anymore, so its authors are left with the option of doing their own thing via trusted bloggers or not. I'm thrilled to have the chance to show you this beauty, in all its simplicity and mysteriousness. And class - let's not forget class :).

Title: Deadgirl: Ghostlight

Series: Deadgirl (Book 2)

Author: B.C. Johnson

Genres: Afterlife, Paranormal Romance, UF

Age: 14+

Available from: May 16th, 2016

Cover artist: Andy Garcia

Deadgirl: Ghostlight on Goodreads

Read my review of Book 1 here

  

Blurb: Transformed into a “phantom” by her own titanic will to live, Lucy must feed on the essence, memories, and emotions of others to keep herself solid. After defeating her Grim Reaper and learning that she could survive without hurting people, Lucy thought the madness was finally over.
Her cravings for essence under control, Lucy tries to live a normal life. Apparently you have to be alive for that to work, though, as Lucy learns that one of her friends is more than she appears. She insists that Lucy, with her ghostly abilities and tentative immortality, can join her in the fight to help those in need.
Thrust into the role of teenage savior, Lucy Day finds herself battling a pack of voyeuristic serial killers, a mysterious and deadly wraith, and the idea that she might actually have to start dating again sometime this century. (Goodreads)

Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway: Tara St. Pierre ("Just a Few Inches")

Intro

 Hi my darlings...I have a special treat for you today :).

But first, a little background is required...

A few days ago, I got an email from indie author Tara St. Pierre. A special email, because unlike most authors who would just toss a message at you without even knowing what your blog is about, she had clearly made the time to peruse my review policy and take my likes and dislikes into account. So, to make a long story short, I readily agreed to feature her YA contemporary-with-a-touch-of-sci-fi novel Just a Few Inches on my blog. You all know I have a soft spot for indie authors - though I don't say yes to just about everyone. But Tara's book has a great message at its core, not to mention that - like I said - she was really nice to begin with. And, ice on the cake, AFTER our deal was made, she also volunteered to offer two ebook copies of Just a Few Inches for me to give away!

Now...before you guys run down to the end of this post to fill the form...don't you want to know what Just a Few Inches is about? and also get the chance to read a guest post by its author, peppered with exclusive excerpts from the book you won't find on Amazon? Yes, you do :). So here goes...  

Just a Few Inches by Tara St. Pierre

(find it on Amazon | add it on Goodreads)

All Carrie Roberts wants is to be a little bit smaller.

To fit into the perfect dress for the Valentine’s Day Dance. To look beautiful for her boyfriend, the school’s star basketball player. To keep his jealous ex-girlfriend, a rival cheerleader, away from him. And to be noticed by her classmates.

Exercising and dieting don’t work, but an advertisement for weight loss pills promises a quicker solution to her problem. As time runs out, she takes more than the recommended dose until she’s just a few inches slimmer. Heads turn when she arrives at the dance, and the wonderful night with her boyfriend is beyond what she dreamed it would be.

Days later, Carrie discovers that her body is changing in ways that should be impossible. While her doctor searches for a cure, she desperately turns to her friends and family for support. Everyone is noticing her now whether she likes it or not, and even the media is intrigued by her incredible story. Getting everything she once wanted has created new problems—problems that are growing more terrifying every day.

Because Carrie Roberts is shrinking.

"Just a Few Inches" is a Young Adult novel that deals with issues of body image, self-esteem, and teenage relationships. It is intended for readers age 13 and up.

Book Blitz: "The Mark of Noba" by GL Tomas (with Excerpt)

  Welcome to The Mark of Noba book blitz!

 
Today is my stop for the book blitz regarding The Mark of Noba by GL Tomas. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours, and it runs from 25 till 31 August; you can view the complete schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours here.

GL Tomas is the pen name of twin sisters Guinevere and Libertad Tomas, also known as @Dos_Twinjas (or @RebelliousCupid) on Twitter. I met Guin and Libby during my first year of blogging, when they started their own blog Twinja Book Reviews. So yeah, they are blogging pals and friends, whose major purpose as book bloggers is to spread the love of diverse books. It got to the point where they felt the need to actually contribute to the diversity issue in YA lit by writing a fantasy tetralogy called The Sterling Wayfairer Series. Its first installment, The Mark of Noba, is GL Tomas' debut novel. After posting the cover reveal and a first excerpt from the book a few days ago, Offbeat YA is now proud to present you a second excerpt...I opted out of a review precisely because I'm friends with the authors - I didn't want anyone to think I was biased :). So yeah, new excerpt it had to be. Click on the "Wanna read more" link...you know you're curious ;D.

