Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis

From School Library Journal
Grade 8–10—Sixteen-year-old Shelby knows she is acting out and making some bad choices when it comes to boys and dating, but she never expected her father and "wicked" stepmother to banish her to a "brat camp" for the summer. Luckily for Shelby, she is allowed to choose the artsy Camp Crescent instead of Priscilla's choice of Red Canyon—aka boot camp from hell. Camp turns out not to be a total waste even with the preachy Mr. Winters and singing guitar lady Cynthia. Shelby manages to make some new friends, but the real highlight is the arrival of Austin Bridges III. Not only is he the son of a legendary rock star, but he is also cute, kind, intriguing, and totally mysterious. Shelby is drawn to him and the terrible dark family secret that he is willing to share only with her. How can she turn her back on him, especially with the full moon only a few nights away? Davis weaves together a fast-paced action adventure story with issues of peer pressure, divorce, betrayal, friendship, acceptance, and, of course, romance. Shelby is fearless and impulsive, but she is also a caring soul who just needs to find her way in a confusing world. This novel has great teen appeal but is not as dark or edgy as others in this genre. It will leave readers wanting more.—Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

My Thoughts:
I heart snarky main characters, and this book has one I heart. Shelby is a girl with a lot of underlying issues which always makes for an interesting read, and a hot British love interest just ices the cake. This novel started off with an interesting hook. You find out immediately Shelby has a history of getting into trouble with bad boys, and is being sent to brat camp because of it. The middle kind of slowed for me, but once Shelby and Austin start their hike through the woods, things quickly heat up. If you like paranormal romance, this one's for you.

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

From Booklist
Transsexuality is the issue in this candid novel told from the viewpoint of Logan, a high-school senior in a small Missouri town. The story quickly moves from Logan’s attraction to Sage, a cute, strange new girl at school, to his shock at the discovery that Sage was born male and is in transition to become a female. More than anything, Logan worries that once Sage’s identity is revealed, people will think that he is gay for being attracted to a boy. Then Sage attempts suicide, and Logan feels guilty about failing her. Unlike Sage’s brutal father, though, Logan never denies that Sage is a “she.” The story is long and repetitive, and the messages are overt, but many teens—both those familiar with transgender issues and those who are not—will welcome the honest take on a rarely explored subject. The biological facts about hormones and Sage’s changing body are woven in, and Katcher clearly dramatizes the characters’ secrets, lies, shame, and denial, as well as the cruel prejudice they experience with family and friends. Grades 9-12. --Hazel Rochman

My Thoughts:
The MC Logan jumps off the page with his 1st person POV, and I immediately found myself rooting for him to find happiness. This was a very true take on an unconventional teen romance. If you are looking to read something that is very different, with great dialog and beautiful writing, this ones for you.

Found Some Motivation...FINALLY!!

Okay, so I've been in a writing rut the last couple of weeks after finishing DEMON, almost to the burnt out point, but I think I've got some mojo back. I got a SNI, and I was a little more excited about this one than the couple others I've come up with in the last couple of weeks, so I wrote out a rough query to see if it sounded as good on paper as in my head. Well I looked at it, and was like I'd read that book (LOL), which meant I was ready to start a new project. Finally. My next step in the creative process is making a rough trailer to keep me motiviated, which I completed last night, and I'll post here so you can see the new twisted idea my brain has come up with. LOL

Tuesday Teaser Time!!

Hey everyone!

Today's snip is from DEMON AT MY DOOR, because I've been knee deep in edits, and haven't worked on anything new.
As always I will send everyone comment love in return :)

Scene: Exposing a secret

Thanks for stopping :)

AWESOME CONTEST ALERT!!

Okay because we all know I can't get enough of contests, here are two great opportunities to win awesome prizes!

Have you always wanted to win a 40page crit from an agent? How about one from the likes of the fabulous Suzie Townsend? It would be sweet, right?

Well here's your chance. Just visit Suzette Saxton's blog and enter.

The other contest involves winning some pretty kick ass novels, but the best part...they're signed! Just visit the awesome Elana Johnson's blog to enter.

Good luck everyone!!!

Watch Out Harry, There's a Hot New Half-Blood In Town

As a young adult writer, a giddy feeling of excitment always stirs inside me when I see a YA novel turned into a film(YAYAYAYA For us writers!!), and I always support them by buying my ticket to watch it on the big screen. Percy Jackson and the Olypians:The Lightening Theif was no exception.

"Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.


Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves." Amazon Book Description.

While my favorite boy wizard, Harry Potter, will always hold a special place in my heart, I think I can clear out some space for one of my new favorite fantasy adventurers, Percy Jackson. I really didn't expect much going into the theather, partly because I haven't read the book yet (I know...I suck. Bad Writer!! HEHE), so I had no high standard to be met. Well, I'm happy to say I was pleasently surprized. The characters were fun and engaging, and I really got into the film because I actually cared what happened to them, which is how you know it's an excellent story.

I've been told that Percy was made a little older in the film than in the books to help draw crowds, and if that's the case, well done. The adventure Percy and the other half-bloods go on would be a little less believable if he was any younger.

So basically, I just wanted to tell you all I watched the movie last night, and it kicks ass! Go out and see it, I think you'll like it.

PS: If you want to see some book reviews, check out what my blogging sisters had to say about it!

Writing Whoopsies!

