BADASS AUTHOR, JEN McCONNEL

A Michigander by birth, Jen McConnel now makes her home in the beautiful state of North Carolina. She writes NA, including the recently released Adventures Abroad series (Bloomsbury Spark), the award winning YA novel Beautiful Curse, and various other works. When she isn’t writing, she can be found on her yoga mat or wandering off on another adventure. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.


Now, let's get to know this badass a little better.

What is your favorite word?
Loquacious. 

What is your least favorite word?
Should.

What sound or noise do you love?
Wind chimes.
  
What sound or noise do you hate?
Styrofoam rubbing together.
  
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
I used to want to be an Egyptologist (thanks, Indiana Jones!)
  
What profession would you not like to do?
Driving (racing, trucks, taxis, etc). I like to drive, but I’d hate to do it for a living!

What is your favorite color Popsicle?
Green!

Sprinklers or Slip N Slide?
Sprinklers!

Favorite John Hughes Movie?
Breakfast Club all the way.

Last song you listened to?
Something off the Taylor Swift 1989 album…I ❤ it!

What book do you wish you would have written because it’s just that good?
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, or American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

In one sentence or less, what does every aspiring-author need to know?
Drop the aspiring and write.

STRAIGHT UP, BADASS!!

Now, check out DAUGHTER OF CHAOS which is included in the SPIRITS, SPELLS and SWOONS, OH MY! prize pack:

Click here to see a full list of prize packs

ABOUT THE RED MAGIC SERIES:

There comes a time in every witch's life when she must choose her path. Darlena's friends have already chosen, so why is it so hard for her to make up her mind? Now, Darlena is out of time. Under pressure from Hecate, the queen of all witches, Darlena makes a rash decision to choose Red magic, a path no witch in her right mind would dare take. As a Red witch, she will be responsible for chaos and mayhem, drawing her deep into darkness. Will the power of Red magic prove too much for Darlena, or will she learn to control it before it's too late?

Beware the witch who wields Red magic…and remember that the gods of chaos cannot be trusted.

Jen loves connecting with her readers, so stalk her on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, her blog or website, and be sure to add her books to your Goodreads list. 

Now, ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

*Many thanks to James Lipton for letting me steal sharing his awesome interview questions*

BADASS AUTHOR, REBEKAH CRANE

Rebekah Crane fell in love with YA literature while studying Secondary English Education at Ohio University. After having two kids, living in six different cities, and finally settling down in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, her first novel, PLAYING NICE, was published. ASPEN, her second YA novel, released in June 2014. Rebekah's other accomplishments include: World's Biggest Julie Andrews Fan and current girlfriend to Jane Austen (it's kind of a one-sided relationship). She is also widely known for singing an impeccable rendition of Janis Joplin's "Me and My Bobby McGee" and credits herself with single-handedly bringing back tie-dye.

Rebekah now spends her day carpooling kids or tucked behind a laptop at 7,500 ft high in the Rockies, where the altitude only enhances the writing experience.

Now, let's get to know this badass a little better...

What is your favorite word?
Juxtaposition  
What is your least favorite word?
Discharge

What sound or noise do you love? 
A rushing mountain stream  

What sound or noise do you hate?
The sound of someone vomiting. GAH.   

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
SOAP OPERA STAR. Best. Job. Ever.

What profession would you not like to do?

Bus driver. It’s like Groundhog Day. Same route. Different day. And my butt would hurt from sitting all the time.

What is your favorite color Popsicle?

Orange

Sprinklers or Slip N Slide?

Slip N’ Slide!!

Favorite John Hughes Movie?

The Breakfast Club

Last song you listened to?

Marty Robbins’ El Paso

What book do you wish you would have written because it’s just that good?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, damn it.

In one sentence or less, what does every aspiring-author need to know?

The rule of 70/30: To get a reader invested in your story, tell 70% of everything you want to tell, the reader will have to imagine the other 30%, in turn becoming a part of the story themselves.  

*sniffs* Yup, BADASS!

Now, here's a peek at the TWO books Rebekah has up for grabs. PLAYING NICE is included in the SAND BETWEEN MY TOES prize pack, 

and ASPEN is one of the great books in the SPELLS, SPIRITS AND SWOONS, OH MY! prize pack.

Click here for a full list of prize packs

Martina "Marty" Hart is really nice. At least, that's what people think. It's Marty's junior year at Minster High. Minster's a small town where making great grades and smiling pretty gets you ... what? Marty's not sure. Instead of dreaming about a sororities-and-frats future at nearby University of Michigan, she's restless. When Lil Hatfield transfers to Minster, Marty gets her chance. Lil's different. She smokes, listens to angry punk records, and lives in a weird trailer with her mother. Lil has secrets--secrets that make her a target for all the gossiping and online bullying Minster can muster. But so does Marty. And Marty sees something different in Lil. Something honest. Something real. Playing Nice is the achingly true story of a girl who's been following the rules for so long she's forgotten who she was when she started. It's about falling in love with the wrong people and not seeing the right ones, about the moments in life when you step out of line, take a chance ... and begin to break free.

