The Debut Club: An interview with Abi Ephinstone, author of THE DREAMSNATCHER and THE SHADOW KEEPER

Sweet Sixteeners Perdita and Honor Cargill recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Abi Ephinstone about her debut MG novels, THE DREAMSNATCHER (out now) and THE SHADOW KEEPER (February 25, 2016 from Simon & Schuster).

About the Author: 

Abi Elphinstone grew up building dens, hiding in tree houses and running wild across highland glens in Scotland. She worked as a teacher in Africa, and England.

Find Abi on her website, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, and Twitter.

 

 

 

About THE DREAMSNATCHER and THE SHADOW KEEPER:

THE DREAMSNATCHER Twelve-year-old Molly Pecksniff wakes one night in the middle of the forest, lured there by a recurring nightmare – the one with the drums and the rattles and the masks. The Dreamsnatcher is waiting. Because Moll is more important than she knows…The Oracle Bones foretold that she and her wildcat Gryff are the only ones who can fight the Dreamsnatcher’s dark magic. Suddenly everything is at stake, and Moll, Alfie, a runaway from the enemy gang, and her friend Sid, are drawn into a world full of secrets, magic and adventure.

THE DREAMSNATCHER is available from: Amazon, Powells, Books A Million, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.

And in the sequel, THE SHADOW KEEPER, outlawed from the forest, Moll, Gryff, Sid and Alfie continue their adventures in a secret cove down by the sea…

THE SHADOW KEEPER is available from: Amazon, Books A Million, and Barnes & Noble.

 

 

 

 

The Debut Club: An interview with Kate McGovern, author of RULES FOR 50/50 CHANCES

Sweet Sixteener Marisa Reichardt recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Kate McGovern about her debut contemporary YA novel, RULES FOR 50/50 CHANCES (November 24, 2015 from Macmillan/FSG).

About the Author: 

Kate McGovern has taught theatre and language arts to middle schoolers in Boston, New York, and London. A graduate of Yale and Oxford, she currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she was born and raised.

RULES FOR 50/50 CHANCES is her first novel.

photo credit: Liz Vidyarthi

Find Kate on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

About RULES FOR 50/50 CHANCES:

Seventeen-year-old Rose Levenson has a decision to make: Does she want to know how she’s going to die? Because when Rose turns eighteen, she can take the test that tells her if she carries the genetic mutation for Huntington’s disease, the degenerative condition that is slowly killing her mother.

With a fifty-fifty shot at inheriting her family’s genetic curse, Rose is skeptical about pursuing anything that presumes she’ll live to be a healthy adult-including her dream career in ballet and the possibility of falling in love. But when she meets a boy from a similarly flawed genetic pool and gets an audition for a dance scholarship across the country, Rose begins to question her carefully laid rules.

A heartrending but ultimately uplifting debut novel about learning to accept life’s uncertainties; a perfect fit for the current trend in contemporary realistic novels that confront issues about life, death, and love.

RULES FOR 50/50 CHANCES is available from: Amazon, Powells, Books A Million, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, and Porter Square Books (signed copies available).

The Debut Club: An interview with Dawn Ius, author of Anne & Henry

Sweet Sixteener Sonya Mukherjee recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Dawn Ius about her YA contemporary debut novel, ANNE & HENRY (September 1, 2015 from Simon Pulse).

About the Author:

Dawn Ius is a short-story author, novelist, screenwriter, professional editor, and communications specialist. She is the Assistant Managing Editor of the International Thriller Writers Association’s monthly magazine, The Big Thrill, co-founder and senior editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and the author of ten educational graphic novels published by the Alberta Canola Producers Commission. When she’s not slaying fictional monsters, she’s geeking out over fairy tales, Jack Bauer, Halloween, sports cars, and all things that go bump in the night. Dawn lives in Alberta, Canada, with her husband, Jeff, and their giant English Mastiff, Roarke. Dawn also writes paranormal young adult fiction under the last name Dalton.

Find Dawn on her website, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Goodreads.

About ANNE & HENRY:

In this creative retelling of the infamous—and torrid—love affair between Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, history collides with the present when a sizzling romance ignites in a modern-day high school.

Henry Tudor’s life has been mapped out since the day he was born. But ever since the death of his brother, the pressure for Henry to be perfect has doubled. And now he’s trapped: forbidden from pursuing a life as an artist or dating any girl who isn’t Tudor-approved. Then Anne Boleyn crashes into his life. Wild, brash, and outspoken, Anne is everything Henry isn’t allowed to be—or want. But soon Anne is all he can think about. Henry is willing to do anything to be with her, but once they’re together, will their romance destroy them both?

