BOOK REVIEW: Shadow Hills

I have a special treat for you today. This is my first official ARC book tour through YAaddict. I don't know if you follow that blog, but you should. One day, while I was there paying a casual visit, I noticed a tab that read 'ARC Tours'. I clicked on it and here we are. This tour is where we as bloggers are provided one uncorrected copy of the book, sign up to review it, and each blogger gets their turn to review it. I received it from the reviewer before me. I, in turn, passed it on to the next reviewer/blogger in line.

Title: Shadow Hills
Author: Anastasia Hopcus
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: July 13, 2010
Pages: 400 


Description: After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA -- a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died. 

Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach -- the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after -- seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.

Favorite Passage: "That's the way my dad is--constantly at his office. I don't understand why he works so hard for this money that he doesn't even seem to enjoy..." Suddenly I felt very exposed.


"Exactly. Life isn't a series of steps you take to get somewhere. It's everything that happens in between." 

BRING ALONG + a little extra

My Splats: This story took me to a place I hadn't expected...and that's a good thing.

If you're questioning why I simply didn't give it four full splats instead of that weak half at the end, that's because, for me, somewhere between the middle of the pages I found myself hungry for more romance. But that could be because it's what I'd expected to find and usually find in most YA paranormal literature of this sort. 

This one was different. So I'd like to add a little + sign. 

Phe, the main lead, is strong yet down to earth. She has a tendency to take risks and break a few rules. And although she does find 'Mr. Right' to crush on, she's not fanatical about it. Zach is a boy who practically follows every rule. He's into Phe, too, but their into something else as well. 

The story is more mystery than anything: Phe trying to discover why her sister wanted to come to this private school, why Phe keeps having weird dreams, and why some of the kids at school are different, strange. We find ourselves following Phe as she uncovers secrets hidden within the school's history, mainly in the graveyard outback--the one Phe dreams about. She's finds herself woven in and out of their history and tries to make sense of it all.

Anastasia Hopcus does a wonderful job of developing a different kind of paranormal. It felt real, plausible, and the history she backs the story up with works. I'm a history buff, so that I really liked. Her writing is definitely vibrant, resembling the energy and life forces she exposes within the story. 

I have to say that she left me wanting a sequel, but also wanting to see Phe and Zach's relationship flourish more. Who knows? We'll see.

Michelle Zink Book Giveaway, ARCs Galore Giveaway, & In High Spirits 100+ Followers!!

SHOUT-OUTS!!

Author Christine Fonseca has a wonderful interview with Author Michelle Zink on her blog. She's giving away a copy of both PROPHESY OF THE SISTERS and GUARDIAN AT THE GATE and both are SIGNED!!!

Carol's Print is offering a FANTASTICAL Giveaway!! ARCs Galore!!

There are too many major covers for me to post so I've typed them instead.

She has SIGNED hard cover of BEAUTIFUL CREATURES & SIGNED ARC of BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

ARC of PARANORMALCY by Kiersten White

ARC of IMMORTAL BELOVED by Cate Tiernan

ARC of DARK WATER by Laura McNeal

2 ARCs of RADIANCE by Alison Noel

ARC of JANE by April Lindner

ARC of DARK SONG by Gail Giles

ARC of THE HOUSE OF DEAD MAIDS by Clare B. Dunkle

ARC of KEEPERS SCHOOL: FEAR ITSELF by Andrew Clements

ARC of THE DIARY OF PIPER DAVIS (DEAR AMERICA): THE FENCES BETWEEN by Kirby Larson

ARC of IF YOU LIVED HERE, YOU'D BE HOME NOW by Claire LaZebnik

YEAH...Major wantage!!

CLICK to Enter!

School Supply HELL

Ten Reasons Why I Despise School Supply Shopping

1. Gadgets. New this; unique that. Um...yeah, my butt. Nothing is really new and unique anymore. And whatever gadget it is, it's outdated before I get to the parking lot anyway. It's a setup I tell ya'.


