Ontario Teen Book Fest Author Spotlight: Alexandra Monir

Do you live in SoCal and love YA? Come to the sixth annual teen book festival that will feature tons of bestselling authors. All ages are welcome although teens are given preferred seating. Books available for purchase and signing at the event via Once Upon a Time bookstore.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet 15 of today’s best young adult authors through a series of keynote presentations, author panels and more. The event will kick off with three keynote speakers and continue into the afternoon with multiple author panels. Keynotes will feature award winning and critically acclaimed authors Jay Asher (“13 Reasons Why”), Andrew Smith (“Grasshopper Jungle”) and Marissa Meyer (“Lunar Chronicles”). Elana K. Arnold, Alexis Bass, Virginia Boecker,
Jessica Brody, Stephanie Diaz, B. T. Gottfred, Kristin Halbrook, Michelle Levy, Nicole Maggi, Mary McCoy, Alexandra Monir and April Tucholke are among the featured authors that will be participating in this annual event. This event is free and open to the public.

When: Saturday March 12^th, 9 am to 5 pm

Where: Colony High School 3850 E. Riverside Drive, Ontario, CA 91761

The event is sponsored by Once Upon A Time. They will have books available for purchase at the event. There will also be t-shirts and posters available for purchase as well.

About Alexandra Monir

Photo Credit: Author's Goodreads Page

Author and recording artist Alexandra Monir broke onto the scene in her early twenties with the release of her popular debut YA novel, the paranormal romanceTimeless (Delacorte Press/Random House). The book caught on quickly, landing on the Barnes & Noble Bestsellers chart and being named one of Amazon's "Best Books of the Month." The sequel, Timekeeper, was published in 2013. Both books in the series have been featured in a variety of media, from USA Today to teen magazines and websites such as J-14, JustJaredJr, Teen.com and Justine Magazine. Suspicion (Random House; December 9, 2014) marks Alexandra's first novel outside of the Timeless series, as well as her first foray into the mystery genre. Her fourth YA novel for Random House will be published in April 2016.

Alexandra is also a singer/songwriter, known for integrating music into her books' pages. She wrote and recorded three original songs to accompany Timelessand Timekeeper, which were released as the album The Timeless EP and distributed by Jimmy Buffett's record label, Mailboat Records. She additionally recorded a new song to be released along with Suspicion, and is composing a stage musical geared toward Broadway. Alexandra is the granddaughter of the late Monir Vakili, the foremost Persian opera singer.

Alexandra currently resides in Los Angeles, California. She has been invited to speak at middle schools and high schools across the country, and at major events including Comic-Con, Bouchercon, the Iranian-American Women's Leadership Conference, and New York Public Library's annual Teen Author Festival, among others.

Website  |  Goodreads Author Page  |  Facebook  |  Twitter

A modern-day twist on the classic thriller, Rebecca, with a dash of the supernatural, a powerful romance, and a deadly family mystery. 
 
“There’s something hidden in the maze.” 
 
Seventeen-year-old Imogen Rockford has never forgotten the last words her father said to her, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family’s English country manor.
 
For seven years, images of her parents’ death have haunted Imogen’s dreams. In an effort to escape the past, she leaves Rockford Manor and moves to New York City with her new guardians. But some attachments prove impossible to shake—including her love for her handsome neighbor Sebastian Stanhope.
 
Then a life-altering letter arrives that forces Imogen to return to the manor in England, where she quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind Rockford’s aristocratic exterior. At their center is Imogen herself—and Sebastian, the boy she never stopped loving.

Combining spine-tingling mystery, romance, and unforgettable characters, Suspicion is an action-packed thrill ride.

Author Interview!

1)    Is your main character in Suspicion based on anyone you know?

Imogen is not based on anyone in my life; however, I always incorporate a bit of my own personality into my characters. 

2)    Do you have any writing pet peeves?

I get bored when a book has pages and pages of exposition- I need the plot to keep moving! I try to live by this rule in my own writing.

3)    Who are your literary idols?

J.K. Rowling is my #1 forever!!!

4)    Have you ever had an embarrassing fangirl moment?

I'm not sure if I've had an embarrassing fangirl moment, because the authors I fangirl over are always so nice! I've even become friends with some of them. :)

5)    What are you working on now?

A TV adaptation of my upcoming novel, The Girl in the Picture, and a science-fiction YA novel.

Lightning Round Question

Favorite food?

I have a weakness for carbs and dessert- eek! But on the healthier side, I'm obsessed with sushi.

Favorite drink? (alcoholic or etc.)

Diet Coke. 

Top guilty pleasure?

