Lindsay's Reads for 2013

2013 is going to be a fantastic year for first books and sequels alike! If I had to pick just one 2013 book that I'm dying to read, though, it would be Rachel Hartman's Dracomachia, the sequel to 2012's Seraphina--an achingly gorgeous and witty YA fantasy that's up for this year's Morris Award. Fortunately, there are plenty more books for me to devour:

Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood - Sequel to last year's lovely and fresh Born Wicked, continuing the trials and tribulations of the witchy Cahill sisters in a fascinating alternate-history version puritan America.

The Boy on the Bridge by Natalie Standiford - Soviet Russia, angsty romance, and Natalie Standiford's always brilliant prose. You know I'm all over that.

 The Secret Place by Tana French - agggghhh another Tana French murder mystery in Ireland you guys I can't even help myself.

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill - The Terminator meets The Time Traveller's Wife, with a dash of Mean Girls for good measure? SOLD.

Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn - Promises a wonderful and complex male main character who is LITERALLY at war with himself.

 

I'm Going to Read in 2013....

Since I started working as an editor, my time to read has drastically lessened. Between reading submissions, working on projects -- most of which start coming out this fall! YAY! -- and writing, I don't really have a lot of time to read. HOWEVER, I'm excited because I've set up a reward system for 2013. I have a lot of books to write (Three. In one year. At least!) and since motivation is good, each time I finish a book, I get to spend a whole week - 7 days - reading books. Like, finished real books.

Currently, I'm drafting the sequel to Follow Me Through Darkness --which I have 0 words because we just decided to start over-- and I can't wait to finish it because I really want to read! These are some of the books I'm looking forward to reading this year!  (You can click on the covers to add them to Goodreads and see their descriptions!)

Some more titles without covers:

One by Leigh Ann Koponas
Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller
Game. Set. Match. by Jennifer Iacopelli
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

These are just a few of the titles I want to read. I couldn't list them all or no one else would have anything left! :) With so many awesome things coming out this year, I'm really glad I have my new plan.

What are some things you're looking forward to? 

Come Meet Wesley Ayers of THE ARCHIVED!

Today on Tangled we are talking about books that release in 2013 that we can't wait to read!! Mine is one I've already read, and tomorrow you can read it too!! To celebrate and tell you a little about the book, have a special guest. We are thrilled to welcome the one and only Wesley Ayers, from Victoria Schwab’s THE ARCHIVED. 

Hellllllllo, Wesley! Let’s get started…

If you were a dish at a Mexican restaurant, what would you be & why?
--Burrito. Lots of different things inside, all wrapped up so you can't see. Looks simple to eat until you try and then it's messy.

Describe yourself in five words or less. 
--Sarcastic guyliner-wearing (guylined? guylinered?) badass. Oh, and tall.

Name one thing you just cannot live without. 
--My ring. Well, I mean, I could live without it, but life wouldn't be nearly so enjoyable with everybody's noise in my head. (Also you totally thought I was going to say Mackenzie, didn't you? Come on I'm not that sappy. Also she would hit me.)

Okay....Boxers or briefs? 
--Briefs.

What's your favorite smell?
--Rain.

What was your first impression of Mackenzie when you met?
--Dangerous. I should have known better. Hell, I did know better, but I still let her in.

Where do you think you'll be in 10 years?
--Alive. I hope.

Have you ever had a spiritual/religious/awe-inspiring experience?
*SPOILER*
--The first time I ever stepped into the Archive. It was so...vast. Infinite. How do you take something infinite, and give it walls? It's a mindtrip, being there, surrounded by so much life. So much death.

What is the grandest romantic gestures you've ever made?
--I told the truth.

What's one trait you have that Mackenzie finds annoying?
--I don't always take everything so seriously. But I mean, I do, it's just, this job will tear you up. You can't really go through life and have a shred of a chance at being happy unless you learn to find the light in it.

What is the one thing you'd never admit your significant does better than you?
--Whoa now. Not significant others. Partners in crime. And she's a better liar. Most of the time, I wish she weren't.

If you could change anything about Mackenzie what would it be?
--I wish she'd smile more. She has a wonderful smile.

