In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, so readers can share what books they've gotten in the past week.

I got a few books this week, and I'm super excited for them. Here they are:

Wolfsbane (Nightshade, Book 2) by Andrea Cremer

Source: Bought the Kindle version on Amazon

I have been waiting for WOLFSBANE since finishing the ARC of NIGHTSHADE last summer, and can't wait to see what happens with Calla, Shay, and Ren, and how everything plays out between the Keepers, Guardians, and Searchers. I started reading it last night, am almost 50% through it, and am loving it! Team Ren FTW :)

Supernaturally (Paranormalcy) by Kiersten White

Source: Bought the Kindle version on Amazon

I love love loved PARANORMALCY, and can't wait to start reading SUPERNATURALLY! Evie is such an awesome protagonist (I mean, she names her taser -- what's more awesome than that?! Maybe that it's pink and bedazzled :) and I'm excited to see what happens next in this series. 

The Mephisto Covenant: The Redemption of Ajax by Trinity Faegen

Source: Received an e-galley from NetGalley

My friend Tiffany from About to Read recommended this book, and I'm excited to read it!

Dark Beauty by Taryn Browning

Source: Bought the Kindle version on Amazon

DARK BEAUTY is a short story written by my friend and agent-mate Taryn Browning, and it's the prequel to her DARK SEEKER novel. It's a fantastic read, and I highly recommend checking it out!

Remembrance by Michelle Madow

Source: Myself

My first novel, REMEMBRANCE, released on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords on Wednesday! Of course I bought myself a copy, so I decided to include it in this week's IMM. If you would consider checking it out, that would be awesome! :)

How Remembrance Came to Be

Today I thought I'd share with you the story about how my novel Remembrance came to be.

The “Love Story” music video premiered in the fall of 2008. The first time I watched it, I was entranced. Taylor sees a guy while walking through campus, and the moment their eyes connect, the scene flashes to the two of them dancing at a beautiful ball dressed in clothes that appear to be from around the year 1815. It’s magical to watch, and the video is so amazing that it gave me chills. I watched it over and over again, and a story started to piece together in my mind. A story about a girl reincarnated from Regency Era, England, who doesn’t realize it until her soulmate transfers into her school and triggers her memories to gradually return to her.

I know a lot of you have probably seen this music video, but in case you haven't and want to watch it, or if you just want to watch it over again, here it is:

What a beautiful music video! It makes me happy every time I watch it :)

In that semester at school, I was taking a class called Intro to Creative Writing. One of our first big assignments in class was to write anything we wanted and bring it in to share with everyone. Since the characters and scenes that came to me while watching “Love Story” refused to leave my mind, I decided that for the project, I would write the first chapter of what I then called “The Story Inspired by ‘Love Story.’”

After completing the chapter, I stared at it for about an hour, worrying about what my classmates would think after reading it. I assumed everyone else would write about “normal” things—not reincarnation and seeing your soulmate from the past for the first time! What if they thought what I wrote was weird? I nearly erased it in favor of turning something else in, but then I remembered something Taylor had said:

"If you’re lucky enough to be different from everyone else, don't change."

I listened to her advice. Yes, what I wrote was going to be way different from what everyone else in class wrote, but I was okay with that. And after I read the chapter aloud to the class, I was amazed to find out that everyone in my class, including my teacher, loved it. Actually, they more than loved it—they wanted to read more!

But I had never written a novel before, and the idea of making the plunge and going for it intimidated me. What if I failed and couldn’t finish it? That worried me, but again, I remembered something Taylor had said:

"To me, fearless isn't not having fears; it's not that you're not afraid of anything. I think that being fearless is having a lot of fears, but you jump anyway."

So I jumped.

Now, after working on edits with my family, friends, and literary agent, Remembrance is finally available for you to read, and I'm so excited to be able to share the story with you. 

To everyone who has decided to pick up my book, or who will in the future, thank you so much for your support, and I hope you enjoy it! :)

xoxo,

Michelle

Remembrance

Here is where you can find all of my blogs about the Transcend Time Saga.

