April 27, 2019

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

Hello lovelies!

I'm treating you to something different today. Or better...something that I already did once, but you don't often see around. Not quite your classic cover reveal, but the illustrated story of how a concept is made into a cover. Which is probably interesting if you dabble in art yourself, but maybe even more if you don't have the faintest idea of how these things work (when the authors themselves are in charge of the process, that is).


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 to kick off Wakefield, Tunnelville and Perfection again, before they start publishing the second half of the series. This involved 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 Tunnelville making-the-cover post. (Note: Tunnelville 2.0 is scheduled for the early summer, hopefully June, July at worst...the Dynamic Duo is presently giving the final touches to the revised version...so keep your eyes peeled! Though of course I'll keep you posted...literally 😉). Here goes...

December 15, 2017

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!).

September 23, 2016

Why Intersectionality in Books is Important to Me: a Guest Post by Guinevere Tomas

I’ve struggled a lot with how to approach this post.


As the conversation for inclusivity in books, but not just books, but mirrors in media or all forms of entertainment, shifts and will continue to, I don’t think I need to tell people we need more inclusion in books.

But I think when it comes to inclusion we stop at one identity. Most people are an intersectional group of identities and are not able to survive as one without the others. When Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, the scholar who created the term in 1989 coined it, I don’t think she could’ve been prepared for just how important it would be now, and how we approach conversations about being marginalized today.

It’d been difficult to express how different feminism treated women versus being a person of color, as if they were two separate issues. This is something I’m understanding more now, that it is difficult to say my struggle with identity has been separate, when I have no choice but to walk through life with each one.

March 05, 2016

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
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.

August 30, 2015

SBPT15 Week 9: "You See What I Did This Summer" - Blog Tour Recap!

THE INTRO


Welcome to the Summer Blogger Promo Tour, hosted by The Book Bratz! 

If you're not familiar with it, the SBPT is like a temporary meme, only much more fun and interesting. Basically, a grand total of 56 bloggers who signed up for it have been divided in groups of 8 bloggers each. Every group got to swap posts through the whole summer - that is, every blogger in the group (plus the host) was featured on one of their companions' blogs every Sunday, always contributing with a different and original post. You can read all about the SBPT here and here. And since this is the last week of the tour, I want to thank my friend Tessa from Crazy for YA for being the one who brought this upcoming tour to my attention via one of her posts at the beginning of the summer...

So, this is the last stop for the SBPT 2015. I made it...and I am not even short of breath *congratulates self*. Like I mentioned in this post, I signed up for the Summer Blogger Promo Tour with the intent of 1) meeting new bloggers and 2) avoiding my usual summer blog slump and being forced to post during the wearisome hot season. Was I successful? [...suspense...]. Let's see...

August 23, 2015

SBPT15 Week 8: "How to Fall in Love with Horror" - by Emily (Emily Reads Everything)

THE INTRO


Welcome to the Summer Blogger Promo Tour, hosted by The Book Bratz! 

If you're not familiar with it, the SBPT is like a temporary meme, only much more fun and interesting. Basically, a grand total of 56 bloggers who signed up for it have been divided in groups of 8 bloggers each. Every group gets to swap posts through the whole summer - that is, every blogger in the group (plus the host) is featured on one of their companions' blogs every Sunday, always contributing with a different and original post. You can read all about the SBPT here and here.

My blog stop today is at The Book Bandit, where I'm explaining why Indie Books Are Not Evil :). I hope to introduce you to some overlooked, but all praiseworthy authors!

And now, without further ado, let me introduce one of my blog tour pals!
Offbeat YA is proud to present Emily (Emily Reads Everything), whose mission is turning you into a horror fan if you aren't already :). She's sharing some of her favourite horror novels that beginners in the genre can sink their teeth into, so to speak.

August 16, 2015

SBPT15 Week 7: "Top 5 Worst Book-to-Movie Adaptations" - List by Marissa Nicole (Marissa Nicole Reads)

THE INTRO


Welcome to the Summer Blogger Promo Tour, hosted by The Book Bratz! 

If you're not familiar with it, the SBPT is like a temporary meme, only much more fun and interesting. Basically, a grand total of 56 bloggers who signed up for it have been divided in groups of 8 bloggers each. Every group gets to swap posts through the whole summer - that is, every blogger in the group (plus the host) is featured on one of their companions' blogs every Sunday, always contributing with a different and original post. You can read all about the SBPT here and here.

