Cover Reveal: THE ONE THING

Y'ALL.

I'M SOOOOO EXCITED to be part of the cover reveal today for Marci Curtis's YA contemporary debut, THE ONE THING.

It's AMAZING.

GORGEOUS.

And oh-my-land, YOUR WILL WANT THIS BOOK. Because the inside is as gorgeous as the outside.

But first, a little about the book:

The One Thing 

Disney-Hyperion

Coming September 8th, 2015 

A soaring tale of life and love, of sacrifice and renewal, and learning to see people as they really are.

Maggie Sanders might be blind, but she won't invite anyone to her pity party. Ever since losing her sight six months ago, Maggie’s rebellious streak has taken on a life of its own, culminating with an elaborate school prank. Maggie called it genius. The judge called it illegal.

Now Maggie has a probation officer. But she isn't interested in rehabilitation, not when she’s still mourning the loss of her professional soccer dreams, and furious at her so-called friends, who lost interest in her as soon as she could no longer lead the team to victory. 

When Maggie first meets Ben, she thinks she can add "crazy" to her list of problems. But the precocious ten-year-old isn’t a hallucination. Maggie can actually see him. She immediately befriends the kid, desperate for any chance to see again.

It turns out Ben’s older brother is Mason Milton, the ridiculously hot lead singer of Maggie’s favorite band. Music is the first thing that has made Maggie feel alive since losing her sight. But when she learns the real reason she can see Ben, Maggie must find the courage to face a once-unimaginable future...before she loses everything she has grown to love.

AMAZING, RIGHT??!!

Ok, and now a little about Marci.:)

  
Marci Curtis grew up in Northern California, where she went to college and met an amazing guy in a military uniform. Two college-aged kids and one dachshund later, she lives in Maryland, where she laughs too loudly and eats peanut butter off spoons. 

(Isn't she the cutest? And who DOESN'T like eating peanut butter off spoons?! WIN.:D )

Okay, on the the BIG REVEAL.


ARE YOU READY?????


Scroll down . . .








keep scrolling . . .








a little more . . .







and BOOM.



HERE YOU GO! The amazing cover of THE ONE THING.

PERFECT for this book--the blackness, the lines, and THE MUSIC NOTE. Love how it turns into a heart!  SO AWESOMELY PERFECT.

And just wait until you read it...PREPARE FOR FEELS.:)

THE ONE THING comes out September 8th, 2015 via Disney-Hyperion. 

To find out more about the book awesomeness that is THE ONE THING, go here:

Website: http://marcilyncurtis.com/ 

Goodreads): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18369372-the-one-thing

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Marci_Curtis

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcilyncurtis

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marcilyncurtis/the-one-thing/

Also, Marci is hosting a cool giveaway on her blog for some custom earrings. You can go directly to her blog (full of all kinds of TOT goodness) or enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Remember, THE ONE THING comes out September 8th. Now go forth and add THE ONE THING to your TBR list!!!!:)

xo

Lynne

Well hello 2015! :) My word of the year is . . .

I blinked . . . and *cue ball drop* 2015. What?!

As the teens on Nil know, time flies.:)

I'm not big on resolutions, because I find they seem so RIGID. So black and white, so hard to keep. And often so NEGATIVE. "Lose 10 pounds. Cut out caffeine. Exercise every day."

Why does everything have to be so extreme?

Why do we tend to focus on things about ourselves we don't like?

And why do we set a mark that if we miss--or break--we automatically feel like a failure?

WE ARE NOT PERFECT. WE ARE NOT FAILURES BECAUSE WE MISS SOME ARBITRARY HURDLE WE SET FOR OURSELVES. We are wonderful imperfect amazing beings and I am so grateful to have this moment this day this year this chance. A chance to figure out the best parts of me.:)

So . . .  each year, I pick a word rather than a resolution.

Last year's word? BALANCE. Balance between my writing and family and LIFE. I think I did okay. Not that I'm getting any gold stars or anything, but I was better at BEING PRESENT, and not texting/tweeting/instagramming every minute and constantly talking to characters in my head. I love my boys and my husband and my friends and when I was with them, I was WITH THEM. Make sense?:)

This year's word: CREATIVE.

I miss painting; I haven't painted since I sold NIL. I miss the wonder of putting paint on canvas and seeing what will happen. I miss the blending of colors. I'm going to paint this year... maybe this spring, maybe this summer. I'm a mixed-media kind of girl. I like messing with paint and adding oil pastels to the mix and creating depth to see what will happen. Being creative means taking risks, but like with anything, the rewards are made of awesome.:) Sometimes it's okay to fall to screw-up to make a mess in the process.

