Jubilee Blog Tour - Interview with Bethany + Giveaway

About the Author

Bethany is a a former librarian living in the Kansas City area with her husband and two children.

Her debut novel Landry Park came out from Dial/Penguin in 2014, and the sequel, Jubilee Manor, will be out August 11, 2015. She is am represented by Mollie Glick of Foundry Media.



☆ How to find Bethany ☆
Website ☆ Tumblr ☆ Pinterest ☆ Twitter

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About THE Book

The thrilling conclusion to Landry Park is full of love, betrayal, and murder--perfect for fans of Divergent, The Selection, and Pride and Prejudice.

In Landry Park, Madeline turned her back on her elite family, friends, and estate to help the Rootless. Now, in Jubilee Manor, she struggles to bring the Gentry and the Rootless together. But when Gentry heirs—Madeline’s old friends—are murdered, even she begins to think a Rootless is behind it, putting her at odds with the boy she loves and the very people she is trying to lead. If she can’t figure out who is killing her friends and bring them to justice, a violent war will erupt and even more will die—and Madeline’s name, her estate, and all the bonds she’s forged won’t make any difference.

This conclusion to Landry Park, which VOYA dubbed "Gone with the Wind meets The Hunger Games,” is a richly satisfying, addictive read.


☆ Where to find Jubilee Manor ☆
Amazon ☆ Barnes & Noble ☆ iBooks ☆ Goodreads

The 1st Book

In a fragmented future United States ruled by the lavish gentry, seventeen-year-old Madeline Landry dreams of going to the university. Unfortunately, gentry decorum and her domineering father won't allow that. Madeline must marry, like a good Landry woman, and run the family estate. But her world is turned upside down when she discovers the devastating consequences her lifestyle is having on those less fortunate. As Madeline begins to question everything she has ever learned, she finds herself increasingly drawn to handsome, beguiling David Dana. Soon, rumors of war and rebellion start to spread, and Madeline finds herself and David at the center of it all. Ultimately, she must make a choice between duty - her family and the estate she loves dearly - and desire.


☆ Where to find Landry Park ☆
Goodreads ☆ Amazon ☆ Barnes & Noble ☆ iBooks

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Mindy: Hi Bethany! Welcome to Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! We are thrilled that you could join us!

Can you please describe Jubilee Manor for us in 10 words or less?

Bethany: Blood and silk, glitter and murder, love and fire.

Mindy: There were some big revelations for Madeline (the protagonist) near the end of Landry Park. Does these revelations change the dynamic of the Gentry and the Rootless’ lifestyles?

Bethany: They do! But what was interesting to me was also showing how resistant people were to change, even when their entire world is shown to be built on lies. It takes a lot of work to change the status quo and also to move people past anger into productive work, and that’s the wall Madeline faces from page one of Jubilee Manor.

Mindy: Now that the series has ended, had you expected the duology would end this way from the beginning?

Bethany: In some ways yes, and other ways no. I had a very different storyline originally for this series, a different direction, and when we were editing Jubilee Manor, we scrapped a lot of it and went back to the drawing board. But the last two or three chapters and the epilogue specifically were always how I imagined the book ending. With kissing and fire, naturally.

Mindy: Which book was easier for you to write?

Bethany: Landry Park was much less brutal to write! Fun, even. But I think at the end of the day, Jubilee Manor was more worthwhile for me to write. I learned so much about myself and about the craft while working on it, and the lessons I learned writing that book I will carry with me forever.

Here is a quick Q&A to get to know you!

Mindy: Facebook or Twitter?

Bethany: Tumblr ;)

Mindy: Most visited online website?

Bethany: Other than tumblr? Probably iflscience.com or Buzzfeed.

Mindy: Kindle or Nook?

Bethany: Kindle—Amazon may be our evil overlords, but man, they are good at what they do.

Mindy: Favorite food?

Bethany: I’m a Kansas City girl, so it’s probably either barbecue or a good rare steak.

Mindy: Morning or night?

Bethany: Night! If I had my way, I’d sleep in til noon every day.

Mindy: Strange quirks?

Bethany: I’m a laugher. I laugh a lot, especially when I’m in awkward or weird situations, and so I’m sure people think that I’m bananaballs sometimes!

Mindy: Guilty pleasure?

Bethany: Frappucinos from Starbucks, which are basically coffee milkshakes with a green straw. But I love them. And I drink them even in the winter.

Mindy: Preferred weapon?

Bethany: Now we’re talking. I’ve done karate since I was twelve, and my favorite weapon is probably the sword, especially my training shinai, which makes all these satisfying clacking noises when I hit other people’s weapons with them.