One quiet night in Boulder, Colorado, Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor made a mistake.

Aspen doesn't want to remember the car accident that killed Katelyn Ryan, a sleek-haired popular soccer player. But forgetting is hard-- because Katelyn may have died -- but she didn't leave. Her ghost is following Aspen around, and heading into senior year, it's kind of a problem. Especially when Katelyn's former boyfriend Ben appears to be the only person at school with a clue as to how Aspen feels.

Popularity, Homecoming Court, hot guys - none of these things ever mattered to Aspen. She's been busy trying to keep her stoner mother Ninny in line and out of unemployment. But with Ben sitting next to her in Physics and her therapist begging her to remember all the things she wants to forget, Aspen is thrust into a vivid, challenging world she can't control ... and doesn't want to.

A darkly funny, emotionally gripping story of opening up, letting go, and moving on, Aspen is about the best-worst accident of your life ... and what comes next.

Rebekah adores stalkers, so track her down on her website, Twitter or Facebook, and be sure to add her books to your Goodreads list. 

Now, ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

*Many thanks to James Lipton for letting me steal sharing his awesome interview questions*

BADASS AUTHOR, LYNNE MATSON

Lynne Matson grew up in Georgia in a house full of books and with a backyard full of gnarly pines. A former attorney, Lynne now spends her days writing books about mysterious islands and other fantastical things.

When she's not writing or reading, you'll find her hanging out with her husband and their four amazing boys, probably on the beach. Cookies are her kryptonite, especially thin mints.

Now, let's get to know this badass a little better...

What is your favorite word?  
love

What is your least favorite word? 

acknowledge (I always spell it wrong and it always looks weird.)

What sound or noise do you love?  
my kids’ giggles when tickled
What sound or noise do you hate?  

whining!    
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Hmmm…since I’ve already been a lawyer, that one’s out. Maybe professional cookie taster or music journalist.   
What profession would you not like to do? 

Anything involving blood. *shivers*

What is your favorite color Popsicle? 

blue!

Sprinklers or Slip N Slide?

Sprinklers all the way baby

Favorite John Hughes Movie? 

The Breakfast Club

Last song you listened to? 

Everything is Lost by Maggie Eckford

What book do you wish you would have written because it’s just that good? 
Well, obviously, Harry Potter. Duh.:) But other than HP? The Winner’s Curse or Throne of Glass or The Scorpio Races or…:) 
In one sentence or less, what does every aspiring-author need to know? Do not quit, believe in yourself, and remember that publishing is a marathon, not a sprint.

Yup, straight-up BAD.ASS.
Now, here's a look at the book that's up for grabs in the AGAINST THE ODDS prize pack:

Click here for a full list of prize packs

  On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have one year. Exactly 365 days--to escape, or you die.

Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s lying naked in an empty rock field.

Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that to save their future, Charley must first save him. And on an island rife with dangers, their greatest threat is time. 

Lynne loves hanging out with readers, so be sure to check out her website, or find her on Twitter or Facebook. And add her books to your Goodreads list, too!

Now, ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

  *Many thanks to James Lipton for letting me steal sharing his awesome interview questions* 

BADASS AUTHOR, JAYE ROBIN BROWN

Jaye Robin Brown, or Jro to her friends and family, lives in the mountains outside of Asheville, North Carolina. A dreamer by nature, she knew life wouldn’t be complete until she was surrounded by land, horses, dogs, and one cantankerous goat. When not writing or playing on her fourteen acre farm, you can find her in the art room at the public high school where she teaches.

NO PLACE TO FALL is her debut novel. It's about dreams, singing, friendship, love, betrayal, family, and mistakes. It's also a love song to small town girls and mountain music, both of which shape the area that Jaye now calls home. 

Now, let's get to know this badass a little better...

What is your favorite word?

Indubitably. But you have to say it with a Mary Poppins accent.

What is your least favorite word?

 Thick. Such a gross word.

What sound or noise do you love?

 My horses’ nickering when they see me coming to feed.

  

What sound or noise do you hate?

Sirens, too loud, too indicative of bad things.

  

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

 Pastry chef!

 

What profession would you not like to do?

 Accountant. Me and numbers—not friends. It’s like pulling teeth to even get me to gather my numbers for taxes. Thinking about being an accountant is shudder inducing.

What is your favorite color Popsicle?

 I don’t eat regular popsicles. But I love the fruit ones. Lime is my current fave, though mango is a close second!

Sprinklers or Slip N Slide? 

Slip N Slide all the way!

Favorite John Hughes Movie? 

"Bueller? Anyone? Bueller?” I regularly quote this exact line and give extra credit when students know the reference!

