Sign Up for FREE Personalized 'Three Day Summer' Bookplates & Swag!

Do you have a copy of Three Day Summer and want to know how to get it signed?

I'm giving away FREE personalized and signed bookplates and a bookmark to the first hundred people who sign up. The first 50 people to sign up will also get a temporary tattoo!

Take a look at the bounty:

And your book could look something like this:

Simply fill out the form below with your mailing address, and the name you'd like the bookplate personalized to, and...that's it. I will get the swag in the mail to you within a few weeks!

New 'Three Day Summer' Reviews and a Giveaway!

I'll make this short and sweet but I'm super thrilled to announce that some lovely reviews have recently come in for Three Day Summer (now only about a month away from release!)

From School Library Journal:

"Extremely charming...This sure-to-be-popular, mesmerizing novel...[is] a real page-turner for fans of romance, music, and the swinging '60s."

From author Tamara Ireland Stone (Time After Time and Every Last Word):

"Three Day Summer will transport you back in time to Woodstock, drown you in incredible music, and introduce you to a couple you'll never forget. It's the perfect summer getaway."

From Publishers Weekly:

In short chapters full of vivid historical detail, Tash takes readers through each of the major acts at Woodstock (the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, among others), plus all of the drugs, mud, and shed inhibitions. As Cora and Michael meander (and sometimes stumble) through the chaos, they evoke the spirit of the festival in their awe for the music, adding their own dash of romance to the free love around them... the author’s love for the era and this defining musical moment shines through.

From Pure Imagination Blog:

The music, artists, and the feelings it inspires are talked about so much that it feels like you are there with Cora and Michael. That was an incredible feeling. Three Day Summer is a short, well paced read. It’s perfect for summer and music lovers. This is such a fun debut.

In other serendipitous news, I recently came across a couple of extra Three Day Summer ARCs. So I will be giving signed copies away to two winners right on this blog! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. The contest is open internationally!

Everyone gets one free entry. You can also gain extra entries by leaving a comment on this post about your favorite thing about summer, tweeting about the contest (once per day), following me on Twitter, liking my Facebook fan page, or adding the book on Goodreads.

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'Three Day Summer' ARCs Are Here...So Here's a Giveaway!

It's been a very cold, snowy week here in New York, so I think few things could have been as welcome as the box of beautiful, cheery Three Day Summer ARCs I received.

Take a look!

Aren't they so purty? It's always so amazing to see one of my manuscripts set and bound like a real book. (I admit...the best part is having it smell like a real book. In fact, my husband may have caught me sitting at my desk, sniffing my ARCs...)

The intro on the back cover reads:

Fans of Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson and Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell will fall in love with Michael and Cora--two teens who are about to meet at the greatest concert ever.

Since I absolutely adore both of those books, I am beyond thrilled with the comparison.

Anyway, what's an author to do with a box of ARCs except share the love? I'm giving away two signed advanced copies on Goodreads! Just check out the below widget to enter!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Three Day Summer

by Sarvenaz Tash

Giveaway ends February 06, 2015.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Halloween Book Trail

Hello intrepid and ghoulish explorers,

Welcome to my stop on the Halloween Book Trail! I'm the author of the MG novel, The Mapmaker and the Ghost--which, as you might have guessed, has a ghost in it--and the upcoming Woodstock YA, Three Day Summer--which will be presented ghost-free. (Probably...though I can't really predict future hauntings, so proceed at your own risk!)


And, of course, since The Mapmaker and the Ghost is filled with a very spirited spirit (see what I did there?), I am part of the Cemetery Trail.

Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday so I am delighted to participate in this tour and answer some Hallow's Eve related questions. And as far as giveaways go: you should know that the grand prize for the trail includes a signed paperback of The Mapmaker and the Ghost. Also, I am running a separate giveaway right at the bottom of this blog for a brand, spankin' new signed ARC of Three Day Summer (which is so exclusive, I don't even have one yet...). So read on.

1. If your MC went trick or treating, what would they dress up as and why?

Funny you should ask, because a couple of years ago, I actually did make my MC dress up for Halloween! Her name is Goldenrod Moram, and she is an explorer and budding mapmaker who idolizes Lewis & Clark. So who would she dress up as? Ta-da:



Yup, that's her as the ghost of Meriwether Lewis. She has it on good authority that her outfit is historically accurate too.


