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

Tribal Tuesday!!!

So many #NILtribe happenings this week!

Tomorrow I'll be talking with students at the St. Johns Country Day School here in Jax AND I'M SOOOO EXCITED!  Cool author visit in the making. (The visit will be cool. Not me. I'm not so cool but chatting with the teens?! Heck yeah--that's BEYOND COOL.:D)

And tomorrow is also a #WinNIL Wednesday! It's a Halloween themed #WinNIL contest (tomorrow! did I mention it's tomorrow?!), and up for grabs?  A signed copy of NIL, plus copies of Kristen Lippert-Martin's TABULA RASA & Lindsay Currie and Trisha Leaver's CREED. Awesome, right? Starts at 8 am EST TOMORROW!!!! On Twitter. And FB. And Instagram. Because I'm inclusive like that.:)

And then . . .

This weekend I'll be at the Vegas Valley Book Festival! I'll be chatting on a panel this Saturday with Amy Tintera, Mindy McGinnis & more. You can check out the lineup and full schedule here.  Come see me! After the panel at the signing, I'll have NIL swag & grass skirts & coconut bras. (JK on the grass skirts & coconut bras but definitely NIL swag.:D)


Coming soon…

NIL UNLOCKED sneak peeks. PREPARE YOURSELF.

*throws candy corn all over the blog and Twitter and FB and Tumblr AND THE WORLD* :)

In the meantime, don't forget to share your favorite  #NILquote. You could win an ARC of NIL UNLOCKED too! That contest runs until Dec 1!!!

Oh, and today?

Live it to the fullest.

It's the only today you have.

"No regrets," as Thad would say.:) (One of my fave #NILquotes.:D)

Happy Tuesday!!!

xoxoxox
Lynne

Tribal Tuesday!!!

Just a few newsy things this week!

You still have time to enter to win a galley of NIL UNLOCKED over at Bewitched Bookworms. 3 days left, to be specific. :) The clock is ticking . . .

A signed copy of NIL is up for grabs at Becoming Books . . . plus a Q&A in which I gush about the #NILtribe.:)

 Also, next month I'll be at the Vegas Valley Book Festival on October 18, on a panel with Amy Tintera, Mindy McGinnis and more! Find out all the details here!

Last but not least, I wanted to share the cool tune I've been writing to this week. I'm working on a secret project THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE NIL RELATED. We'll see.:)

Here you go!

Gaslight Anthem's Get Hurt:

Happy Tuesday #NILtribe!

xo
Lynne