My mind is also swirling with ideas for books. Different books, different characters, different voices, and once I'm out of the Nil world, I'm going to let myself take those creative risks. And I can't wait!:) But before I leave the Nil world, I'M WRAPPING MYSELF IN ALL THAT IS NIL AND HAVING THE BEST TIME FIGURING OUT WHAT HAPPENS AS NIL FIGHTS TO SURVIVE... and so do my favorite characters. I love this crazy island, and all the people who wind up there... or go back. And I can't wait to see how it all plays out.

The rest of this year? I'm embracing LIFE. I'm calling friends I miss, making plans to walk or have lunch, and telling them I love them. I'm making Darth Paper origamis with my kids and reveling in my boys' uniqueness. I'm kissing my husband every morning no matter how rushed we are. I'm pulling out old calligraphy books and pens. I'm making ALL THE PLANS to meet the #NILtribe. Because this year NIL UNLOCKED comes out AND I CAN BARELY STAND IT I'M SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK I LOVE IT SO MUCH.:)

I CAN'T WAIT to meet readers on tour! I'm channeling my creativity to make my Fierce Reads and Southeast Swing Tour time full of amazing . . . because it's incredibly special for me too. Readers rock my world, and I'm so grateful for each one. I can't wait for all of y'all to read NIL UNLOCKED this year and meet Skye and spend some time with Rives AND OH MY LAND CRAZY NIL. Full tour details later but for now, writing. Painting. Hugging. Laughing. LIVING.

TAKING RISKS.

Being CREATIVE. That's my word.

What's yours?:)

Goodbye 2014!

It's been a great year.:)

I published my first book. I sold two more. I went to my first book convention and my first book festival and then a few more.:) I met TONS of readers and tons of other writers & authors. I fangirled over authors who I still can't believed I got to hang out with, and I laughed and joked with them and learned they were REAL people--like you, and me.:)

And I learned a TON. :) About writing, about me.

I rediscovered things I forgot along my writing/publishing journey, and am SO glad I remembered them.:) Like the fact that books are creative works of art. Not everyone will love each one, but some will, and that's who authors write for. :)

I learned that it's not about the days you can't find the time or inspiration to write; it's about the days you DO.

I learned that not every shiny new idea will turn into a finished book, but some will. And I learned typing The End never gets old.:)

I learned that writing on deadline is different and hard and DOABLE and deeply rewarding.

I learned that publishing is a journey, not a destination--like life, and each writer's road is different at every point. (Whoa-that was freakishly deep. ;D )

I learned that it's hard to say goodbye to characters in a series. And I learned that just because it's easier to let them all live, that doesn't mean you should.

I learned that writing on deadline feels more solitary than expected.

I learned that friendship among writers is real and true and life-saving.:)

I learned that my family and friends are amazing and have blessed me beyond measure, and so have all the readers who took a chance on an unknown debut author and picked up NIL. *hugs all the #NILtribe*

Thank you to all who helped make 2014 an amazing year! I love all of y'all!

See you in 2015!

Thankfulness…and a contest for the #NILtribe

Yesterday was Thanksgiving… and I have SO much to be thankful for this year.

My family. 

The love and support this year--and in the years leading to this one--are amazing. I LOVE YOU ALL MORE THAN YOU KNOW.

My friends.

*see above* *sends all the hugs* :)

The entire YA community.

I'm so grateful to all the authors, bloggers, and readers who welcomed and supported me this year as my debut novel, NIL, launched back in March.

You all deserve a little RDJ:

*smooshes*

The opportunity to write books.

I'm so incredibly blessed to be able to do what I love. That I get to write stories and share them with the world…and get paid for it. And yet? The money is nothing compared to the satisfaction of making one reader get a full case of the feels…and be able to escape into a new world just for a few hours. I write for you, and am so grateful to my agent and my editor and all the folks at Macmillan for believing in me and allowing me to put my books in your hands.:)

READERS.

*feels  teary* To all the readers who took a chance on NIL--THANK YOU. I am so, so grateful for you.:) *sniffs*

Which brings me to the #NILtribe.

I ADORE THE #NILtribe. All the readers who supported NIL and the characters in the Nil world… all the readers who have tweeted about NIL or shared a pic on Instagram or taken the time to write a review of NIL or who have told a friend about NIL or played #WinNIL this year… THANK YOU. I love you and appreciate you sharing your love of books and your love of NIL!

Which brings me to a special contest I dreamed up for you. Next spring I'll be sharing plenty of opportunities to win advance copies of NIL UNLOCKED as well as finished hardcopies of NIL UNLOCKED as we play #WinNU.

