FFBC Blog Tour, Guest Post, & Giveaway: Break Me Like A Promise (Tiffany Schmidt)

Break Me Like a Promise (Once Upon a Crime Family #2)
by Tiffany Schmidt
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Release Date: June 7th 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Retellings, Contemporary

No one is unbreakable.
All Magnolia Vickers has ever wanted was to follow father’s path as head of the Family Business. But new legislation is poised to destroy the Family’s operations in the black-market organ trade and Maggie’s recent behavior has wrecked the business-savvy reputation she’s worked her whole life to build.
She’s given an ultimatum: shape up or step aside.
Then Maggie messes up: she downloads a virus onto her father’s computer, and must sneak it off-estate for repair. When Alex, a tech whiz, uncovers the type of information on the machine, he offers Maggie a choice: her Family can give him a kidney, or he’ll irreparably scramble the data. Maggie agrees, but has no intention of keeping her promise or every seeing him again. That night Alex shows up at her Family estate with copies of confidential Family files and a shocking revelation—the kidney is for him.
The Vickers aren’t willing to let Alex out of their sight, so he moves onto their estate and Maggie is assigned to be his keeper. A task she resents and he enjoys making as challenging as possible. But procuring black market organs is becoming increasingly difficult, and as Alex’s health declines, she’s surprised to find herself falling for him.
Like it or not, Maggie must accept that if she wants to save Alex’s life and carve out a place in the new legalized organ business, she’s going to have to fight for both.

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Follow the Break Me Like A Promise by Tiffany Schmidt Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

Tiffany Schmidt lives in Pennsylvania with her saintly husband, impish twin boys, and a pair of mischievous puggles. She's not at all superstitious... at least that's what she tells herself every Friday the thirteenth.
SEND ME A SIGN is her first novel. BRIGHT BEFORE SUNRISE will follow in Winter, 2014. The ONCE UPON A CRIME FAMILY series begins with HOLD ME LIKE A BREATH in 2015. You can find out more about her and her books at: TiffanySchmidt.com, TiffanySchmidtWrites.Tumblr.com or by following her on Twitter @TiffanySchmidt.

COMING SOON!

Waiting On Wednesday: The Diabolic (S.J. Kincaid)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at 

Breaking the Spine

and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Book: The Diabolic

Author: S. J. Kincaid

Hardback Edition, 416 pages
Expected Publication: November 1st 2016  

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young

Red Queen meets The Hunger Games in this epic novel about what happens when the galaxy’s most deadly weapon masquerades as a senator’s daughter and a hostage of the galactic court.
A Diabolic is ruthless. A Diabolic is powerful. A Diabolic has a single task: Kill in order to protect the person you’ve been created for.
Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sisters. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.
When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia—a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.
As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity truer than what she encounters from most humans. Amidst all the danger, action, and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life—and the empire.

2016 Debut Authors Bash: Interview with Lindsey Klingele about her book, The Marked Girl!!!!

Click here for the 2016 Debut Authors Bash main page!!!!

I am very excited to be participating in the YA Reads 2016 Debut Authors Bash! Today is my  blog stop for the bash and I am hosting an interview with  debut author Lindsey Klingele and her book The Marked Girl. Find out more about Lindsey, her book, and enter the giveaway!

What gave you the inspiration to write this book? 

A lot of different things came together to inspire me to write this book! The very first idea came to me when I was showing my family around LA for the first time -- just seeing all of those iconic LA sights again through their fresh eyes inspired me to write a story about that experience. What would LA look like to someone not just from the Midwest, but from a literal different world? I also just love my adopted city and I love portal stories and fantasy worlds, so it made sense to combine those things. 

Who is your favorite character in the book? 

My favorite character is the MC, Liv. She’s a foster kid who hasn’t had a real home in a long time, but in a way, she considers the entire city of LA to be her home. She also wants to be a movie director, and I really wanted to portray her ambition and drive to make that happen. Directing is something she can control in a life she has little control over. But her knowledge of movies, tropes and story structure also really helps her figure out what to do when a fantasy world crashes into her life. 

The notion of having an MC directly reference stories the rest of us already know really appealed to me. I think that if crazy things actually happened in our world, we’d rely on the stories we know to help orient ourselves. Like, if a zombie apocalypse came tomorrow, most of us would kind of know how to handle that, because we’ve seen so many movies about it, right? Aim for the brain, raid a Wal-Mart, find a roving band of badasses and ally ourselves with them. We wouldn’t be starting at absolute zero because we’d have a frame of reference to draw on from the stories we’ve seen. And as a movie lover, Liv’s frame of reference is pretty broad, and it helps her to get through the fantastic things that start happening when she meets Cedric. 

Which came first, the title or the novel? 

The novel! The title went through a few changes before landing on this one. 

What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why? 

Oh man, such a hard/good question! I love all the scenes that are mostly comedy - usually when the medieval teens try to figure out some aspect of modern LA life. But the most rewarding scenes are the ones when Liv finally figures out how to open up and share a part of herself with someone else. It can be a really scary, hard thing to do, to open up and make yourself vulnerable for the first time without knowing how people are going to react. Those scenes can be scary and hard to write, too! But it’s rewarding to feel like you’ve gotten close to capturing an emotional experience like that. 

Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you've learned as a writer from then to now? 

That your writing isn’t going to be perfect right off the bat. In fact, it may never be perfect. A scene can always be better, a character can always be more clearly drawn, an ending can always be stronger. It’s easy to compare yourself to other writers and feel like you’re coming up short. But there’s a reason you’ve come this far and a reason to keep going -- your writing today is better than it was yesterday, and if you keep at it, your writing tomorrow will be better than today. 

What do you like most about the cover of the book? 

Everything! I love the book’s cover so much. The colors and the imagery are just beautiful. I think I love seeing the various LA landmarks the most, though. 

 What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2016? 

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater -- that series is so good, and I’m excited to see how it ends. 

What was your favorite book in 2015? 

SIx of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. I was in awe as I read that book; she’s working on a whole other level. 

What’s up next for you? 

Right now I’m finishing up the sequel to THE MARKED GIRL. It’s called THE BROKEN WORLD, and it will be out next summer! 

 Is there anything that you would like to add? 

Thank you so much for having me on your blog! The YA community has been such a welcoming, inviting place, and it’s so cool just to be here :)

Lindsey Klingele grew up in Western Michigan, where she read every book she could get her hands on. She eventually moved to Los Angeles (the real land of make believe) and worked as a writers' assistant for TV shows such as THE LYING GAME and TWISTED. She still loves living in LA, especially since it's home to great television shows, truly excellent cheeseburgers, and her pitbull, Bighead.

Visit Lindsey Klingele's Website!!

Hardcover, 400 pages
Expected publication: June 7th 2016 by Harper Collins

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away (Los Angeles)… When Cedric, crowned prince of Caelum, and his fellow royal friends (including his betrothed, Kat) find themselves stranded in modern-day L.A. via a magical portal and an evil traitor named Malquin, all they want to do is get home to Caelum—soon. Then they meet Liv, a filmmaker foster girl who just wants to get out of the system and on with her life. As she and Cedric bond, they’ll discover that she’s more connected to his world than they ever could’ve imagined…and that finding home is no easy task… Worlds collide in The Marked Girl, an exciting fantasy tale turned upside down.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Indigo

FFBC Blog Tour, Interview, & Giveaway: All The Feels (Danika Stone)

All the Feels
by Danika Stone
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Release Date: June 7th 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

College freshman Liv is more than just a fangirl: The Starveil movies are her life… So, when her favorite character, Captain Matt Spartan, is killed off at the end of the last movie, Liv Just. Can’t. Deal.
Tired of sitting in her room sobbing, Liv decides to launch an online campaign to bring her beloved hero back to life. With the help of her best friend, Xander, actor and steampunk cosplayer extraordinaire, she creates #SpartanSurvived, a campaign to ignite the fandom. But as her online life succeeds beyond her wildest dreams, Liv is forced to balance that with the pressures of school, her mother’s disapproval, and her (mostly nonexistent and entirely traumatic) romantic life. A trip to DragonCon with Xander might be exactly what she needs to figure out what she really wants.

Which came first, the title or the novel?

All the Feels is an amazing title, but believe it or not, it was the third titled I’d tried on for size. For a while the book was called Spoiler Alert, and before that Warning: He Dies At The End. I was thrilled when I finally ‘realized’ the title was meant to be All the Feels. Once I saw it in my mind, I knew that was the one.

What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

The scene that clicked for me is one that was written during the editing process. I’m not going to say TOO much, since it’ll spoil it for people who haven’t read the book, but it takes place on a Starveil soundstage. I was so happy once I’d written it, because it brought the entire story together in a way it hadn’t had before. 

Thinking back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

The biggest thing for me is: You have to do it before you’re ready. There’s never enough time to feel completely solid – about a manuscript, about querying, about publishing, about ANYTHING – so the best advice is to learn on the job.

What do you like most about the cover of the book?

No question here: the pen and ink illustrations done by my husband, illustrator Cirrus Stone!

What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2016? 

I absolutely LOVED These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas. It was Jane Austen meets X-Men. So much fun!

Which part of the writing process do you enjoy more: Drafting or Revising?

I’m a first drafter, through and through. While I can edit. (Very well, actually.) It still doesn’t have the same excitement that I get when I’m writing a first draft and the words are coming so fast I can barely keep up with them. In a perfect world, I’d never have to edit. Ha ha! That’s definitely NOT going to happen!

What would you say is your superpower?

I’m a time-stealer! (And my husband will agree with me.) I can get a phenomenal amount of work done in record time. 

Thank you for having me on your blog! It’s been awesome being part of Curling Up With A Good Book!

Follow the All The Feels by Danika Stone Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

Danika Stone is an author, artist, and educator who discovered a passion for writing fiction while in the throes of her Masters thesis. A self-declared bibliophile, Danika now writes novels for both adults (The Intaglio Series, Edge of Wild and Ctrl Z) and teens (Icarus, and All the Feels). When not writing, Danika can be found hiking in the Rockies, planning grand adventures, and spending far too much time online. She lives with her husband, three sons, and a houseful of imaginary characters in a windy corner of Alberta, Canada.
Ms. Stone is represented by Morty Mint of Mint Literary Agency.