• Cover reveal and book blurb
• How Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video inspired Remembrance
• My Letter to Taylor Swift
• Remembrance Playlist
• Read the Preface
• The celebrities I see as the characters
• The houses in Remembrance
• The cars in Remembrance
• The Music Box Scene: Song, Pictures, and Excerpt!
• Bonus Scene: Drew breaking the news to Chelsea that he won't be going to the dance
• Halloween Dance Costumes (pics of what the characters wore!)
• Pictures of "The Beech Tree School!"
• Sign up to review Timeless!
• Get a Kindle autograph for Remembrance!
• Character Makeup Tutorials

REMEMBRANCE on Amazon!

Hi, everyone! So ... I have some really exciting news to share with you all. My first novel, Remembrance, is now available for purchase on Amazon! Check it out by clicking here! It's also available on the Nook.

Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's high school, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, fighting fate isn't going to be easy.




And here's a fun fact about the book -- it was inspired by the music video for Taylor Swift's international hit, "Love Story!"

Stay tuned, because in the upcoming weeks I'll be posting lots of fun stuff about the book on my blog, including a sneak peak at the preface, who I imagine playing the main characters if it were to become a movie, pictures of their clothing, house plans, and much more!

xoxo,

Michelle

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

Genre: YA Fantasy
Published: May 25, 2010
Pages: 294
Acquired: Borders Sale

Goodreads Summary

It’s all she’s ever wanted to be, but it couldn’t be further from her grasp… 

Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble.  When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, again, Dana decides she’s had enough and runs away to find her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the captivating, magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and the only person who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.  

 Soon, Dana finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone seems to want something from her, from her newfound friends and family to Ethan, the hot Fae guy Dana figures she’ll never have a chance with… until she does.  Caught between two worlds, Dana isn’t sure where she’ll ever fit in and who can be trusted, not to mention if her world will ever be normal again…


My Opinion

I recently finished the IRON FEY series by Julie Kagawa and was looking for another faerie story to read when I found GLIMMERGLASS. The two books are totally different, and I definitely recommend GLIMMERGLASS to fans of YA Lit, even if you're not usually into the faerie genre.

In the world Jenna Black created, Avalon is an area in England where the mortal world and the world of Faerie intersect. Both humans and Fae can go there, and everyone knows that it exists! Meaning that everyone knows the Fae exist, too. This was really cute when there were human tourists in Avalon wearing "I <3 Avalon" t-shirts. There's also a Starbucks in Avalon, and a Victoria's Secret! If it existed in real life, I would definitely add Avalon to my itinerary while visiting the UK :)

Our protagonist, Dana Hathaway, is half-mortal, half-Fae. But of course she's not a normal half-blood -- she soon finds out there's something special about her, and suddenly it seems like everyone in Avalon and Faerie is after her, leaving her no idea with who to trust. She also meets a few friends who are around her age. Ethan, the hot Fae boy who she's not sure she should trust or not, but still wants to believe the best in him. Ethan's sister Kimber, who I think is awesome and could definitely see myself being friends with if she existed. And lastly Keane, the rebel Fae who appears later in the book, hinting at a possible love triangle for the rest of the series. At this point I'm torn which boy I want Dana to end up with, and am excited to see her relationships with both of them develop.

There was a big cliffhanger at the end, and I can't wait to pick up SHADOWSPELL, the next book of the series, so I can see what happens next!

In My Mailbox

Yesterday I trekked to the nearest Borders (40 minutes away since the one closer to me closed a few months ago) to check out their going out of business sale. (Who else is sad that Border's is going out of business? They were my favorite bookstore.) But anyway, signs everywhere said "up to 40% off all merchandise!" and even though the YA section was only 10% off (I suppose because YA books are just so popular! :), I still got some books. So ... here's what I bought!

