Words and Winners

Let's talk numbers.

The other day, the choir director at our school asked how many words my novel was. Whispering Minds is a little light with 67,000 words, as many YA novels fall between 65k-85k.

He asked because he writes weekly columns for several regional publications and is tossing around the idea of getting into short stories on his way (maybe) to writing a novel.

I write on both ends of the spectrum, and can tell you that both short stories (500 words and up) and novels are equally intimidating.

That said, I have another short story accepted for an anthology on Regret. Such a yummy theme in all its hindsightedness. I'm willing to bet that if we knew the lasting consequences of our actions, we wouldn't do half the stupid stuff that fills our days.

And one of those things filling my days is accumulating words. I am crazily writing my 2013 NaNoWriMo project and failing miserably thanks to my MC's sex/nationality change. Ugh. Yet I push on toward reaching that goal of 50,000 words in thirty days.

Which is why you haven't seen me.

Which is why you may not have realized that my Goodreads Giveaway ended. It did. And now ten new winners will receive 67,000 of my words that I carefully constructed in 2009 for NaNoWriMo.

Congrats to all the winners of all the prize packages for my Whispering Minds giveaways. May your November be filled with wonderful words that take you on amazing journeys.

And if you're looking for a few words of your own, I recommend that you read the novel Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. I've read it three times this year. Twice in the last week. Partially because I'm helping a speech student cut a few hundred words from it for competition, but mostly because I love it. As an FYI, this amazing novel has four and a half stars.

There, did you see all the numbers I threw at you? Now it's your turn.

What is your NUMBER ONE fave novel of a) all time or b) this year? I'm looking for a few good prose pieces for my speechies.

Until Next Time,

ATO

That Moment When Your Main Character Switches Nationalities--and Gender

So, ten thousand words into my next novel and my main character up and decides to have a sex change. No, not in the novel. She's not a transvestite. She just decided the story would best be told by a male. A Japanese American male.

Two reasons:

1. There are not nearly enough Japanese main characters in contemporary novels. Certainly, the Japanese characters I've seen are usually the side kicks, if you will. They don't typically have main roles and they usually get portrayed as over-the-top, stereotypical, science-geek, martial artsnerds. But guess what? There are hot Asian males out there with rippling pectorals and not a pocket protector in sight. Enough said.

Yeah, that was one and two. Hot guy of an otherwise, underrepresented descent.

All this means is that I now have a whole slew of research to do before continuing my novel. Enough said.

But, before I go, I do want to say one thing. As a young child, I grew up the minority. In my neighborhoods, European Americans (because I hate the term white as it describes nothing beyond my blonde hair and blue eyes and doesn't differentiate between my fellow EA's with black hair and brown eyes and olive skin) were not prevalent. Instead, I played with kids from vast and varied backgrounds and loved the diversity. 

I guess that's why I want to make sure my novels are not white-washed.

Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions? Cultural information that I could use when writing?

Whispering Minds YA Giveaway Wraps Up

Last chance to win one of Ten Giveaway Packages including 7 books and much more.

The hours are counting down on these great novels:

Splintered, The Collector, Crewel, The Fall, Want to Go Private?, Not a Drop to Drink and Whispering Minds.

 

Enter Below To Win one of the following:

1. One copy of Want to Go Private? and a sample of Granny’s Homemade Chai Tea.
2. A WTGP? technology pack with a sample of chai tea and a USB drive with a cut chapter from Whispering minds. If you win this, you will be one of only two readers to find out what happened to Gemini’s missing night.
3. A copy of Not a Drop to Drink and a sample of Granny’s Homemade Chai Tea.
4. A Drop to Drink Pack with a large sampling of tea and a personalized travel mug from Tervis to put it in.
5. One copy of The Collector and a scrumptious tea sample.
6. One copy of Crewel and a tea sample from Granny to tempt your taste buds.
7. A Crewel Weaver Pack that includes a copy of The Fall, a Native made dream catcher and tea.
8. One copy of Splintered and a sampling of Granny’s chai tea.
9. Your own personal therapy in a box: Group Therapy coffee, a stress ball and some of Granny’s pumpkin chai tea.
10. The Whispering Minds Prize Pack with a USB drive (and Gemini’s missing chapter) , all three kinds of Granny’s Homemade Chai Tea (vanilla, spiced and pumpkin), a Tervis travel mug to drink it in, an iphone 4 case, sticky notes to help you remember things(because Gemi often does not) and a physical copy of Whispering Minds.

Thanks for supporting the written word!


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A Little Therapy: Free

What do Adelice, Dante, Lynn, Gemi, Abby and Alyssa have in common?

You might say they're under a little bit of stress.

