Excerpt:
DELIVER ME:
The Grand Councilman watched as the
first of the robes was placed over the girl’s shoulders before he turned back
to us with an expression of satisfaction on his face. The look sent a chill
through me. He looked back down at the ledger in front of him and called out
the next number, “G458-89.”
G458-89.
Of course I recognized the number.
It was imprinted in my mind, the digits as clear in my memory as they were
tattooed into the soft skin of Odessa’s forearm. The breath of air I’d been
holding escaped my lips and I turned to my best friend, pushing her forward to
the podium.
Odessa, beautiful Odessa.
I knew she would be called. Maybe
she hadn’t been first, but she was close. Pride pushed at the inside of my
chest and I suppressed a cheer. If only we were allowed to clap at least, but
the selection was a sacred moment and I had to keep my emotions contained.
Later tonight I could tell Odessa how proud I was of her.
On the podium, one of the elegant
Carrier robes was being placed over Odessa’s shoulders. From somewhere deep
inside my head a low humming had begun. My fingers and toes felt strange,
tingly. I rubbed my hands together, trying to concentrate on the Grand
Councilman’s words.
Six more numbers were called and
progressively, as each girl took her place on the stand, I began to see the
panic setting in on Odessa’s face. Normally, she would have caught my eye and
made a funny face to break the tension, but she hardly looked like herself up
there. The color still hadn’t returned to her cheeks and a bit of perspiration
had sprouted on her forehead. In her eyes I saw the look of someone desperate,
someone hungry. Only one more number left to call. Around me some of the girls
were weeping silently, maybe it was because they were overcome with the
pressure of it all, or maybe they realized their dreams of being a Carrier were
dying out, merely the flicker of a flame remaining.
The last robe hung limply on its
form. Beneath the other selection robes the bodies of eight lucky girls
fidgeted, waiting to see if one of their friends would be called. I caught
Odessa’s eye and tried to smile, but my lips stuck to my teeth, tight and dry.
The moments clicked slowly by, an eternity of waiting. What sort of future
would I have if I wasn’t a Carrier?
Finally the Grand Councilman spoke,
“The ninth and final Carrier is…D456-06.”
Odessa covered her face with her
hands, but I couldn’t move; my body was completely numb.
It wasn’t my number. It wasn’t. My
number hadn’t been called.
Sparkie 6 Month Anniversary Interview:
What has been your best experience since the release of your book?
Ashley Poston:
Definitely all the support on Twitter and Facebook! I never thought I’d have so
many people out of the blue just tweeting me to tell me how much they loved my
story! It means a lot to me. I think every author has one story that’s their
“baby” and mine is The Sound of Us. While it’s a very funny, very
light-hearted YA/NA crossover (think Fangirl), its tackles some
heavy-hitting stuff that’s pretty personal to me. And it’s surreal and
wonderful and thrilling to read how much other people enjoyed it!
Caroline Dunford: I loved seeing
the face of my heroine Sharra on the beautiful cover. She is just as I imagined
her.
Cat Kalen: I am thrilled with reader response. I heard from students who
were using my book for their school reports and it thrilled me.
Christine Duval: Really
it is more than one moment. It is all the times women have come up to me,
written to me, tweeted to me about how Positively Mine reminded them of their
own situations. Many are women who were teen moms or who found themselves
unexpectedly pregnant in college. I am so moved that something I created has
had meaning in another person’s life.
Frankie Brown: Meeting so many wonderful people! The
Sparkies are a wonderfully sweet, vivacious group, and the online YA book
community is a ton of fun.
Jen McConnel: Listening
to the amazing audiobook for the first time! My narrator, Carolyn Bonnyman, has
the perfect voice for the story, and I could listen to her all day long. It’s
funny, too; when I was revising the sequel, I heard it in her voice. She’s
become an integral part of my story, and I’m so glad!
Jenny Kaczorowski:
The moment my book popped up in my local library’s eMedia collection! More than
any other publishing dream, I’ve always wanted to have something I wrote in
libraries. I stumbled across it by accident and nearly screamed.
Jenny Morris:
Reading people’s reviews and knowing they totally got our story. It’s still
crazy to me that a total stranger is reading something that I wrote and
relating to it.
Judith Tewes: My
title isn’t out in the world yet (releases in July), but I’ve had a blast
supporting my fellow Bloomsbury Spark authors as each new title has launched.
Kate Jarvik Birch: It might sound a little
sadistic, but hearing that my book has brought someone to tears is one of the
best feelings EVER—it’s also pretty awesome to hear that I’ve made them yell
and cheer, but for some reason the tears feel like the biggest payoff.