   

GLIMMERGLASS by Jenna Black

Now that I've finished reading the IRON FEY series, I'm ready for some more faeries! And since my friend Tiffany recommended GLIMMERGLASS on her blog, I decided to buy it. The summary on the back looks good (and also mentions a hot fae boy involved), plus the cover is gorgeous! I'm about 100 pages into this book so far, and am loving it. 

THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY by Jenny Han

Bloggers everywhere seem to be talking about this series, so of course I got curious and decided to check it out. It looks cute, and I'm excited to read it!

JUST ONE SEASON IN LONDON and THE MISTRESS' HOUSE by Leigh Michaels

Leigh is an agent-mate of mine (meaning we have the same literary agent!) and when I saw her books looking all pretty in the Romance section (they were also 30% off!) I decided to buy them. Her books take place in the Regency Period in London, which is one of my favorite times to read about, and I'm looking forward to reading them!

In My Mailbox

I'm a little late with my In My Mailbox this week because last week I found out I got into grad school (Johns Hopkins University!) and I've been busy apartment shopping for an apartment near the school. I found an awesome apartment, and am now back home starting to go through ALL of my stuff before the move in August. So much to do! But anyway, here are the books I've gotten since my last IMM post:

   

EVERLASTING by Alyson Noel

I am so excited for the last book in the Immortals series, and just started reading this on the plane ride back from Baltimore. I enjoy this series a lot, and can't wait to see how it ends. (Hopefully with Ever and Damen together!) 

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES by Seth Grahame-Smith

I love the classic Austen novel, and when I saw this was available on the Kindle for 99 cents, I couldn't resist buying it!

DARK LOVER by J.R. Ward

My friend and agent-mate Taryn Browning recommended the Black Dagger Brotherhood series to me, and this is the first book in the series. I'm enjoying it so far; the vampires are different from anything I've read before. But as a warning, it's not YA, and there are many "rated R" scenes that are definitely not intended for younger readers.

TRIS & IZZY by Mette Ivie Harrison

I saw the movie Tristan and Isolde when I was younger, and am excited to see how Harrison translates it into this up-and-coming novel :)

Waiting on Wednesday: Wolfsbane

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, spotlighting anticipated books!

The upcoming book I'm currently most looking forward to is Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer. It's coming out on July 26, 2011 :)

This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended-Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer-one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack-and the man-she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.


The end of Nightshade left me hanging, and I've been waiting for Wolfsbane for over a year. I'm so excited it's finally coming out this month! I love the mythology Cremer created, and Calla is a strong female character who I love. Of course there's the huge question -- who will Calla end up with, Ren or Shay? I love them both, but I'm on Team Ren. The two of them have so much undeniable chemistry, and I can't wait to see what happens between them!

In My Mailbox

Here's a collaborative list of my IMM posts:

October 30, 2011
October 23, 2011
September 18, 2011
August 28, 2011
August 21, 2011
August 14, 2011
August 7, 2011
July 31, 2011
July 24, 2011
July 21, 2011
July 10, 2011
April 19, 2011

In My Mailbox

I'm still tearing through the books I got at BEA, but I did get two books this week!

 

FATEFUL by Cheri Schmidt
Format: Kindle
Source: Purchased
Buy it on Amazon: Fateful (Volume 1)

Goodreads Summary
A huge fan of Jane Austen, Danielle hopes to find her own Mr. Darcy when she leaves Colorado to attend art school in London. Of course she knows it's silly to wish for that, naive even. But she's met enough males who lacked respect for women, a growing trend it seemed. And at nineteen...well.... However, on only her second night there she gets lost and is threatened by a stalker who proves to be immune to her martial arts training. Before she is completely overpowered, she is then saved by Ethan Deveroux. 

While Danielle does find the romance she seeks in Ethan, he's no Mr. Darcy. Her hero is held by a spell which fractures their chance at a happy ending. During the day Ethan is closer to mortal than immortal and can date her like any other man. Yet, as the sun sets, the powerful magic of an ancient curse returns and the evil of that spell is revealed. When that magic begins, Danielle's fairytale romance ends because Ethan Deveroux is a vampire. 

