Explorer X - Alpha Contest!

LM. Preston is graciously offering one (1) lucky winner to win her debut novel Explorer X - Alpha!

Summary: For most kids, a trip to space camp is a trip of a lifetime, for Aadi it was life altering. After receiving a camp immunization needed for travel to Mars, Aadi finds that the immunization is the catalyst of an insidious experiment. Lucky for him, he was engineered to survive, thrive, and dominate. Without realizing he is being trained to conquer worlds, and manipulated under the guise of a camp, he unfolds the plot too late for a change of fate. Aadi’s world is shaken upon the revelation that life before camp was not what it appeared. This solidifies his plan to save them all from the company that seeks to control him, only for his rescue to end abruptly due to a freak accident on a field trip to Mars. The full experiment is set in motion when he and his co-pilot, Eirena, crash in a distant galaxy called Shrenas, where they change and realize the full extent of their power. Holding onto his humanity, in the midst of turning into a god is Aadi's biggest battle yet. This turn of events causes him to put his childish thoughts away, forcing him to accept his change, and to decide to save a world, or to do what he was trained to do, dominate it. In the midst his struggles with his changes, his power is coveted by the warring leaders of Shrenas, and he is forced to choose sides to save a life, or to save himself. A decision that may prove just how much humanity he has left.

To enter please fill out this FORM.

The deadline for this contest is 11:59 PM (central time), December 22.

Guest blogger: Author - LM PRESTON

I am pleased to welcome LM Preston to Wicked Good Books. She is the author of Explorer X - Alpha which is being released in February 2010. Since Christmas is around the corner, she will be blogging about the holiday.

A Christmas Gift To Remember

Christmas has always been a bitter sweet occasion for me. I love Christmas now because I have four active kids and a husband of which to create traditions. However, prior to getting married, Christmas would sadden me because it was around Christmas time that I lost my grandmother of whom I was extremely attached.

Now, life has a funny way of rejuvenating you and allowing you to grow up. Hence, I will share a Christmas memory that still touches my heart.

About five years ago, my husband and I decided to do something different for Christmas. We decided to take that time to travel with our family. Our most memorable trip was a trip we took to Vermont. This particular Christmas, we experienced the Christmas Spirit of goodwill towards men first hand.

After packing our car to the hilt with presents, snowboarding equipment, and luggage, we took off. We drove there from our home, and it was a long drive. We sang songs, played car games, and watched movies. Finally, we arrived at Smuggler’s Notch, a resort in Vermont that had tons of stuff to do onsite.. We had planned to never have to leave the resort.

Once we got settled into our three room condo, we realized that we needed to go to the grocery store. My husband took my older two kids with him to the store. After they left, I started putting all of our socks into sock bombs. My husband and I had planned to have a hide and go seek, sock bomb attack with the kids once they returned from the grocery store.

Several hours later, I started to get concerned. I got no call from my husband, because there was no cellphone reception in the area. All I could do is to wait.

A knock came on the door, and my husband and two kids stood there with this gentleman. The kids looked shaken and my husband hugged me. They had been in an accident, which my husband said could have been fatal. They were driving back from the store and drove over black ice, which slammed them into the guard rail of the bridge.

The angels that made my Christmas one of the most precious holidays ever, were the kind people I met in Vermont. The nice gentleman that was standing there with my husband was a mechanic who owned a local shop. He towed our car, and gave my husband a ride to our resort. He also helped us bring up our grocery. His wife came and picked me up several times to run errands, and the resort staff treated us at a local restaurant to dinner.

It ended up taking the mechanic several additional days to fix our car, and the resort allowed us to stay free of charge.

It’s times like these where I am just humbled by the kindness of people. This particular trip is looked upon fondly by all of us, since we had angels posing as humans that made our Christmas in Vermont one of the most inspiring holiday’s ever.

____________

Stay tuned for a chance to win Explorer X Alpha later on this week and in January for my review of the book and another entry by her!

GLBT Challenge 2010

I just saw this challenge over at GLBT Reading Blog and thought it would be great! I love reading GLBT books, especially those that fall under YA category.

Rules/Guidelines:

The basic idea of this challenge is to read books about GLBT topics and/or by GLBT authors. The challenge runs year-round, and there will be three levels of participation:

• Lambda Level: Read 4 books.
• Pink Triangle Level: Read 8 books.
• Rainbow Level: Read 12 or more books.

My goal is to read at least 8 for now, but hopefully I'll get to the Rainbow level. Please leave suggestions for (YA) GLBT books that I could read. I don't know very many. If you know of any GLBT books that are coming out this year, that are also debut books let me know!

1. Steady Beat, Volume 1 by Rivkah

2. Steady Beat, Volume 2 by Rivkah

3. My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park by Steve Kluger

4. David Inside Out by Lee Bantle

My list:

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

Ash by Malinda Lo

The God Box by Alex Sanchez

Hero by Perry Moore

Keeping You a Secret by Julie Anne Peters

Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle

My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman

Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger

Sprout by Dale Peck

Mini challenges:

January

February

March

April

I found a really awesome list on goodreads that helped me to choose some books: Best YA Fiction with GLBTQQI theams/characters

Another EXCELLENT LIST!

To sign up for this challenge go HERE.