Same as my favorite drink- diet Coke! Plus The Bachelor.

  

Favorite kind of music? 

Everything from movie scores and Broadway cast albums to world music and top 40- I love it all.

Favorite fictional boyfriend?

Can I pick someone from my own book? :) I'm in love with Philip from my Timeless series.

Celeb you’d like to meet? (male, female, or both) 

I love Emma Watson, both for her wonderful portrayal of Hermione and for her amazing work on behalf of women and feminism.

Most overused word in your vocabulary?

I've noticed a lot of instances of the word "all" in my manuscripts. :)

Yoga or jogging? 

Neither! I like cardio workouts on my at-home trampoline. 

Ice cream or gelato? 

Ice cream. 

Cats or dogs?

DOGS! 

Favorite day of the week?

Friday- it's still a work day, so there can be exciting news and developments on any of my projects, but it's also the start of the weekend so I have a date night with my hubby to look forward to!

Absolutely go-to candle scent? 

I love Laduree's yummy macaron-scented candles.

Giveaway

Prize: SIGNED poster by attending authors
Rules: For USA residents only, ends on March 13th

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Blog Tour Schedule

February 22nd - Spotlight on Andrew Smith - What A Nerd Girl Says

February 23rd - Spotlight on Alexandra Monir - Me! 

February 24th - Spotlight on April Tucholke - Adventures of a Book Junkie

February 25th - Spotlight on Alexis Bass - A Traveling Book 

February 26th - Spotlight on Marissa Meyer - Read Now Sleep Later

February 27th - Spotlight on Sara Elizabeth Santana - Movies, Shows and Books 

February 28th - Spotlight on Robin Reul - Recently Acquired Obsessions 

February 29th - Spotlight on Katherine Kottaras - iFandoms Collide 

March 1st - Spotlight on Stephanie Diaz - My Fangirl Chronicles 

March 2nd - Spotlight on Virginia Boecker - The Reader's Antidote 

March 3rd - Spotlight on Mary McCoy - Book You Very Much 

March 4th - Spotlight on Brad Gottfred - Seeking Bazinga 

March 5th - Spotlight on Michelle Levy - My Fangirl Chronicles 

March 6th - Spotlight on Elana K Arnold - Read Now Sleep Later

March 7th - Spotlight on Kristin Halbrook - What A Nerd Girl Says

March 8th - Spotlight on Jessica Brody - The Windy Pages 

March 9th - Spotlight on Nicole Maggi - Nite Lite Book Reviews 

March 10th - Spotlight on Jay Asher - A Bookish Escape

Blog Tour Guest Post: The Gilded Chain by Lauren Smith

Cowgirl Callie Taylor is swept away by the mysterious art collector, billionaire bad boy Wes Thorne when he takes her to Paris to seduce her and offer her the world and her dreams.

Roam the streets of Paris, the City of Love, with Callie and Wes and fall in love as Lauren Smith takes them on an erotic adventure in THE GILDED CHAIN.

Explore a hidden world of erotic fantasies, where the greatest pleasures are stolen and the fiercest passions are untamed. . .

For years, Callie Taylor has been obsessed with two things: a man she can never have and escaping to Paris where she can follow her artistic passions. But everything changes when Callie meets Wes Thorne, a wealthy, mysterious art collector and famous dominant. Despite all the nights she’s spent dreaming of another man, it is Wes’s predatory gaze that suddenly consumes her every thought and sets her body on fire. One touch from him promises unforgettable passion, but Callie knows that passion often comes with a price…

From the moment he sets eyes on Callie, Wes is intrigued by her artistic talent and her delightful innocence of all things erotic. A stolen kiss leaves him aching and desperate to claim her in a way he’s never wanted any woman. But first he must convince her to surrender her control. And what better place to seduce an artistic soul like Callie’s than Paris?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

A Day in the Life of A Romance Writer

Typical Writing Schedule, Favorite Fan Encounter, Compose the Ultimate Starbucks drink

Want to know how all of those steamy, wonderful love stories are made? I’m sharing the inside scoop as to how I make my particular brand of story magic happen. My writing schedule begins with waking up at 5 am, usually the barking excitement of my dapper little black schnauzer named Fritz. If he doesn’t get a 2.5 mile walk before six in the morning, he’s unmanageable. Naturally, I stumble out of bed, shake off the vivid dreams of the night and hop into gym clothes. Then my mom and I talk the dog for his walk and we talk about plots. As an avid Outlander and Downton Abbey fan, my mother is an excellent strategist for plots. She keeps me from running too wild with my characters, especially the historical ones.

