Authors ARE Rockstars Winners Announced!

I can hardly believe that this tour ended almost a week ago! And I'm more than a little excited to say that tomorrow I'll be filling these two boxes full with previously released ARCs for two lucky winners, and then I'll be hauling them down to the post office! It will be hard for me to let a lot of these books go because I know that most of them I never really got a chance to read even though I had every intention to do so. But I figure that, when I actually do get the chance, I'll just purchase the book. Until then, I'll give someone else a chance to read them. Make sure you also head on over to Two Chicks on Books and to Fiktshun to see the winners for the giveaways that they hosted!

And the winners are...
Maria S.
&
Dana C.

And the International winner is...
Nara L.
CONGRATS!

Authors Are Rockstars Tour: It’s a Wrap!

August has ended and so has the 2nd Annual Authors Are Rockstars Tour. This year’s event, with over 160 authors on tour, was a bit more of a challenge, but still a lot of fun.

There were guest posts, interviews, dueling interviews in which two authors interviewed each other, playlists, top ten lists, deleted scenes, excerpts, a chat and much, much more.

This year’s author participants sent along some amazing posts for their blog hosts, proving our point that authors are in fact rockstars. And the bloggers that hosted their favorite rockstar authors did a phenomenal job of showing those who stopped by exactly why their author was a rockstar.

In the end we had 168 participating authors plus one author spotlight and 155 bloggers involved in this event. Which was totally surprising and absolutely amazing. Even with a few mishaps along the way we definitely consider this event a success.

If August was as crazy a month for you as it was for us and you didn't get a chance to visit all the stops, CLICK HERE for the full lineup with direct links to each of the stops on tour. There may even be a few giveaways still open, so be sure to check them out.

For this year's event we were honored to welcome back a number of authors from last year and were thrilled to welcome a number of new authors to the tour. Some of the author participants have long been on our rockstar authors list but we are totally stoked to be able to call many new or new-to-us authors rockstars this year.

We hope, for both readers and author and blogger participants alike, that this event was a lot of fun. And we hope that with this year's tour we were able to put a few new authors and bloggers on your radar.

The authors on tour this year are all ones we consider rockstars, but they are not all the authors we consider rockstars. While we would have loved to include every single rockstar author on our tour, we are only three bloggers and can only do so much. But we were super excited to be able to add to the number of authors we had on tour last year.

When we hosted this event last year it was only ever intended to be a one-time event. And while we decided to do this again this year, we currently do not have plans to do this again next year. It's eleven months away and who knows where we'll be. But you never know... anything is possible....

The Tour Giveaways

We will each be announcing the winners of our tour "kick-off" giveaways on our respective blogs next weekend. So be sure to stop by to see if you won. Winners will also be contacted by email after the announcements have gone live.

To Those We Owe Thanks

Firstly we cannot thank the authors enough for generously giving of their time to this event. Taking the time away from their busy writing and editing schedules to create the posts and answer the questions and to support this event means the world to us.

Without them there would be no event. And we are eternally grateful.

Once again we have to thank the wonderful team at Harlequin TEEN for their unfailing support of each and every one of their authors by offering their books for giveaway and for helping to spread the word about this event.

And, of course, we have to thank the wonderful blog hosts who wrote such heartfelt passages about why their author was a rockstar, who came up with interesting topics and questions for the authors they adore, and who put together some pretty fantastic posts which gave readers the chance to learn a bit more about each of the participating authors on tour.

We'd also like to give a special thanks to Lost at Midnight Reviews for putting together an amazing post spotlighting her rockstar author when circumstances prevented her from being able to participate. If we hadn't already considered her author a rockstar, we most certainly would have after reading her post.

And last, but absolutely not least, we would like to thank all of the readers who followed the tour, left comments sharing their thoughts about the rockstar authors on each of the blog stops, who helped to spread the word about this year's event, and who share their enthusiasm and love for the authors year after year by reading their books and spreading the word to anyone who will listen.

Every single one of you totally rocks!