Besides their starring roles in YA novels, these six characters all face seriously difficult situations. One, falls down a rabbit hole where she's met with passionately crazy characters, not all of whom wish the best for our little MC. Another only wishes her plunge into the cyber hole is so benign. Deadly demons, cyber predators and compromised value systems are only some of the terrors these fascinating characters must stand up to and defeat.

And while you may not have to fight for your life on a daily basis, you still feel the pinch, which is why I am offering up Day Nine's prize.

A care package filled with your very own therapy.

• my absolute favorite coffee in the whole world--Group Therapy--made by La Crema Coffee Company,
• a stress ball,
• and some swag.

Aaand, my picture won't download, so you'll have to take my word for it. Therapy in a box actually does exist.

So do great giveaways.

There's only one day left to enter the Whispering Minds 10 Day YA Giveaway. Only one day left to win great novels by great writers and great swag--okay, I'm biased--by me. Only one day until Whispering Minds is unleashed on the world.



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The Newest Giveaway: Splintered by A.G.Howard

Day Eight Prizes

This book is all kinds of amazing. From the beautiful cover to the characters within, A.G. Howard's retelling of Alice in Wonderland is much more enjoyable than the original. (Forgive me English and Lit teachers across the globe. As well as avid AAIW fanatics.)

Here's a recap of my review from nearly a year ago:

I fell into the rabbit hole last week, and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I didn't love the original Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, though I can't give any specific reasons why. I can't pinpoint them myself.

On the other hand, Ms. Howard's contemporary spin on Alice's adventures left me breathless.

For starters, look at this fantabulous cover. The details are exquisite.

An electric blue moth you will come to love and hate and love again. (FYI, Morpheus is one side of a love triangle that will have your panties in a knot as you waffle between the moth man and the delectable human, Jeb.)

 

The rest of the insects--yeah, that's right, peek closely and you'll see them hiding everywhere. They are very important, my reader friends. Important, intriguing and only a little creepy. Okay, one is a lot creepy, but even she didn't make my spine tingle like the twisted White Rabbit did. 

 

Then there's Alyssa, herself. A stunning beauty filled with mysticism, spunk and charm. She's delicate on the outside--almost pixie like--while courage radiates from within.

 

Lewis Carroll's Wonderland goes dark, dangerous and utterly delightful in Splintered.

 

And it (or other prize packages) just might be yours if you enter into the drawing below.

 

Up for grabs:

1. one copy of Want to Go Private? and a sample of chai tea;
2. the WTGP? technology pack with a USB drive (including a cut chapter from Whispering Minds) and chai tea;
3. one copy of Not a Drop to Drink and a sample of chai tea;
4. the Drop to Drink pack with a travel mug and mega chai sample;
5. one copy of The Collector and a sample of chai tea;
6. one copy of Crewel and a sample of chai tea;
7. the crewel weaver pack with a dream catcher, a copy of The Fall and chai tea;
8. one copy of Splintered, special swag from author A.G.Howard and a sample of chai tea;
9. tune in on Halloween to find out what Splintered inspired gift you can win;
10. tune in on Friday, November 1st, for the ultimate swag pack announcement.

 

So many great stories, so much fun and delicious swag. So easy to enter for a chance to win them all.

 

 

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Thirsty? Whispering Minds YA Giveaway: A Drop to Drink Pack

A DROP TO DRINK PACK

 

 

In honor of author Mindy McGinnis' dry world in Not a Drop to Drink, I have put together a thirst-quenching pack for day four of my giveaway.

 

A quotable Tervis Travel Mug and some of Granny's Homemade Vanilla Chai tea for your early morning commute.

 

I LOVE Tervis mugs. I've had one for years and was thrilled to find they are 100% customizable. Yours will come with a favorite quote from Whispering Minds' MC, Gemini Baker. The quote itself is as affirming as the scrumptious tea within.

 

If you're thirsty, check out the ways you can win these--or other prizes--below!

 

 



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Whispering Minds YA Giveaway: Not a Drop to Drink

NOT A DROP TO DRINK

Day Three of Whispering Minds 10 Day Giveaway

 

 

A week or so ago, I reviewed Mindy McGinnis' debut novel, Not a Drop to Drink, so I won't rehash the whole thing. I will tell you, however, that one of the things I loved most about this novel was the entire concept: survival of the fittest in a barren and desolate world.

 

This idea of gritting out an existence in less than stellar circumstances is what ties Not a Drop to Drink with Whispering Minds. In WM, Gemi faces down the stark landscape of her childhood. She, too, is a survivor of her circumstances. As are we all.

 

It doesn't take a water shortage or a dirty family secret to shape us into who we are. It simply takes determination and belief in something bigger, better and brighter.

 

And so I give you your own survival manuscript: Not a Drop to Drink.

 

Yep. It's yours. Free--along with some Whispering Minds swag. All you have to do is enter the drawing below and hope Rafflecopter pulls your name out of the hat on November 1.