After the walk, I usually wind down with a Diet Dr. Pepper (my absolute must-have drink of choice) and turn on the old laptop. I spend the next two hours editing a current book or catching up on emails from writer friends and my editors and visiting social media to see what’s happening. By lunchtime it’s time for lunch and another walk for the energetic Fritz. He means business when it comes to his walks.

Afternoons are strictly “no-laptop” allowed moments. I spend from 1-3:30 pm with a Five Star brand five subject college ruled notebook and my favorite brand of caliber pens writing on my current Work in Progress. I always write every rough draft by hand, it’s a must for my creativity and it keeps me from checking my facebook updates *tee hee.

By the evening, I’m usually pretty worn out from dreaming up sexy, fun times for the stories, so I like to have dinner with my family, talk and catch up on some much needed TV viewing. One of the best things about my schedule is TV. I love watching a variety of different shows because it makes me really excited to write when I see good characters, acting and storylines. Because at the end of the day, I love writing a good story.

My favorite fan encounter was more of a “fan moment” I would say. I had a woman who was so in love with the Surrender series that she was pregnant at the time she started reading the books and she ended up naming her baby boy after one of my wonderful bad boy heroes from Long Island. It was a complete surprise and a totally amazing experience to have a child named after one of my characters!

About Lauren Smith

Amazon Best-Selling Author Lauren Smith is an attorney by day, author by night, who pens adventurous and edgy romance stories by the light of her smart phone flashlight app. She’s a native Oklahoman who lives with her three pets: a feisty chinchilla, sophisticated cat and dapper little schnauzer. She’s won multiple awards in several romance subgenres including being an Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-Finalist and a Semi-Finalist for the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award. 

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

Giveaway

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Bloggerversary Book Review, Mini Q and A + Giveaway w/ Gwendolyn Womack

Hello folks! It's that time of year again! Yup, it's bloggerversary time! This year we'll do things a little differently. For the next 7 days, I will be featuring an author and a giveaway. Each giveaway will last for about 2 weeks, so be sure to check out my blog everyday to see who's next! Today, we want to introduce you to Gwendolyn Womack! *applause*

Two lovers who have traveled across time. A team of scientists at the cutting edge of memory research. A miracle drug that unlocks an ancient mystery.

Bryan Pierce is an internationally famous artist whose paintings have dazzled the world. But there's a secret to his success: Every canvas is inspired by an unusually vivid dream. When Bryan awakes, he possesses extraordinary new skills...like the ability to speak obscure languages and an inexplicable genius for chess. All his life, he has wondered if his dreams are recollections, if he is re-experiencing other people's lives.

Linz Jacobs is a brilliant neurogeneticist, absorbed in decoding the genes that help the brain make memories, until she is confronted with an exact rendering of a recurring nightmare at one of Bryan's shows. She tracks down the elusive artist, and their meeting triggers Bryan's most powerful dream yet: visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer's, died in a lab explosion decades ago.

As Bryan becomes obsessed with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the scientists' deaths, his dreams begin to reveal what happened at the lab, as well as a deeper mystery that may lead all the way to ancient Egypt. Together, Bryan and Linz start to discern a pattern. But a deadly enemy watches their every move, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that the past stays buried.

A taut thriller and a timeless love story spanning six continents and 10,000 years of history, The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack is a riveting debut novel unlike any you've ever read. 

Book Depository  |  Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

My Review

This book was first introduced to me when I attended a Book'd in Burbank readers social. I had all of the elements that I liked about it. Some romance, a little sci-fi, a dash of mystery and history, and a whole lot of storytelling. The premise starts off with a painter who is haunted by visions of past selves. He goes into a fugue state and paints out scenes from the past with such vividness that he is hailed as a master of his craft. One morning, he comes out of a fugue and heads to the museum to see an exhibit. There, he meets Linz and the connection is immediate. Linz visits the museum to feel a sense of closeness to her mother, who died when Linz was a baby. The immediate connection was something I appreciated (I'm a cynical romantic). The connection stems from the interactions of their past selves. The modern day version (Bryan and Linz) are the compilations of various personality traits that their previous selves had, but have no memory of. It sounds like something out of the Twilight Zone, but Gwendolyn does a great job of telling their story. As the story goes on, Bryan and Linz's characters are expanded and details help fill in the entire picture that makes these two characters the way they are. Much like Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, The Memory Painter fits into so many genres, it's hard to classify it without excluding it from other genres. BTW, for those of you who like to read quickly, this book goes at a pretty quick pace. Not super fast that you miss stuff; more of a quick jog. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of Diana Gabaldon.

4 STARS!

Mini Q & A

1) How did you come up with the premise for The Memory Painter?

