3 Year Blogversary Celebration featuring Courtney C. Stevens

   Today I'm here with the amazing Courtney C. Stevens. I really enjoyed her marvelous novel, Faking Normal, because, let's face it, Courtney is a very talented writer and that novel was brilliant.

   Check out her As to my Qs below:

   1) What does YA mean to you?

   I see young adult the same way I see board games. Monopoly is for ages 8 and up. My books are for 12 and up. Publishers are suggesting the bottom age of what is appropriate. Everyone else is fair game. From braces to dentures, jump on board if the story resonates with you.

   2) Since this is a blogversary, is there anything you'd like to say to the blogging community and are there any blogs you like/follow?

   The blogging community has been very kind to me. Please know that your words have power. We are all doing the same thing--putting our words in the world and hoping they have transformative power. Thank you for using that transformative power on me.

   3) Could you tell us something about yourself and your books?

   Here is five sentence story about me:

   One of my first memories is jumping off the high dive at the local pool.

   I cried.

   I jumped anyway.

   I was three.

   Go forth and do likewise.

   If you like these five sentences, you'll probably like my books.

   Thank you so, so much to Courtney for coming and answering my questions. What do you guys think of them? Also, have you read her book? If not you totally should give it a chance!

   The next post will be up July 11th and feature the next awesome author.

   Thank you so much for reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Lies About Truth by Courtney C. Stevens

   Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine in which we discuss our most anticipated upcoming releases.

   The book:

The Lies About Truth by Courtney C. Stevens
Expected Publication: November 3rd 2015 by HarperTeen
Number of Pages: 336 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: No

   Sadie Kingston, is a girl living in the aftermath. A year after surviving a car accident that killed her friend Trent and left her body and face scarred, she can’t move forward. The only person who seems to understand her is Trent’s brother, Max.
   As Sadie begins to fall for Max, she's unsure if she is truly healed enough to be with him — even if Max is able to look at her scars and not shy away. But when the truth about the accident and subsequent events comes to light, Sadie has to decide if she can embrace the future or if she'll always be trapped in the past. (goodreads.com)


   My thoughts:

   Last year I've read and loved Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens, even though it wasn't an easy story, so I immediately knew that I would read any and all books she's going to put out. The Lies About Truth sounds amazing and the cover is stunning so I cannot wait to finally read it and see it standing on my shelf. Courtney is an amazing author so I'm positive that this book will be just as good as Faking Normal.

   Let me know in the comments below or via twitter (@Alice_Reeds) which books you're waiting for this Wednesday!

Writing retreat with Courtney C. Stevens & mini interview

   Hey guys!
   I'm calling out to all the writers! The wonderful Courtney C. Stevens, author of Faking Normal and The Lies about the Truth (Out November 3rd) has reached out to me and a bunch of other bloggers to raise your attention toward a writers retreat she is holding. She

wrote a wonderful post about it, which you guys should most definitely check out, over on her blog which made me really want to go, but as non US resident that's a bit tricky which is why I'm telling you guys about. I'm sure there are others like me out there, aspiring authors who could benefit from attending such a retreat. The MadCap Retreat will also be featuring guest writers such as Victoria Schwab (Vicious, A Darker Shade of Magic and many more), Tessa Gratton, and Natalie C. Parker. How much better can it get?

   Head on over to the MadCap Retreat website and have a look around. If you're worried about financing there is an amazing opportunity waiting for you! Help us spread the word about the retreat and then enter this contest (which runs from June 15th-June 20th) to win a $300 coupon for the retreat! There are three of them in total which is amazing. There are also a couple other awesome prizes up for grabs as well! Check it out:

   1- 50 page manuscript critique by Courtney C. Stevens
   3- signed copies of Faking Normal (U.S./Canada Only)
   1- ARC of The Lies About Truth (U.S./Canada Only)
   5 - electronic copies of The Blue Haired Boy

   Furthermore, Courtney has taken a bit of her time to answer three writer and marketing related questions for you guys. Isn't she amazing?

   1) What do you think is the most important part in the process of creating a story?
   In my opinion, the idea itself. It must be worth pursuing. Good writing and great characters cannot rescue a bad idea. The idea is the lid of the whole project and every other part of the story exists beneath it.

   2) What tip could you give others who might be facing a dry season, so to speak, during their writing process? Taking a break or pushing through? Something entirely different?
   I have several pieces of advice for this, because a dry season isn't one-size-fits-all.
   a) Check your story intake. Are you seeing art? Watching great t.v.? Reading amazing books. Eavesdropping on conversations at the mall? I firmly believe that output relies on intake. The creative well isn't spring fed; it's transported one bucket at a time.
   b) Change the instrument. If you write on a computer, pick up a notebook. If you write on Microsoft Word, download Scrivener. If you write with a notebook, try a laptop. If you usually write in a nook in your house, take your phone and transcribe story into the notes section. I've found that change is the reset button for me.
   c) Take a life analysis. Sometimes a writing problem isn't a writing problem; it's a life problem. I find that I often put down in words something I'm struggling with, and then I get stuck in my writing, because I'm actually stuck in my life. I don't know how to write the end, because I haven't lived it yet. So I advise doing a quick evaluation to see where the actual problem lies.

   3) What are the key elements of a good book marketing campaign? Is there something like a secret recipe or does it all depend and vary from book to book?
   The key element of any great marketing campaign is making champions of either your work or yourself, and I advise the latter.
   There is no secret recipe. The closest thing I've discovered is adopting this mantra: no one is more invest in selling my book than me. What will I do today to make that happen?

   This is an amazing opportunity for all writers out there so take a chance who knows, you might win more then just a coupon but loads of wonderful insights from amazing authors. And, while you're at it, don't forget to check out Courtney's books. I've read Faking Normal last year and adored it.