ANNE & HENRY is available for purchase from Amazon, Powell’s, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

The Debut Club: An interview with Ann Jacobus, author of ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT

Sweet Sixteener Rosalyn Eves recently interviewed Fearless Fifteener Ann Jacobus about her dark YA contemporary, ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT (October 6, 2015, from St. Martin’s Griffin).

Marc Olivier Le Blanc photography, Pictures by San Francisco Photographer, advertising and editorial.

About the Author:

As a teen, Ann Jacobus was always in the chorus of plays and musicals, never the lead. She earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She and her family spent many years in the Island Kingdom of Bahrain in the Arabian Gulf and in Paris, France. She now lives in San Francisco where she writes, reads, teaches writing, and volunteers weekly on a suicide crisis line.

 

Find Ann on her website, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

 

 

 

About ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT:

Haunting and beautifully written, with a sharp and distinctive voice that could belong only to this character, ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT is an unforgettable young adult novel.

Summer Barnes just moved to Paris to repeat her senior year of high school. After being kicked out of four boarding schools, she has to get on the right track or she risks losing her hefty inheritance. Summer is convinced that meeting the right guy will solve everything. She meets two. Moony, a classmate, is recovering against all odds from a serious car accident, and he encourages Summer to embrace life despite how hard it can be to make it through even one day. But when Summer meets Kurt, a hot, mysterious older man who she just can’t shake, he leads her through the creepy underbelly of the city-and way out of her depth.

When Summer’s behavior manage to alienate everyone, even Moony, she’s forced to decide if a life so difficult is worth living. With an ending that’ll surprise even the most seasoned reader, Ann Jacobus’ ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT is an unputdownable and utterly compelling novel.

ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIFE is available from Amazon, Powell’s, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Indiebound.

The Debut Club: An interview with Sarah J. Schmitt, author of IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH

Sweet Sixteener Erin Teagan recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Sarah J. Schmitt about her YA fantasy debut novel, IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH (October 6, 2015 from Sky Pony Press).

About the Author:

Sarah J. Schmitt is a K-8 school librarian and Youth Service Professional for Teens at a public library. Prior to immersing herself in the world of the written word, she earned her Masters of Science in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from Indiana University where she worked with first year college students as they acclimated to college life. Sarah lives outside of Indianapolis with her husband, two kidlets and a cat who might actually be a secret agent. She is an active member of SCBWI, ALA and the Indiana Library Federation and is a regular participant at the Midwest Writer’s Workshop.

Find Sarah on her website, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

About IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH:

Seventeen-year-old RJ always gets what she wants. So when her soul is accidentally collected by a distracted Grim Reaper, somebody in the afterlife better figure out a way to send her back from the dead or heads will roll. But in her quest for mortality, she becomes a pawn in a power struggle between an overzealous archangel and Death Himself. The tribunal presents her with two options: she can remain in the lobby, where souls wait to be processed, until her original lifeline expires, or she can replay three moments in her life in an effort to make choices that will result in a future deemed worthy of being saved. It sounds like a no-brainer. She’ll take a walk down memory lane. How hard can changing her future be?

IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH is available for purchase from Amazon, Powell’s, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

The Debut Club: An interview with Mackenzi Lee, author of THIS MONSTROUS THING

Sweet Sixteener Jessica Cluess recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Mackenzi Lee about her YA fantasy debut novel, THIS MONSTROUS THING (September 22, 2015 from Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins).

About the Author:

Mackenzi Lee holds a BA in history and an MFA from Simmons College in writing for children and young adults. She loves Diet Coke, sweater weather, and Star Wars. On a perfect day, she can be found enjoying all three. She currently lives in Boston, where she works as a bookseller and almost never reanimates corpses. Almost.

Find Mackenzi on her Website, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

About THIS MONSTROUS THING:

In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits. His brother, Oliver—dead. His sweetheart, Mary—gone. His chance to break free of Geneva—lost. Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead. But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship. Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay…

THIS MONSTROUS THING is available for purchase from Amazon, Powell’s, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

The Debut Club: An interview with Nicola Yoon, author of EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING

Sweet Sixteener Ashley Herring Blake recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Nicola Yoon about her YA contemporary debut novel, EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING (September 1, 2015 from Random House/Delacorte).

About the Author:

Nicola Yoon grew up in Jamaica (the island) and Brooklyn (part of Long Island). She currently resides in Los Angeles, CA with her husband and daughter, both of whom she loves beyond all reason. Everything, Everything is her first novel.

Find Nicola on her Website, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads

 

 

About EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING:

 

Madeline Whittier is allergic to the outside world. So allergic, in fact, that she has never left the house in all of her seventeen years. When a new family moves in next door, she begins a complicated romance that challenges everything she’s ever known. The story unfolds via vignettes, diary entries, texts, charts, lists, illustrations and more.