2. Crayons. I HATE...did you catch that...hate the smell of crayons!!


3. Backpacks. Now really, do they need to make them with so many different compartments? WTF?? For gosh sakes, it's a portable lost-and-found. And then, they print up instructions on the proper usage of the bag. Have they met a red-blooded American boy lately?? Like he's going to read it. And the girls? It's all about the way it 'hangs against my hip, Mom'. Whatev.


4. Lines. Not the ones the kids are drawing on each other with their new markers as I drive from store to store. The lines at the check-out counters. What is up with those? EVERYONE is aware school is starting soon. OPEN ANOTHER REGISTER, WOULD U?!


5. Screamers. Other peoples screaming-memme kids, causing a racket, making a scene. Yup. As ludicrous as this sounds, people should not bring their children with them to school shop! Buy them what they need...want has nothing to do with it. If want did, they wouldn't be going to school!! 


6. Lunch boxes and school snacks. I think these should be treated like the ugly uniforms Catholic School kids (I was a Catholic school brat.) have to wear. Sure, the lunch boxes would be practical but all the gross tasting, nutritional snacks would actually fit inside and then maybe I wouldn't have a headache every effing morning listening to the kids battle over who took the last bag of chips!! 


7. Reasoners. Note: parent of the kid who's insisting on the funky jeans with the hole in the @$$, peppered in some gosh-awful paint splatters and obscene wordage; the parent of the kid who wants to set a new trend at school and be cool. You gave the kid a valid reason why those jeans don't work for your family. Period. Either the kid wears the pair you are willing to spend your hard earned  money on--that you should be using to take yourself out for a spa week--or GO NAKED! Let's see how many of your middle school friends have the @&*s to follow YOUR new trend.


8. Deservers. Nope. Sorry MGers & YAers, but I'm so sounding like my dad: you don't deserve crap. When I went to school--Catholic School, remember--I was given crappy, yellow lined paper that browned the second I made my first eraser mark and a number 2 pencil. You deserve the basics. Earn the frills.


9. Sports. Damn it. This subject is never ending for me. With four kids, we have to buy new soccer cleats, new football cleats, a new soccer ball, football, tape for fingers (ankles & wrists) cross-country running shoes, shorts, those disgusting tight pants the guys wear under their ridiculously short running shorts. 


Yeah, what's up with that. These are high school boys and it's year 2010. Why the '70s shorts???


Socks...socks...socks, jocks--which I despise. They stink and the boys refuse to wash them. Gross! Helmets, T-shirts, mouth guards--want to talk about yuck! Water bottles, hair pieces for my daughter not to mention all her dance shoes: tap, ballet, jazz, hiphop.... My kids play ice hockey year round so I won't bore you with the rundown on all that gear. (I'll save that and the need for $200 hockey sticks for another post.)  


10. Stress and Money. If I only had as much money as stress during School Supply shopping...a girl can dream, can't she?? 
There you have it--my wrap up of School Supply HELL. Add to my list. What's your School Supply Vice???


ON a positive note, I found a solution to my current writing struggles. I created book covers for each story I've written or am working on. I'm hoping to inspire and motivate myself. aa Look at my sidebaraaYeah, over thereaa

Whatcha' think?

GRAFFITI WALL: Stephen M. Giles, The Death (and Further Adventures) of Silas Winterbottom

As I mentioned Monday, today the Graffiti Wall has the pleasure of welcoming a new MG author and joining in the celebration of his debut novel. And don't forget to scroll to the end to see who Stephen announces as the winner of a copy of his book!!!

Stephen M. Giles, author of The Death (and Further Adventures of Silas Winterbottom

Stephen is the youngest of four kids and spent lots of his adolescence buried in books. He began writing "serious" adult literature, but always felt whimsical and adventurous voices fighting to be written. He decided to make the leap to MG writer when he realized how much his nephews and nieces enjoyed the stories he'd make up for them. 

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I knew I wanted to be a writer from an early age and I guess I’ve always had stories and characters swimming around my head trying to get my attention. For me writing was the best way to do that. The first serious writing I did as a teenager was a screenplay – it was an appalling melodrama of adolescent misery – but I quickly discovered that books were the best forum to express the stories I wanted to tell.