Kelley Lynn: Fans
(Eep! I still can’t believe I have
fans…haha) contacting me wanting to talk about the book. I actually had one
twelve-year-old girl somehow get a hold of my phone number. She called me and
in this really sweet, shaky voice, asked how she could get a signed copy of my
book. It was just so flattering and is totally the reason I do this.
Marie Langager: It’s an awesome feeling when
you connect with readers. Especially when they’re in a country you’ve never
been to!
Theresa DaLayne: Since
my book doesn’t release until mid-August of this 2014, I probably haven’t had
it yet. THE EDGE OF YOU is my new adult debut, and although Ron and Lilly’s
story isn’t full of rainbows and gumdrops, it’s real. I think my favorite part
about writing the story was reliving my years spent in Kodiak Island, Alaska,
where I grew up. A few characters, like Lori for example, play a small but
beautiful role, and are depictions of real people. It was an honor to
incorporate part of my life into the story that will be shared with so many
others.
What is the best thing about being part of Bloomsbury Spark?
Ashley Poston:
Definitely the authors. We’re like one big family. I’m thankful and so very
glad to have met every single one of them. They’re all so talented, and they’ve
enriched my life more than they know!
Caroline Dunford: Everyone has
been so warm and welcoming.
Cat Kalen: The support from
Meredith and all the authors. Everyone is so giving, helpful and wonderful, not
to mention talented!
Christine Duval: The
enthusiasm of everyone involved with it! It has been so amazing watching Spark
grow under Meredith’s guidance and I feel I’ve made a bunch of new friends on
this journey. I love hearing about everyone’s successes and learning what’s
coming next while watching our readership grow.
Frankie Brown: Again: the people. Meredith is incredible,
and everyone at Bloomsbury--from the social media team to the cover
designers--is passionate about what they do. It's infectious.
Jen McConnel: It’s
so hard to pick one thing, but I’d have to say that the sense of community is
amazing. The authors, the team at Bloomsbury, and our fearless leader, editor
Meredith Rich, all come together to create a wonderful, enthusiastic literary
family.
Jenny Kaczorowski:
The support! Meredith is an amazing editor, the cover artist for FALLING is
amazing, and the other Spark authors are fantastic! Not only are we publishing
siblings, but friends. I love having so many people with me on this journey!
Jenny Morris: The
Sparkie Family. Meredith connected all of us together and the other authors
really are amazingly supportive, and the best cheerleaders.
Judith Tewes:
Bloomsbury Spark is in good hands with our editor, Meredith, and I love how
she’s willing to take risks in her selections for this new YA / NA line. Spark
titles (and authors) are ones to watch!
Kate Jarvik Birch: Being part of the Spark
family has introduced me to a tight knit group of fantastic writers, all of
whom support and buoy one another. Plus, it’s given me a chance to read some
pretty stellar books by my fellow authors.
Kelley Lynn: Can
I say everything? Everyone on the Bloomsbury Spark team is so wonderful.
Meredith, and her supporting cast are the best. And the other authors in this
family are so talented and nice. It’s
just such a wonderful community to be a part of.
Marie Langager: I feel so lucky to be a part
of this group of fantastic authors. So much support and so much fun. You really
get to be a part of something special and make friends along the way!
Theresa DaLayne: My
publishing career has had its peaks and valleys, but being a part of Bloomsbury
Spark is most definitely a peak. My editor, Meredith, and the talented cover
art department have worked hard to ensure I love the cover to my book. That’s
something invaluable. And my fellow Sparkies are just about the best group of
young adult and new adult authors I’ve had the honor of working with. With only
six months under Spark’s belt, the future of our growing family is bright!
What are you working on now?
Ashley Poston: The sequels to THE SOUND OF
US, actually! WE OWN THE NIGHT follows Ingrid, who hosts a late-night radio
show to escape the reality of her small-town life, and finds herself drawn to a
regular caller who is trying to escape his own life, too. It’s like Sleepless
in Seattle if the main character was Rebel Wilson. YOU BURY ME is about two
ex-best friends who find themselves on a road trip to complete a bucket list
their late friend left behind. I’m really excited for both of them, and I hope
you are, too! While they’re not direct sequels to Junie and Roman’s adventures
in love, JuRo definitely make appearances (and maybe some other lovely
secondary characters, too?)
Caroline Dunford: I have stories
I'm working on, but I don't tend to reveal anything until the time is right!
Cat Kalen: I’m working on Pride Unleashed and Pride’s Pursuit the follow up
books to Pride’s Run.
Christine Duval: The
sequel to POSITIVELY MINE! The first draft is done, I am happy to say, and I am
getting ready to send the detailed synopsis off to Bloomsbury!
Frankie Brown: A lot of different things! Stay tuned...