My blog stop today is at Little Book Heaven, where I'm sharing my Top 5 Agatha Christie Books. I hope to give you reason enough to fall in love with the Queen of Mystery if you haven't already!

And now, without further ado, let me introduce one of my blog tour pals!
Offbeat YA is proud to present Marissa Nicole (Marissa Nicole Reads), who's listing her least favourite book-to-movie adaptations. (Well, I should say "favorite", what with Marissa being from the US, but since I've always used the British form, I'll stick with it. LOL).

August 09, 2015

SBPT15 Week 6: "Successful Bloggers Reveal Their Secret" - 10 Blogging Tips by Amber & Jessica (The Book Bratz)

THE INTRO


Welcome to the Summer Blogger Promo Tour, hosted by The Book Bratz! 

If you're not familiar with it, the SBPT is like a temporary meme, only much more fun and interesting. Basically, a grand total of 56 bloggers who signed up for it have been divided in groups of 8 bloggers each. Every group gets to swap posts through the whole summer - that is, every blogger in the group (plus the host) is featured on one of their companions' blogs every Sunday, always contributing with a different and original post. You can read all about the SBPT here and here.

As for me, this week I'm not featured on any SBPT blogs - every one of us has a "week off" during the tour, and this is mine. But stay tuned - next Sunday I'll be posting my favourite Agatha Christie books on Little Book Heaven!

And now, without further ado, let me introduce one of my blog tour pals!
Well...two, as a matter of fact. Offbeat YA is proud to present Amber and Jessica (The Book Bratz), that is, the minds behind this fun blog tour! Since their blog has grown tremendously in only a couple of years, I asked them to share a few tips for running a successful blog, and they graciously accepted. Thank you girls!

August 02, 2015

SBPT15 Week 5: "Books I Would Pack for My Dream Vacations" - Places to Visit and Related Book List by Victoria (The Petite Book Blogger)

THE INTRO


Welcome to the Summer Blogger Promo Tour, hosted by The Book Bratz! 

If you're not familiar with it, the SBPT is like a temporary meme, only much more fun and interesting. Basically, a grand total of 56 bloggers who signed up for it have been divided in groups of 8 bloggers each. Every group gets to swap posts through the whole summer - that is, every blogger in the group (plus the host) is featured on one of their companions' blogs every Sunday, always contributing with a different and original post. You can read all about the SBPT here and here.

My blog stop today is at The Regal Critiques, where you can read part 2 of my double interview with the blog's founder, the amazing Veronika! (For part 1 click here).

And now, without further ado, let me introduce one of my blog tour pals!
Offbeat YA is proud to present Victoria (The Petite Book Blogger), who's listing 5 places she would like to visit one day and 5 books she would choose to make her company on her plane ride...

July 26, 2015

SBPT15 Week 4: "Dreaming the Writing Dream: 6 Authors Who Inspired Me to Write" - List by Mia (Mia in Narnia)

THE INTRO


Welcome to the Summer Blogger Promo Tour, hosted by The Book Bratz! 

If you're not familiar with it, the SBPT is like a temporary meme, only much more fun and interesting. Basically, a grand total of 56 bloggers who signed up for it have been divided in groups of 8 bloggers each. Every group gets to swap posts through the whole summer - that is, every blogger in the group (plus the host) is featured on one of their companions' blogs every Sunday, always contributing with a different and original post. You can read all about the SBPT here and here.

My blog stop today is at Mia in Narnia, with a post titled Top 5 Series More People Must Read (where I hope you'll be introduced to some stuff you might like...).

And now, without further ado, let me introduce one of my blog tour pals!
Offbeat YA is proud to present Mia (Mia in Narnia) [...yes, by chance we are each other's guest today!], who wants to become a writer and is sharing her Most Inspiring Authors list with us.

July 19, 2015

SBPT15 Week 3: "Hailing from Europe: How the Other Half Blogs" - Double Interview with Veronika (The Regal Critiques)

THE INTRO


Welcome to the Summer Blogger Promo Tour, hosted by The Book Bratz! 

If you're not familiar with it, the SBPT is like a temporary meme, only much more fun and interesting. Basically, a grand total of 56 bloggers who signed up for it have been divided in groups of 8 bloggers each. Every group gets to swap posts through the whole summer - that is, every blogger in the group (plus the host) is featured on one of their companions' blogs every Sunday, always contributing with a different and original post. You can read all about the SBPT here and here.

