The SPRING 2016 #YASH Hunt is ON!!! (#YAScavengerHunt + bonus #giveaway)

Welcome to the SPRING '16 YA SCAVENGER HUNT. On this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each participating YA author (there are NINE teams this time, so that's 180 exclusives), you also get their favorite number. Add up the numbers, and enter the total for a chance to win a major prize. Every team will have a winner, and that winner will receive at least one book from each author on that team! This means there are NINE SEPARATE GRAND PRIZES of at least 20 books in each grand prize!!!! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only last until noon PST on Sunday, April 3rd!

I'll introduce you to the TEAM PINK author I'm hosting shortly, but first, here are all of the TEAM PINK books up for grabs:

I'm also hosting my own giveaway, so make sure you check that out at the end of this post!

A few quick things: If you get lost for some reason, no worries--just go to this link: YA Scavenger Hunt: Stuck? Each team AND all of the authors are listed there, so you can pick up where you left off. :) If you've never done this before but would love to participate, check out YA Scavenger Hunt: How to Hunt.

Directions: Somewhere below, you'll see that I’ve listed my favorite number (in pink). Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on TEAM PINK, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).

Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify. You may enter (and check out all of the other teams), HERE.

Rules: Open internationally. Anyone below the age of 16 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 April 3rd. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.


And now I'd like to introduce you to Emily Skrutskie, author of The Abyss Surrounds Us (YA Science Fiction):

ISBN: 0738746916

Summary: For Cassandra Leung, bossing around sea monsters is just the family business. She’s been a Reckoner trainer-in-training ever since she could walk, raising the genetically-engineered beasts to defend ships as they cross the pirate-infested NeoPacific. But when the pirate queen Santa Elena swoops in on Cas’s first solo mission and snatches her from the bloodstained decks, Cas’s dream of being a full-time trainer seems dead in the water.

Waiting for her on the pirate ship is an unhatched Reckoner pup. Santa Elena wants to take back the seas with a monster of her own, and she needs a proper trainer to do it. She orders Cas to raise the pup and teach him to fight for the pirates. If Cas fails, her blood will be the next to paint the sea.

But Cas has fought pirates her entire life. Santa Elena has no idea what she’s in for. 

 and here's Emily's exclusive content: 

Ships in the Night: Swift and Cas in Music 

When I was drafting The Abyss Surrounds Us, I kept a playlist that I imagined as a sort of soundtrack to the story. The songs on the playlist were in “story order,” from the opening track to the music I imagined playing as the credits rolled. But while I was building this playlist, I kept running into a certain problem. I’d hear songs, think, “Oh, that reminds me of TASU!” and then realize the songs were less about the storyline and more about the concept of the relationship between Swift and Cas.

So a new playlist was born. Simply titled “SwiftCas,” it was a dumping ground for the songs that didn’t fit in my story playlists but felt essential for my inspiration. Today, I’m here to share that playlist with you!

And here’s the fun part. This playlist is for both The Abyss Surrounds Us and its sequel. So if you’ve finished TASU and are wondering how a certain song you hear fits, well… you’ll just have to use your imagination for now. ;)

About Emily: Emily Skrutskie is six feet tall. She was born in Massachusetts, raised in Virginia, and forged in the mountains above Boulder, Colorado. She holds a B.A. in Performing and Media Arts from Cornell University, where she studied an outrageous and demanding combination of film, computer science, and game design. Her short fiction has been published by HarperTeen, and her debut novel, THE ABYSS SURROUNDS US, is now available. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr | Facebook | Goodreads

Make sure to head over to ANGELA MYRON's to stay on the hunt!

And now, for TWO additional giveaways (5 items in one, and 3 in the other):

Giveaway #1: Jonas set (US only)

Paperback copy of PITY ISN'T AN OPTION

Bird Watching Gift Set 

(includes bird box, bird feeder, and guide to birdwatching)

Sketch Paper Pad

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway #2: 3 Ebook set (INTL)
JUST ADDED: $5 Amazon e-gift card!