When did you begin writing seriously?

Probably late teens/early twenties. I knew early on what I wanted to do with my life and I was determined to make my way as a writer. And in the interest of honesty I have to say that my early attempts at writing were awful! It took me several years to really find my voice and in my opinion, having a distinctive voice is one of the most important elements of storytelling. Fortunately I stuck at it and my ability to craft a story improved – hopefully! It’s a tough road but the rewards when you finally see your book in print make all the angst and torture worthwhile. 

Tell us about your experience in releasing your first MG book, THE DEATH (and further adventures) OF SILAS WINTERBOTTOM.

So far it’s been really wonderful. The feedback I’m getting has been overwhelmingly positive; the reviews haven’t been too brutal, thank goodness. Releasing a book is a lot like sending your child off on their first day at school – you worry about how they will be received and you hope they make lots of new friends and aren’t bullied by the bigger kids. Or something like that!

I know you were inspired to create the Winterbottoms from a story of old, AUNT JANE'S NIECES. What do you think it was about that story that attracted you and how have you made this story different? Do you believe it will intrigue the same crowd? 

I read “Aunt Jane’s Nieces” at a time in my life where I had pretty much given up on a career as a writer. I’d written a number of books that had failed to find a publisher and I was feeling utterly dejected about the whole thing. I happened upon the book online, quit by accident, and I just started reading it. The story itself is very old fashioned and rather quaint but something about the tale of a grumpy old Aunt and her three nieces really struck a chord with me. Reading it was like eating comfort food. It reminded me of watching old black and white movies with my Grandmother as a kid. I read the book in just a day or two and I found I couldn’t get the story out of head. It was just a perfect little story and I can remember saying to myself, “I want to write a story just like that.” So I did. Initially I wanted to write a contemporary version of Aunt Jane’s Nieces, but once I got started I quickly found myself writing a radically different book. My three heroes are very different to the three girls in Aunt Jane’s Nieces and Uncle Silas is a far more ruthless, ghastly villain than dear old Aunt Jane. As a writer it was really important, I think, that I made the story my own – the characters and the plot ended up a million miles from the book I set out to adapt. Having said that, I’m really proud to say that a book written nearly a century ago inspired me to write again.

The three children portrayed in the book are quite diverse. You must have had a blast writing them. How did you keep track of their distinct voices? 

I did have a blast writing the three Winterbottom cousins. The interesting thing for me about creating these characters was really making sure they were utterly different in personality and just as importantly in their motivations for accepting their Uncle’s invitation to visit his island estate. Once I established what those different motivations were, I really found the voice of each character. Milo is angry and bruised by the tragedy in his life; Adele is clever and sweet, but owing to her ruthless mother she is timid and afraid when we first meet her; and Isabella is a complex mixture of extreme arrogance and vanity mixed with a deep sense of loss and underneath it all, insecurity. It’s amazing how easy it is to keep the voices of your characters distinct and unique once you have a really good idea about what makes them tick. One of the best things I learnt writing The Body Thief was that giving my heroes very distinct motivations for doing the things they do, made it much easier to create individual voices for each of them. It’s a sort of shortcut for writers, I think.

What about Silas? He's an interesting character: part snoot, maffia god, and all-around-creepy guy. (Hope you don't mind my characterization. I think he's brilliantly done.)

Silas was almost too much fun to write – the guy has a pet crocodile, after all. Silas is painfully polite, proper and refined, yet he’s utterly villainous and capable of the most awful acts. That tension between his smooth veneer and his underlining treachery was a lot fun to play with. In a strange way, he’s a very human sort of villain. The danger with a character like Silas is that he can be reduced to standard card-board cutout bad guy. I was really determined that he would be more interesting than that. I wanted the reader to really understand his motivation, his hunger, for doing the ghastly things that he does. Silas is so dangerous because he feels entirely justified in carrying out his horrific plan, which involves the three young Winterbottoms in ways that I don’t want to divulge! He’s a character I will be writing for several years to come and I’m really lucky that I’m actually pretty fond of him – putting to one side the fact that he is a despicable, vengeful lunatic. 