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Blog Tour & Interview: Beware That Girl (Teresa Toten)

BEWARE THAT GIRL

by Teresa Toten

« “BEWARE THE GIRL has all the markings of a crossover hit. It’s smart, dark, entertaining, and unpredictable…the stealthy, expertly executed story is more in line with A.S.A. Harrison’s The Silent Wife, and that’s high praise, indeed.” —Quill & Quire, starred review

“The book combines a Gossip Girl milieu with the unsettled psychological terrain of Gone Girl. . . Kate is a strong character and there is no shortage of suspense.”—Publishers Weekly

Beware That Girl

Teresa Toten

Hardcover, 336 pages
Published May 31st 2016 by Delacorte Press

For fans of We Were Liars, The Girl on the Train, and Gone Girl, this powerful psychological thriller with multiple mysteries is set against the backdrop of the megawealthy elite of New York City. Toten delves into the mesmerizing yet dysfunctional world of those who manipulate but seem ever so charming. With its gripping pace and Hitchcockian twists, Beware That Girl will keep readers guessing until the very last line.
The Haves. The Have-Nots. Kate O’Brian appears to be a Have-Not. Her whole life has been a series of setbacks she’s had to snake her way out of—some more sinister than others. But she’s determined to change that. She’s book smart. She’s street-smart. Oh, and she’s also a masterful liar.
As the scholarship student at the Waverly School in NYC, Kate has her work cut out for her: her plan is to climb the social ladder and land a spot at Yale. She’s already found her “people” among the senior class “it” girls—specifically in the cosseted, mega-wealthy yet deeply damaged Olivia Sumner. As for Olivia, she considers Kate the best friend she’s always needed, the sister she never had.

When the handsome and whip-smart Mark Redkin joins the Waverly administration, he immediately charms his way into the faculty’s and students’ lives—becoming especially close to Olivia, a fact she’s intent on keeping to herself. It becomes increasingly obvious that Redkin poses a threat to Kate, too, in a way she can’t reveal—and can’t afford to ignore. How close can Kate and Olivia get to Mark without having to share their dark pasts?

Amazon * B & N  * Indiebound

My earliest and most fervent ambition was to grow up and take my rightful place among the other mermaids. When cruel and insensitive adults crushed that dream by insisting that mermaids did not exist, I settled on the more mature aspiration of becoming an intergalactic astronaut. Then I realized that math would likely be involved. So, in the end, I went to Trinity College at the University of Toronto where I got a BA and then an MA in Political Economy taking great care not to take a single English or Creative Writing class. The only thing I knew for sure was that I was never ever going to be a writer. That would be silly, fanciful and well, unrealistic. And then I started to write...

http://www.teresatoten.com/

“What gave you the Inspiration for this book?” 400-500 words with pictures.

Beware That Girl is a huge change for me. It’s a very dark, twisty psychological thriller. It’s my 11th book over twenty years and actually . . . looking over the titles, each is rather wildly different from the book that came before. I must be addicted to risk and terrifying myself! I have always LOVED psychological thrillers and while I was writing my last book The Unlikely Hero of Room 13b, I read a book that crawled into me and stayed. It was A.H.A. Harrison’s The Silent Wife. I found it quiet, chilling, elegant and disturbing and when I finished it, I told myself “That! I want to try to write something like that!”

And I was off! Reviewers and critics have pointed out that I always write about friendship and this is true even in this book. The fabulous and wealthy Olivia and the street smart and manipulative Kate become best friends, but who should we be beware of? You should also know that I have always stolen from my own life, my family and my dearest friends inspire almost everything I write—even in this twisted thriller. Growing up, I was the “scholarship student,” fatherless and hyper alert to my surroundings. More importantly my half brother, finally made it into one of my books. He was eighteen years older than me.

My brother was very handsome, charismatic, intelligent, abusive, violent and completely amoral. I believe he was a sociopath. Although he was rarely in my life because of the age difference, each time he was it was ugly. He hated me and yet I so wanted his approval, to bask in his sunshine that he could turn on and off at will. Most of his visits involved the police. He abused women from one end of the country to the other and yet many of those women would call begging my mother to tell them where he was. I have long forgiven him but I confess that I felt relief when he died. The Mark character in the novel is directly inspired by my brother.

Finally, the book is inspired by New York City, which is almost its own character in the book.

I love the glittering, glistening almost surreal nature of the Upper East Side and Central Park (where Olivia lives) contrasted with the energy, colour and chaos of Chinatown (where Kate lived). I lived in New York for a few years and obsessively walked its streets from one end to another. The city means a lot to me, ever changing, beautiful and terrifying. I hope that I captured it in some way on the page. I also hope that I captured some of the unsettling fear and chaotic energy that I grew up with and was able to transform it into something that a reader cannot put down!