* IF I SPEAK TRUE and BY SUN & CANDLELIGHT

(Books 1 and 1.5 of the Flora series)

* PITY ISN'T AN OPTION (Cozenage, #1)
* $5 Amazon e-gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FALL 2015 YA SCAVENGER HUNT (#YASH) + exclusive #giveaway

It's #YASH time! *throws coffee bean confetti* 

Welcome to the FALL '15 YA SCAVENGER HUNT. On this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each participating YA author (that's 160 this year), you also get their favorite number. Add up the numbers, and enter the total for a chance to win a major prize. Every team will have a winner, and that winner will receive at least one book from each author on that team! This means there are EIGHT SEPARATE GRAND PRIZES of at least 20 books in each grand prize!!!! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only last until noon PST on Sunday, October 4th!

A few quick things: If you get lost for some reason, no worries--just go to this link: YA Scavenger Hunt: Stuck? Each team AND all of the authors are listed there, so you can pick up where you left off. :) If you've never done this before but would love to participate, check out YA Scavenger Hunt: How to Hunt.

Directions: Somewhere below, you'll see that I’ve listed my favorite number (in pink). Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on TEAM PINK, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).

Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally. Anyone below the age of 16 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 4th. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

And now for the author and book I am hosting: Lisa T. Cresswell, and THE COLOR OF WATER! Lisa is a professional archaeologist that writes fanciful stories for young adults. She lives in Idaho with her family and way too many furry pet friends!  


THE COLOR OF WATER bonus material: 

Everyone's heard of Blackbeard, right? The terrible pirate? Hollywood staple pirate character? But did you know that Blackbeard was a real person named Edward Teach? I remember as a kid thinking he was just a cartoon-ish character and being amazed to learn he was real. You can read all about him on Wikipedia.  Born in 1680, he only lived to be about 35 or 40 years old because he was finally captured and beheaded in 1718. Perhaps because it was so long ago, he's become the stuff of legends? Even his flag is kinda creepy.

The ghost of Blackbeard is the main baddie in my new novella The Color of Water. He was such delicious fun to write, re-imagined as a modern day biker. Here's a sneak peek of my heroine, Samantha, unexpectedly seeing Blackbeard, aka Teach, on the streets of Beaufort ~


    The summer sun was still hot enough to make me sweat, but it was cooling down as the shadows got longer. The rain had left steamy puddles along the sidewalks, but the sky was clearing just like Matt said it would. Seeing nothing unusual at the Queen Ann’s, I kept walking, turning down an alley to avoid all the tourists on Front Street. That’s where I saw them – a man and a woman having a hella fight in the alley. My heart jumped up into my throat when I realized it was Harley man – Teach.

    I ducked behind a dumpster and tried to blend into the back of a building. It didn’t seem to matter to Teach and his lady friend because their screaming argument suddenly dissolved into a groping, kissing thing. I couldn’t stop staring at them. Teach’s beefy, tattooed arms wrapped the woman like an octopus’s tentacles, his fingers snaking through her God-awful, red-orange dye job. She didn’t seem to mind. She kissed him like she was starving and he was a steak dinner. After coming up for air, they stumbled back inside the building.

    I saw the door was printed with ‘No one under 21 admitted’ as I hurried past. If he was going to kill her, he would have done it right there, wouldn’t he? I resolved not to tell Matt about it, since he obviously didn’t want me anywhere near Teach. I didn’t want to risk making him mad again. I picked up my pace, running a few blocks so I wouldn’t be late.

You can find The Color of Water in print and ebook on Amazon and Goodreads! Enjoy~

Check out THE COLOR OF WATER 5 different ways: at Lisa's website | Buy The Color of Water | Request it on NetGalley | Check out the Pinterest Page | Add it to Goodreads

Here are the books up for grabs for Team PINK:

Make sure you head over to Nicole Zoltack's to keep playing!

Also, IN CELEBRATION of the FALL YASH, I'm giving away all three books currently in the Flora series (paperbacks for a US winner, or ebooks for an INTL winner), plus a $5 Amazon e-gift card!  Happy hunting!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FALL #YASH (YA Scavenger Hunt) is coming!!!!

Fall #YASH starts this Thursday, October 1st and I AM SO EXCITED! There are 8 teams with 20 YA authors on each team... which means... a total of at least 160 books are up for grabs!!! 

I could go on and on about how awesome this is, but I think I'll share the teams instead. Are you ready?

The PINK team (notice anyone familiar on there? ahem.)

The PURPLE team

         

The RED team

The BLUE team

The TEAL team

The GREEN team

The ORANGE team

The GOLD team

So. Many. Great. BOOKS!!!! 

To learn more about YASH and how it works, go HERE or check out How To Hunt.

See ya'll Thursday!