The lovely ladies of OPWFT have all decided to collectively post some writing/publishing industry uh-ohs we've personally committed on our path to publication, and due to people probably not having the time to sit and listen to me cry over spilled milk all day, I'll keep it brief.

1.) Procrastination: We've all been there. You're manuscript is screaming at you from your laptop "Come finish me!", and yet we sit there, allowing our time to be used for all things OTHER THAN WRITING. I'm guilty of this. I'll have a kick ass way to wrap up a story, but movies, shopping, or reality TV always suck away my free time. Sometimes, I just need a swift kick in the ass, and luckily I have amazing crit partners that do that (You know who you are!!), which gets my lazy butt back on track.

Don't have any of those? Find some! Without support, you'll never keep your sanity in this biz. Believe me.

2.) Jumping The Gun: Okay, so not everyone does this, but I myself am guilty of it. When you finish an MS, you want to know "Is this the one?", and before you realize what you've done, your fingers have hit the send button. Now, I'm not just talking about submitting queries here, but sending out your MS to betas before you've combed through it thoroughly with a fine tooth comb.(Sowwy betas)

My advice here, if it's great when you're done, imagine how awesome it can be once you step back, and take a look with a critical eye. Easier said than done, right? I'm with you on that. But I'm going to try and behave myself from now on. No sending stuff out before it's actually ready.

Okay, so now you know some of my boo-boo's, and hopefully you've learned a tiny tid bit from me to help you hone your craft.

Happy Writing,
Annie

Contests: I Heart Them!

Okay with my latest completed WIP DEMON AT MY DOOR I've been a complete contest whore! I think I've entered every contest opportunity my MS has been eligible for, just because I find them more gratifying than sending queries. *SHRUG* Maybe I'm crazy, but I feel like you get more feedback that way sometimes.

So the YALitchat contest finialist were just annouced, and my good friend Jennifer Woods contacted me to tell me I was a finalist. (Thanks Jenn!! My resident contest sister :D)

So here's the link to the 45 finalist. Congrats to all the other finialist!

sourcebooks-fire-contest--semi-finalists

Teenage Hillbilly Hell Query Rough Draft

Okay so since I'm working on my Teenage Hillbilly Hell query letter, I thought I'd share my rough draft for some crit. :D So if something doesn't make since, let me know, as this is a work in progress while I'm working on this story.

Thanks for the query crits :D
_____________________________________________________________________


Just when former fat girl turned guy magnet, Avery Mitchell, makes it to the status of queen bee at West High Prep, her wealthy father drops a bomb—he’s filing bankruptcy and moving his family to where he grew up. Redneckville.

Living with her rough-around-the-edges Granny is not exactly Avery’s idea of a good time, but when her dad gets caught stealing money at his job to support her high-fluting mom’s spending habits, they lose everything. As she struggles to live within her no-manicures-allowed lifestyle, and adjust without her overbearing mother—who ran away with her plastic surgeon as soon as the first credit card decline popped up—she can’t break her old habits of using her looks and body to get what she wants. However, she quickly learns that sexual seduction may not win over every boy in town, such as Holden, the most romantic guy she’s ever met.

When Avery throws herself at Holden at the Sucker-Hole—a common teen hang out spot—she finds out, shockingly, some guys are interested in more than just sex. She discovers Holden is a reformed man-whore who has turned over a new leaf, because of a promise to his dead father, and is no longer into causal flings. She agrees to date the celibate Holden and attempt to put her slutty ways behind her. After all, she’s out of this shit-hole town on the day she turns eighteen and doesn’t need anything or anyone tying her down. Unfortunately, plans change when she develops feelings for the reformed womanizer. Suddenly Avery realizes sex may not be the most important thing in a relationship and that this teenage hillbilly hell is actually growing on her.

Tuesday Teaser Time!!

Hey everyone!! I've missed Tuesday Teasers!!!

Okay so this snip is from my new/old WIP Teenage Hillbilly Hell that was on hold until I finished my last MS, and I have to say I've missed my sexually promiscuous characters Avery and Holden.

Thanks for checking it out guys--can't wait to see what everyone else has posted.
Scene: Barn Scene























“This party tonight…” I trail off.

“Yeah?” he asks.

“What kind of party is it exactly?”

“I dunno, it’s just a party. Are you asking me if we have a theme or something? Do we really need that to get together and drink beer?”

I laugh. “No. I wouldn’t expect that much creativity from you country bumpkins.”

“Hey now…” He chuckles.

“What should I wear to this unfestive drinking event?”

“Wear whatever you want. It’s not like there’s a dress code or anything.”

Oh my God. Boys are so annoying. Do I have to spell it out?

“Well, can you at least tell me what the girls around here typically wear to a party? I don’t want to be dressed wrong and stick out.”

He walks into my stall and leans against the rough wood wall and smiles. “Avery, I think you’ll stand out no matter what you wear.”

I give him my most sexy grin. I know he’s flirting with me now, and this is an area I’m well schooled in. “Are you saying I’m noticeable?”

He takes a step toward me, takes the pitchfork from my hands, and leans it against the wall. His strong arms wrap around me, and the heat from his body pulsates off of him, activating the delicious smell of his woodsy cologne. His deep blue eyes are fixed on me intently, only leaving my gaze for a second to stare at my lips, which causes me to lick them--inviting him to kiss me.

“You’re very noticeable,” he whispers before his lips meet mine.