From One Host to Another

This year's event couldn't be the success it was without both Jaime of Two Chicks on Books and Rachel of Fiktshun co-hosting with me.

There is no way we could have pulled off an event as large as this year's event without being able to work together as a team. And I felt like together we were an awesome team.

I want to once again personally thank Jaime and Rachel for letting me participate in AARS this year! And I want to especially thank them for being patient with me when I went completely off the grid on vacation during a very critical time for AARS, right before the event started, and also when I was completely MIA because I caught a strange virus that had me in bed almost comatose for a week! You ladies totally rock! And thanks for understanding!!! I hope I pulled my weight when I wasn't MIA! These ladies are amazing and, in my opinion, Jaime and Rachel are super heroes and they’d totally take down superman in a fight!

And you all have to know that if it weren't for Jaime and Rachel’s awesomely amazing tracking/scheduling system running in the background and if it weren't for both of them being extremely organized, this would have been a crazy mess. I’m thoroughly impressed! I couldn’t be more thrilled that I got a chance to help them and participate in such an amazing event.

Well, that just about does it....

If we've forgotten to thank anyone, we are so, so sorry. While the event has ended, we are still knee-deep in giveaways, so we are still just a bit frazzled. So... just in case someone was missed, we'd like to thank everyone!

Thank you everyone!

The Authors Are Rockstars Giveaway Winners will be posted next weekend, so be sure to stop by each of our blogs to see if you've won.

But for now... it’s a wrap.

Authors Are Rockstars: Introducing Karsten Knight

About Karsten

Karsten Knight has been writing since the age of six, when he completed his first masterpiece: a picture book series about an adventurous worm. In the two decades that have followed, Karsten has worked as a proofreader, a bookseller, and a college admissions counselor before he finally decided that his true calling was to be a volcano goddess biographer. He lives in Boston, and for more information or to watch his video blog, visit KarstenKnight.com.

☆ How to find Karsten ☆
Blog ★ Twitter ★ Facebook ★ Goodreads

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About his books!
Wildefire #1
Click on the pic to see my review!

Publisher’s Summary: Every flame begins with a spark.

Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She's struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve's violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California's redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn't go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she's one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she's got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there's guaranteed to be a storm.

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Wildefire #2
Click on the pic to see my review!

Publisher’s summary: Ashline Wilde may have needed school to learn that she is actually a reincarnated goddess, but she’s ready to move beyond books. She leaves her California boarding school behind and makes for Miami, where she meets a new group of deities and desperately seeks her sister Rose, the goddess of war. But she’s also looking for love—because even though her romance with Cole had to be snuffed, Ash is a volcano goddess—and she doesn’t get burned.

This sequel to the edgy and action-packed Wildefire continues a fiery drama on an immortal scale.

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Wildefire #3

Coming Soon

Release date:
November 12, 2013

The action thrills and the passion burns in this red-hot conclusion to the Wildefire trilogy.

Teenage volcano goddess Ashline Wilde discovers that her former love, Colt Halliday, has an evil plan to kill the Cloak, the benevolent beings that oversee the gods. And that’s not all—he also wants to merge Ash and her two sisters back into a single, too-powerful goddess, Pele. Ash must stop her trickster-god ex-boyfriend once and for all…and to do it, she’s going to have to feed a few flames.

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Mindy: Hey Karsten! Welcome to Magical Urban Fantasy Reads!!! I’m a super-fan of your Wildefire series, and I totally think your protagonist, Ash, is kick ass! And the villains in your series are amazingly well-developed and, in my opinion, they are the very definition of The Perfect Villain!

My most remembered moment while reading your books was when I was reading the last few pages of Wildefire. I remember thinking that the plot for that book was completely over and that you were just tying up loose ends to close up shop. And THEN you threw in this crazy twist on the very last page and I’m pretty sure I jumped up and shouted out loud, in complete shock! It was so completely brilliant how you pulled off that crazy twist…and I think you are a rockstar because of it!

Now for your Q&A!

Mindy: Your big-time fans know you well for you hilarious videos/vlogs! Why haven’t you done one in a while? And when do you think you’ll do another one? Soon?