2. Please share a photo of your favorite Halloween costume you’ve worn.

This is a tough one because, as I said, Halloween is my favorite! But, also, my birthday happens to be exactly a week before Halloween and for the past several years, I've always thrown a costumed theme party for it. So, for this question, I will share an actual Halloween costume, and one that was for my birthday.

May I present: Maverick and Goose from Top Gun.



Yup, that's me and my husband. Hilariously, this is the photo Facebook randomly chose to display when we got engaged. And by hilariously, I mean awesomely. Because it pretty accurately sums up our relationship.

And, for the record, this might also be the most comfortable Halloween outfit I've ever worn. Flightsuit onesies FTW!

And as for my favorite birthday theme party outfit:



Me as Hermione after she took Polyjuice Potion with the wrong ingredient in it. This was for my Tridecade Tournament when I turned the big 3-0. (It was also was my favorite birthday theme party. There was a Sorting Hat. And house points. And Tridecade tasks to complete....)

3. What scares the pants out of you?

So. Many. Things. Truly, I startle really easily. As in, if I'm walking down the street and lost in my own thoughts (which is about 100% of the time), and you say "hello" to me, I will jump. As in, even if I know my husband is home but he's in a different room than I expected and I catch him out of the corner of my eye, I will jump.

In conclusion: I do not go to haunted houses. I do not watch scary movies. I can't deal with that build-up of suspense at all.

4. What magical/supernatural creature do you secretly want to be?

A phoenix, I think. Flying + healing powers + immortality + wisdom? It basically sounds like Wolverine + Superman.

5. What is your favorite sentence/paragraph from your novel?

You're making me pick favorites?! I will take the PC route and say that here is one of my favorite passages:

"But there are no such things as ghosts," Goldenrod muttered.
"Who told you that?" the spirit of Meriwether Lewis asked.
"My parents, mainly," Goldenrod confessed.
"And they are grown-ups, I assume?" the man asked.
Goldenrod nodded.
"Unfortunately, it has come to my attention that the modern world is sorely lacking in imagination. And grown-ups are the biggest culprits of all. Regardless, the simple fact is, here I am. And seeing how I was born in 1774, I can't very well not be a ghost, now can I?"

So now it's time to go here, to author MG Buehrlen's blog, for the next stop on the Halloween Book Trail!

And, if you want to enter to win a signed advanced copy of Three Day Summer (which I will send out as soon as I get one--probably in the next few weeks!), simply check out the Rafflecopter form below.

Boy meets Girl…at the most amazing concert the world has ever seen.

It’s the summer of 1969, and Michael is a directionless 18-year-old music fan struggling with an uncertain future in a time of cultural and military upheaval. Cora is the obedient candy-striper daughter of an ultra-conservative father who likes her ex-boyfriend, Ned, so much he still shows up for Sunday dinners despite their break-up months earlier. When Michael and Cora meet at the medical tent at the Woodstock Music Festival, their lives will never quite be the same. 

Coming May 19, 2015. 

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'Three Day Summer' Peace, Love & Music Giveaway!

Tomorrow marks the 45th anniversary of the Woodstock Music Festival! Now, do you want to take a gander as to where my upcoming book, Three Day Summer, takes place? If you said "Woodstock Music Festival," virtual love beads to you, my friend!

IN FACT...take a look at the very first page of Three Day Summer:

Does that date look familiar?!

Although my book won't be out until next year, I couldn't let this momentous anniversary pass by without doing something to mark the groovy occasion. So I present to you: the Three Day Summer Peace, Love, & Music Giveaway!

The Prizes:

Peace: This lovely sterling silver dove necklace, on a 16" chain, represents peace and the iconic emblem of the festival.

Love: Not just love, but summer love, courtesy of the wonderful The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy by Jenny Han published by none other than Three Day Summer publishers Simon & Schuster BFYR. This is the paperback boxed set of all three books.

Music: $25 iTunes Gift Card. For purchasing whatever music makes you feel young, free, and happy (whether that's Hendrix, Creedence, 5 Seconds of Summer...)

How to Enter:

Everyone gets one free entry (because how else would you celebrate the mother of all free concerts?). Other entries can be gained by following me on Twitter, Facebook, or this blog; leaving a comment on this blog telling me which three bands (past or present) you'd most like to see in a live festival; or tweeting out a link to the giveaway from the Rafflecopter form below (2 entries per day for that one).