Tetra and Sterling about to kick asses :). But wait...what lurks behind them?

Cover Reveal (+ Blurb and Excerpt): "The Mark of Noba" by GL Tomas

No, not the cover...but it's gorgeous, isn't it?

  Welcome to The Mark of Noba cover reveal!
 
Today is the cover reveal for The Mark of Noba by GL Tomas. This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours.

GL Tomas is the pen name of twin sisters Guinevere and Libertad Tomas, also known as @Dos_Twinjas (or @RebelliousCupid) on Twitter. I met Guin and Libby during my first year of blogging, when they started their own blog Twinja Book Reviews. So yeah, they are blogging pals and friends, who seem to get my questionable sense of humour and tolerate my Christopher Pike addiction, even if he's not the ultimate diverse books champion ;D.
Of course, I didn't mention diverse books accidentally. Spreading the love of them is Libby and Guin's major purpose as book bloggers, and it got to the point where they felt the need to actually contribute to the diversity issue in YA lit by writing a fantasy tetralogy called The Sterling Wayfairer Series. Its first installment, The Mark of Noba, is the book I'm proud to present you today. (Click on the "Wanna read more" link...you know you're curious ;D).

Guest Post by JL Morin (Plus Book Excerpt) Science Fiction Grew a Conscience: "We Have Been Fighting the Wrong War"

Intro

 
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to read and review an ARC of Nature's Confession, the debut YA novel by Library Journal Reviewer, HuffPost blogger and adjunct faculty at Boston University JL Morin. Nature's Confession - the first installment in a new, promising cli-fi trilogy - finally came out less than a week ago, on Jan. 8. In case you don't know, this is how Wikipedia defines cli-fi:

"an abbreviation for climate fiction, which describes fictional work [...] about climate change and global warming issues. Climate change themes are also found in some science fiction and other speculative fiction."

Though cli-fi isn't necessarily a subgenre of science fiction, I see it as sci-fi finally growing a conscience and tackling problems like overpopulation, pollution and resource exploitation on/of our planet. Hence half the title of this post. The quote that makes the second half of it will be self-explanatory, once you've read the guest post that follows.

This is the first guest post I've ever hosted on Offbeat YA. You know me...I only do these things when I have a real reason for them, and when they are a good fit for my blog. So, around Nature's Confession release date, author JL Morin and me talked about doing something to celebrate the launching...agreed on a guest post...and here it is :). Morin discusses cli-fi (or eco-fiction) and its role in modern society, pointing out that it can be - and indeed is - "political fiction"...all the same (I'll add) not failing to provide entertainment, irony and humour and to take us on a wild adventure. I'm especially proud to have Morin here today as my first guest post contributor. So please welcome JL Morin and hear what she has to say...

Guest Post by JL Morin

Nature's Confession, LitPick 5-Star Review Award Winner; the #1 Top Marinovich Fiction Read this year; best of a New Genre, included in “12 Works of Climate Fiction Everyone Should Read”; and Eco-Fiction Story Contest Honorable Mention.

Cover Reveal: "Deadgirl" by B.C. Johnson

Welcome to a very special cover reveal...

...Yes, actually, I'm teasing you a little ;)

You know, as a rule, I don't do reveals. Well, I don't do mass reveals, or reveals for books that I'm not interested in. This accounts for the one below being only my second cover reveal in almost two years of blogging :).
A year and a half ago, I contacted author B.C. Johnson on Goodreads over his first novel Deadgirl. I asked for directions about reviewing his book, since I had learnt it was out of print already (after barely a year) due to the publisher shutting up shop. Mr. Johnson told me that he was in the process of reselling Deadgirl to a new editor, plus giving the book a sequel. We have been in contact via Goodreads since - this is why I'll call him Bobby from now on ;) - and I've had the distinct pleasure to follow Deadgirl on her way to...resurrection. I've been rooting for this book to see the light of day again, for Bobby to get his well-deserved second chance at being a full-time author, and for you all to have the opportunity to love this novel as much as I did/do.
Well, the time has come now *smiles widely*.
So, here goes...

(I also signed up for the blog tour BTW. See you with more Deadgirl fangirling in November!)

