Friday, June 8, 2012

Elana Johnson Listens to Music! WIN YA Books!

Music that Inspired the Writing—Waiting For the End by Linkin Park 
by Elana Johnson 

Okay, so there’s nothing I love more than putting on my headphones and really sinking into the emotion of a song. I take those feelings and pour them into my writing. One such song that really hits home for a particular character is “Waiting for the End” by Linkin Park.


Can you guess which POSSESSION/SURRENDER character this song personifies?


 


So many things were left unsaid 
It’s hard to let you go 


I know what it takes to move on 
I know how it feels to lie 
All I want to do Is trade this life for something new 
Holding on to what I haven’t got. 

And then
The hardest part of ending is starting again. 


Did you guess Zenn Bower? You totally should have. If you’ve read POSSESSION or my free short story INSIDER INFORMATION, you know Zenn will do anything for Vi. He knows what it feels like to lie, what it takes to move on. It’s so hard for him to let Vi go.

And in SURRENDER, we get to see a lot more of Zenn. I listened to this Linkin Park song on repeat (no lie, I’ve listened to it 468 times, according to iTunes…) as well as blasted it in the car as I sang yelled along.

I’m hoping the emotion of the following lines really come through in the book.
All I want to do 
Is trade this life for something new 
Holding on to what I haven’t got 


The hardest part of ending is starting again 

Because Zenn really wants a new life in Freedom. Will he get it? Is he still holding on to what he hasn’t got? Will he be able to find a way to start again?

You’ll have to read SURRENDER to find out… You can order your copy here.

About SURRENDER: Raine has always been a good girl. She lives by the rules in Freedom. After all, they are her father’s rules: He’s the Director. It’s because of him that Raine is willing to use her talent—a power so dangerous, no one else is allowed to know about it. Not even her roommate, Vi.

All of that changes when Raine falls for Gunner. Raine’s got every reason in the world to stay away from Gunn, but she just can’t. Especially when she discovers his connection to Vi’s boyfriend, Zenn.

Raine has never known anyone as heavily brainwashed as Vi. Raine’s father expects her to spy on Vi and report back to him. But Raine is beginning to wonder what Vi knows that her father is so anxious to keep hidden, and what might happen if she helps Vi remember it. She’s even starting to suspect Vi’s secrets might involve Freedom’s newest prisoner, the rebel Jag Barque…. 

Elana's work including POSSESSION, REGRET, and SURRENDER is available from Simon & Schuster wherever books are sold. She is the author of From the Query to the Call, an ebook that every writer needs to read before they query, which can be downloaded for free on her website. She runs a personal blog on publishing and is a founding author of the QueryTracker blog. She blogs regularly at The League of Extraordinary Writers, co-organizes WriteOnCon, and is a member of SCBWI, ANWA and LDStorymakers. Find her on her Blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

You can win one of five SPECTACULAR SECOND books this week! It’s easy peasy lemon squeezy. All you have to do is fill out this rafflecopter widget with what you’ve done, and you can win a signed copy of either INSURGENT (by Veronia Roth), A MILLION SUNS (by Beth Revis), CROSSED (by Ally Condie), PERCEPTION (by Kim Harrington), and IN HONOR (by Jessi Kirby)—all spectacular second novels by some of today’s hottest YA authors. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

27 comments:

  1. Funny how one song can tie in with a character so well, isn't it?

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  2. I'm really looking forward to reading this!
    :D

    Becky01x@gmail.com

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  3. Alex is right. It is amazing how well that song fits Zenn. So excited for Elana!

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  4. I preordered the book. But I preordered it with a book that isn't due out until next week. :)

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  5. I have certain songs that I identify with characters, too -- but I only listen to them in the car, while driving and brainstorming.

    I can't write to music. :(

    Great post, Elana -- and hello Sheri! *waves*

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  6. SA, that's an awesome song and great contest!
    - Maurice Mitchell
    The Geek Twins | Film Sketchr
    @thegeektwins | @mauricem1972

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  7. Awesome. It's on my TBR list. =)

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  8. Zenn was one of my favorite characters in Possession. I'm excited to see more of him.

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  9. I love this! I too have certain songs for certain moods, scenes, or characters, but I especially love that you're into Linkin Park. One of my all-time favorite bands! So happy to see this! Boo-yaw!

    New follower of this blog, btw. I'm hopping around looking for cool blogs to follow (yours is great, as evidenced by the fact that you're showcasing the phenomenal Elana Johnson) and hoping people will return the favor. If you want to reciprocate I'm at musingsonfantasia.blogspot.com and lkhill.blogspot.com. Yes, I have two blogs! One focuses on all things fantasy, the genre of my debut novel which will be out later this year. The other one focuses on writing in general and historical tidbits, as I also dabble in historical fiction. Follow one or both; doesn't matter to me. I look forward to your posts! :D

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    Replies
    1. Congrats on the release of your debut novel later this year!! Awesomesauce, as E would say. ;D Sure, I'll head over and check out your sites. Thanks so much for the follow!

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  10. Haven't read Possessions yet (top of my TBR shelf, I promise. And yes, I'm a bad person) but this song just got me more curious. I'm not such a Linkin Park fan, but the lead singer has one of those silky voices that I can listen to for hours.

    Great post, though. =D

    ~Riv Re
    Riv Reads

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  11. those are some great books up for grabs and a big congrats to Elana :)

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  12. Lovely! So aweseome to learn about what inspired you, Elana. Congrats to your book release. Can't wait to read it!!!!

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  13. Alex is right!
    Can't wait to read it :)

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  14. Congrats Elana! I cannot wait to read surrender!

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  15. Love the song. And surrender sounds like such an awesome read! Can't wait to get it.

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  16. Got my e-copy of Surrender on my Kindle for PC library. Pre-ordered and got it dropped in day of release.

    Love that song. Then again, I love Linkin Park. I have to catch up on things with them.

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  17. Great song. Linkin Park has two songs on my Touch of Death playlist. Love them.

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  18. Music is so different for everyone. But if you take out the music, and just look at the words, you can really find out that they are powerful all on their own.

    Sounds great!

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  19. Aww poor Zenn. These lyrics brought tears to my eyes.

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  20. Oooh . I want to know what Vi's secret is!

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  21. I love this song! Gotta reread some Zenn scenes now.

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  22. I enjoy Linkin Park.

    It's always interesting to read about what inspires authors and their characters.

    I'm so happy for Elana on her release.

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  23. Yay for Elana! I love music and all the emotions it can conjure up.

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