In My Mailbox (11)

Explorer X-Alpha by LM Preston

"For most kids, a trip to space camp is the trip of a lifetime for Aadi it was life altering. After receiving a camp immunization needed for travel to Mars, Aadi finds that the immunization is the catalyst of an insidious experiment. He realizes what is happening too late for a change of fate. The full experiment is set in motion when he and his co-pilot, Eirena, crash in a distant galaxy called Shrenas, where they change and realize the full extent of their power. This turn of events forces him to grow up quickly, accept his change, and to decide to save a world, or to do what he was trained to do dominate it. His power is coveted by the warring leaders of Shrenas, and he is forced to choose sides a decision that may prove just how much humanity he has left."

I got this book for review!

Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick

"When Holly loses her virginity to Paul, a guy she barely knows, she assumes their encounter is a one-night stand. After all, Paul is too popular to even be speaking to Holly...and he happens to have a long-term girlfriend, Saskia. But ever since Holly's mom died six months ago, Holly has been numb to the world, and she's getting desperate to feel something, anything--so when Paul keeps pursuing her, Holly relents. Paul's kisses are a welcome diversion...and it's nice to feel like the kind of girl that a guy like Paul would choose. But things aren't so simple with Saskia around. Paul's real girlfriend is willowy and perfect... and nothing like Holly. To make matters worse, she and Holly are becoming friends. Suddenly the consequences of Holly's choices are all too real, and Holly stands to lose more than she ever realized she had."

I won this book from Fantastic Book Reviews! Thank you! PLUS, Lauren signed it for me. :)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by THE STORY SIREN.

2010 Debut Author Challenge

I am wicked excited to join the 2010 Debut Author Challenge, which is my first book challenge! C:

This challenge is being hosted by Kristi from THE STORY SIREN.

INFO from Kristi:

What is the 2010 Debut Author Challenge?

• The objective is to read a set number of YA (Young Adult) or MG (Middle Grade) novels from debut authors published this year.* I'm going to challenge everyone to read at least 12 debut novels! I’m hoping to read at least 30! You don’t have to list your choices right away, but if you do feel free to change them throughout the year. I will also be focusing on mostly Young Adult novels.
• Anyone can join, you don’t need a blog to participate. If you don’t have a blog you can always share your views by posting a review on Amazon.com/BarnesandNoble.com/GoodReads/Shelfari, or any other bookish site.
• The challenge will run from January 1, 2010- December 31, 2010. You can join at anytime!

Here are some of the books that I plan on reading. My goal is to read and review at least 20.

1. The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

8th Grade Superzero by Olugbemisola Rhuday Perkovich

13 To Life: A Werewolf's Tale by Shannon Delany

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab

Anna and the Boy Masterpiece (Anna and the French Kiss) by Stephanie Perkins

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy

The Deathday Letter by Shaun Hutchinson

Explorer X-Alpha by LM. Preston

Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White

Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

A Love Story: Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner

The Mark by Jen Nadol

A Match Made In High School by Kristin Walker

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

Palace Beautiful by Sarah Dedford Williams

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

The Snowball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter

The Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz

Wish by Alexandra Bullen

*To sign up go HERE.

Thank you, Katie!

Katie from Sophistikatied Reviews has made me a brand new layout, banner and blog button! I absolutely love it! Click the button below to go to her awesome book blog!

I am still putting things back into my site and updating a few things as well. Should all be done within a day.

Interview with Tish Cohen

Today I would like to welcome author Tish Cohen! I recently read her newest YA book, Little Black Lies and I really enjoyed it!

What is your inspiration for writing?

I am inspired by people. Especially eccentric people who exist on the fringe of society to some degree. I like to imagine the lives they forge for themselves.

Which character can you relate to most from Little Black Lies?

I think I relate most to Sara Black because I too was a child of divorce and because we moved frequently, I wound up being the new kid at school many times.

I loved how you had a trivial fact about ants at the start of each chapter. Did you always know you were going to incorporate that into the book?

I believe my brilliant editor thought up the idea, but I had great fun researching ants and relating ant facts to the storyline.

Was your high school anything like Anton High? What was your favorite part of HS?

My high school was not at all like Anton, which was inspired by New York’s Stuyvesant and Boston’s Boston Latin. I think my favorite part about high school was just hanging out with good friends. I went to Fullerton Union High School in California, and made friendships I treasure today.

What advice would you give to a new student at a completely different high school, like Sara Black?

Join in as quickly as you can. If you can join in a club, you’ll likely find friends there and making friends quickly will make those dreaded lonely lunch periods a thing of the past!

What is your typical writing day like?

I usually get the kids to school, take the dog out, then bring coffee (for me) and biscuits (for my dog) into my writing room and get started. Some days I work on and off all day. Other days I wind up doing interviews or other marketing events.

Coffee or tea?

Coffee, but I might try decaf.

Would you rather go to a movie theatre or live show?

Live show so I can feel and be inspired by the energy of the actors and the music. That inspires me.

Thanksgiving just passed. What was your favorite food you had?

Believe it or not, the turnips were my favorite. Oh, and my sister made homemade caramel ice cream—it was to die for.

What is your favorite word?

It changes constantly. Right now: mashup. Not even a real word and I got it from Glee. On Wednesday night I used it on live TV and the author with me (John Bemrose) told me it was a great word!

Thank you, Tish!

Here is my review of Little Black Lies.

To visit her website click HERE.