 

Easy peasy, lemon squeazy--unlike Lynn's journey in Not a Drop to Drink. 

 

 

 

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Whispering Minds YA Giveaway: Want To Go Private?

Want To Go Private?

Day One of the Whispering Minds YA Giveaway

 

I've loved and hated this book since the moment I read it. Loved because Sarah Darer Littman is an amazing author whose characters pop off the page in an unforgettable way. And hated because those characters pop off the page so realistically that it breaks my heart. They truly are unforgettable.

 

I yelled at the stupidity of Abby's vulnerability the first third of the book, sobbed my way through the second third and sniffled pitifully to the end. Want to Go Private? is a grim reminder that not everyone is who they appear to be..

 



From the back cover: "When Abby meets Luke online, she can't believe her luck. He's nice. He's funny. He thinks she's pretty.... Abby knows she's not supposed to chat with random guys online. But Luke's not a stranger."

 

And here, my friends is where Want to Go Private? intersects with Whispering Minds in a terrifying way. Both Abby and Gemi get sucked into a world of falsehoods by the very cyber friends they trust.

 

If this sounds cautionary, it is. I am a firm believer that anybody who is a girl, loves a girl or knows a girl should read Want to Go Private? I also believe that those who care for the elderly or the mentally or physically vulnerable should read it. In this day and age where an avatar can be anyone and pretty words can ring true to those yearning for more, everyone should understand just how easy it is to become a victim. 

 

And so I give you Want to Go Private?.

 

Literally.

 

Day One's prize is a copy of Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman (along with a bit o' my authorly swag).

 

Want to win either of these prize packages, just follow the directions below. Interested in spreading the word on your blog? Shoot me an email and I'll send you a link. Any bloggers who post a link to this giveaway or my Goodreads giveaway will have their names entered into a separate drawing for a bonus gift.

 

 

 

 

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And don't forget to hop over to Goodreads for your chance to win one of ten free copies of Whispering Minds.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Whispering Minds

by A.T. O'Connor

Giveaway ends November 15, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Whispering Minds Cover Reveal

Thanks to my fabulous designer, Whispering Minds now has a gorgeous cover.

What you can't see is the story within. So here's a little blurb to tide you over until November 1st.

By day, a terrifying blackness eats at Gemini Baker's memories. Her nights are filled with unsettling dreams.

After the death of her beloved granny, seventeen-year-old Gemi is left with parents more interested in gambling than paying the bills, a best guy friend who's looking for love at a time when she has none to give and a dark childhood secret that just might be the key to her sucky life.

During her search for answers, Gemi turns to her cyber friends for support and quickly learns that nobody is who they seem. Not her granny, her friends or even herself. As her blackouts increase in frequency, a threat on her life has Gemi on the run...if only she can remember long enough to keep herself alive.

Thanks for your support!

I gotz Swag

What do a text message, a water shortage, and a moth have in common?

Bingo! WHISPERING MINDS YA GIVE-AWAY.

I ordered some swag yesterday, but since most of it has my as-yet unveiled cover on it, I can't share pics. However, I can share what I'm going to do with it.

In less than two weeks, I will be hosting an epic give-away to followers of my blog. I won't make you tweet me, share me, friend me or any other stalkerly things--unless you want to do all those other stalkerly things from the comfort of the cybersphere--just to be entered in a chance to win PRIZES. Nope, all you'll have to do is sign up on my blog during the days of my EPIC YA Give-Away. That's it.

"But for what purpose?" you ask.

To potentially win a prize. Leading up to my release of WHISPERING MINDS, I will be giving out daily prizes for TEN days. Yep, that's ten chances to win. And win cool things. Multiple things. Not just one thing.

And not pictures of me and postcards of me and bookmarks of me and stickers of me. Those things just suck. (Truly, you did see the circa 80's graduation pic, right?) Nor will I gift you a t-shirt that is too small that will shrink even smaller because those are the only kind us starving artists can afford. I'm giving away USEFUL things. Things that have purpose besides making you queasy. Things you might actually need/want/like.

Things that tie into my novel--including five (yep, FIVE) of my favorite YA novels. Oooh, six if you count WHISPERING MINDS. But that's not it, because, remember, I gotz swag.

However, on the off-chance that you come back here during my give-away and find yourself utterly turned off by *cough* cool *cough* and interesting prizes, you can head over to GoodReads and enter a chance to win one of ten copies of WHISPERING MINDS. Or heck, enter them both.

*does the happy dance*
I gotz authorly swag!

P.S. If you follow me on twitter, facebook, goodreads or my blog, you can keep up to date on all the exciting events coming out this month--including the release of yet another talented writer into the fold. Hint, hint. She's going to hang with me here next Wednesday.