Karsten: I really loved vlogging when I started several years ago. I had performed improv and standup comedy throughout high school and college, so filming those videos allowed me to fill that void while also connecting with fans. It was time-consuming (editing takes forever) yet doable while I was in my MFA program, but I ultimately decided to focus my limited free time on what I really enjoy: the writing part. But you never know when vlogging inspiration will strike.

Mindy: What has been the most awkward or bizarre thing that a fan has said to you?

Karsten: You know, I’m far more awkward than my fans—probably because I’m perpetually dumbfounded that I actually have fans. So when people recognize me at a signing or book festival, I get incredibly tongue-tied. It’s sort of like walking around, thinking you’re wearing Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak, but then getting really confused when some people can see through it.

Mindy: You seem to have a pretty quirky sense of humor. Do you have any embarrassing moments in your writing history that you are not too embarrassed to share?

Karsten: When I was writing full-time at home, all my roommates had jobs with typical day hours, so I spent a lot of time alone…which eventually made me way too comfortable with talking to myself. This can present some awkward situations, especially when you’re pacing around the house, rehearsing conversations between your characters out loud—and you realize all too late that your roommate has taken the day off from work. Then you have to be like, “Chris, I swear I don’t hear voices! …Often.”

Mindy: After the way you ended Wildefire and, especially, after you informed me of the setting where you originally intended to end Embers and Echoes (Talk about cliffhanger, literally! But, luckily, you added a few pages to the end), I’ve been wondering . . . “Do you start writing your books with the intent to torture your readers?”

Karsten: …Yes.

I’ve seen some reviewers take this enraged stance, “Authors end books on cliffhangers just so you’ll buy the next one!” Please, we’re not that smart. Or financially Machiavellian. I just have a twisted part of me that enjoys finishing books feeling a little unsettled, so I choose to inflict that on my readers, too, whether they like it or not.

Mindy: With that in mind, do you also like torturing your characters?

Karsten: I had this self-epiphany recently where I realized that, in just about everything I’ve ever written, there is inevitably a scene where someone gets chained to something—a rock in the ocean, the ceiling of a humidor, a stone altar—and threatened with a less-than-desirable end. Interpret that knowledge however you like.

True story: My favorite review I’ve ever read was Kirkus’s review of Embers & Echoes. This might seem strange at first, since the review was, overall, less than flattering…but they said that I write “creatively gruesome deaths,” which is the highest praise I could ever ask for.

I have problems.

Mindy: And, will we Wildefire fans be tortured by the end of Afterglow, or do you think we’ll be happy with the ending?

Karsten: All I will say is that I hope the last page will make you feel a sense of…dark vindication.

Mindy: Was it a challenge to write in the POV of a female character?

Karsten: To be honest…no. I just focused on writing Ashline Wilde as a human being, and let the other details fall into place around the character that had developed in my mind.

If you try too hard to write “the female POV” or “the male perspective,” I think you run the risk of conforming to polarized gender norms, and you also potentially strip your character of her ability to make choices that might surprise the reader. Readers will say things like, “A woman would never say that,” or, “The girls I grew up with never used such crass words,” or, “I would haven’t made that choice.” Great—but this story isn’t about you. It’s about Ashline Wilde. If characters always made the exact choices that we would make, or acted or spoke the same way as the people we grew up around, what would be the fun—or the surprise—in that?

Personally, I get really bored when I read a book where the character never makes some poor decisions. I solemnly swear my characters are up to no good.

Mindy: There is a pretty shocking twist when it comes to the three sisters in Embers and Echoes. Did you already have this twist in mind when you first started writing Wildefire? Or, did this twist come to you later, after you started writing?

Karsten: That idea came to me partway through writing Wildefire, as I was doing more research on Pele (the Polynesian volcano goddess). I was fortunate enough that my agent and editor had my same twisted sensibilities and let me run with that idea in Embers & Echoes.

Mindy: Now that you are done with the Wildefire series, are you working on any projects that you’re allowed to talk about?