Check out the form below for all the details! The giveaway runs from today through to Monday, August 18th (the last day of the festival).

Good luck! And, can I just say, I'm pretty excited to see what sort of amazing virtual festivals you come up with.

*U.S. entries only please.

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Schools & Libraries: Win a Free Copy of 'The Mapmaker & the Ghost' + Study Guide, Swag

Update: All the books have now been claimed. If you signed up, look for your package in the mail soon!

I've been staring at my box of author copies of The Mapmaker and the Ghost paperbacks for the past week, wondering what I'm going to do with them.

Free to a good home...

And I think I've hit on a grand idea.

I'm doing this:
1. Because I owe SO MUCH to both my school libraries and public libraries (seriously, I would not be a writer without them).

2. Because there is nothing I would love more than to have my book sitting in as many libraries as possible.

3. Because I can't think of a better way to get my book into the hands of kids than through the wonderful teachers and librarians who know their kid lit.

Now you're probably asking what I'm doing.

I'm giving away 10 paperbacks of The Mapmaker and the Ghost to the first 10 librarians, school media specialists or teachers who sign up below. Each person who signs up will get one book as well as a printed up study guide and some bookmarks and pins in their packet.

That's it! No hoops to jump through. (Except that I will send the books out to U.S. school/library addresses only). Just fill out the form below and if you're one of the first 10 to sign up, the book is yours!

(And P.S. the study guide is available for all to download here.)

WIP Quiz: The Final Question

And here it is: the very last question in your quest to find out what my work-in-progress manuscript is about!

To recap, you're playing to win a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card.

The quick and dirty rules: I'm going to ask you three questions about what my WIP is about. Make your best guesses! You have until this Friday at 8 AM EST to answer any or all of them. Whoever gets the most correct will be put in the raffle to win the prize. (In case only one person gets the most correct, that person will automatically be the winner.) Every entrant can answer each question only once (in the event that they answer more than once, only their first answer will be counted).

If you missed question 1 or question 2, there is still time to answer them. Go here for question 1 and here for question 2.

On Friday, I will reveal the correct answers and the winner. The only hint you have right now is that it's middle grade and a standalone (as in, it's not a sequel to Mapmaker).

So ready for the final question? Here goes:

WIP Quiz, Part 2

Here is the second part of my three-part quiz, informally called: What the heck is Sarv's WIP about?

Up for grabs is one $25 gift card to either Barnes & Noble or Amazon.

The quick and dirty rules: I'm going to ask you three questions about what my WIP is about, one every day starting yesterday and ending tomorrow. Make your best guesses! Whoever gets the most correct will be put in the raffle to win the prize. (In case only one person gets the most correct, that person will automatically be the winner.) Every entrant can answer each question only once (in the event that they answer more than once, only their first answer will be counted).

If you missed question 1, there is still time to answer it. Go here. Question 3 has now been posted here.

On Friday, I will reveal the answers and the winner. The only hint you have right now is that it's middle grade and a standalone (as in, it's not a sequel to Mapmaker).

So ready for question 2? Here goes:

Guess What My WIP Is About...and Win a $25 Gift Card!

For the past year and a half I've been working on a new book that's been taking up a lot of space iny my head (and my heart -- because that's how writing books work).

Do you wanna know what it's about?

Well...

...I think I'm gonna make you work a little for it (and reward you with a prize)!

On Friday, I'm going to revealsome details about my WIP. But for now, I've decided to make things interesting by running a little giveaway.

The prize is a $25 Barnes and Noble or Amazon gift card (your choice).

The challenge? I'm going to ask you three questions about what my work-in-progress is about. Make your best guesses! Whoever gets the most correct will be put in the raffle to win the prize. (In case only one person gets the most correct, that person will automatically be the winner.)

Here is what I will tell you about the book: it's middle grade and a standalone (i.e. it's not a sequel to The Mapmaker and the Ghost). 

I'll run one question a day from now through Thursday. Use the Google form below to answer them. The more questions you answer, the better your chances of being in the raffle! (And you can answer any of them up until Friday at 8 AM EST).

The first question can be found below; the second question can be found here and the final question here. Good luck!

