Waiting on Wednesday (One Shot): "The Art of Escaping" by Erin Callahan (Plus the Story of How I Was Involved in It)

Lookie! Roberta is doing a WoW post (*ooooohhhhh*).

Haha, really, don't get used to it - this is a special occasion, and since today is Wednesday, and I wanted this book to get special attention, I told myself - why not?

So, my dearest darlings...

...remember the post in which I explained why I try not to cross the boundary between fan and friend when talking to authors? because I need to be able to promote their work without sounding biased?

That is still relevant to this day. I'm still trying. And I've been blessed with meeting a few intelligent writers who can take criticism if needed, so I'm not afraid to speak my little mind if they ask my opinion on their books (as in, beta-reading) or even if they don't (as in, reviewing).

That being said, I'll admit that this lady called Erin Callahan is the closest thing I have to a friend in the author department. I (virtually) met her in 2013, when she asked me if I was interested in reviewing the first two books in the Mad World series, that she had (and still has) in progress along with her writing partner Troy H. Gardner. Erin had actually taken the time to peruse my blog and to pay attention to my reading preferences, which is SO rare. So, I reviewed her and Troy's first two collaborative novels (and later the third). I thought they showed promise, though I had some reservations about said books that both Erin and Troy received very graciously. The two of them were still rather new at the writing game, so they were eager to learn from any criticism their readers might throw at them. I don't know if they learned anything from me (I don't know if anyone can learn anything from me, period), but what I mean is, it was a pleasure to work with them.

I have stayed in contact with both Erin and Troy - if sporadically - since...especially with Erin, because she was (I think) in charge of what you would call the book marketing. Like I said, I reviewed the third installment of their series. I interviewed them. I befriended them on Twitter.

Book Spotlight: "Naming the Stars" by Susan Koefod

  Curiosity Quills Press presents:
"Naming the Stars" by Susan Koefod

Today marks the release date for Susan Koefod's YA novel "Naming the Stars". It's contemporary with a magical realism angle (the kind of book I call "Contemporary with a Twist"). While waiting for my review (which should be up in a couple of weeks), here's the book ID...

What's New: "Deadgirl" Sequel on Its Way - Did I Tell You How Good the First Book Was?

Hi my lovelies!

So, these latest gray and humid winter-not-winter days have been transfixed by a ray of light, for me at least. I mean, light-light. Literal light. Beware and behold, because I'm about to make a pun.

A few days ago, the author of two of my favourite YA novels, B.C. Johnson, announced the long-awaited sequel to one of them. Now, you're not allowed to ignore who B.C. Johnson is, because I mentioned/reviewed his books Deadgirl and The Bad Rescue of Devon Streeter freely in the past two years or so. So, unless you are a new follower/reader, I'm sure you heard me drop a vague hint about them sometime. But if you need a recap:

Deadgirl review + book trailer

Deadgirl: Puck's background (Puck being a character in the book)

Deadgirl comes back and gets a sequel

Deadgirl blog tour & my interview with B.C. Johnson (I know, NO ONE reads an interview with an author they don't know already - but this guy is fun, I promise)

Deadgirl in A Reader's Quirk #4

The Bad Rescue of Devon Streeter review

Plus, I wrote a guest post on Emily Reads Everything about the Afterlife sub-genre, where of course Deadgirl features prominently...

What's New: "Deadgirl" Gets a New Chance at Life + Sequel

I guess you may have gotten the message by now, though I, oh, so subtly weaved it into my posts. Yes, I'm addicted to Dead Girl Books. Or better - to Afterlife Novels, which happen to be about dead girls 99% of the times. You may also have vaguely heard me mention a book called, indeed, Deadgirl, by B.C. Johnson.

Finally, you may have picked up my casual remarks about it waiting for a reissue and its sequel being in the making. Because it's not like I laid much emphasis on the subject. I just about...

1. reviewed Deadgirl back in May;
2. spotlighted a future reissue of the book + sequel in the same month, after chatting up [in a completely innocent and professional manner, I swear] the author on Goodreads;
3. expressed my longing for said reissue + sequel in a round of Parajunkee's "Book Blogger New Year's Challenge" ("The Books of 2014 You Won't Miss") nearly a month ago;
4. warmly mentioned the book again in the latest installment of my feature "A Reader's Quirks" ("You, Irresistible Afterlife Novel") a few days ago. (Later note: I revised the mentioned post. Here's the new link).

Really, I have showed such self-restraint on the matter. I would be surprised if you noticed me mentioning it at all.

Now, I'm so sorry, but I have to drop another little hint about it. Because B.C. Johnson graciously contacted me on Goodreads to let me know that Curiosity Quills Press picked up Deadgirl for a reissue, and even optioned the sequel. He explained it's going to take some time for it to come out again, because of such, you know, flimsy details as re-editing, marketing, cover art, etc. But finally Deadgirl is going to get resurrected :). And to tackle new challenges. So I advise you already...you don't want to miss her comeback.

And no, B.C. Johnson (the guy in the pic below) hasn't bribed me in order to promote his books...yet ;P.

He only offered me a beer.

Stay tuned for more info about the Deadgirl re-release and sequel...because she's worth it.

Till next time...

Spotlight: Waiting for "Deadgirl"...Puck's Background

Hi everyone...and sorry for the delay. The promised Puck's Very Own Chapter should have been posted yesterday, but due to some technical difficulties, Mr. Johnson wasn't able to put it online...consequentially, I had nothing to link to on that date. Well, anyway, here we are now. If you read my Deadgirl review, I'm sure you've been left wanting more of Lucy's world, while waiting for the book to be reprinted (but still, I strongly encourage you to hunt for remainder copies of the first print!). I dropped the name "Puck" in the aforementioned review...and just in case you're wondering...

Puck, Jecca Koch, SciFi Fantasy Art
@ elfwood.com

he's not this one -------------------->


 

Hockey puck
@ infotechsciencedaily.com

<--------------------- or this one

  

Noah "Puck" Puckerman (Glee)
@ fanpop.com

 
or this one --------------------> 




...no, definitely not one of these.

So, who is Puck? From Deadgirl, Chapter Seven:

"His face reminded me of my Grandpa, long and narrow and creased with wrinkles, but he had round boyish eyes. His hair, shaggy for an old guy, hung around his ears. [...] He looked a well-kept sixty-or-seventy years old, but he moved like a little boy.

An old-style brown tweed suit clung to him, and it looked well-tailored if a little worn. Instead of a tie, a bright red scarf wrapped his neck and hung lazily across one shoulder."

This is Puck when Lucy first meets him in the Grey. He will end up being her unlikely savior in more than a way. His background story barely fills nine pages - the whole of Chapter Sixteen - but it was much longer originally. Hear (so to speak) B.C. Johnson himself talking about that here, and stating the reasons why said story was cut shorter. And if you are hungry for more, read the whole Puck, Revisited chapter here.