Karsten: I have two ongoing projects. One plays with time and chronology, which is appropriate, because it feels like I’ve been revising it forever. The other is a modern-day noir set in Boston. When people ask me what it’s about, I usually just blurt out cryptic things like “Drugs! Gangsters! Cancer!” All of which are true, but confusing nonetheless.

Mindy: Can you tell us some totally random things about yourself?

Karsten: I used to be able to solve any Rubik’s cube in under two minutes, but I haven’t picked one up in years, so I’m worried that I’ve lost that skill…. It used to make a great party trick, though.

Mindy: Any final thoughts from your brilliantly quirky mind?

Karsten: Lobsters.

Mindy: Thank you so much Karsten for stopping by Magical Urban Fantasy Reads!


Haven't seen Karsten's awesome videos?
Here's two of my fave!!!



Want to see more? Here's where to find them!
Karsten's Vlogs on YA Rebels ★ Karsten's Youtube Channel

Authors Are Rockstars: Introducing Allison van Diepen

About Allison

Allison van Diepen is the author of Street Pharm, Snitch, Raven, The Oracle of Dating series, The Vampire Stalker and Takedown. Her novels have been named ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers and New York City Public Library Books for the Teen Age. She holds degrees in History and Education, and teaches at an alternative school in Ottawa, Canada.

☆ How to find Allison ☆
Website ★ Twitter ★ Facebook ★ Goodreads
Why I think Allison is a Rockstar!

When I first saw all the different books that Allison has written and published, I was amazed! It’s awesome that she’s published such unique stories in such a variety of different genres, and I hear that all her books are really dark and gritty. But that doesn’t surprise me after I read on her bio page that her best friend as a kid was not allowed to play with her because Allison’s stories gave her nightmares. I love that! Now that’s a true rockstar!

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About her books!

A teen infiltrates a drug ring to settle a vendetta in this fast-paced novel from the author of Street Pharm and Snitch.

Darren took the fall for Diamond Tony, the notorious head of the city’s drug cartel. Two years later, Darren’s finally out of juvie—and determined to get even.

Working as an informant for the police, Darren infiltrates Diamond Tony’s operation. But falling for sweet, innocent Jessica was not part of that plan. She’s a distraction—and a liability. She’s also everything Darren dreamed about while he was locked up, and with her, he has the promise of a fresh start.

When a deadly turf war breaks out between Diamond Tony and the Bloods, Darren gets caught in the crossfire. The cops think he’s playing both sides, and any mistake could be his last. Darren has to stay on his game if he’s going to protect Jessica—and if he’s going to stay alive.


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Julia swore she’d never join a gang—but for Eric, she’ll risk everything. Now in trade paperback with a new cover, a gritty novel from the author of Street Pharm.

Lines are clearly marked at South Bay High School. It’s mixed territory for the Crips and the Bloods, which means the drama never stops.

Julia DiVino wants none of it. No colors, no C-Walks—it’s just not her thing.

But everything changes when Eric Valienté transfers to South Bay and rolls into her life. Lines are redrawn. And then they are crossed.


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A successful teen drug dealer is forced to reexamine it all in this riveting novel, now in trade paperback with a new cover, from the author of Snitch.

Ty Johnson knows survival. The supply game’s in his blood. And now that he’s taken over his pop’s business, Ty’s smarts and skills have earned him some serious street cred. But Alyse knows nothing about Ty’s reputation, and he’s determined to keep it that way. She’s too beautiful, too brainy, too straight-laced to ever get involved with someone who deals. As long as Ty walks the line, life’s pretty sweet.

Then one slip—one serious competitor—and things turn ugly fast. Suddenly Ty’s got to rethink his whole strategy. And for the #1 dealer on the streets, strategy is not just about staying ahead. It’s about staying alive.


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Zin dances with fire in every step; speaks with a honey sweet voice; and sees with eyes that can peer into your soul. Nicole's friendship with him is the only thing that saves her from the boredom of school and the turmoil of her family life. It's no wonder why Nicole is madly in love with him. But she can't understand why he keeps her at a distance, even though she can feel his soul reaching out for hers.