*P.S. There is a very tiny handful of people who have read this WIP and/or know what it's about. You know who you are...and I know who you are. To keep things fair, they are disqualified from this contest. :-)

MG Author Spotlight & Giveaway: Interview with Joanne Levy

I'm pleased as punch to bring you today's interview with author Joanne Levy who penned the hilarious just-about-to-be-released Small Medium at Large.

First of all, I'll wait while you marvel at that astounding title.

Secondly, you should know the book itself is as funny, charming and wonderful as the title suggests.

Thirdly, Joanne and I have a lot in common. We're both in the Class of 2K12. We're both Bloomsbury MG authors. And we both have sassy ghosts* in our debuts! Currently, we are hard at work trying to make #sassyghosts a trending topic on Twitter.

*Term coined by the fabulous Christina of A Reader of Fictions.

The only other thing I'm going to say is that Joanne has one scene in her book involving a seance and a dead clown that had me rolling on the floor laughing.

Here is a little bit more about the book:

After she’s hit by lightning at a wedding, twelve-year-old Lilah Bloom develops a new talent: she can hear dead people. Among them, there’s her overopinionated Bubby Dora; a prissy fashion designer; and an approval-seeking clown who livens up a séance. With Bubby Dora leading the way, these and other sweetly imperfect ghosts haunt Lilah through seventh grade, and help her face her one big fear: talking to—and possibly going to the seventh-grade dance with—her crush, Andrew Finkel.

And without further ado, here is my interview with Joanne. And since I know that synopsis (and that dead clown tease) piqued your interest, one lucky blog reader will walk away with their own, shiny copy of Small Medium at Large! Just scroll down after the interview for the giveaway.

To borrow (and modify) a question from James Lipton, what’s your favorite middle-grade appropriate “curse word” or insult?
Joanne Levy: Hmm. Since I was raised among wolves (read: older brothers) I’m used to the real thing, so my MG appropriate swears aren’t all that original. Probably Oh Crap! would be the one I use most.

What's the first book that you remember LOVING as a child?

JL: Someone asked me the other day about picture books I loved and Ferdinand popped into my head. I went to look at a preview of it online and it took me back to where I was seriously tearing up over the pictures, because I remember them so vividly. I must have read that book so many times as a kid and I’m sure it was dog-eared and torn. I’m not sure what it was about that book that resonated with me, but looking back, I love that Ferdinand wouldn’t be swayed and did what he enjoyed, even if it wasn’t what other people wanted from him. And, you know, in this day and age, sitting among the flowers and just being sounds pretty okay to me.

If you were a medium, which three ghosts would you most want to hear from? 
JL: The real bubby Dora, my great grandmother, who, even though she was over 100 when she died, left this planet way too soon. She was a remarkable and VERY funny woman and I wish I’d been a bit older when she was around so I could have appreciated her more. Jim Henson, just to tell him how awesome I think he is/was, and whoever it was who invented Mac & Cheese, because I’d like to shake his or her hand on a job well done.

Small Medium at Large? Probably one of the BEST titles I've ever heard. What are some other books that really grabbed you solely because of their titles. 
JL: Oh, good question. I picked up Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (Christopher Moore) based on the title. Also, although I’ve never read it, I’ve always loved the title A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by David Eggers.

What are two MG books you'd recommend and why? 
JL: Besides yours? I’d have to say a couple of recent reads: How They Croaked by Georgia Bragg (illustrated by Kevin O’Malley) because it’s morbid and interesting and VERY entertaining. And The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate about a gorilla and his friends who are living their lives stuck in a roadside zoo. The voice of the gorilla is so amazing – funny but a bit gruff yet at the same time gentle—exactly what you’d expect from a gorilla. Based on true events, it’s a great read that I think kids and grownups will enjoy.

Thank you, Joanne!
Thanks for having me!

GIVEAWAY:
And now for the giveaway! Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below to be entered to win one hardcover copy of Small Medium at Large. You get 1 free entry and +1 entry for commenting on this blog post, following me on Twitter, or following Joanne on Twitter. You get +2 entries for tweeting or Facebooking about this giveaway and +3 entries for blogging about it. The giveaway will be open until Friday, June 29th at 11:59 PM EST and is open internationally!


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Free MAPMAKER Bookplates!

Update: This batch of bookplates and bookmarks have all been spoken for. If you filled out the form, you should be getting them in the mail shortly!