Spring 2015 YA SCAVENGER HUNT (#YASH) + exclusive #giveaway

It's #YASH time! Woo hoo! Welcome to the SPRING '15 YA SCAVENGER HUNT. On this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each participating YA author, you also get their favorite number. Add up the numbers, and enter the total for a chance to win a major prize. Every team will have a winner, and that winner will receive at least one book from each author on that team! This means there are EIGHT SEPARATE GRAND PRIZES of at least 20 books in each grand prize!!!! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only last until noon PST on Sunday, April 5th!

A few quick things: If you get lost for some reason, no worries--just go to this link: YA Scavenger Hunt: Stuck? Each team AND all of the authors are listed there, so you can pick up where you left off--easy peasy! :) And, if you've never done this before but would love to participate, check out YA Scavenger Hunt: How to Hunt.

Directions: Somewhere below, you'll see that I’ve listed my favorite number (in pink). Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on TEAM PINK, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).

Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

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 April 5th, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

Here are the books up for grabs for #TeamIndie/Team PINK:

And now... *drum roll please* I'd like to introduce you to...

WOMAN OF HONOR, by Nicole Zoltack! 

WOMAN OF HONOR is the first book in a YA fantasy trilogy.

Aislinn of Bairbhe dreams of becoming a lady knight to honor the death of her fallen brother. To her mother's horror, King Patrick grants Aislinn's wish. 

Despite the mockery of the other pages and the disdain of Prince Caelen, who also trains to be a knight, Aislinn commits herself to her training and embarks on a journey of self-discovery and bravery. 

Through the years, Aislinn and Caelen grow from sparring classmates to good friends. Honor, bravery, and yes, love are worth fighting for even when they both know that someday Caelen will have to marry for the sake of the kingdom. Buy WOMAN OF HONOR

WOMAN OF HONOR is told only from Aislinn's POV, but there's a certain other character who wants to share some thoughts in his POV. Take it away, Prince Caelan!

***

He wasn't sure when it happened. The fire in her eyes, the stubbornness in her jaw, the determination, the drive… All those years ago when his father had agreed for a probationary period for not one but two girls, Caelan had thought it merely a gesture to appease them, that there was no way either would muster up enough strength or brains to be able to continue on in their training.

He had been wrong.

At first, Aislinn had been closed off, almost too focused on learning everything. Being a knight, well training to become one, it formed a brotherhood, a bond, and she wouldn't be able to stay away like that.

A part of him wanted him to be the one to reach out and help her, but he couldn't. That fire and stubbornness, it drew him to her, and he couldn't have that. For years now, he knew he would have to marry for the sake of Arnhem. The last thing he could do was lose his heart to someone he could never be with.

But when Geoffrey started to spout bad poetry to her, Caelan couldn't help himself. He cornered her in the library. And he had kissed her.

She pushed him aside and ran away. All of his life had been chosen for him. This, and this alone, he would do as he wished. His heart deserved a little bit of happiness.

But would she let him kiss her again? He could only hope so.

***

Connect with Nicole at these 5 places: Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | blog | Amazon 


And now, for the Rafflecopter! In celebration of YASH, I'm giving away FOUR audiobooks and a $5 Amazon gift card! Enter the exclusive YASH giveaway below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
For the next stop on the hunt, visit Cady Vance's blog, HERE. 

To check out the other seven teams, go HERE.

Coming up this April... in bullet points

April is full of bookish stuff, so I'm starting a new meme here at Let Me Tell You A Story where I get lazy and do a post that breaks down the upcoming month in bullet points. 

Grab your mug o' whatever makes you happy, and here we go...

1) The title of Cozenage #2 will be announced here, April 1st. If you want to know sooner, subscribe to the newsletter over there on the sidebar, because my newsletter peeps find stuff out first (I'm sweet like that).

2) The Spring #YASH (YA Scavenger Hunt) will be April 2nd through April 5th. Make sure to come here on the 2nd to check out the author I'm hosting and read their bonus content (and find your way to MY bonus content, too!) 

I talked to my local library and they're letting me bring flyers to tell allllll the YA readers about it and I am so excited! I just *might* be having an audiobook giveaway, too! (Maybe.) Find out more about YASH, HERE. (You can also search for them on Twitter and Facebook.)