Out on November 6

Deadgirl by B.C. Johnson

Genres: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Date of Publication: November 6, 2014
Cover Artist: Andy Garcia
Add on Goodreads: Deadgirl page

Dead is such a strong word...
Lucy Day, 15 years old, is murdered on her very first date. Not one to take that kind of thing lying down, she awakens a day later with a seemingly human body and more than a little confusion. Lucy tries to return to her normal life, but the afterlife keeps getting in the way.
Zack, her crush-maybe-boyfriend, isn’t exactly excited that she ditched him on their first date. Oh, and Abraham, Lucy’s personal Grim Reaper, begins hunting her, dead-set on righting the error that dropped her back into the spongy flesh of a living girl. Lucy must put her mangled life back together, escape re-death, and learn to control her burgeoning powers while staying one step ahead of Abraham.
But when she learns the devastating price of coming back from the dead, Lucy is forced to make the hardest decision of her re-life — can she really sacrifice her loved ones to stay out of the grave?

My Deadgirl fangirling moments so far... 

Original Review | Book Spotlight | Announcing Reissue + Sequel

Deadgirl proud daddy ;)

About B.C. Johnson:

Born in Southern California, B.C. Johnson has been writing since he realized it was one of the few socially acceptable ways to tell people a bunch of stuff you just made up off the top of your head. He attended Savanna High School in Anaheim, and an undisclosed amount of college before deciding that weird odd jobs were a far greater career path.

This lead him to such exciting professions as: aluminum recovery machinist, lighting designer, construction demo, sound mixer, receptionist, theater stage hand, wedding security, high school custodian, museum events manager, webmaster, IT guy, copywriter, and one memorable night as the bouncer at a nightclub. He is trying very hard to add “vampire hunter” and “spaceship captain” to that list.

He currently lives in Garden Grove with his supernal wife Gina, his half-corgi, half-muppet dog Luna, and his new half-grayhound, half-living-tornado-of-destruction Kaylee. He also spends time with his two brothers, his parents, and his close friends, whose primary pursuit are usually healthy debates about movie minutiea. When he’s not working or writing, he’s been to known to pursue all conceivable geeky avenues of interest including but not limited to video games, the sort of TV shows/movies Benedict Cumberbatch might star in, graphic novels, podcasts, funny gifs, the whole thing.

He’s also been known to apply his special brand of hyperbole and mania to pop-culture humor essays for various websites that can be found on his homepage, bc-johnson.com. B.C. also has a high school noir short story called The Lancer available on Kindle.
Deadgirl is his first novel.

Find B.C. Johnson Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Blurb + Cover Reveal: "Perfection" by Erin Callahan & Troy H. Gardner

A quirky paranormal double trilogy by Erin Callahan & Troy H. Gardner

  Welcome to my first blurb + cover reveal!
 
You may remember that back in September I reviewed the first two installments in the "Mad World" double trilogy by Erin Callahan and Troy H. Gardner (book 1: Wakefield | book 2: Tunnelville). I had been pleasantly surprised to receive an email from Erin a little earlier, asking if I was interested in reviewing their series. For the very first time, the author in question had indeed read my policy and perused my blog, as opposed to sending a random request. Also, Erin didn't seem to mind that I still was a budding blogger. I agreed to review the first two books in the series, and also interviewed the author duo behind them here. And I'm very pleased now to be part of the blurb and cover reveal for the third installment in the "Mad World" series, Perfection, out on July 11. You know, as a rule, I don't do reveals. Well, I don't do mass reveals, or reveals for books that I'm not interested in. Of course, Perfection is a different matter altogether...I'm enjoying this series, so I'm more than willing to do a reveal for it :).
Just a quick overview of this series for those who haven't read the first two installments yet: "Mad World" focuses on a group of teens - some paranormally gifted, some "simply" troubled - on the run from an educational facility and an evil doctor.
 Note: the series is only available in ebook format for now, but there are plans for a physical release in the future. Perfection has a shiny new Goodreads page, and of course both Wakefield and Tunnelville have one too - just click on the titles.
And now, without further ado, here goes...

Out on July 11

Perfection ("Mad World", book 3)

Following months of living on the streets of Boston, the Wakefield escapees have found a temporary shelter to recoup in after barely escaping from Arlington Station with their lives - but time is running out.
As the troubled teens grow closer and rely on each other for survival, they know the inexhaustible Dr. Lycen is on the hunt. When he shows up on their doorstep with his crimson army, they are forced into action. With limited options, some of them flee to Perfection, a turn of the century living museum that holds more than its fair share of secrets.
Those who travel to Perfection find a new home that promises safety and stability. But is a dangerous adversary pulling the strings behind the scenes? 

Mad World Official Site (edit - new site 2017)

Erin Callahan on Goodreads
Troy H. Gardner on Goodreads