Zin is like no man Nicole has ever met, and he carries with him a very old secret. When Nicole uncovers the truth, her love may be the only thing that can save him from it.


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What if the characters in a vampire novel left their world-and came into yours?

Amy is in love with Alexander Banks, a brooding, handsome vampire hunter. There's just one problem: He doesn't exist. Alexander is the hero in a series of popular vampire novels, and Amy has breathlessly followed all his fictional adventures.

Then, late one night, fiction becomes reality.

Amy meets a boy who bears an eerie resemblance to Alexander Banks. In fact, he IS Alexander, come to life from the pages of the book. And he's in hot pursuit of Vigo, the ruthless vampire who has also crossed over into Amy's city. As Amy struggles to unravel the mystery behind Alexander's arrival, she must help him track down Vigo before too many lives are at risk. But attraction, danger, and dark secrets soon collide, leaving Amy to wonder if the greatest thing at stake... is her heart.



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The Other Books!

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Mindy: Hi Allison! Welcome to Magical Urban Fantasy Reads.
Can you tell us a little bit about your upcoming release, Takedown?

Allison: It’s about a teen who comes out of juvie and wants to settle a score with a drug kingpin. School Library Journal just called it the “Y.A. version of The Wire”.

Mindy: How would you describe the characters in Takedown and their personalities?

Allison: Our main character, Darren, is smart, determined, and tough as nails. But he also loves his little brother and his girlfriend so much, and would do ANYTHING to protect them. As for Diamond Tony, he brings evil badass to another level. He HAS to be taken down, and Darren’s just the one to do it.

Mindy: What was your favorite scene to write in Takedown?

Allison: The big showdown near the end. It will NOT disappoint!

Mindy: You’ve written both Urban Fantasy and Contemporary. Which is easier for you to write and why?

Allison: You might think the world-building involved in urban fantasy is more difficult, but coming up with a realistic, exciting story can be tough as well. When it’s realistic, you have to play by the rules of nature and of society… and I’ve never been good at playing by the rules. ☺

Mindy: Why do you prefer to write Young Adult novels?

Allison: The teen voice feels natural to me. And I’m a high school teacher, so I’m very connected to my teen self!

Mindy: Do you prefer to write a stand-alone or do you like writing series?

Allison: It’s important to me that all of my books stand alone. BUT I like writing books with connected characters. As a reader, I’ve always enjoyed seeing characters I know return in a different capacity.

Mindy: I've heard that you will have some of your previously published books re-released. Is this true? If yes, which books and in what order? And, which re-release would you most like us to read?

Allison: Yes, STREET PHARM and SNITCH are being re-released alongside TAKEDOWN. They’ve been updated and will have fresh new covers. You can read them in any order, as long as you read them!

Mindy: Do you have any other books in the works? And, if yes, can you tell us something about them?

Allison: I’m writing about a teen who’s witnessed a murder, and falls in love with the leader of a mysterious street gang. Stay tuned! And don’t forget to look me up on Facebook for the latest updates…

Mindy: Thanks Allison for stopping by Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! You're a rockstar!

Allison: Ah, stop it! ☺ Thanks for having me.

Authors Are Rockstars: Introducing Sarah Beth Durst + Giveaway

About Sarah

Goodreads' summary: Sarah Beth Durst is the author of Vessel, Drink, Slay, Love, Enchanted Ivy, and Ice from Simon & Schuster, as well as Into the Wild and its sequel Out of the Wild from Penguin Young Readers. Her next book for teens, Conjured, comes out in September 2013 from Bloomsbury/Walker. Her first book for adults, The Lost, comes out in November 2013 from Harlequin/Luna. She has been writing fantasy stories since she was ten years old and holds an English degree from Princeton University, where she spent four years studying English, writing about dragons, and wondering what the campus gargoyles would say if they could talk. Sarah lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband and children. For more information, visit her at www.sarahbethdurst.com.

☆ How to find Sarah ☆
Website ★ Blog ★ Twitter ★ Facebook ★ Goodreads

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About her books!
Coming Soon!