3) The announcement of April's #JLBgivesawayanINDIE photo-a-day challenge + giveaway will be April 6th. I had a totally different book planned for this month, but we're switching it up because because because because becauseeeeeee.... because of the wonderful things she does... (Did you get my movie reference here? Also, yes that was a small clue... but I'm not telling you more until the 6th, so oh wellsies.)

4) #RocktheDrop is April 19th. I know you're thinking... But Jessica.... do you have to be an author to participate? Heck no ya don't! Just love books. Long to share books. That's all.

Find out more about Rock the Drop and download bookmarks encouraging passersby to TAKE the books (this really is a problem when I do it... it's like people think they're on Candid Camera and are afraid to take them), HERE.  

5) My author pal Cheyanne Young will be revealing the cover for the third book in her POWERED trilogy (EMPOWERED) later this month. Keep your eyes peeled for the cover on a future Waiting on Wednesday. WOOHOO!

Welp, that's it. Have a blessed weekend, peeps! 

Welcome to the Fall 2014 YA Scavenger Hunt! (#YASH)

It's #YASH time! Woo hoo! Welcome to the Fall 2014 YA SCAVENGER HUNT. On this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each participating YA author, you also get their favorite number. Add up the numbers, and enter the total for a chance to win a major prize. Every team will have a winner, and that winner will receive at least one signed book from each author on that team! This means there are SIX SEPARATE GRAND PRIZES, total!!!! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online until noon PST on Sunday, October 5th!

A few quick things: If you get lost for some reason, no worries--just go to this link: YA Scavenger Hunt: Stuck? Each team AND all of the authors are listed there, so you can pick up where you left off--easy peasy! :) And, if you've never done this before but would love to participate, check out YA Scavenger Hunt: How to Hunt.

Oh yeah, and if you've already been on the hunt for a while, here's a little something to keep you going. :D ***pours you a cup o' Joe***

Like this mug?
Enter to win
it in my personal
giveaway at the
end of this post!

Directions: Somewhere below you'll see that I’ve listed my favorite number (in gray). Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on TEAM INDIE, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).

Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

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 5th, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

And now... *drum roll please*

I'm very excited to be hosting Kelsey Ketch and her book, Daughter of Isis! During her high school years, Kelsey Ketch could always be found tucked away in a little corner of the hall or classroom, writing her fantasy worlds and creating illustrations and maps. Today is no different, except now she’s writing in the break room at her office building or at the tables of the Barnes and Noble Café in Cary, North Carolina. She is also an avid reader, a part-time book blogger at Ketch’s Book Nook, and lives with her two orange tabbies and awesome and humorous flat-mate. Daughter of Isis is her debut novel. 

In moving to Setemple, California, Natara Stone steps onto an emotional roller coaster ride filled with ancient Egyptian mythology, danger, and a sizzling romance that will grab you by the heart and won't let go. (Note: content for upper YA.) Here's a bonus scene from Chapter 14, in Seth's POV:

Advantage

Seth paced back and forth on the service line of the tennis court, his nerves as tense as coiled springs. He kept his gaze on Natti, like a hawk; the beast inside his heart tearing up his rib cage. This was likely the last point of the game before the bell, and his last chance of preventing Natti of gaining the advantage and possibly winning the bet. There was no way he was going to lose Natti. He didn’t care what he agreed to, even if he lost the game, there was no way in hell he’d let a challenge like her slip from his grasp.

He stepped into position. His knuckles popping from the death grip he had on the tennis ball. He couldn’t lose this. He just couldn’t.

Those private lessons better pay off.

“Deuce!” Seth shouted.

He watched Natti’s head jerk as if he had slapped her out of her thoughts. He didn’t care. He threw the tennis ball into the air and slammed it into her court. Natti rushed after and used a well-executed forehand to return the tennis ball over the net. Seth charged into the game, putting all his anger and determination into every stroke. Unfortunately, Natti was besting him at every turn. It was quite beautiful, actually. Her moves were perfect, calculated, natural; like she had been rehearsing for this dance all her life. Each return bringing her one step closer to victory.

It wasn’t until late in the game that Seth finally saw his opening. He sent the tennis ball spiraling toward the edge of Natti’s court, opposite of where she stood and farther back. He couldn’t wait to see her scramble. To watch her gorgeous figure panic and push itself to the brink for the save. Yet something wasn’t right. Instead of instantly reacting as she had done with every return, she hesitated. Her body jerked while she watched the ball, clearly wanting to respond, but she was holding herself back.