The story is not your typical middle grade fantasy, fairytale. It's dark with a Gothic undertone, and in a few scenes a bit gory--gory in a clean and good way. What made you write that route and do you think it was risky?

I’m a huge fan of gothic fiction – I love writers like Sheridan Le Fanu and Wilkie Collins. I wanted to write a story set in a grand and gloomy mansion that told a tale about a tortured family and the legacy of past sins being visited upon the younger generation. It’s classically gothic in that way. Did I think it was risky? Not really. I wrote the sort of story I would love to read. I didn’t think about any particular genre, I just set out to write a real page turner that would hook the reader in and keep them guessing. Having said that, I also wanted to write a story with a lot of humor in it to lighten some of the darker themes in the book. Hopefully The Body Thief is a good mixture of the comic and the gothic. 

Ooh, without giving too much away, I know this is the first in a series of books about the Winterbottoms. Can you give us any hints on what's to come? Will the children age or are you planning on keeping the story primarily middle grade?

All I can say is that the Winterbottoms haven’t seen the last of the Uncle Silas – not to mention the evil Dr Mangrove. I have five books planned in the series and while each book will be self contained the over-arching story is a classic battle of good versus evil between my three young heroes and their villainous Uncle Silas. And yes, the children will age from book to book. For example, about one year will pass between The Body Thief and the next book. But I can’t give anything else away. Stay tuned!

And stay tuned we will. I'm sure we'll be hearing more from Stephen in the future. Feel free to visit his WEBSITE. 


Now, if you're not the winner of the book giveaway, you can purchase his book on Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com.


And the winner of a copy of The Death (and Further Adventures) of Silas Winterbottom via Random.org is.....

Natalie Aguirre!!

Please email me your physical mailing addy, and I will forward it to the publisher!!

Congrats and thanks to everyone who entered and supported Stephen!

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: The Death (and Further Adventures) of Silas Winterbottom

I am fortunate enough to be participating in the blog tour for the release of Stephen Giles MG story, The Death (and Further Adventures) of Silas Winterbottom. It's always a pleasure to be part of a group of people who treasure supporting an author. And I have an awesome surprise. I have a copy of the book to giveaway!! I want to thank SOURCEBOOKS for providing me with an ARC to read and review, and the copy to share with our giveaway winner.

Title: The Death (and Further Adventures) of Silas Winterbottom.
Author: Stephen M. Giles
Genre: middle grade
Release Date: August 1, 2010






Favorite line or segment: "Horse poop!" snapped Rosemary. "I'm staying and that's that!"


"If it's money you want," said Silas coolly, "then you are wasting your time."


"Money?" Rosemary screwed up her nose. "Can't stand the stuff! Turns perfectly fine people into greedy, self-centered nincompoops."


Description: What secret is Uncle Silas hiding?

Adele, Milo and Isabella Winterbottom haven’t heard from Uncle Silas in years – unless you count the occasional insult. So curious eyebrows are raised when the cousins receive a mysterious invitation from their disagreeable relative. But Silas is dying, and a dying man with a vast fortune usually wishes to find an heir.

Or so the children believe.

But when they meet dear, old Uncle Silas and his hungry pet crocodile, the trio suspects that he may have a more sinister reason for inviting healthy, young relatives to his secluded island estate – a place where nothing is as it seems ...

Book One in the thrilling new series –
THE DEATH (AND FURTHER ADVENTURES) OF SILAS WINTERBOTTOM

NIGHTSTAND WORTHY

My Splats: It isn't hard to tell by looking at the cover that this is not your average middle grade book. It's Gothic flare and darker side should lure even the most subtle of middle graders in. And the title? It's fun and clever, giving us just enough to question. Even the name of Winterbottom conveys an image. 


The writing is crisp and direct with visual descriptions that pack a punch. Stephen Giles does a wonderful job of using a variety of elements to paint a picture. He shows us each child's outer world by cleverly name tagging the parents/guardian and their lifestyles, and gives us insight into the children's inner selves by fast paced scenes and secret thoughts. A teeny note of caution: There is one scene at the beginning (having to do with birds pecking flesh) that may be disturbing to some middle graders. Then again, at their age, they'll probably laugh.


