It's time for the fall YA Scavenger Hunt!

 Welcome to the fall 2019 YA Scavenger Hunt! This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a number clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours! 

HELP: If you're confused at any time, you can always get back on track by going to the YA Scavenger Hunt how to hunt page to read the steps. Or, go to the STUCK page for a bird's eye view of all the author's links. 

There are four hunts going on simultaneously with over 80 books up for grabs INTL, and you can enter one or all! I'm a part of the PURPLE TEAM--

but there are also BLUE, GOLD, & RED teams, each with different sets of signed books in their prize packs!

If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt prize page.

SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE

Directions: At the bottom of this post, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the PURPLE TEAM and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!) for a chance to win the prize pack of books pictured below: 

Entry Form: Once you've added up all the secret numbers of the PURPLE TEAM, make sure to fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize above. Only entries that have the correct answer will be put in the drawing.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by Sunday, October 6th, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

SCAVENGER HUNT POST

For my post in the YA Scavenger Hunt, I'm honored to be hosting Kristin Smith, author of The Deception Game Series:

Kristin Smith is the best-selling and award-winning author of the Deception Game series. When she’s not writing, you can find her planning her next beach vacation, beating her boys at Just Dance, or belting out karaoke (from the comfort of her own home). She’s a Virginia girl at heart, but currently resides in a small North Carolina town with her husband, five sons, two dogs, and one leopard gecko.

For the hunt, Kristin is giving away her book FEARLESS, book three of The Deception Game series:

Told from alternating points of view, the story of Sienna Preston, Trey Winchester, and Zane Ryder continues in this third installment of the thrilling Deception Game series, a sci-fi dystopian saga from best-selling author Kristin Smith.

*When you can't escape, you hide.*

On the run from the government, Sienna and her Fringe companions seek refuge in the primitive Zenith Camp. But navigating the camp isn't easy. It's run by a tough, no-nonsense girl named Paige who has a long, complicated history with Trey. And Sienna's caught right in the middle. Not to mention Sienna is still confused about her lingering feelings for Zane—feelings that are especially useless now that he's returned to Legas to marry his perfect genetic match.

But it turns out Zane has his own set of problems to deal with, and they may force him back on the same path as Sienna, working to uncover a dark government secret. When the government issues a decree that will change the course of history, Sienna and her cohorts are forced out of hiding, ready to resist. Problem is, it may be too late...

BUY BOOK HERE

Find out more information on Kristin and her books by following her online venues:

Website 

Twitter: @SwordsStilettos

FaceBook 

IG 

CONTINUE THE HUNT

To continue your hunt for another number clue to help you win the PURPLE TEAM prize pack, you'll need to visit the next author here! But before you go . . .

CHECK OUT MY PERSONAL GIVEAWAY!


Sorry! My personal portion of the giveaway has ended. 

I'll be announcing winners on Monday!

I have a brand new website (designed by my amazingly talented son)! 

And these prizes represent each of my published young adult books along with two books I'm working on that haven't yet hit shelves. Here they are (a couple of them appropriately Halloween-themed): 

Thanks to Natalia Godik and Tinted Prose
for the beautiful artwork that went into these.

This prize is a tribute to my latest WiP.
To learn more about the premise, follow this link.

This little gem is a tribute to the vampire book I wrote a few years back.
I'm now revising it and hope to post more information and excerpts soon.

Giveaway on the Horizon!

Stain's Pinterest Board Reveal + INTL Giveaway!

***GIVEAWAY ENDED*** 

I'm on tour this week for #Stain's launch so will announce the winners after January 21st. Thanks to all who took part!

*********

Only a week to go until Stain finally hits the shelves on January 15th, so it's time for an international giveaway to celebrate!

First, for some insight into the story itself, here's a trade review from School Library Journal:

Although that gives you some small idea, a picture is worth a thousand words -- so today I'm revealing the secret pinterest board filled with characters, creatures, moods, songs, and settings that helped inspire my gothic fairytale. 

Click here to visit the board where you can find all the images along with Stain's official playlist.

Want to sample the story? You can read the entire first chapter here.

And remember, for readers in the U.S., there's an awesome preorder incentive going right now that will guarantee you an enamel rose pin, a signed bookplate, and the Morpheus prequel story, Alice the Absent. 

You can find the details for that swag pack here.

Now, let's get to the international goodies that everyone has a shot at winning!