Release date:
September 3, 2013

Publisher's Summary: Eve has a new home, a new face, and a new name—but no memories of her past. She’s been told that she's in a witness protection program. That she escaped a dangerous magic-wielding serial killer who still hunts her. The only thing she knows for sure is that there is something horrifying in her memories the people hiding her want to access—and there is nothing they won’t say—or do—to her to get her to remember.

At night she dreams of a tattered carnival tent and buttons being sewn into her skin. But during the day, she shelves books at the local library, trying to not let anyone know that she can do things—things like change the color of her eyes or walk through walls. When she does use her strange powers, she blacks out and is drawn into terrifying visions, returning to find that days or weeks have passed—and she’s lost all short-term memories. Eve must find out who and what she really is before the killer finds her—but the truth may be more dangerous than anyone could have ever imagined.


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Newest Release!

Publisher's Summary: Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.


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A Book I Loved!
Click on the cover to see my review!

Publisher's Summary: Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire . . . fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil . . . until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.

Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast—as the entrÉes.

The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?


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The Other Books!


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Why I think Sarah Beth Durst is a Rockstar!

Sarah Beth Durst is brilliant! In fact, I’m shocked to find out that she has a bunch of books that I’ve never heard about, so I want to read them all ASAP because of my awesome experience with her writing in Drink, Slay, Love (the book I have read), and I can’t wait to tell you about it.

Drink, Slay, Love is very unique and snarky. I laughed and snickered all through the book. It was like Sarah picked all these crazy ideas (I’m totally astonished that she came up with all these ideas for this one book!), and she brought them all together for an amazing, fun and compelling story! And the characters were all very well done and compelling . . . even the side characters who only played really small parts! And, even though I read Drink, Slay Love over two years ago, I’m even now still able to pull up that mental picture in my mind of what I saw while reading this story. That’s a true rockstar!

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You’ve written and published many different types of books. Can you tell us a little bit about the process you use to create each of your stories?

Really, the process for me is loosely the same for each book:

First, I ask myself: If I were to walk into a bookstore or library right now, what kind of book would I want to read?

Then I ask myself: What are the most awesome things that could be in a book like that? And I make a list -- kind of a grocery list, but instead of milk, bread, and Raisinets, I put things like: creepy carnival, serial killer, levitation, teleportation, transformation, and amnesia.

And then I shake those items around in my brain for a while (sometimes hours, sometimes days), usually while typing out whatever thoughts spill out of my head (because I think better through my fingers), until something spills out that makes me say, "Ooh, yes!"

From there, I keep shaking the thoughts until I have enough "ooh, yes" ideas to coalesce into a story.

I'm oversimplifying, of course, but that's essentially it.

The differences between my books are caused by the different ways the ideas collide together when I shake them. In the case of CONJURED (my next YA novel), those ideas that I listed above coalesced into a creepy, mind-bending thriller. For THE LOST (my upcoming novel for adults), my list centered on a town full of lost things and lost people, and so the book became a magical realism / contemporary fantasy. For VESSEL, I wanted to write about a desert steeped in magic and legend with gods that walked the earth – and so I wrote a sweeping epic adventure. For DRINK, SLAY, LOVE, I wanted a dark comedy with an evil vampire girl as my “heroine” and a were-unicorn. ENCHANTED IVY is a magical adventure on a college campus. ICE is a romantic fairy-tale adventure with a talking polar bear and an Arctic scientist’s daughter. And INTO THE WILD and OUT OF THE WILD are about fairy-tale characters living in my old hometown.

But despite these outward differences, all my books also have similarities. All of them are fantasy. All of them have a kick-ass heroine who faces incredible odds. All of them have a dose of adventure, a dose of romance, and a dose of humor. All of them have a note of hope. And the reason for these similarities is that they are all built around the same core: they're all the kind of books I like to read.

And so that would be my advice to anyone out there who wants to write. Forget about the old adage "write what you know." Forget about writing what your teachers wanted you to write, what your friends and family expect you to write, and what you think you should be writing. Instead, write what you love to read.