My blog stop today is at The Petite Book Blogger, where you can read my post titled Better Left Alone: Sometimes Strong Books Don't Need a Sequel, in which I share my thoughts about a few serialized novels that - IMO - didn't need a follow-up. But it is meant to be a discussion post, so feel free to stop by and speak your mind!

And now, without further ado, let me introduce one of my blog tour pals!
Offbeat YA is proud to present Veronika (The Regal Critiques), who agreed to participate in a double interview with me. The reason why we came up with the idea is because we're the only European bloggers in this leg of the SBPT - as you know, I'm Italian, and Veronika is Hungarian - so we thought it would be fun to compare our experiences as not-English-speaking book bloggers who decided to join the INT blogging community.

Veronika and Ruzaika's homeland
[My bad! I assumed that Ruzaika was Hungarian since she's Veronika's co-blogger,
but as a matter of fact she's from Sri Lanka! I only learned it after this post was up.
I'm deeply sorry for my mistake!]

Before we get to the actual post, I have to mention a few things:
1) Veronika's blog was titled Reading Is Dreaming with Open Eyes till a few weeks ago, and she used to tend to her blog alone. While in the process of changing the name, she also teamed up with her friend Ruzaika, who is now her very active and enthusiastic co-blogger. This blog tour was organised before Ruzaika joined The Regal Critiques, so I'm doing this interview with Veronika alone, but you'll find both girls' profiles and Twitter handles below.
2) I titled this post "How the Other Half Blogs" because the saying "how the other half lives" popped into my mind. That saying, actually, comes from a book title: "How the Other Half Lives" by Jacob Riis, documenting the hardships of living in a 1880 NY slum. My using this turn of phrase isn't meant to be disrespectful of course. Also, technically, you might object that the blogging world is not divided into two halves only...the American bloggers on one side, and on the other the European, African, Asian and Australian bloggers, all in a big cauldron. The fact is, this title was just a way for me to point out that there are many not-English speaking individuals in the book blogging community, who blog in English nonetheless and have different experiences to share. A few of which are highlighted below :).
3) This is the first half of our interview. The second batch of Q&A will be posted on The Regal Critiques on Sunday, August 2nd, and it will focus more on the whole blogging experience.
(Edit Aug. 2nd: here it is!).

July 12, 2015

SBPT15 Week 2: "Audiobooks: 5 Not-to-Miss Releases" - Recommendations by Jess (Little Book Heaven)

THE INTRO


Welcome to the Summer Blogger Promo Tour, hosted by The Book Bratz! 

If you're not familiar with it, the SBPT is like a temporary meme, only much more fun and interesting. Basically, a grand total of 56 bloggers who signed up for it have been divided in groups of 8 bloggers each. Every group gets to swap posts through the whole summer - that is, every blogger in the group (plus the host) is featured on one of their companions' blogs every Sunday, always contributing with a different and original post. You can read all about the SBPT here and here.

My blog stop today is at Marissa Nicole Reads, where you can read my post titled 5 Contemporary Novels to Read if You Need a Break from Romance (which is pretty self explanatory...).

And now, without further ado, let me introduce one of my blog tour pals!
Offbeat YA is proud to present Jess (Little Book Heaven), who kindly agreed to share her Top 5 Audiobooks with us.

July 05, 2015

SBPT15 Week 1: "Painting the Roses Red" - A Short Story by Nicole (The Book Bandit)

THE INTRO


Welcome to the Summer Blogger Promo Tour, hosted by The Book Bratz! 

If you're not familiar with it, the SBPT is like a temporary meme, only much more fun and interesting. Basically, a grand total of 56 bloggers who signed up for it have been divided in groups of 8 bloggers each. Every group gets to swap posts through the whole summer - that is, every blogger in the group (plus the host) is featured on one of their companions' blogs every Sunday, always contributing with a different and original post. You can read all about the SBPT here and here.

My blog stop today is at Emily Reads Everything, where you can read my post titled Afterlife Special, in which I fangirl about the Afterlife genre in YA and share some recommendations.

And now, without further ado, let me introduce one of my blog tour pals!
Offbeat YA is proud to present Nicole (The Book Bandit), who kindly agreed to share one of her short stories with us. Painting the Roses Red first appeared on Little Women Stories.

January 13, 2015

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.