Prizes are as listed:

#1- Signed Stain hardback

#2 - Signed Alice the Absent short story

#3 - Silvered maple leaf ornament representing Prince Vesper's frozen kingdom of Nerezeth

#4 - Moths and music 8x11 print (frame not included) representing Lyra, her moth friends, and her birdsong voice

#5 - Sun, moon, and stars brooch representing both the day and night kingdoms

#6 - Hand-painted fox postcard, representing Elusion, the shape-shifting sylph

#7 - Secret gift packet (filled with a handful of fairytale freebies)

That's a chance for seven people to win a prize. So go forth and enter, and may the rafflecopter odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The White Rabbit is out of the Hat...

At last! The frabjous gift I've been teasing for weeks has been revealed...

As part of my publisher's preorder incentive for Stain, I've written a brand new prequel "origin story" about our favorite moth-man, Morpheus! 

These print copies (with gorgeous original cover art) will ONLY be available via this campaign. It's not for sale anywhere, and it's not available online. So if you want to see how Morpheus became the master of mischief who stole the show in the Splintered Series (or if you've never read Splintered and want to meet him before starting the books--the story's spoiler free!) be sure to preorder Stain and follow the instructions you'll find at the link I provided below.

Also included in this gift pack is a signed bookplate for your copy of Stain, and a beautiful customized gold and purple enamel rose pin. Exclusive only to this campaign, it pays homage to some very unique roses from my gothic fairy tale.

Offer good until 1/14/19 or while supplies last. Allow 8 to 10 weeks for delivery.
Offer limited to residents of the 50 U.S. (and D.C.), aged 13 or older. 

For instructions on how to get your preorder gift pack, follow this link. 

So excited to finally share this short story; I had a blast hanging out with Morpheus and some of the Splintered crew once more in my warped Wonderland, and I hope you'll leap at this opportunity to go there again, too!

Welcome to the Fall 2018 YA Scavenger Hunt!

 Welcome to the fall 2018 YA Scavenger Hunt! This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a number clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours! 

HELP: If you're confused at any time, you can always get back on track by going to the YA Scavenger Hunt how to hunt page to read the steps. Or, go to the STUCK page for a bird's eye view of all the author's links. 

There are seven hunts going on simultaneously with over 100 books up for grabs INTL, and you can enter one or all! I'm a part of the PURPLE TEAM--

but there are also BLUE, ORANGE, GREEN, GOLD, PINK, & RED teams, each with different sets of signed books in their prize packs!

If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt prize page.

SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE

Directions: At the bottom of this post, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the PURPLE TEAM and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!) for a chance to win the prize pack of books pictured below: 

Entry Form: Once you've added up all the secret numbers of the PURPLE TEAM, make sure to fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize above. Only entries that have the correct answer will be put in the drawing.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by October 7, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

SCAVENGER HUNT POST

For my post in the YA Scavenger Hunt, I'm honored to be hosting Madeline Dyer, author of The Untamed Series:

MADELINE DYER lives on a farm in the southwest of England, where she hangs out with her Shetland ponies and writes young adult books—sometimes, at the same time. She holds a BA Honors degree in English from the University of Exeter, and several presses have published her fiction. Madeline has a strong love for anything dystopian, ghostly, or paranormal, and she can frequently be found exploring wild places. At least one notebook is known to follow her wherever she goes.

For the hunt, Madeline is giving away Book 1: Untamed

**2017 SIBA Award Winner for Best Dystopian Novel** 

In a world where addiction is encouraged, one girl must fight to stay clean... 

As one of the last Untamed humans left in the world, Seven's life has always been controlled by tight rules. Stay away from the Enhanced. Don't question your leader. And, most importantly, never switch sides--because once you're Enhanced there's no going back. Even if you have become the perfect human being.

But after a disastrous raid on an Enhanced city, Seven soon finds herself in her enemy's power. Realizing it's only a matter of time before she too develops a taste for the chemical augmenters responsible for the erosion of humanity, Seven knows she must act quickly if she's to escape and save her family from the same fate.

Yet, as one of the most powerful Seers that the Untamed and Enhanced have ever known, Seven quickly discovers that she alone holds the key to the survival of only one race. But things aren't clear-cut anymore, and with Seven now questioning the very beliefs she was raised on, she knows she has an important choice to make. One that has two very different outcomes.

Seven must choose wisely whose side she joins, for the War of Humanity is underway, and Death never takes kindly to traitors.

BUY BOOK HERE

Find out more information on Madeline and her books by following her online venues:

Website 

Twitter: @MadelineDyerUK

FaceBook 

IG 

CONTINUE THE HUNT

To continue your hunt for another number clue to help you win the PURPLE TEAM prize pack, you'll need to visit the next author here! But before you go . . .

CHECK OUT MY PERSONAL GIVEAWAY!