But for now…I have a special gift for you. A unique #WinNIL: the chance to win a special annotated copy of NIL, with heaps of personal notes and hints linking NIL to NIL UNLOCKED. You'll find out some NIL UNLOCKED secrets early, and I'll share some passages/quotes from NIL UNLOCKED in the margins of NIL at key points and share research I didn't include in the final copy. Also, I've jotted down character secrets and backstory that impacts both NIL and NIL UNLOCKED. I've been working on this special annotated NIL copy for a while, and it's turning out pretty cool. AND YOU CAN WIN IT.

If you're a member of the #NILtribe, leave a comment below telling me why you're excited about NIL UNLOCKED and boom--you're entered to win!

This contest will run until December 31, 2014, and is open to all current members of this #NILtribe. Most of y'all I know by name and/or your Twitter/Instagram avatar…and I hope you win!:) *Winner will be picked at random from the comments below using the Random.org random number generator.

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT!!! Good luck!

Tribal Tuesday!

Just a quote note to say that TOMORROW IS A #WinNIL WEDNESDAY!!!!

We're playing a thankful edition.:)

Tomorrow you can win a signed copy of NIL for a friend--a friend you are thankful to have in your life! A friend you would save from tigers…a friend that you would give your last fish wrap to.:)

So be thinking. . . and be thankful.:)

Deets tomorrow on Instagram, Twitter and FB! Hugs to all the #NILtribe!

Until tomorrow--

xoxo
Lynne

Tribal Tuesday!

Hi #NILtribe!

I thought I'd share a sneak peek of the front & back flap of the galley, and the epigraph at the front of the book. It's so pretty!!!!!

*stares at galley*

I LOVE MY COVER SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *stops staring* ;)

So first, the front.

OMG OMG OMG I LOVE THIS COVER SO HARD *pets*

I LURVVEEEE the colors on this cover. They're SPOT ON. The orange, the gray. And the cracked gray inside the word NIL here is so cool…because it echoes the cracked, dried lava rock found on the island itself. Also adore the tallymarks, especially how they're reflected in the water. I love how the sunlight shines through the clouds and the overall darker tone….it fits the book PERFECTLY. I honestly love everything about this cover. Macmillan did an AMAZING job! I AM SO LUCKY!!!!!!

And now for the back.

Rives. Skye. FEELS. ANSWERS.
*happy sigh*

AHHHHH! A FIERCE TITLE!!!!
Just LOVE!!!!!!!!


Now for the spine. I always love the spines of books; I don't know why. But there's something so gorgeous about having them all lined up on the shelf.

Like this:

SO PRETTYYYYYYYY!
(Yes, I'm totally biased. BUT THAT'S OK.:D)

Now, I only have one galley of NIL UNLOCKED right now (the other one is making the YA VALENTINES rounds, but here's the spine of NIL UNLOCKED:

Please ignore the disaster that is the house in the background.
Thank you.
#lifeofawriter ;)

I adore how the front cover wraps around to the spine…how you get the juxtaposition of light and dark BECAUSE IT'S SO WHAT THIS BOOK IS ABOUT. WIN!!!!!

And then there's the tallymarks. OH MY LAND I LOVE THE TALLYMARKS. They're on the inside of NIL, and they're also on the inside of NIL UNLOCKED.

Like this:

Tick tock goes the Nil clock . . .

And they're also on this page with the really-cool and totally-perfect epigraph:

Information. Knowledge. Rives wants it all…and so does Skye. And when they find each other?

Well . . . you'll just have to read the book.;)

(Ok, that was totally an evil author move but I can't give away ALL THE SEKRITS. At least not today.:D)

Happy Tribal Tuesday #NILtribe!!!!! I hope you loved the visual sneak peek!

xo

FIERCE news!!!!

AHHHHH! Y'all!!!! I'M A FIERCE READS AUTHOR!!!!!!!

*breathes*

It's real. It's really happening. So . . . I'm so excited to announce that I'll be part of the Spring 2015 Fierce Reads Tour!

See? THE #NILtribe has turned FIERCE!:)

The author lineup is AMAZING (Marie! Courtney! Anna! Lindsay! AHHHH! I <3 ALL the Tour authors and their books!) and I'm SO honored to be a part. More Tour details and city information to come, but in the meantime, you can find out more about all the authors and their books over at Mac Teen Books.

So there you go! NIL UNLOCKED comes out May 12, 2015. Then . . .  the #NILtribe hits the road, feeling FIERCE!:)

Are you in?:)

xo
Lynne