I'm mailing out signed The Mapmaker and the Ghost bookplates (and bookmarks) to the first 20 people who fill out the Google form below!

They appear like so:

Ready to stick into your own copy of The Mapmaker and the Ghost...or anywhere you fancy, really. I have one peeking out of the suit pocket of my life-sized poster of David Tennant. (Okay, not really...but as soon as I make the leap and purchase said poster, you know it's going to happen.)

Just fill out the below with your name and address. U.S. only please.

The YAmazing Race with MGnificent Prizes!

Update: The YAmazing Race is now over! Check the Apocalypsies blog for a list of grand prize winners! The winner for my giveaway is...bn100 who won a signed copy of The Mapmaker and the Ghost. Thanks so much to everyone who played!

We did this in January and it was so much fun that we're doing it again! 

So...welcome to the YAmazing Race with MGnificent prizes: a blog hop with 50+ debut authors involving a ton of prizes like books, swag, gift certificates and more (including a signed hardcover copy of The Mapmaker and the Ghost)!

How does it work, you might ask? Well, first, make sure you've gone here to the Apocalypsies blog for the complete rules. From there, you're going to be led to a series of our blogs where you'll learn a little bit about each of our books. (You will also find out five gruesome, yet fun, ways the world could come to an end -- animal style). File away the book info in your head because you will then use it to take a short quiz. There will be six quizzes in all. You can do one, you can do them all. Naturally, I recommend being thorough (because you will have a much better chance of winning awesome prizes and 100% chance of learning about awesome books.)

Got that?

So, without further ado, here's a little bit about my book:


The Mapmaker and the Ghost by Sarvenaz Tash


Goldenrod Moram loves nothing better than a good quest. Intrepid, curious, and full of a well-honed sense of adventure, she decides to start her own exploring team fashioned after her idols, the explorers Lewis and Clark, and to map the forest right behind her home. This task is complicated, however, by a series of unique events—a chance encounter with a mysterious old lady has her searching for a legendary blue rose. Another encounter lands her in the middle of a ragtag gang of brilliant troublemakers. And when she stumbles upon none other than the ghost of Meriwether Lewis himself, Goldenrod knows this will be anything but an ordinary summer . . . or an ordinary quest.


Got it? Ready to find out about the next awesome Apocalypsie book? Go here to J. Anderson Coats' website to learn all about THE WICKED AND THE JUST.

Oh and guess what? I'm giving away another signed hardcover of The Mapmaker and the Ghost and some swag right here on this blog! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below -- you'll see there are extra ways to get entries by leaving a comment, following me on Twitter, liking me on Facebook, following my blog or adding my book to your Goodreads shelf. My contest will be open until Tuesday, May 8th at 11: 59 PM EST.

Good luck!

Release Day Grand Giveaway!

It is April 24, 2012.

That means that, finally, The Mapmaker and the Ghost has made its way out into the world! I have many lovely thoughts and feelings about this, some of which you can read about in my guest posts/interviews today:

Guest Posts to Explore:
Lucky 13s (where a very lucky monkey comes into play)
Class of 2K12 (all about release date shenanigans)
The O.W.L. (confessions of what I was like in middle school. Hint: not popular)
A Thousand Wrongs (with a chance to win another copy of Mapmaker simply by commenting)
The Reading Fever (where you can find out my Rock Band name and my karaoke jam)
Saundra Mitchell's 9 Spot (where I finally come clean about zombies vs. unicorns)

Take all those feelings and also add "extremely excited" about my Release Day Grand Giveaway! Update: The giveaway is now closed. Thanks so much to everyone who entered! The winners can be found at the bottom of this post.

This is definitely the most special and biggest giveaway that I've done. All those feelings...I want to share them!

The Prizes:
One lucky grand prize winner will receive:

1 one-of-a-kind, hand-illustrated, annotated and signed copy of The Mapmaker and the Ghost. The illustrations are done by super famous and talented artist, Graig Kreindler (who also happens to be my fiance). Graig and I will both sign it. (And Graig's artwork really is amazing: you can judge it for yourself here.)

Goldenrod's Adventure Kit featuring:
- 1 golden compass (the same one Goldenrod received for her 11th birthday and which I used for a very secret Goldenrod-related project last year)
- 1 unlined notebook (for sketches of newly discovered flora and fauna)
- 1 lined notebook (for observational notes)
- 1 notebook with gridded paper (for mapmaking, of course!)
- 3 brand new pencils
- 1 pencil sharpener
- 1 measuring tape
- 1 roll of duct tape (Goldenrod's dad would never leave home without it -- for good reason!)