She was throwing the game.

Rage burned in his chest when he watched Natti’s racquet miss the tennis ball by millimeters, giving him the advantage point just as the class bell rang in the distance.

“Oh yeah!” Ky bellowed behind him.

Mrs. Kuft blew her whistle. “Mr. O’Keefe! Ms. Stone! This was supposed to be a doubles match, not a singles!”

Seth’s eyes never left Natti while she leaned her palms on her knees. Her raven hair tumbled over her shoulder in twisted waves. Despite her ponytail, wild strands fluttered gently around her enchanting face.

“Sorry, Mrs. Kuft,” she panted. “We just got caught up in the excitement. Seth’s team won two to one, not counting our last game.”

A low, threatening growl radiated from Seth’s throat. His team might have won the set, but it should’ve been Natti who won the final point.

“I should make you both run laps.” Mrs. Kuft scowled, and then sighed. “However, if we had a team, I would also sign you both up for tryouts based on that amazing display.” She scratched something into her notes and stormed off.

“Oh right!” Ky cheered. “We won, which means free lunch all next week!”

“No!” Seth snapped.

Natti turned to him for the first time since the end of the game. Her glittering amethyst eyes wide. “What?”

“All bets are off,” he snarled. “I saw you throw the game.”

“I didn’t—”

“Don’t lie! You threw the game!”

“Who cares, bro?” Ky slapped Seth on the shoulder. His extra strength making Seth’s knees momentarily buckle from the force. “We won.”

“No! She threw the last point. All bets are off.”

By the way Natti’s brow crinkled and her tempting lips puckered together, Seth recognized that she was becoming very confused and agitated. Why was she fighting him on this? This was a no win situation. Neither one of them were getting what they wanted.

“Okay, so I threw the last point.” Seth looked at her mouth as she spoke. A deep urge to consume it with his own building his frustrations. “You still won the doubles.”

“There’s no discussing this.” Seth snapped at her. “I won’t honor the bet.”

Silence passed between them as Seth attempted to stare her down, trying to make his point of who really ran the show here. Only problem was Natti wouldn’t budge. Her stubbornness obviously too great to allow her to concede. Was she serious? Did she honestly think she could challenge him? He could turn her brain into guacamole with a single touch. No matter how much she could resist him, he would eventually win.

Wanda’s tiny voice suddenly broke the silence. “Uh, Natti. I’m going to head back.”

“Um, me too, dude,” Ky said. “Let me know how this all works out, man.”

Seth nodded, but didn’t bother to turn and look at his friend as he left his side. His focus was solely on Natti while she scanned the courts, waiting for them to clear before returning her attention to him.

“Why? I thought you’d at least be happy I didn’t win. You can continue to annoy me all you’d like now. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

Yes, but not like this. Not on her terms. “I didn’t want you to throw the game. You embarrassed me in front of the whole class!”

Natti laughed. “This coming from the guy who was flirting with my partner even before the game! Besides, if I let you win, I would have been stuck with you for a day!”

It felt as if a hot poker had been rammed through his chest. “Would that have been so terrible?”

“Yes, Seth! If it meant you trying to make me into one of your tarts that line up every morning, then yes!”

Her words twisted the poker and ripped it out with his heart. His grip tightened around his racquet while he tried to keep his emotions in check. He shouldn’t have felt this way. Not over a woman. He was a Son of Set, a future hem-netjer. No woman was worth this. In his world, woman were worth nothing. So why the hell was she making him feel this way?

“You want to know what’s really ironic, Seth?” Natti’s tone was low and haunting. “If you hadn’t been trying to get your leg over with me all this time, and really tried to get to know me instead, I might have actually liked you.”

A lump lodged itself into Seth’s throat. But before he even had the chance to think of something—anything to say, she turned on her heel and marched away. Leaving an empty, vulnerable feeling inside his chest.

Whew! Tension much? 

Kelsey's written/working on a total of 5 titles. Wow! You go, Kelsey! ;)

If you'd like to read more about Natti and Seth, you can find The Descendants of Isis series on Amazon and connect with Kelsey on her website.

***

Exclusive YASH INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway


#JLBbirthdaybash Bonus giveaway (US only): I turn 36 years young this month, and Killer (the new mascot here at LMTYAS) is throwing me a birthday party! We're giving away some pretty cool stuff, so check it out!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
For the next stop on the hunt, visit Tamara Vann.