If you had a superpower, what would it be and why?
--I already have one ;)

Want more Wesley? (I know I do!) THE ARCHIVED will be in-stores and shipping online TOMORROW! Pre-order your copy on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, or at your local indie to make sure you don’t have to wait to get your hands on Wesley…I mean, this book! And visit author Victoria Schwab here to see her upcoming events! 

 

THE ARCHIVED

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous-it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da's death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

(Source: Goodreads)

About the Author: Victoria Schwab

Victoria is the product of a British mother, a Beverly Hills father, and a southern upbringing. Because of this, she has been known to say "tom-ah-toes", "like", and "y'all". She lives in Nashville, TN when she is not wandering in search of buried treasure, fairy tales, and good tea. You can find her online at her website and on Twitter (@veschwab).

Have you read THE ARCHIVED? I've been waiting for months to be able to talk about this AMAZING book, so please come back after you've read it and let me know what you thought!

 

Welcome 2013!

It's 2013 and I can hardly believe it. This year is already off to an amazing start. First of all, I started a new position that I'm in *love* with. I'm a publicist for Spencer Hill's new line: Spencer Hill Contemporary. Have you checked out the website yet? You should. Seriously. Go now. Or you know, after you are finished reading this scintillating post. (LINK HERE)

When I was approached about the job, I couldn't say yes fast enough. I just knew I'd love it and I really, really do. I'm enjoying getting to know the authors and brainstorming with them on what they'd like to do to spread the word about their books. I can't wait until you are able to read them all. They're going to be amazing!

This year also has some exciting things happening personally. I don't want to share that news just yet, but sometime soon I hope. :-)

Last year was a very busy year with editing and revising and writing and querying and signing with an agent. Oh and then more editing and revising and writing. It was productive and lots of fun. This year promises to be more of the same with probably a little more of all of it.

Oh! And in in month's time I will be a writing retreat with my favorite writing peeps in the entire world. There are NO WORDS for the excitement I'm feeling. 3.5 days of all out writing. I'm not one to rush time, but honestly, just this once, I'd like to. I can't wait!

So how about you? What are you looking forward to in the new year?

Endings and Beginnings

So, it's no surprise that I've said before that 2012 was a tough year for me.(If you've hopped over to my personal blog at all, it's there in all it's sad glory.) Seriously, by the about November I was completely over the year. I even ranted to my husband about how sucky it had been. There may have been ugly crying involved. Who's to say.

BUT the amazing thing about life is that it goes on, time keeps ticking, and things are always changing. And for me, the end of the year ended with some pretty amazing news. The husband and I found out we're going to have a baby! CUE ALL THE AWWWWS! Yeah, we're super excited. It's something we've been wanting for a while now and it's finally happening. I can't think of a better way that 2012 could have ended. 

And just look at the cute Christmas announcement we gave to our families!

Yeah, we're nerds. But we're happy nerds. 

And now here's another year. A LOT of changes are coming in 2013! Obviously a baby and all, but there are other more secret things I'm in the process of that will be announced soon-ish. 

(Secret, secrets are no fun, unless they're shared with everyone.....soon lovely followers!)

All I can say now though is that I'm so SO excited for this year and I can't wait to see everything it holds! 

How about you guys? Any awesome news to share? Any hopes you have for this year? We'd love to hear about them!

My Word(s) for 2013

As the new year begins many people have been defining their goals and resolutions for 2013 in one word. I really love this idea of choosing single words because it requires you to really distill your dreams and hopes down to their simplest form, to think about what they really are. Never one to be succinct, I can only narrow it down to two words (though, in my defense -- they are related).

My words for 2013 are: BALANCE and EFFICIENCY. 

I have always had too much to do at any given time, but I've also always been really good at organizing my time and using it wisely. The past few months have been difficult for me, partly because I seem to be sick for what feels like months at a time and partly because I just haven't been good about making the best use of my time (which has mainly been due to feeling drained after being sick so much). As anyone who has ever been a student can tell you, the problem with falling behind is that it is a slippery slope -- one that in many cases, can rarely be hiked UP. 