Swag Pack featuring:
- 1 bookmark (which will contain a way for true explorers to find the super-secret project mentioned above)
- 1 sticker set
- 1 set of buttons

And since we've reached 300 entries, I'm throwing in an extra prize! So...

One first-place winner will receive:
A signed and personalized hardcover copy of The Mapmaker and the Ghost with a hand-drawn illustration on the title page (also courtesy of Graig).

The swag pack you see above.

5 runners-up will also receive a swag pack containing a bookmark, sticker set and signed bookplate.

How to Enter:
There are loads of ways! You can do one or all of them and here they are:

- comment on this blog post (+1 entry)
- like my page on Facebook (+1 entry)
- follow me on Twitter (+1 entry)
- follow this blog (+1 entry)
- add The Mapmaker and the Ghost to your shelf on Goodreads (+1 entry)
- tweet about this giveaway (+2 entries per day)
- tweet about The Mapmaker and the Ghost Teaching Guide (+2 entries)
- post about this giveaway on Facebook (+2 entries)
- comment on my guest post at Lucky 13s (+2 entries)
- comment on my guest post at Class of 2K12 (+2 entries)
- comment on my guest post on The O.W.L. (+2 entries)
- comment on my guest post on A Thousand Wrongs (+2 entries)
- comment on my guest post at The Reading Fever (+2 entries)
- comment on my guest post at Saundra Mitchell's 9 Spot (+2 entries)
- post about this giveaway on your blog (+3 entries)
- take a photo of The Mapmaker and the Ghost "in the wild" (at a bookstore, in a library, in your living room, etc.) and post it to my Facebook fan page or Tweet it to me @SarvenazTash (+5 entries)

Just remember to fill out the Rafflecopter form below indicating which of the methods of entry you did. (Otherwise your entries won't be counted!)

This contest will be open until May 1st at 11:59 PM EST. U.S. only.

Good luck! And have fun! (Goldenrod would.)

Winners:
Grand Prize: Vivien
First-Place Prize: Billy H.
Runners-Up: Mikel A., Karen D., Alicia E., Cassie F., Lori T.
All winner have 48 hours to respond with their addresses, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

MG Author Spotlight & Giveaway: Interview with Lizzie K. Foley

Friends, I am remarkably thrilled to bring you today's interview with Lizzie K. Foley, the hilarious author of the stunning middle-grade novel, Remarkable. It's one of my very favorite reads of all time. OF ALL TIME. And you really don't have to take my word for it because...

Kirkus "The World' Toughest Book Critics" Reviews say, "Foley tightly weaves the outlandish threads into a rich, unforgettable story that’s quite simply—amazing."

And The New York Times (!) calls the book, "a cascade of intrigues that suggest a broad theme: Gifts get labeled eagerly and early on, but it’s more fun if characters can elude expectations."

You may be wondering to yourself what on earth the supremely talented Lizzie K. Foley is doing on my little ol' blog. Rest assured that I wonder the same thing. Regardless, here she is! AND to celebrate that fact I am giving away a signed copy of Remarkable. Just scroll down after the interview for the giveaway.

A wonderfully whimsical debut that proves ordinary people can do extraordinary things

In the mountain town of Remarkable, everyone is extraordinarily talented, extraordinarily gifted, or just plain extraordinary. Everyone, that is, except Jane Doe, the most average ten-year-old who ever lived. But everything changes when the mischievous, downright criminal Grimlet twins enroll in Jane's school and a strange pirate captain appears in town.

Thus begins a series of adventures that put some of Remarkable's most infamous inhabitants and their long-held secrets in danger. It's up to Jane, in her own modest style, to come to the rescue and prove that she is capable of some rather exceptional things.

With a page-turning mystery and larger-than-life cast of characters, Lizzie K. Foley's debut is nothing short of remarkable.