The story begins with a relatable, average scene of a parent complaining about money. But soon, as we are introduced to all three of the main characters--Adele, Milo, and Isabella--we realize these children are far from your average middle graders with far from your average upbringings. And when they're introduced to Uncle Silas, it's obvious to the reader that this story is anything but average.  


Talk about dysfunction. All the adults in this book are 'less' than worthy of being parents, with the exception of Milo's guardian. I loved this. Often in both MG and YA, parents or guardians are introduced quickly and then shifted from the story. Their personal 'issues' are explained away and we're done with them. Here, there are constant references as to how each child was affected by his/her parents/guardians, which plays directly into the movement of the story. 


And as we being to follow Uncle Silas around his island estate, a sinking feeling sets in. Silas' eerie pauses and stares lead to constant questions. The story slowly progresses to a real 'Who done it' or 'Who's going to get it?'. 


I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic created between the three cousins. Their personalities are extremely unique, yet believable, and will appeal to both girls and boys of this age group. A battle of mistrust, fake-facades, snobbery, and even lies begins between them. I loved this realism, and how each child is forced to grow, overlook the others' flaws, and work together. It's a great lesson for kids of this age.


And honestly, could a middle grader really resist a scaly, pet alligator named Thorn, that roams the halls of a gigantic mansion?

You MUST want the book now. ENTER below for your chance to win. You must be an Alleywalker to win. Follow me!!

Soul Screamers up for grabs!

Wants some books? New readage??? Take a skip over to my good friend, Jessie's blog The Daily Harrell. And psst...the last book in the series, MY SOUL TO KEEP, is even signed.

BOOK REVIEW: Life, Liberty, and Pursuit

Title: Life, Liberty, and Pursuit
Author: Susan Kaye Quinn
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Omnific Publishing (June 2010)
Pages: 262


The .pdf copy I reviewed was provided to me by the publisher.


Favorite segment: He chuckled and kissed her. It was molten sweetness on her lips, and it was a good thing he had a firm hold on her. (page 253)


Description: When college-bound Eliza falls into a cruise-ship pool, she doesn't expect to fall in love. And when navy recruit David pulls her from the water, he finds her surprisingly hard to resist. But a whirlwind of rescues, candlelit nights, and beachside misunderstandings pulls them into a four-day love affair that threatens to break their hearts before their love has a chance to start. When David leaves for endless drills and physical training in boot camp, and Eliza returns to Albuquerque to prepare for Princeton in the fall, they dare to keep loving each other and struggle to imagine a future when they can be together. But when miles and mistrust pull them apart, they are forced to choose between keeping true to their dreams and having the courage to love.

COVETED - a must read.

My Splats: I am a visual person. Book covers do influence me. When I first saw the cover of LIFE, LIBERTY,AND PURSUIT, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. But it grew on me, encapsulating the story to a greater degree than I could have imagined. It fits; it really does.


This story was a pleasure to read. The writing was easy to read, and had a poignant almost poetic flow to it. Scenes were ordered for a quick pace which made the story hard to put away at times. It didn't have or need any big, bad villians or paranormal monsters lurking around every corner to drive my interest. The character driven threads were plenty to keep me reading. 


At times I found myself fully drawn into the minds and hearts of Eliza and David, as if I had known them...And herein lies when I began cheering for their success. I especially enjoyed the awkward moments of their relationship. I think most people, regardless of age, could relate. This story was sweet and quaint, yet real and true to the trials a newly graduated teenage girl would face. My favorite character arch was how Eliza and David grew together. Susan does a magnificent job of subtly mapping out the struggles and growth of a young relationship. It is a thing of beauty, and these two characters, in my opinion, will stand the test of time.


As a writer, I found myself learning from the ease of Susan's style. She has a way of soothing her reader into a scene, and then before the reader knows it the scene is over, filling them yet leaving them a little bit hungry. It worked.