Why I bought it
The summary of the book intrigued me, and I found I kept looking at it on the Amazon page. It's only 99 cents, so the price is good, too! Even though I'm trying not to buy many books after I got SO many at BEA, I figured I would check this one out anyway. Plus, readers kept comparing it to Twilight, which is one of my favorite books.


SUMMERS CROSSING by Julie Kagawa

Format: Kindle

Source: Free on Amazon

Get it on Amazon: Summer's Crossing

Goodreads Summary
A Midsummer's Nightmare? Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts. 

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist. 

Why I bought it
I love the IRON FEY series! Seriously, it's one of my favorites, and if you haven't read it yet I recommend going out and buying it right now! Ash is one of my favorite males in YA literature; I put him right up there with Edward Cullen and Jace Wayland. I'm excited to read this novella and am glad to have something to hold me over as I wait for IRON KNIGHT to come out in October :)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren

Book Reviews

In alphabetical order by author's last name:

Asher, Jay and Carolyn Mackler - The Future of Us
Barnes, Jennifer Lynn - Every Other Day
Black, Jenna - Glimmerglass
Black, Jenna - Shadowspell
Black, Jenna - Sirensong
Browning, Taryn - Dark Seeker
Carman, Patrick - Dark Eden
Cashore, Kristin - Bitterblue
Cass, Kiera - The Selection
Cross, Julie - Tempest
Grant, Michael - Fear
Gray, Claudia - Balthazar
Griffin, Bethany - Masque of the Red Death
Hand, Cynthia - Hallowed
Hocking, Amanda - Switched
James, E.L. - Fifty Shades of Grey
Kagawa, Julie - The Immortal Rules
Kagawa, Julie - Iron Knight
Kitanidis, Phoebe - Glimmer
Laybourne, Emmy - Monument 14
McCafferty, Megan - Thumped
McEntire, Myra - Timepiece
Meadows, Jodi - Incarnate
Mullin, Mike - Ashfall
Oliver, Lauren - Pandemonium
Pike, Aprilynne - Destined
Rossi, Veronica - Under the Never Sky
Scarrow, Alex - Day of the Predator (TimeRiders #2)
Suma, Nova Ren - Imaginary Girls
Summers, Courtney - This is Not a Test
Wells, Dan - Partials
Wells, Robison - Variant
Westerfeld, Scott - Uglies: Shay's Story

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Author: Nova Ren Suma
Genre: Magical Realism
Published: June 14, 2011
Pages: 352

GoodReads Summary

Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

With palpable drama and delicious craft, Nova Ren Suma bursts onto the YA scene with the story that everyone will be talking about.


My Opinion

"Beautifully haunting" are words I can think of to properly define Imaginary Girls. I didn't know what to expect before reading this book (people seemed torn on if it was contemporary or paranormal). I discovered that it's magical realism, and loved it! Imaginary Girls feels like a journey through a dream, where you're going from scene to scene with no idea how everything is happening around you, but you're loving it and accepting every crazy thing as real anyway. The writing created vivid images in my mind -- strong blues, greens, and reds that breathe life into every moment. It's cinematic, and beautiful.

Imaginary Girls holds mysteries on every page, and will leave you wondering how the story is going to play out. While reading it I wished I were reading it for school (that sounds nerdy of me, I know ;) because I would love to sit in a classroom and have an in depth discussion about the characters and story. It's original, mesmerizing, and even creepy at times, and I highly recommend checking it out!

Oh yeah, and the cover is gorgeous :)

Buy it on Amazon: Imaginary Girls

Answers to Questions

If you want to ask me a question about writing or about anything to do with the writing process, please ask here and I'll answer the best I can!

Here are questions that have already been asked, and how I answered them. Hope you find this helpful :)

What's the process of getting an agent?
How do you keep motivated while writing?
What should I write after finishing my first novel?
What's your general writing process?
How do you get an agent?
What do you do when you're stuck in a scene?