Jackson Pearce Trifecta

I love horse races. Shiny coats tautly gleaming over powerful muscle, thundering hooves eating up the track and raw beauty. Horses awe me with their power--and even more so with their gentle nature despite their brute strength. I grew up on horses and love watching them race.

I do not, however, like gambling. I hate parting with my hard-earned money and pretending there's a science behind the victory. Sometimes luck has a hand in who wins and who loses. Sometimes history, experience and breeding do. Yet picking a winner is a gamble.

Obviously.

Picking the trifecta--now that is akin to separating a single raindrop from the ocean. It's why I don't bet.

Yet this weekend, I bet big and won. It started with a kind of skulky need to read something I wanted to read. With speech just wrapping up, I'd read a lot of what other people wanted me to read. This was my chance to read something for my own pleasure, a much  needed break after a demanding speech season.

Years ago, I'd read Jackson Pearce's Sisters Red and loved it. What I didn't love was the idea of reading the second novel in her fairytale retellings--Sweetly. The story of Hansel and Gretel had never intrigued me and so I had been turned off by the idea of even picking up this companion novel.

Grudgingly, I decided to give it a try, as no other prospects jumped out at me.

Without belaboring my point, I'll just say that I hit the Jackson Pearce trifecta. On Saturday--between curling hair and painting nails for my daughter's prom--I started reading Sweetly. On Sunday, I finished it and started Fathomless after cleaning up the backyard and putting out the patio furniture. This morning, after reading to the end of Pearce's Little Mermaid rewrite, I was like a crack addict waiting for her next hit. I picked up yet another Pearce novel and finished her contemporary novel, Purity, just before shuttling my boys to baseball.

My favorite of the three: Sweetly. Yeah, I know. And I was a snob about reading it for years. My loss. Suffice it to say, I LOVED the characters. Sophia broke my heart, while Samuel captured it. Gretchen was courageous and loving, while her brother Ansel was selfless and sweet. I hated the ending because Ms. Pearce made it hurt. I have half a mind to read it again, just to see if I can will the ending to change. To see if I can somehow wish this beloved, rag-tag family the happiness they deserve.

The most evocative: Fathomless. This dark novel is nothing like Disney's mermaid we all know and love. Lo is torn between two worlds and two souls as she tries to live in the present, remember her past and embrace her future. She is utterly tragic and beautiful in her quest to do right. And while I am not always a huge fan of stories told from different perspectives, Ms. Pearce did a masterful job of using it to create emotionally robust characters, rather than as a cheat to impart information the audience needed but otherwise wouldn't know.

Most relevant: Purity. I have a sixteen year-old daughter who is a big daddy's girl and the thought of those purity ceremonies and vows has always kind of creeped me out. Ms. Pearce handles it with humor and dignity. This novel took me about three hours to read, and even though the subject matter is heavy--death, sex, religion and integrity--the author doesn't weigh it down by getting all preachy. Instead, Shelby is a very real teen with very real teen concerns.

All in all, the most respectful thing I can say about Jackson Pearce's writing is that she writes realistic characters I care about and puts them into difficult situations where they have to act and react in ways that truly matter. Not to mention, her prose is down-right lyrical.

And the best thing: her fourth fairytale Cold Spell will be out soon. You can bet I'll be snapping that up the minute it gets published!

In fact, I think Jackson Pearce just may rounding the corner and taking over the lead as one of my favorite authors. To learn more about her or to check out her novels, please hop over to her website and get reacquainted with some of your favorite fairy tales.

Going Too Far: Irrational Fears and a Book Review

Once upon a time, my big sister told me that if I stepped on a railroad track after a train went by, I would burn up and die. I am not proud to say I believed her. Even more difficult to admit is that I still cannot step directly on a railroad track.

Yeah, I know. Irrational to the point of ridiculous.

My adult mind knows--knows--that this can't possibly happen, yet I can't seem to override the ingrained fear my dear sis planted years ago. Suffice it to say, she went too far with her little prank.

Fears. Where do they come from and how do we overcome them?

In going too far by Jennifer Echols, Meg is terrified of being restrained in any way--even as she's a dare devil in other aspects of her life.

Both Meg and Officer John After are drawn to the train bridge. Both for very different reasons. Meg sees the bridge as a way to feel alive, while John views the bridge as sure death. In the beginning, the bridge draws them together. In the end, it tears them apart.

I am not one to read romance novels as a general rule. However, while searching for speech material for next year, my daughter and I came across this book and thought it might be usable. Unfortunately, it's not. Fortunately, it's still a great book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in going too far. Meg was lovable in her imperfections and completely drew me in, while John was the perfect balance of steel-tough exterior and silk-soft vulnerability.

going too far was a quick, but fun read. Ms. Echols handled the fears of her main characters in a realistic and compassionate way--without bogging down the story by writing a pity party. I highly recommend this novel for anyone looking to perk up their spring with great characters and a well-written plot.