Visit Susan's website to find out where and how to purchase the book. And please make sure to come back and read the interview Susan so graciously gave me. I'll be posting it in a few weeks.

Supporting The Writing Show & ARC Alert!

Over the past month or so, I've mentioned briefly that I've been working on my synopsis with an amazing writer. Well, we've finally finished. It was all do to Jess over on The Alliterative Allomorph blog and the contest she had a few months back. Through that contest, I was introduced to the fantastical Paula B. of The Writing Show.

If you don't know, but The Writing Show is a resource for writers with endless information, editing services, and guidance that will not only gain you writing skills but also writing confidence. That was what it did for me.

I'm planning on writing a series about my synopsis experience with Paula, how she helped me breakdown my intricate plot and subplots, and compose a concise summary of my story. We were even able to sprinkle it with some heart. I cannot tell you how wonderful she was to work with. Seriously, I would have given up on me after our third email exchange when I sent her two more versions of my synopsis and she emailed me back saying, "Um...I'm confused."

Can't blame her. I was clueless how to shave all the decorations and scene building blah weaved throughout my main plot to expose the bones of the story. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I was struggling. Anyhow, this is about The Writing Show and not my synopsis. Like I mentioned, I'll write that series soon and share it with you.

Today, I'm here to ask you to support The Writing Show. Jess is having an amazing contest to aid in financially supporting the show. This is a wonderful cause. Please take a quick gander over there and check out her CONTEST. Paula, and those she works with, truly deserve it.

Thank you.

Now for an amazing GIVEAWAY. When I heard about this, I just had to send out some MAJOR love for Shannon Whitney Messenger over on Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe. She's having an amazing 5 ARC book giveaway...just for starters, to celebrate her epic achievement of reaching over 1,000 blogging buddies.

WOWZERS!!

So here's what's up for grabs:

You've got to take a visit to her blog now, don't you??

GRAFFITI WALL: Reuts Publications

Today, the GRAFFITI WALL is spreading it's alley-wings, branching out from the beloved writer to the publisher who can put ink to their words. Join me in giving Reuts Publications a warm welcome.

Ashley Madau-Founder/Designer, Cara Ruegg-Editor/Moderator, Jessica Lopez-Head of Marketing, and Lauren Skye Sila (not pictured here) Moderator for Reuts Community (ReutsComm)  

What motivated you to engineer your own online publishing firm?

A day or two after I signed a contract for my story to be published through a different publishing company, and reading, re-reading, and reading the contract it was almost a light bulb moment; in one quick moment I knew I could provide people like myself with a publishing company while improving on what I didn't agree with in my own contract. Luckily, I was able to terminate my contract with this other company, and I began developing Reuts. The name was the hardest part. I complained to my boyfriend how it had to be perfect, had to embody my dream of the company. When Reuts was voted upon by a handful of people, I worked on the website, the policies and the contracts. In less than a week I had the company ready to go; it was a surreal moment.

You are solely online. How do you feel that differs, if it does, from other publishers?

Our central location is online (people a part of our team are from California, to Michigan, to Maryland), and I feel it's a great example of how writers and individuals can come together, creating a publication for young adults, by young adults. Most publishers, large or small, may try to relate to that age group, but by actually haven't young adults from different corners of the world a part of Reuts, we're able to truly relate and offer an experience of publication and friendship with others like ourselves. It's a relationship, personal before profit.

Your staff members, how did you meet them and hire them to work with you? What are they're qualifications?

I stumbled upon many of the Reuts team members. We are currently made up of young adults volunteering their specific skills for a ending goal. Jessica has superb marketing skills which she has lent to the group, and Lauren is a fantastic motivator. Why should there be a big difference if someone has professional qualifications or not? These individuals are talented in their own way, and I'm so appreciative that they're anxious to help an up-and-coming company!

What are you hoping to accomplish through Reuts Publications?

I want to offer young adults something I wish I had when searching for a publisher: someone who communicates with you, responds in a timely fashion, actually reads through every submission, and gives you a real chance within the world of publication. Starting Reuts was never about breaking the bank or gaining unimaginable fame, but helping others you truly believe in to realize their dreams and goals. I want to help and get the word out about these fantastic authors.