Photo Credit: Ana June Creative

To borrow (and modify) a question from James Lipton, what’s your favorite middle-grade appropriate “curse word” or insult?
Lizzie K. Foley: One of the best parts of writing Remarkable was learning pirate curse words. “Spog” is delightful. It’s an insult for a new pirate recruit, but I think it has real possibilities for other situations as well. “Scupperlout” also has a nice impertinent ring to it. “Argh!” is always a good standby curse word for a number of situations. And apparently “bink” is a piratey expression of surprise, but I’ve found shouting “Bink!” just confuses people.

If you could pick one thing to be remarkable at, that you consider yourself mediocre in now, what would it be?
LKF: Cooking! I am the worst cook ever. And it’s not just that whatever I cook tastes bad (because believe me, it does), it’s that I’m actually dangerous in the kitchen. I’ve set fire to both grilled cheese and pancakes on several occasions (and am no longer allowed to make either one). I’ve melted spatulas on the stove (and no one wants soup with melted spatula in it). And just recently, when I finally thought I was going to successfully grill vegetable in the oven, the pan I was cooking them in exploded in my hands and sent hot shards of glass all over the kitchen. I dropped a phone in a boiling pot of spaghetti once too – which didn’t do the phone or the spaghetti much good. Right now, people ask me NOT to make cupcakes for their birthdays because my cupcakes always end up tasting like frosted evil. I once had one of those (non) brilliant early morning flashes of (non) genius about writing a bestselling cookbook centered around making ice – but I have to be honest with myself here. I am not even that good at ice.

There are a surprising number of pirates in your book. If you had a pirate name, what would it be? Also, be honest, no landlubber could capture the pirate voice so well. Are you actually a pirate?! And, if not, what sort of shenanigans did you get up to do research?
LKF: I think my pirate name would be Squint, because I am big on squinting – especially with my right eye. And let’s be honest, nobody squints enough these days, what with all the fancy sunglasses, Lasik surgery, and contact lenses in the world.

And yes, I am actually a pirate. It’s true I don’t like boats or water or even stealing stuff very much, but I don’t let that stop me from being one. And I conducted the research shenanigans to prove it, too. I actually drank orange juice so I wouldn’t catch scurvy (true story!) and I thought about keeping a library book out past its due date (I chickened out on this one, though – I’m not actually brave enough to anger a librarian – no pirate is).

As far as the pirate voice goes, however, I think you should cast a suspicious eye on my editor Nancy. She is the one who kept sending back my manuscript with notes saying things like “A pirate would not say this!” or “Pirates would never eat that!” or “Seriously, this is not how pirates deal with things!” In every single instance, she was right – and I’ve always wondered how she got to be such an expert…and don’t even get me started on my copy editor Rosanne. I made up a type of nautical knot called a “bowline quintey.” I thought it sounded pretty convincing, but Rosanne called me out on this immediately (“That is not a real pirate knot!”). It’s suspicious, I think. And Rosanne is just as good a pirate name as Nancy.


You thank your writing groups in your acknowledgments. Could you give us some of your thoughts on writing as part of one and what the benefits are?
LKF: For me, writing groups are a great way to gain confidence in my work. And while I feel like most people seem to use them as a way to find out what’s not working in a story, I tend to use them as a way to find out what is. I tend to over-revise. I will work and rework a scene into oblivion if left to my own devices. The wonderful people in my writing groups have been instrumental in teaching me how to stop this process before I drain all the life out of something I’m working on. Without the encouragement and support of my writing groups, I would never ever ever stopped revising long enough to finish a book and send it off into the world.


What are two MG books you'd recommend and why?
LKF: Well, you know I recommend yours every chance I get (and I'm not just saying that to kiss up to the interviewer here or to make her blush). I loved Mapmaker and the Ghost, and my son (who is nine) has read it at least four times. He’s even talked about some of the situations he’s seen at school in terms of situations that Goldenrod went through in your story. To me, this is the mark of an excellent kid’s book. It works on a level that kids really relate to – and this isn’t an easy thing to accomplish. Also, he’s tried to bribe me with a sandwich (a technique of parental management he learned from Goldenrod) and any book that encourages someone else to make food for me is brilliant as far as I’m concerned.