-Signed copy of CONJURED
-US Shipping Only
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Authors Are Rockstars: Introducing Dan Wells + Giveaway

About Dan Wells!

Dan Wells is the author of partials and the hollow city as well as the John Cleaver series: I Am Not a Serial Killer, Mr. Monster, and I Don't Want To Kill You. He has been nominated for both the Hugo and the Campbell Award and has won two Parsec Awards for his podcast, Writing Excuses. He plays a lot of games, reads a lot of books, and eats a lot of food, which is pretty much the ideal life he imagined for himself as a child.


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About his books!

The First Book!
Click on the cover to see my review!

Publisher's Summary: The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

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Newest Release!
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Publisher’s summary: Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues to who she is. That the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood cannot be a coincidence—it must be part of a larger plan, a plan that involves Kira, a plan that could save both races. Her companions are Afa Demoux, an unhinged drifter and former employee of ParaGen, and Samm and Heron, the Partials who betrayed her and saved her life, the only ones who know her secret. But can she trust them?

Meanwhile, back on Long Island, what's left of humanity is gearing up for war with the Partials, and Marcus knows his only hope is to delay them until Kira returns. But Kira's journey will take her deep into the overgrown wasteland of postapocalyptic America, and Kira and Marcus both will discover that their greatest enemy may be one they didn't even know existed.

The second installment in the pulse-pounding Partials saga is the story of the eleventh hour of humanity's time on Earth, a journey deep into places unknown to discover the means—and even more important, a reason—for our survival.

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Coming Soon!

Expected publish date:
March 11, 2014

There is no current official summary for this book yet, but I couldn't wait to post this! I love Dan Wells' previous two books to this one! And I can hardly wait for this one!!!



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The Other Books!

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What I have to say about Dan Wells!

Me: Hey folks! I'd like to introduce you to the totally awesome, extremely talented Dan Wells. But be careful to not piss him off cause he’s a doctor…and he just might diagnose you with RM. Let me explain how I know this! In Dan Wells Partials series, the majority of the human population has died because of a weaponized virus called RM. Well, when I found out that Dan Wells would be in SF (finally!) for a signing for Fragments (book #2 in the series), I found out too late and knew that I wouldn’t be able to make it, and I was super upset I couldn't go. So I was on twitter asking Jaime (Two Chicks on Books) and Nancy (Ravenous Reader) if they’d get me a signed copy of Fragments…and this is what went down! So make sure you follow Dan Wells and pay attention to his tweets!!!

-------------------------------------------- Nancy ‏@RavenousReadr
@arnoldjaime13 are you going to the @thedanwells event at @borderlands_SF on the 10th
-------------------------------------------- Jaime Arnold ‏@arnoldjaime13
@RavenousReadr @thedanwells @borderlands_sf didn't know there was one! Maybe. I wonder if @bookluvrmindy can get away from church.
-------------------------------------------- Dan Wells ‏@TheDanWells
@arnoldjaime13 @ravenousreadr @borderlands_sf @bookluvrmindy I am totally worth missing church.
-------------------------------------------- Bookluvr Mindy ‏@bookluvrmindy
@TheDanWells LOL! I totes wish I could go! But I've got a class of 8yr olds that rely on me. @arnoldjaime13 @ravenousreadr @borderlands_sf
-------------------------------------------- Nancy ‏@RavenousReadr
@bookluvrmindy I'm bummed that you can't go. @TheDanWells @arnoldjaime13 @borderlands_sf
-------------------------------------------- Jaime Arnold ‏@arnoldjaime13
@RavenousReadr Me too :/ @bookluvrmindy @thedanwells @borderlands_sf
-------------------------------------------- Bookluvr Mindy ‏@bookluvrmindy
@arnoldjaime13 @ravenousreadr @thedanwells @borderlands_sf U ladies need to get my copies of Fragments signed. I already have Partials signd
-------------------------------------------- Jaime Arnold ‏@arnoldjaime13
@bookluvrmindy @ravenousreadr @thedanwells @borderlands_sf totes can do!
-------------------------------------------- Dan Wells ‏@TheDanWells
@arnoldjaime13 @bookluvrmindy @ravenousreadr @borderlands_sf Unless I refuse to sign it...
-------------------------------------------- Bookluvr Mindy ‏@bookluvrmindy
@TheDanWells noooooooooooooo that would be terribly mean! @arnoldjaime13 @ravenousreadr @borderlands_sf
--------------------------------------------
You can find this string of tweets HERE