So as I begin 2013 (with the flu unfortunately, but you can't plan everything...) my goal for this year is to regain my footing and keep moving forward efficiently. This requires me to balance a number of things: my day job with my publishing job. Running my new contemporary imprint, Spencer Hill Contemporary, with my continued projects at Spencer Hill Press. Discovering new writers with being the best, most supportive editor I can for my current clients. Supporting my clients who have book coming out this year (YAY!) with my clients who are just now beginning edits (also, YAY!) Reading for work and beta reading for my incredibly talented writer friends. And most importantly: Working with spending time with my unbelievably supportive husband and our wonderful kiddos. 

For me, the trick to both balance AND efficiency can be found in planning and making realistic goals. In these first few weeks I am laying out my schedule very clearly -- making sure that I have time allocated for each of my commitments and then holding myself to the deadlines I've set. And while I'm setting up my schedule to maximize efficiency, I'm also leaving room for the unexpected -- trying my best to balance what I know I need to do with what the surprises the year has not yet thrown my way. I'm also beginning the year with a new staff at SHC, each of them helps to make this dream job of mine a more realistic venture and I am so grateful to have them and so excited to really get started working with them! (I'm looking at YOU everyone listed on this page: http://spencerhillcontemporary.com/Our_People.html)

So here's to 2013 and anyone striving for balance and efficiency! It's going to be an amazing year and I cannot wait to see what it holds -- both in the things I know are coming and the wonderful surprises I have yet to discover.

~Patricia

What is your word(s) for 2013? What one thing from last year do you hope to do better in the coming year? What are some of the ways you hold yourself to a schedule or self-imposed deadlines?

 

My Dream Year

There are very few things in life I want badly. 

One of them, top of the list, is definitely to write. 

Luckily, I’ve been doing that regularly since a trip to South Africa. It’s a journey but it’s a good one so far. I want to be published, to learn the craft, to teach it. I want to share the stories in my head with people. 

It’s a big dream but for the first time in my life I feel like I’m moving toward something. 

- written June 17, 2010 

This post is supposed to be about 2012, about things that we're looking forward to in 2013, and all I can think is "look at where I came from," and "OMG, I get to do this now."

Life sure works in mysterious ways. In 2010, I would never have imagined that my fun hobby would turn into a passion. That passion would turn in discovery. That discovery would turn into skill. That skill would turn into work. That work would turn into a book deal. But it did.

In 2010, I never imagined it would end up this way (book deal, editor, nanny, author) but here I am and I think that's what 2012 did for me. There were a lot of struggles, but there were even more surprises. Things that happened that I didn't even know I wanted, but now that I have them, it's hard to imagine life without them.

2013 is going to be different. 

I dreamt once, when I was living in Nashville and trying to figure out what being a writer meant, that 2013 would be my year. I never had a clear vision on that specifically, the dream didn't give me details, but I remember telling my mom that some amazing things were waiting and that 2013 was the year my life would change. My mom--who's not really one to look forward like that, but is always one to encourage me to look forward--said to me, "Then, I guess you better get ready because everything is going to be building you up for that moment."

And I definitely feel like it has. I've spent so many of my years, especially in college and after, feeling like Alice in Wonderland--lost in the dark and not really sure where I'm headed. Even after I found writing, I had no idea how it would turn out. But standing here on the cusp of the year I've (literally) dreamed about, I can say that I feel ready--and that I'm beyond excited to see what happens.

For the first time at the start of a new year, I am in a good place. I live in a city that I really love. Have a good job. Have fun and exciting things on the horizon. Have wonderful people and authors and projects coming out. Have a book that I wrote that all of you will get to read. (And sure, it's not until 2014, but it's still a very affirming thing.)

I have high expectations for 2013. 

I know that could be a dangerous thing, but I firmly believe that it will live up to those expectations. I want to live this year. I want to hope and keep dreaming and challenge myself and be challenged and try things that seem like stupid risks or feel out character that stick with me forever. That's my goal for 2013. I want to experience the year instead of dreaming about the next one. (I promise you being content is really hard for me.) I want to live every moment and never take it for granted.

In 2010, I was just starting this journey as a writer. In 2013, I'm starting a new journey as an author. I'm excited to see what lies ahead.

Hopefully, 2012 was my last year as Alice, and 2013 will be exactly what I dream it to be. I don't have a list of goals, but I'm looking forward to the new things--and all the people I get to share them with.