The story came to me a little over fifteen years ago. The idea literally fell from the sky and bonked me on the head while I was walking down the hallway in my apartment and it stopped me in my tracks: What if neuroscientists created a wonder drug to unlocked the mind’s ability to remember past lives? Within the hour I realized the neuroscientists were from the 1980s and the medical breakthrough had already happened. But the scientists had been killed and their research buried. So no one ever knew this incredible discovery had occurred. Then the image of an artist in his studio painting memories of his past lives in the middle of the night while speaking ancient Greek came to me so vividly that I wrote the scene. I knew he was the neuroscientist reincarnated and now he would have to figure out what happened to him in his previous life and who killed him. The story grew from there.

2) Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I didn’t know I always wanted to be a writer but looking back I always was a writer. At age nine I began writing poetry and also collecting quotes that I thought were poignant. So growing up, I was always enamored with words. In college I started writing theater plays on a whim and once I experienced actors speaking my lines and bringing those characters to life, I became hooked. Ever since then it’s been a journey to becoming a storyteller.

3) What was your experience with getting published like? Was there waiting by the phone?

Not waiting by the phone, but definitely waiting. There’s a funny story about the phone call telling me I had an offer. My agent had gone out with the manuscript and checked in with me that there was some interest and we might hear something the following week. Monday, my son was out of preschool (he was 4 at the time) and I had promised to take him to Chuck E. Cheese in the morning to play games. Within minutes of arriving, we start winning all these tickets from the machines – like a 150 at a time. Nothing like that had ever happened. Then I saw I had a missed call from New York and my head started spinning. My agent had left a voicemail to call her back right away. I could barely hear over all the arcade noise but I had a preempt deal from Picador on the table to accept that day. Needless to say, I accepted the offer, now completely euphoric and desperate to go home so I could process this incredible news. My son had a whole cup of tokens to play, so I started searching for games that would eat his coins the fastest so we could leave. Needless to say it was one of the most memorable days of my life.

4) There is some romance and sci-fi in The Memory Painter. Which did you feel was easier to incorporate into the story?

I’d say neither. Nothing is easy for me! Both of those aspects were challenging in different ways. For the romance I was trying to write two characters that had lived and loved each other for thousands of years without landing them in a vat of sentimental quicksand. And for the sci-fi aspect, the challenge was making the story still feel very grounded in present-day reality while exploring theories revolving around the mysteries of ancient Egypt and the Great Pyramid.

5) Do you have any advice for beginning writers?

It’s the advice I still give myself… Understand the incredible amount of rewriting a story will take before what’s on the page begins to come to life. Don’t rush the process. Take a week or two off between major rewrites so you can have fresh eyes. Keep trying to go deeper with your characters. Know their journey and the heart of the story. And right now, my current favorite writing quote is, “Your intuition already knows what it wants to write, so get out of the way.” That was Ray Bradbury’s advice. 

About Gwendolyn Womack

Originally from Houston, Texas, Gwendolyn Womack began writing theater plays in college while freezing in the tundra at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. During that time she lived in St. Petersburg, Russia on an independent study working with theater companies. She went on to receive an MFA from California Institute of the Arts in Directing theater and film where she was encouraged to write her own material. After graduating she focused on writing feature screenplays and was a semi-finalist in the Academy’s Nicholl Fellowship. In 2009 she moved to Japan and began THE MEMORY PAINTER the following year. Currently she resides in Los Angeles with her husband and son where she can be found at the keyboard working on her next novel.

THE MEMORY PAINTER is her first novel.

To find out more about the book please visit www.GwendolynWomack.com

Follow her on Twitter @Gwen_Womack & add her on Facebook!

Giveaway

Prize: SIGNED copy of The Memory Painter & a $20 Amazon gift card.

Rules: Two winners possible (one for each prize). You have to be a resident of the USA. No international entries. This giveaway starts on 9/17/15 and ends on 10/1/15. The winner will be announced on 9/30. The winner will have 5 days to respond to my email or forfeits the prize. May the odds be ever in your favor.

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Blog Tour Promo Post: Ontario Teen Book Festival Presents...Jessica Khoury!

Event Information

This FREE & UNTICKETED event is hosted at Colony High School [3850 E. Riverside Drive, Ontario, CA 91761]. The event starts at 9 AM until 5 PM. More information can be found here. The event's sponsor, Once Upon A Time, will have books, t-shirts and posters available for purchase.