First, while I have your attention, I have an exciting announcement to make:

Now, onto the giveaway. Like the official #YASH giveaways, this one ends on October 7th. And to celebrate the upcoming release of Stain (hitting shelves January 2019), I'm offering the following enchanted fairy tale prizes (INTL):

1- Signed Stain VIP Preview Copy (all 518 pages of story!)

4- Signed Stain 1st Chapter Samplers

1- 8X10" Fairytale Journal

1- Fox "Sylph" print signed by artist Greg Harms

That means  7 different INTL winners! See the rafflecopter below for entry options. Good luck to everyone, and happy hunting!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An excerpt from Stain + a preview of the beautiful book jacket!

Next Tuesday-Sunday, October 2-7, this year's fall YA Scavenger Hunt goes live!

One of the books up for grabs will be a hardback copy of Stain, my gothic fairytale (hitting shelves January 2019). To celebrate, I wanted to reveal the gorgeous artwork and excerpt on the book jacket: 

Click to enlarge image

Beautiful colors, right? It's only fitting that I’m on the Purple Team.

Here's a peek at the other amazing titles my team is giving away (INTL!):

Also, I’ll have a bonus personal INTL "fairytale" giveaway offering these enchanting prizes:

Click image to enlarge

So, be sure to join us on Tuesday so you don't miss out on all the free books and swag! :)

Another giveaway on the horizon, with over 100 books up for grabs!

Next Tuesday-Sunday, October 2-7, this year's fall YA Scavenger Hunt goes live!

I’m on the Purple Team and will be promoting Stain, my gothic fairytale hitting shelves January 2019. Here's a peek at the other amazing books my team is giving away (INTL!):

If you'd like a look at all the YASH books up for grabs, follow this link. 

And I’ll have a bonus personal INTL "fairytale" giveaway offering the enchanting prizes pictured below:

Click image to enlarge

That's a lot of free books and swag! I hope you'll get to join us on Tuesday. :)

Glass Butterfly Giveaway Winners!

Thanks to all who took part in The Glass Butterfly Giveaway! 

Below are the lucky winners. 

Click image to enlarge

Congrats to you all! I've sent out emails, so check your inboxes. If you find your name above but didn't receive an email, please reach out to me via my contact info here. Those who didn't win this time, stay tuned, because there are some great Stain giveaways on the horizon!

Also, The Glass Butterfly update: The book in PB and e-book form are now available at all the usual venues online (for domestic orders). Follow this link for buying options. For anyone wanting a PB shipped foreign, it should be available on BookDepository.com within the next week or so. Keep checking back at the link provided.

Why The Glass Butterfly's book birthday is a CATastrophe (aka: why I've been quiet as a dormouse the past few days)...

Today is The Glass Butterfly's official book birthday! HURRAH!

(gif by Heather Love King)

However, there's been a glitch. Since I've chosen to publish these books as indie titles (see story behind that decision here), I myself am responsible for uploading every version individually, paperbacks, ebooks, etc... on each and every online site available to indie authors.

Unfortunately, there's a processing timeline that has to be adhered to. It takes most versions at least 72 hours to go through and appear on all the venues for purchase.

Normally, I'm on the ball and can get things done three days ahead. In fact, I had last Friday set on my calendar as upload day, but then something unexpected dropped into my path...this little love, right here:

Friday afternoon while running errands, my daughter and I spotted this teensy 6-week-old baby scrambling around on busy a four-lane street in the middle of town (gif is a representation, not actual location). 

She was so terrified, she finally rolled up in a trembling ball in the middle lane as seven or more cars (and even a semi!) passed over her at full 40 mph speed without slowing down. The tires barely missed her each time because--by some miracle--she was centered between the lines just perfectly. 

My heart stopped with every car's passage. I was praying she'd survive, but had tears in my eyes and averted my gaze each time...the thought of her getting crushed was harrowing. I was trembling myself as I pulled into the closest parking lot to find a way to get her. Fortunately, at the same time, an anonymous, heroic man (who I will forever believe was this kitten's guardian angel) stopped his car mid-traffic and put the hazards on to pick her up out of the street. 

After he rescued her, he pulled into the parking lot where we waited. He stepped out of his truck, wincing, because the poor little love was wound around his ankle like a teensy, furry python and had her claws embedded in his skin. As I helped him get free, he asked if I could take over from there. I said of course, because I knew she was meant to be ours. 

We were only two minutes away from my veterinarian's office. The kitten was inconsolable and yowling so we wrapped her in a towel to protect her sharp little claws (and ourselves, haha) while I drove over.

