Happy Post-Holiday & Sudden Secrets Launch

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! And for those with kids, may your "winter break" be a peaceful one. My son's getting his tonsils and adenoids removed today, and it sounds like recovery time will mean we're housebound for the next week-ish. Anybody out there have any great tips or tricks for post-tonsillectomy? I'm planning on a whole lotta' smoothies to get fruits and veggies into him. 

I got some good news about a week ago, but I'm saving it for IWSG!

C. Lee McKenzie is stopping by today for the launch of her book Sudden Secrets, released December 18. However, before we jump into the launch information, I wanted to pass along something both C. Lee and J.L. Campbell are doing that is pretty easy to support them with. It's called Thunderclap. From what I can tell, if they get their goal number of supporters, Thunderclap will put out information on their book via the means the supporters have each chosen (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr.) All you do is click one button, and a one-time tweet, Facebook status, or whatever the heck Tumblr sends out, will be sent at a specific time on a specific date. Pretty easy, huh?

The links:

C. Lee McKenzie, Sudden Secrets

JL Campbell, Grudge

Sudden Secrets

Publisher: Evernight Teen

Release Date: December 18

Genre: Young Adult

One Secret

Cleo has struggled to heal after her baby sister’s death, but the flashbacks to the accident won’t go away. With the move, she vows to keep her tragedy a secret and avoid pitying looks.

One Mystery

Something’s strange about the abandoned house across the street—flashes of light late at night and small flickers of movement that only someone looking for them would see.

Everyone says the house is deserted, but Cleo is sure it isn’t, and she’s sure whoever is inside is watching her.

Another Secret

In one night, Belleza’s life changes forever. So famous, her only choice is to hide her secret from the world so she can silence small town bigotry.

Then Cleo happens.

Available for purchase at Amazon.

About the Author: C. Lee McKenzie is a native Californian, and after living a lot of different places in the world, landed back in her native state on the edge of a redwood forest. When she's not writing or blogging she's hiking or practicing yoga. Then there's that half acre of garden that needs a lot of love. Sudden Secrets(Evernight Teen 2014) is her fourth young adult novel. You can find out more at her website.

Sounds good, doesn't it? Any tips for post-tonsillectomy patients? How was your holiday?

May you find your Muse.

Guest Post - C. Lee McKenzie - Realistic YA

I'm delighted to welcome C. Lee McKenzie today, as she launches her new book, Double Negative.

Why I Write Realistic YA Fiction, a guest post by C. Lee McKenzie

Long ago, I vaguely remember being a fourteen-year-old sophomore in high school, but, even all these years later, I have a vivid memory of opening the book I’d been assigned to read for English. Silas Marner. Within the first few pages, it was clear that this nineteenth century tale about an outcast weaver had nothing to do with my life. I couldn’t relate to it. By the end of chapter one, I stopped trying.

When I was older and studying at the university, a teacher said adolescents need emotional and social development and not intellectual growth. My textbooks reinforced that message. The classics are lovely, they should be cherished and passed on, but with a few exceptions, they don’t come up with answers to questions young readers are asking.

“Who am I?”

“Does anyone know how I feel?”

When I started writing young adult novels, I knew I wanted to write stories that spoke to the issues kids face today, not two centuries ago. I knew that if I’d been assigned a book that had kids working through things I could relate to, I would have read that book. I would have appreciated finding out that others had hard times, failed, were unhappy, but somehow worked through all of that and found their way.

I guess you’d say I didn’t want to leave my readers feeling alone as I had been when I had no life experience to connect with Silas and his problems. I wanted to write books that turned kids into lifelong readers rather than turn them off.

About Silas Marner—it’s a book I will read as an adult one of these days. It’s on my list because now I think I’m ready to appreciate it.

Thank you for stopping by, Lee! I couldn't agree more on needing to provide books for teens that they can identify with.

Below, you'll find information on C. Lee McKenzie's new book, Double Negative, now available for purchase. At the bottom of the post, you can enter the drawing!

Double Negative
C. Lee McKenzie
Contemporary/Realistic Fiction
Young Adult
Available now from Evernight Teen

Hutchison Mc Queen is a sixteen-year-old smart kid who screws up regularly. He’s a member of Larkston High’s loser clique, the boy who’s on his way to nowhere—unless juvenile hall counts as a destination. He squeaks through classes with his talent for eavesdropping and memorizing what he hears. When that doesn’t work, he goes to Fat Nyla, the one some mean girls are out to get and a person who’s in on his secret—he can barely read. And then Maggie happens. For twenty-five years she’s saved boys from their own bad choices. But she may not have time to save Hutch. Alzheimer’s disease is steadily stealing her keen mind.