Last song you listened to? 

The Distance by Cake. A student was playing it on his laptop. It’s a great song!

What book do you wish you would have written because it’s just that good?

So many, but I’ll go with Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo – it’s really the book that gave me the strong urge to write for young people. On the loftier end of things, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barberry. First book in ages that I’ve highlighted quote after quote after quote. Read it.

In one sentence or less, what does every aspiring author need to know?

Read widely, write often, value tenacity, and live ferociously.

Would I lie to you?? TOTAL BADASS!

Now, here's a glimpse of Jaye's book that's included in the SAND BETWEEN MY TOES prize pack:

Click here for a full list of prize packs

Amber Vaughn is a good girl. She sings solos at church, babysits her nephew after school, and spends Friday nights hanging out at the house of her best friend, Devon. But when she learns about an audition at a prestigious arts school, Amber decides that her dream—to sing on bigger stages—could also be her ticket to a new life. Devon’s older brother, Will, helps Amber prepare for her one chance to try out. The more time Will and Amber spend together, the more complicated their relationship becomes . . . and Amber starts to wonder if she’s such a good girl, after all.

Then, in an afternoon, the bottom drops out of her family’s world—and Amber is faced with an impossible choice between her promise as an artist and the people she loves. Amber always thought she knew what a good girl would do. But between right and wrong, there’s a whole world of possibilities.

Do yourself a favor and start stalking Jaye on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and add her to your Goodreads list.

And now, ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Many thanks to James Lipton for letting me steal sharing his awesome interview questions* 

BADASS AUTHOR, ANGELA V. COOK

Angela V. Cook lives a very unexciting, but never boring, life with her husbandand two children just outside of Detroit. Like most writers, she’s been making up stories for as long as she can remember and can’t imagine a life that doesn’t involve creating worlds.

Angela loves to write novels for teens because it’s the best outlet for her sarcastic personality, immature sense of humor, and love of romantic firsts. Her idea of the perfect day involves a quiet house, a good book, and a piece of cheesecake. Or two.

Now, let's get to know this badass:

What is your favorite word?

Buffet (#foodie).

What is your least favorite word?

That dreaded “P” word for female underwear—blick!

What sound or noise do you love?

I love that little, hard-to-describe noise babies make when they're drinking from a bottle/being nursed (kind of like a grunt, but not really).
  

What sound or noise do you hate?

Oh, dear Lord… I could write a book on this topic. Let’s see… toenails being clipped (especially at work), popping jaws (it’s a thing), whining (from kids AND adults), noisy eaters (unless they’re babies—see above), and my husband’s snoring.
  

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Broadway performer. Well, you know, if I could actually sing, dance, or act.

 

What profession would you not like to do?

Again, another long list, but off the top of my head, I’d hate to be one of those people who have to suck out septic tanks.

What is your favorite color Popsicle?

Popsicles always remind me of being eight years old and sick with strep throat, but if I had to choose, I’d pick red.

Sprinklers or Slip N Slide?

Sprinklers—no doubt. Have you ever attempted a Slip N Slide as an adult? I was sore for days afterwards, and I’m pretty sure I cracked a rib.

Favorite John Hughes Movie?

Pretty in Pink!

Last song you listened to?

“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper. I know… #Random

What book do you wish you would have written because it’s just that good?

ELEANOR AND PARK by Rainbow Rowell. All those FEELS! Love it!

In one sentence or less, what does every aspiring author need to know?

Getting people interested in your book is easy; convincing them to actually buy it is DAMN HARD!

RIGHT?! BAD.ASS

Now, here's a little about the book Angela's contributing to the SPELLS, SPIRITS and SWOONS, OH MY! Prize pack:

Click here for a full list of prize packs

Allison McKready is a succubus. So is her twin sister. But while Allison spends her summer break hiding in the library behind her Goth makeup, Jade fools around as often as she can. Allison can’t believe Jade would ignore their mother’s fatal example so recklessly, but concealing a cursed bloodline and its dangerous effects is far from Allison’s only problem. Mean girl Julie’s snob mob is determined to ruin her summer, and Aunt Sarah’s Bible thumping is getting louder. Only her new friend, Ren Fisher, offers safe haven from the chaos of her life.

When one of Jade’s risky dates leads to humiliation and sudden tragedy, Allison reels, and Ren catches her. But as her feelings for him grow, so does her fear that she’ll hurt him—or worse—in an unguarded moment. The choice is coming—love him or save him—but Allison might not live to make it. One way or another, the curse will have its due.

Angela loves hanging with her readers, so start stalking her on her website, Twitter and Facebook, and be sure to add her to your Goodreads list.

Now, ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!

SORRY TO OUR INTERNATIONAL READERS, BUT THIS IS A U.S. ONLY GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Many thanks to James Lipton for letting me steal sharing his awesome interview questions*