Mindy: What do you like to do in your spare time other than writing?

Bethany: Karate, for sure, and then after that, maybe reading and napping.

Mindy: Top fave movies?

Bethany: So many! I’ll narrow it down to three: Gladiator, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Inception

Mindy: Top authors that inspire you?

Bethany: Again, there’s so many! It’s hard to keep it brief. Um, okay, off the top of my head: Elizabeth Wein, Laini Taylor, Tessa Gratton and Megan Whalen Turner.

Mindy: Top 5 fave books?

Bethany: Oh boy. *chews fingernails* Okay: Jane Eyre, Lord of the Rings (I’m counting the whole trilogy as one, which is cheating, I know), Harry Potter (again with the counting the whole cycle as one), The Once and Future King, and The Little Prince.

Mindy: Favorite TV show when you were a kid?

Bethany: All That on Nickelodeon. Lori Beth was kind of my idol.

Mindy: Thanks again for stopping by Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! Maybe when your next book comes out we can have you again! 





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This is a tour hosted giveaway!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
1 winner will receive a paperback of LANDRY PARK and an ARC of JUBILEE MANOR. US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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☆ The Tour ☆

Week One:
8/3/2015- The Bibliophile Chronicles- Interview
8/4/2015- Fiction Freak- Review
8/5/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post
8/6/2015- Seeing Double In Neverland- Review
8/7/2015- Wishful Endings - Interview


Week Two:
8/10/2015- The Eater of Books! - Review
8/11/2015- Fiktshun- Guest Post
8/12/2015- WinterHaven Books- Review
8/13/2015- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Interview
8/14/2015- The Reading Nook Reviews- Guest Post

Silver in the Blood Blog Tour Stop + Giveaway!

About the Author

Jessica Day George earned a BA in Humanities/Comparative Literature from Brigham Young University, where she enjoyed classes in Pottery and Old Norse, and dutifully forced herself to take Algebra and Biology. Originally from Idaho, she now resides in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband and three young children.

☆ How to find Jessica ☆
Website ☆ Twitter ☆ Facebook ☆ Goodreads

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About the Book

A New York Times bestselling author brings dark secrets to life in a lush new YA perfect for fans of Libba Bray or Cassandra Clare.

Society girls from New York City circa 1890, Dacia and Lou never desired to know more about their lineage, instead preferring to gossip about the mysterious Romanian family that they barely knew. But upon turning seventeen, the girls must return to their homeland to meet their relatives, find proper husbands, and—most terrifyingly—learn the deep family secrets of The Claw, The Wing, and The Smoke. The Florescus, after all, are shape-shifters, and it is time for Dacia and Lou to fulfill the prophecy that demands their acceptance of this fate . . . or fight against this cruel inheritance with all their might.

With a gorgeous Romanian setting, stunning Parisian gowns, and dark brooding young men, readers will be swept up by this epic adventure of two girls in a battle for their lives.


☆ How to find Silver in the Blood ☆
Amazon ☆ Barnes & Noble ☆ iBooks ☆ Goodreads
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What does a typical day of writing look like?

The tricky part is that I have children. I’d love to be able to roll out of bed in the morning and just get cracking on the story, work all day if I’m in the mood. But first there has to be clothes and food for the children (and myself), and usually laundry and dishes and reminders to practice piano.

But then there’s the afternoon! The glorious afternoon! I often have a babysitter during the week, and my husband takes charge on weekends, so that I can shut the office door, or go to my local library, to work in peace. I use noise-canceling headphones, even in my own house. If it’s a rough draft, I listen to music, if it’s an edit, I can’t listen to anything. I also like to have snacks nearby: Red Vines, and some really super dark chocolate. We are talking pure cacao. And a water bottle. It’s almost like a nervous tic, the water drinking while I write.

I try to write at least 1,000 words every writing session. I also like to multi-task while I write. I keep Goodreads open and will rearrange my to-read shelf or do the never-ending trivia game in between paragraphs. I also like to look at knitting patterns online. I don’t know why, I just find it soothing to look at knitting and think about making an afghan that is a map of the United States… So I’ll write a sentence, or a paragraph, and then while I’m thinking about whether I liked what I just wrote, or what to say next, I flick over to Goodreads or Knitty and look at something else for just a minute. And then back to my World document.

And well, the secret to good writing is just to get your bum in the chair and keep plugging away. So that’s what I try to do. I try to find the time to get those words on the page. Some days I reach my 1,000, some days I feel like 400 is a triumph. All that matters is that I tried!

(And also the chocolate. The chocolate matters a great deal.)