You can purchase Double Negative HERE at Evernight Teen.

You can find C. Lee McKenzie at:

Her website

Her blog

Her Facebook fan page

Have you purchased Double Negative yet? What books did you identify with as a teen? Or were there any? 

May you find your Muse.

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I Survived [Again]! Snip Snip Revenge Promo & Links

Hi guys! I made it through conference! I had planned on writing up a bit of a post about it Monday, but basically spent the day drooling and staring at random spots while rocking and humming to myself. I'll update next Monday instead.

In the meantime, Medeia Sharif released a new book on the 25th of April, so check it out below!

SNIP, SNIP REVENGE by Medeia Sharif

YA Contemporary, Evernight Teen
Release Date April 25, 2014

Beautiful, confident Tabby Karim has plans for the winter: nab a role in her school’s dramatic production, make the new boy Michael hers, and keep bigoted Heather—with her relentless Ay-rab comments—at bay. When a teacher’s lie and her father’s hastiness rob her of her beautiful hair, her dreams are dashed. The fastest barber in Miami Beach has made her look practically bald. 

With all her pretty hair gone, Tabby doesn’t believe she fits the feminine role she’s auditioning for. Michael is still interested in her, but he’s playing it cool. Heather has taken to bullying her online, which is easier to do with Tabby’s ugly haircut. Tabby spearheads Operation Revenge, which proves satisfying until all of her problems deepen. After messing up, she sets to make things right.

Author Bio

I’m a Kurdish-American author who was born in New York City, and I presently call Miami my home. I received my master’s degree in psychology from Florida Atlantic University. After becoming a voracious reader in high school and a relentless writer dabbling in many genres in college, I found my niche writing for young people. Today I'm a MG and YA writer published through various presses. In addition to being a writer, I'm a middle school English teacher. My memberships include Mensa, ALAN, and SCBWI.

Find Medeia

Blog   |   Twitter   |   Goodreads   |   Instagram   |   Amazon

Join Medeia's giveaway to celebrate the release of her latest novel. You'll find the Rafflecopter at the end of this post, after the links.

Now for the links! As always, please note that I am not personally vetting any of these links. I am merely passing along general information. Always do your own due diligence before submitting to a publication or contest.

Accepting Submissions:

SkyWarrior Books is open to submissions to their anthology, Zombified II - The Second Time Around. 500-7000 words. Fiction, non-fiction, or poetry. Deadline May 15. Pays author share, twice per year.

LadyLit Publishing has a call out for their anthology, Forbidden Fruit: Stories of Unwise Lesbian Desire. 2500-5000 words. They're looking for scorchers and forbidden desire. Deadline May 15. Pays $40, plus one e-book and one paperback contributor copy.

Ruminate Magazine is open to submissions for their Fall Issue through May 5. Submissions for their Winter Issue open May 16. Fiction, creative non-fiction, and reviews. Pay $6 per 400 words. They are also currently running a poetry contest. See below.

Do you have anecdotes or stories concerning the topics ways to "Slay Your Writing Demons," "Build a World," "Build a Character," or "Market Your Book?" Chris Mandeville, author of "52 Ways to Get Unstuck," is looking for your ideas. This is not a paying gig, but she'll put your name in the book you submit to. I'm in the first book with the likes of Jeffrey Deaver and Kevin J. Anderson.

National Parks Magazine takes articles on National Parks around the U.S.A. 500-1200 words, depending upon type of article. Pays $.70 to $1.00 per word. Must query first.

Contest:

Robert Lee Brewer, of My Name is Not Bob, is holding a contest where he asks you to remix poems from his book, much the way musicians do remixes. $500 first prize. Deadline is May 15.

Ruminate Magazine's Janet B. McCabe Poetry Prize closes May 15. Entry fee is $20. First prize is $1500, plus publication in the Winter Issue.

The Pikes Peak Pen Women Annual Flash Fiction Contest closes tomorrow, May 1. Entry fee is $10. First prize is $100. The theme is "In this moment."

The Epic Heroes Event invites you to create your own original superhero, inspired by the Phenomena track "Fortress of Solitude," less than 1200 words, and post it for consideration for publication. Deadline May 15. Winners will get Phenomena-themed prizes and publication for some. Hosted by Samantha Redstreake Geary and Audiomachine.

The Guardian is offering the All-New Monthly Literary Prize for Self-Published Authors. Submissions will be open the first fortnight of each month. The prize is publication of an excerpt in The Guardian to hopefully gain attention for your book.

Anything to share? Anything interest you above? Any publishing or submission news? Have you read any of Medeia's books? What do you think of the cover?

May you find your Muse.

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