 

 

 

EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING is available for purchase from Amazon, Powell’s, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

The Debut Club: An interview with Marci Lyn Curtis, author of THE ONE THING

Sweet Sixteener Erin L. Schneider recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Marci Lyn Curtis about her YA contemporary debut novel, THE ONE THING (September 8, 2015 from Disney-Hyperion).

About the Author:

Marci Lyn Curtis grew up in Northern California, where she went to college and met an amazing guy in a military uniform. Two college-aged kids and one dachshund later, she lives in Maryland, where she laughs too loudly and eats peanut butter off spoons.

Find Marci on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.

 

 

 

About THE ONE THING:

Maggie Sanders might be blind, but she won’t invite anyone to her pity party. Ever since losing her sight six months ago, Maggie’s rebellious streak has taken on a life of its own, culminating with an elaborate school prank. Maggie called it genius. The judge called it illegal.

Now Maggie has a probation officer. But she isn’t interested in rehabilitation, not when she’s still mourning the loss of her professional-soccer dreams, and furious at her so-called friends, who lost interest in her as soon as she could no longer lead the team to victory.

Then Maggie’s whole world is turned upside down. Somehow, incredibly, she can see again. But only one person: Ben, a precocious ten-year-old unlike anyone she’s ever met. Ben’s life isn’t easy, but he doesn’t see limits, only possibilities. After awhile, Maggie starts to realize that losing her sight doesn’t have to mean losing everything she dreamed of. Even if what she’s currently dreaming of is Mason Milton, the infuriatingly attractive lead singer of Maggie’s new favorite band, who just happens to be Ben’s brother.

But when she learns the real reason she can see Ben, Maggie must find the courage to face a once-unimaginable future…before she loses everything she has grown to love.

THE ONE THING is available for purchase at Amazon, Books A Million, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

The Debut Club: An interview with Dawn Kurtagich, author of THE DEAD HOUSE

Sweet Sixteener Ruth Lehrer recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Dawn Kurtagich about her debut YA novel, THE DEAD HOUSE (Orion Publishing, August 6, 2015 (UK) and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, September 15, 2015 (US).

About the Author: 

Dawn Kurtagich is a writer of creepy, spooky and psychologically sinister YA fiction, where girls may descend into madness, boys may see monsters in men, and grown-ups may have something to hide. By the time she was eighteen, she had been to fifteen schools across two continents. The daughter of a British globe-trotter and single mother, she grew up all over the place, but her formative years were spent in Africa—on a mission, in the bush, in the city and in the desert. She writes over at the YA Scream Queens, a young adult blog for all things horror and thriller, and she is a member of the YA League. Her life reads like a YA novel.

Find Dawn on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, YouTube, and The Dead House website.

About THE DEAD HOUSE:

Twenty-five years ago, Elmbridge High burned down. Three people were killed and one pupil, Carly Johnson, disappeared. Now a diary has been found in the ruins of the school. The diary belongs to Kaitlyn Johnson, Carly’s identical twin sister. But Carly didn’t have a twin . . . Who was Kaitlyn and why did she only appear at night? Did she really exist or was she a figment of a disturbed mind? What were the illicit rituals taking place at the school? And just what did happen at Elmbridge in the events leading up to ‘the Johnson Incident’?

THE DEAD HOUSE is available for purchase at: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, Powells, BAM, B&N, and IndieBound.

The Debut Club: An interview with Lauren James, author of THE NEXT TOGETHER

Sweet Sixteener Janet B. Taylor recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Lauren James about her debut YA reincarnation novel, THE NEXT TOGETHER (September 3, 2015 from Walker UK. It will also be published in the U.S., Germany, Turkey, and Brazil).

About the Author:

Lauren James graduated in 2014 from the University of Nottingham, UK, with a Master’s degree in Natural Sciences, where she studied Chemistry and Physics.

Find Lauren on Tumblr, Twitter, and Goodreads.

 

 

About THE NEXT TOGETHER:

How many times can you lose the person you love? 

Katherine and Matthew are destined to be born again and again, century after century. Each time, their presence changes history for the better, and each time, they fall hopelessly in love, only to be tragically separated.

Spanning the Crimean War, the Siege of Carlisle and the near-future of 2019 and 2039 they find themselves sacrificing their lives to save the world. But why do they keep coming back? What else must they achieve before they can be left to live and love in peace?

Maybe the next together will be different…

A powerful and epic debut novel for teenagers about time-travel, fate and the timelessness of first love. The Next Together is told through a mixture of regular prose, diary entries, letters, “original” historical documents, news reports and internet articles.

THE NEXT TOGETHER is available for purchase at: AmazonUK, AmazonUS, Waterstones, The Book Depository, Wordery, Foyles, Kobo, and iBooks.