Jen McConnel: I’m
shifting gears out of NA mode for awhile, and focusing on revising the second
book in my YA fantasy series from Month9Books. It’s fun to flip flop between
contemporary with a touch of paranormal and full-on fantasy, with witches and
gods and goddesses popping up like whack-a-mole. GODS OF CHAOS, the sequel to
DAUGHTER OF CHAOS, is due out next March...squee! There’s always another story
to be told, and I can’t wait to see what comes next!
Jenny Kaczorowski:
I am working on two follow-ups to THE ART OF FALLING, set in the same high
school but following different characters. THE TRICK TO LANDING is about
Summer, a semi-pro skateboarder trying to build a new life after a DUI. After
moving to Oceanside, she meets Bastian, a brilliant photographer fighting for a
future beyond the bleeding disorder that defines his life. Their romance is
messy and painful, but very sweet. THE RHYTHM OF BREATHING follows Abby, Bria’s
best friend in FALLING. When she kisses Jackie, the drummer in a metal band, on
New Year’s Eve, she expects it to be a one-time fling. Instead, she finds
herself head over heals for a boy with a dark past, deep scars and exactly what
she needs to confront her own issues.
Jenny Morris: I
am working on a story outline for a follow-up to ROAD TO SOMEWHERE. It follows
Charlie to college and Lucy in her last few months of high school. Kelly Lynn
and I are excited about the possibility of continuing the sisters’ story. I’m
also working on another collaboration called REMEMBER. It’s Romeo and Juliette meets Total Recall.
Judith Tewes: I’m
gearing up for the release of MY SOON-TO-BE SEX LIFE, can’t wait for the blog
tour madness to begin.
Kate Jarvik Birch: What am I NOT working on now?
I’m just finishing up co-writing a middle grade novel about unlikely friends
navigating middle school while trying to discover whether magic is real. I’ve
got another YA novel, PERFECTED, coming out July 1st from Entangled Teen and
I’m busy writing the sequel, which is due out next year. I’ve got some picture
book projects in the works and still need to find the time to write the
screenplay I’ve been marinating for years. Phew, I’m exhausted just thinking
about it!
Kelley Lynn: Jenny
S. Morris and I are working on the sequel to ROAD TO SOMEWHERE. We just love
being back in Charlie and Lucy’s world! I’m working on the final edits for
another edition to the Bloomsbury Spark family, ONE WISH AWAY, which is a
science fiction twist on the ‘when you wish upon a star’ theme. I’m also
negotiating a contract for another YA Contemporary and my super duper agent,
Jamie Bodnar Drowley, and I are putting the finishing touches on a YA Thriller
so we can start submitting that soon. Busy, busy, busy J
Marie Langager: I’m finishing up a project
that has been a long time in the making. Imagine a protagonist who’s a little
bit like Jo March but hears voices and is very, very angry. She’s viewed by
many as odd and unfixable. In this character’s world the Archbishop teaches her
to stay away from the lying peddlers of magic. This book is madness, magic,
darkness, and lots of cool new magical weapons!
Theresa DaLayne: I’m
working on a few projects at the moment. One is a new adult story about a
nineteen-year-old California socialite with a kleptomaniac habit that gets her
in big trouble. It started out as a fun,
rich-girl-gets-forced-into-being-a-maid kind of story, but when my main
character meets a kind-hearted guy with a humanitarian streak, her eyes are
opened to a whole new world. That’s where the real life change happens, and I
can’t wait to see where my agent puts it! I’m also working on the first of a
new adult thriller series, tentatively titled, GLACIER PEAK. It’s totally
different than anything I’ve ever written in the sense that most times, my
heroine grows into her role as a leader. In this story, my main character
struts into the story with a snarky attitude, the mouth of a sailor and a hair
trigger temper. When her father goes missing, she sets out on an epic five-day
hike through the wilderness to find him. And when she meets a guy covered in
tats with a hidden agenda, the temperature in the tent goes from zero to
smoldering. It’s all set in the rural mountains of Washington State, where the
weather is unpredictable, the wild animals are hungry, and the romance is
ice-melting.
Buy Links:
DELIVER ME
The Sound of Us
The Art of
Falling
Positively Mine
Until We End
Pride’s Run
Secret of Isobel
Key
Her Secret
Inheritance
Road to Somewhere
Beyond Our Stars
My Soon-To-Be-Sex
Life
MapMaker’s
Daughter
Buy Links:
DELIVER ME
The Sound of Us
The Art of
Falling
Positively Mine
Until We End
Pride’s Run
Secret of Isobel
Key
Her Secret
Inheritance
Road to Somewhere
Beyond Our Stars
My Soon-To-Be-Sex
Life
MapMaker’s
Daughter
Giveaway:
Thank you for the giveaway!
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