You are currently accepting submissions. What genres do you work with most?

We accept all submissions except highly erotic stories, but personal preference of most of our team members is in the paranormal, fantasy, sci-fi realm. We're looking for stories to push the boundaries, with a unique take on the over-killed genres. If it's different and well written, we're happy to give it a shot!

What would you like to see more of in young adult fiction?

Unpredictable characters, relatable characters, a story to tug at the readers emotions. It's all about creating realism with the most unbelievable stories. It doesn't matter if you're dealing with elves, zombies, mutants, there's always a way to weave believability into the story-line and cause the reader to wish for it to be reality. Take me, take us away from mundane life.

What are you looking for in a writer/client?

Someone fun. Like I mentioned before, a friend. You don't need to be afraid of your publishing company, we're normal people too. I love talking to different authors and understanding their writing, their style and their thoughts. That said, there has to be a small level of professionalism with the author, nothing too drastic, but enough to demonstrate the individual is serious about their story and sharing it with the world. We all wouldn't mind fame, but it's always nicer to hear an author wanting to share their story with the world instead of making their millions.  

On your website, you state on your About Page: "...here at Reuts, we're looking to redefine the relationship authors develop with their publishers."Could you elaborate on this statement?

Too many times a publisher/author relationship is purely business; you profit by having your book published, we profit by selling your published book. From the beginning I never felt this was the right way to do it. Why not create a relationship beyond that, a friendship?  Both are still benefiting from the other, but there's also a deeper relationship between publisher and author. I discussed with one of our authors about her recent prom, and was able to share my own (horrifying!) prom stories. It's caring for someone as a human being, not a number on a checkbook. 

Do you have any projects and/or clients you'd like to share with us?

We are currently in the editing stage of a two-part story, aimed to be released Winter '10 or Spring '11. It's an enveloping fantasy story which paints the world across the very pages as you read. We're keeping the title under wraps right now, but a sneak peak of the book should be coming near the end of Summer.

Reuts is also working with a series of authors who are writing an anthology to be published with us. We have no release date for it yet, but it's coming soon, and from the beginning drafts of it, it's looking fantastic!

What are your hopes for Reuts Publications in the future? Expansion?

The future for Reuts right now is developing a collection to present to the public. We're new, and we can only work so fast to sift through, edit and publish quality books for our readers. I'm guessing this will take some time, and start off slow, but having five or so titles within the next five or less years is a good goal for the company. Expansion would be above and beyond what I'm looking at in this moment. We don't want to rush because we want to do everything right. Quality is better than quantity, there's no denying that.

There are critiques for and against self-publishing. What are your thoughts?

I have an appreciation for those who choose to go the self-publishing route. It takes a lot of guts, time and energy to even get to that; and you thought querying agents and publishers was hard! It's not for everyone, but it's not impossible. If you believe in your story 110% that should radiate off the screen towards your potential readers.

Today's electronic age has finally bleed into tangible books. I know there has been a lot of controversy over ebooks and readers like the Kindle. You represent ebooks. Where do you stand on price, distribution, and the percentage the publisher should receive?

Ebooks are interesting in that there has to be some sort of compensation for both the publisher and the author for all the work put into writing and publication, yet eBooks are clearly different from print books. I think a fair price would be anything under $5, and if you really think about it, any book you'd consider reading should be worth at least $5, and if not, there are other books in the sea. Ebooks are probably the easiest and the hardest to distribute in that there are venues on the internet where you can advertise and distribute for not cost at all, but reeling in your proper audience can be extremely difficult. As with most other companies, eBook publication grants the author a higher royalty percentage than does traditional print, which is how it should always be. The cost of printing is nonexistent, therefore the author should reap more of the benefits; Reuts has no problem with that. 

Ashley, thank you for all this viable information. I'm sure many readers will appreciate your perspective. 

Interested in finding out more about Reuts Publications or in submitting your work. Visit their SITE or EMAIL them with questions. Even better, leave a question in the comments and Ashley may just stop by and answer it.