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This is a tour hosted giveaway!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
2 winners will receive a finished copy of SILVER IN THE BLOOD. US Only.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

☆ The Tour ☆
Week One:
6/29/2015- Reading Lark- Interview
6/30/2015- Katie's Book Blog- Review
7/1/2015- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Guest Post
7/2/2015- Dark Faerie Tales- Review
7/3/2015- Adventures of a Book Junkie- Interview


Week Two:
7/6/2015- Frannie in the Pages- Review
7/7/2015- Once Upon a Twilight- Guest Post
7/8/2015- Alice Marvels- Review
7/9/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Interview
7/10/2015- Bookhounds ya- Review

The Witch Hunter Blog Tour: Interview with Virginia & Giveaway!

About the Author

Virginia Boecker recently spent four years in London obsessing over English medieval history, which formed the basis of The Witch Hunter. She now lives in the Bay Area, California with her husband and spends her days writing, reading, running, and chasing around her two children and a dog named George.

In addition to English kings, nine-day queens, and Protestant princesses, her other obsessions include The Smiths, art museums, champagne, and Chapstick. She is represented by the incomparable Kathleen Ortiz at New Leaf Literary & Media.

☆ How to find Virginia ☆
Website ☆ Twitter ☆ Facebook ☆ Pinterest ☆ Instagram ☆ Goodreads

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About the Book

The magic and suspense of Graceling meet the political intrigue and unrest of Game of Thrones in this riveting fantasy debut.

Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear.

Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake.

Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.

But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.

Virginia Boecker weaves a riveting tale of magic, betrayal, and sacrifice in this unforgettable fantasy debut.

☆ Where to find The Witch Hunter ☆
Amazon ☆ Barnes & Noble ☆ iBooks ☆ Goodreads

Mindy: Hi Virginia! I’m so excited that you are visiting Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! Welcome!!!

Virginia: Thank you so much for having me. I’m happy to be here to talk to you about The Witch Hunter!

Mindy: In ten words or less will you try to describe The Witch Hunter for us?

Virginia: The kingdom’s best witch hunter becomes the kingdom’s most wanted.

Mindy: In the description it talks about “the political intrigue and unrest of Game of thrones”. Should we be preparing ourselves for multiple unexpected deaths or even incestuous relationships? Sorry I couldn’t help myself!

Virginia: There are several deaths in the story and, if reader reactions so far are anything to go by, they have definitely been unexpected! I like to play around with the idea that people are not always who they seem to be and I think when you have that type of ambiguity in a character: moral, political, ethical, you can always expect their actions to come as a surprise. I don’t have any incestuous relationships thus far (!), but I do have several relationships that I like to call non-traditional: relationships where the power balance is off--in some cases wildly so--which always results in some good old-fashioned drama.

Mindy: Can you give us a brief description of the characters in The Witch Hunter’s character traits?

Virginia: Elizabeth is brave yet impulsive: she tends to throw herself into situations without fully thinking them through. John is nurturing, patient, and kind, all of which mask a darker, more melancholy side. Schuyler is charming and irreverent; loyal to his friends but vicious to his enemies. Fifer is whip-smart and protective, full of sass and determination. George is sly and clever, with a wicked sense of humor. Nicholas is wise and mediating, generous with his guidance but sparing with his words. Caleb is ambitious, restless, and driven: nothing is ever enough for him.

Mindy: I’m always really fascinated in villains. Can you tell us what your villain(s) are like?

Virginia: I have a few villains in this story, and as I don’t want to be spoilery and call them out by name, I’ll say that each one share a few common traits in that they are ruled by ambition, blind to their own faults, will stop at nothing to get what they want, and are beset by unexpected (and in some cases unfortunate) surprises.

Mindy: Thank you so much for visiting with us Virginia! I can hardly wait to meet you in person and I’m even more excited to read The Witch Hunter. Congrats on your new release!

Virginia: Thank you for your kind words, and for having me on your blog! This was a fun interview, and I hope you enjoy reading.




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This is a tour hosted giveaway!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
10 winners will receive a finished copy of THE WITCH HUNTER US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
☆ The Tour ☆
6/1/2015- Supernatural Snark- Interview
6/1/2015- Addicted Readers- Review
6/2/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post
6/2/2015- Mundie Moms- Review
6/3/2015- Tales of the Ravenous Reader- Interview
6/3/2015- Bookish Serendipity- Review
6/4/2015- Once Upon a Twilight - Guest Post
6/4/2015- Fiktshun- Review
6/5/2015- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Interview
6/5/2015- Me, My Shelf and I- Review