Official Blog Tour Schedule

February 28th: Spotlight on Kasie West -- Adventures of a Book Junkie

March 1st: Spotlight on Melissa Landers -- What A Nerd Girl Says

March 2nd: Spotlight on Brad Gottfred -- Recently Acquired Obsessions

March 3rd: Spotlight on Catherine Linka -- Read Now Sleep Later

March 4th: Spotlight on Debra Driza -- Read Now Sleep Later

March 5th: Spotlight on Katie Finn -- Fearless Kurt Reads YA

March 6th: Spotlight on Claudia Gray -- A Bookish Escape

March 7th: Spotlight on Shannon Messenger -- People Like Books

March 8th: Spotlight on Lauren Miller -- The Thousand Lives

March 9th: Spotlight on Mary Elizabeth Summer -- What A Nerd Girl Says

March 10th: Spotlight on Anna Carey -- The Reader's Antidote

March 11th: Spotlight on Sherri Smith -- Movies, Shows and Books

March 12th: Spotlight on Elizabeth Ross -- Kid Lit Frenzy

March 13th: Spotlight on Jessica Khoury -- The Consummate Reader

March 14th: Spotlight on Maurene Goo -- The Windy Pages

March 15th: Spotlight on Cecil Castellucci -- Nite Lite Book Reviews

March 16th: Spotlight on Jessica Brody -- The Romance Bookie

March 17th: Spotlight on Gretchen McNeil -- Movies, Shows and Books

March 18th: Spotlight on Aaron Hartzler -- Fangirl Feeels

March 19th: Spotlight on Michelle Levy -- The Consummate Reader

 Author Spotlight: Jessica Khoury

1) What sparked your interest in writing? 

The first book I ever read--Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff. I was 4 years old at the time, and I feel instantly in love! I wrote a four page "sequel" to the book in my preschool notebook, and my teacher read it to my classmates. I was so proud and excited, and from that day on, dreamed of becoming a "real author."

2) Do you have any memorable writer experiences? 

The day I first found out Penguin had made an offer for Origin, my first book, was very memorable! My agent called me to tell me the good news, and caught me in the middle of an eye exam! I asked my optometrist if I could answer the phone, then proceeded to laugh, cry, and laugh again as my agent told me of the offer. All the while, my optometrist sat there--hearing every word through the phone--and realizing it was a special moment, he took a photo of me while I was on the call (which turned out terribly, as I was all teary and red-faced!)

3) What is your favorite writing instrument? 

My computer! I don't write by hand, unless I'm traveling and am just jotting down ideas. I always have a notebook with me for that reason. But I have bad wrists from playing piano and typing so much as a teen, so I can't write on paper for long.

4) Do you plan on writing more books for the Corpus series? 

Right now, no. But there's every chance I could revisit that world in the future and explore more of Corpus's shady experiments!

5) Who is your favorite character in the Corpus series? 

I love all my characters for different reasons (even the baddies!) but I think I love Jim Julien from Vitro the most. He's sarcastic and pretends to be in it only for himself, but he's actually very caring and loyal. Plus, he's a pilot and a rebel, which I love!

6) Who do you identify with in the Corpus series? 

Sarah Carmichael, the main character of Kalahari, shares similar traits with me. Like Sarah, I'm introverted and shy, and love animals! I'm the person who goes to a party and makes friends with the pets instead of the people, usually. And like Sarah, teen me was more comfortable around adults that my own peers, with whom I struggled to identify. Sarah learns to open up and make friends through the traumatic events she and the other high schoolers in Kalahari must endure, just like how I learned to do so through playing soccer and getting involved in drama club in school.

Lightning Round Q's

1) Favorite Dessert? Anything chocolate and peanut butter!

2) Favorite Drink? Sweet tea--southern style, of course!

3) Favorite Book? Can I name ten? No? Okay, I'll have to say Redwall by Brian Jacques.

4) Favorite Author? Lloyd Alexander

5) Favorite Clothing Store? Anthropologie

6) Favorite Stuff Animal? My one-eyed orca Keiko, which I've had since I was a toddler

7) Favorite Color? Green

8) Favorite Guilty Pleasure? Netflix. And my PS4.

About Jessica Khoury

Jessica Khoury wrote her first book at age 4, a fan fic sequel to Syd Hoff's Danny and the Dinosaur, which she scribbled on notebook paper, stapled together, and placed on the bookshelf of her preschool classroom. Since that day, she's dreamed of being an author.

When not writing, Jess enjoys spending time with family, playing video games, and traveling the world in search of stories and inspiration. 

Jess currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina. She is the author of Origin, Vitro, and forthcoming Kalahari.

Giveaway

Two Prizes/Two Winners: Each Winner will Win an Ontario Teen Book Fest poster signed by all attending authors. The giveaway will run from February 28^th to March 20^th! The giveaway is NOT  open to international entries.

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