After keeping her overnight, our vet gave her a good bill of health (another miracle that she had only road burn on her nose and paws from nuzzling into a tight ball on the asphalt to barricade herself against the velocity of the cars passing over), so we brought her home to be part of our family on Saturday. Here she is, happy and healthy in her safe place on the little fleece blanket I made for her.

She's a sweet, resilient tiny kitten. We named her Jujube (like the miniature gummy candies that I loved as a teen).

We call her Juju for short which is fitting, because in the urban dictionary, Juju means luck (bad and good both). Also, if you add a “b” at the end of each “u” it becomes jubjub (like the bird from Alice in Wonderland). 

How fitting is that for the pet of an author who's written an AiW spinoff?

All that to say, due to our newest addition, I didn’t have time to do any work until Monday because we were helping Juju adjust to her home and recuperate from her traumatic experience. 

So, as of now, the only places where The Glass Butterfly is live are Nook, Amazon, and iTunes (apple). Perfect for anyone who'd like to order the ebook versions and start reading today! 

However, if you're wanting a paperback, there is only one venue available from which to order, and it's B&N. Others should be processed by this weekend. I will update The Glass Butterfly page with more buttons as soon as other versions become available, so keep checking there!

Also, in the spirit of her new and bright future, Jujube thanks you for your patience and hopes you'll take part in the festivities while you wait! There's still a fantastic INTL giveaway going on for the prizes below through August 18th, so be sure to enter the rafflecopter before you leave today. And as always, thanks so much for the book support!

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The Glass Butterfly Tour and Giveaway!

In just a little over a week, THE GLASS BUTTERFLY will be available for purchase! You can preorder on kindle today, and all other formats, including Nook and paperback will be available in other stores and venues on August 15th.

To celebrate, we're having a two week review tour from August 6th-10th & 13th-17th (weekdays only).

There's also an INTL giveaway for the amazing prizes pictured here! 

Click image for a closer look!

Giveaway info: To check out some early reviews and enter the giveaway, visit any or all of the tour stops listed below over the next 2 weeks, and look for the rafflecopter provided at the end of each post!

Week One

8/6/2018- A Dream Within A Dream- Review

8/7/2018- Smada's Book Smack- Review

8/8/2018- YA SH3LF- Review

8/9/2018- Book-Keeping- Review

8/10/2018- Omg Books and More Books- Review

Week Two

8/13/2018- Literary Dust- Review

8/14/2018- History from a Woman’s Perspective- Review

8/15/2018- Lisa Loves Literature- Review

8/16/2018- Pandora's Books- Review

8/17/2018- BookHounds YA- Review

Stain poster giveaway!

***Sweepstakes Alert***

Ten beautiful Stain posters up for grabs! 

If you’d like a chance for one, my publisher is hosting the giveaway. Just follow this link to enter.

 👑🦄🏰

Announcing the Glass Butterfly Giveaway Winners!

Thanks to everyone who took part in the giveaway and helped me get the word out about The Glass Butterfly's playlist and pinterest boards! The winners are listed below:

Congrats to you all! I've sent out emails, so check your inboxes. If you find your name above but didn't receive an email, please reach out to me via my contact info here.

Anyone who didn't win, don't despair. There will be another giveaway to celebrate the book's birthday very soon! :)

The Glass Butterfly Pinterest & Playlist Reveal + Giveaway!

In less than 2 months, The Glass Butterfly will break free of its cocoon and fly. So it's time for a couple of reveals and a giveaway!

Below is a peek at my secret pinterest board. I've now made it public, so by clicking on the image, you'll be taken to pinterest where you can see all my visual inspirations for the story.

Click to go to board

And anyone who knows me knows I'm inspired auditorily as well as visually, so here are the songs that I used to set moods, emotions, and scenes.

Don't have spotify? Check out a list of the songs linked up to youtube by visiting this page on my Haunted Hearts Legacy website.

*****

Now for the international giveaway. Below are the five prize packs up for grabs. Just enter the rafflecopter for your chance at one!

The Architect of Song prize pack 

(signed swag, 

8x11 vintage musical sheet and flower print)

The Hummingbird Heart prize pack 

(signed swag, Papyrus jeweled 

hummingbird greeting card)

The Glass Butterfly prize pack 

(signed swag, set of 6 butterfly/dragonfly magnets)

Journal and Quill prize pack 

(vintage brocade journal, 

quill and ink set)

Haunted Hearts Legacy prize pack 

(three book set, signed and personalized)

Good luck to all who take part, and I look forward to sharing this romantic, mysterious, and ghostly tale with you on August 15, 2018!

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