Me: After those tweets, Jaime and Nancy did attend the signing and Dan Wells did sign my book, but as punishment Dan wrote in my personalized copy of Fragments, “I signed this even though you did not come”…and then he wrote me up a doctor’s note diagnosing me with RM (see pic below). So, I guess I’m dying!!! See???

LOL Isn’t this guy awesome?!?!?!?

Here's some pics from the event I missed!
Photo 1- Jaime trying to get book 3 hints from Dan.
Photo 2- Jaime and Dan posing with FRAGMENTS
Photo 3- Dan being introduced by the lovely Borderlands Books Employee.
Photos 4 & 5- Dan discussing his books. He didn’t feel like doing a reading lol.


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Well…here’s...

Dan Wells!


Mindy: Hey Dan! Have you learned anything about survival from writing Partials? If you knew the end of civilization was about to go down (in the exact same way as the Partials world)…what would you do to prepare yourself for that life, and what would you include in your survival plan?

Dan: If I knew the world was about to end in a plague, the first thing I'd do is take my family far away from everything else. I assume in this scenario that I'm immune, but my family is not, so getting them clear of anyone contagious is the top priority. And then keeping them clear of anyone contagious, which might mean that we stay out in the wilderness for a while. This would be a lot easier if I'm back in Utah when this happens, because Germany has a higher population density without the same volume of backwoods wilderness. Over time, though, I'd want to migrate south, to the most temperate climate I could find, to escape the extremes of weather, especially winter.

(Which is a good time to point out that PARTIALS and FRAGMENTS have covered almost 15 months of time between them, and nobody's ever mentioned winter. Does that seem ominous to anyone? It should....)

Avoiding civilization would mean we couldn't scavenge for food the way people do in PARTIALS, so we'd need to procure our own; the first obvious choice is fishing, with a lesser reliance on small-game traps and an even lesser reliance on bow-hunting—using bows because they're more reusable than firearms. After about three months, though, it would be relatively safe to come back to civilization; with a death rate as mind-numbingly large as the one in PARTIALS, any smaller population center will be completely empty within six to seven weeks, so there'd be no one to infect us. We could gather food and clothes, find a vehicle, and head south to look for a more permanent place to stay. The ideal area would be isolated, temperate, with a good supply of fresh water and the remnants of a farm or ranch with some livestock. I don't have any experience with animal husbandry, but I bet I could learn some basics pretty quick if the alternative was starvation.

Of course, this is all assuming I could save my family. If I couldn't, and it was just me surviving the apocalypse by myself? I'd find the biggest library I could and just move in. It'd be awesome.

Mindy: Can you tell us some totally random things about yourself?

Dan: I have visited ten different countries, and lived in three. When I was 5 years old I got autographs from both Darth Vader and Mr. Rogers. I own more than 250 board games. I memorize poetry for fun. I was diagnosed with hypochondria as a child, but it's mostly gone now. I will eat pretty much anything at least once. I collect ugly ties. I am terrified of needles, mediocrity, and senile dementia. When I die, my wife has specific instructions to play Michael Jackson's “Don't stop 'til you Get Enough” at my funeral.

Mindy: In your tweets (above) you state, “I am totally worth missing church”. Can you give us a list of reasons why you are “totally worth missing church” for?

Dan: Everything I said in the second question also applies to this one. Mindy: Thank you so much Dan for stopping by Magical Urban Fantasy Reads. I thought that for sure, with all the Dystopia/Post-apocalyptic books I've read, that I'd know just what to do to survive in an apocolypse. I think I'm reconsidering my thoughts! Yours are better!




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