The other book I’m going to recommend is called Run Away Home by Elinor Lyon. The book was originally published in 1953, and I was lucky enough to find a copy at my local library growing up. It’s the story of an orphan living in Birmingham, England who is inspired by a faint memory of seeing the ocean to run away to Scotland and attempt to connect with her past. I must have read this book approximately 10 kajillion times. It’s got a great protagonist (named Cathie), who is incredibly resourceful as she tries to piece together her past. She’s got a great set of sidekicks (named Sovra and Ian) who help her. And there are actual adults involved in the story too – and the way that the kids interact with the adults is satisfyingly tense and realistic. Oh yeah – the writing is also amazing. One of my happiest days was when I was able to buy a copy off of eBay. I was also thrilled when I found out that it (along with a lot of excellent British children’s books) was being reprinted by Fidra Books in Edinburgh, Scotland.

1) I think I need to pick up Run Away Home ASAP. 2) After that interview, you want to read Remarkable ASAP, too, right? I think I actually want to read it again right now. 


GIVEAWAY:
The giveaway is now closed. Thanks so much to everyone who entered and the lucky winner of REMARKABLE: Lori!

Upcoming Giveaway Extravaganza

Don't ask me how it happened, but somehow this imaginary month of April 2012 is actually here and The Mapmaker and the Ghost comes out in just a little over three weeks.

Oh. My.

To celebrate this miraculous fact, I'm going to be running a weekly giveaway every Tuesday up until release date. The prize will be a signed, finished, hardcover copy of The Mapmaker and the Ghost and the giveaways will be open internationally!

Author not included.

I'm going to be running each contest on a different social media outlet so, in case you want to mark your calendars, here is the schedule:

- Tuesday, April 3rd on Twitter from 4 PM EST to 8 PM EST
Rules: Simply RT my contest tweet that day or tweet with hashtag #mapmakerandtheghost to be entered. One entry per person.

- Tuesday, April 10th on Facebook from 8 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Rules: Just comment on my contest status that day. You can also get an extra entry by sharing the status on your wall. Up to two entries per person.

- Tuesday, April 17th on Pinterest from 8 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Rules: Repin my cover and/or my trailer to one of your boards. Make sure to leave a comment on my board with a way to contact you (email address or twitter handle) should you win. Up to two entries per person (one each for repinning the cover and the trailer).

- Tuesday, April 24th on this blog through Tuesday May 1st
RELEASE DATE!! This will be the Grand Poobah of giveaways featuring an adventure kit much like Goldenrod has in the book (with a real compass, graph paper, pencils and more) AND an extra-special annotated copy of The Mapmaker and the Ghost with hand-drawn chapter heading illustrations by Graig Kreindler. You'll get my exclusive, behind-the-book notes along with the gorgeous illustrations. It'll also be signed by both Graig and me. An absolutely one-of-a-kind edition.

Here's a sneak peek:

Rules: Check back on this blog for a Rafflecopter form to fill.

That's all for now! I hope you'll consider participating in one or all of these.

Mapmaker ARC Giveaways x 2 (Plus an Interview)!

Well, folks, as release date draws ever nearer, I think you're going to start seeing my mug/book in more places. Sorry about that.

But, hey, along with a brand new interview, there are now two separate contests where you can win The Mapmaker and the Ghost ARCs and signed swag.

And, guess, what...I myself have one ARC left that I'll be giving away starting on Sunday (to commemorate that we are officially one month out from publication...eek!).

You can check out Word Spelunking's ARC giveaway and interview with me (where I reveal my favorite MG villain) here. And Cari's Book Blog's ARC and swag giveaway here.

MG Author Spotlight & Giveaway: Interview with Anne Nesbet

I'm beyond delighted to speak with author Anne Nesbet this month. Anne's magical, wonderful debut MG novel The Cabinet of Earths just got released a month ago. It's filled with gorgeous Parisian locales, dark secrets, and a finely woven mystery. What's not to love?

Read on after the interview to find out how to win a copy of The Cabinet of Earths!

All Maya really wants is for her mother to be well again. But when her baby brother James goes missing, 12-year-old Maya has to take on the magical underworld of Paris, in which houses have bronze salamanders for door handles, the most beautiful people are all hooked on the sweet-smelling “anbar,” and a shimmering glass Cabinet of Earths has chosen Maya to be its next keeper. With the Cabinet’s help, Maya may be able to do for her mother what doctors cannot: save her from death, once and for all. But now that the clock is ticking for James, the price the Cabinet demands may be too high.

To borrow (and modify) a question from James Lipton, what’s your favorite middle-grade appropriate “curse word” or insult?
Anne Nesbet: I lean toward Surprised Exclamations rather than insults (perhaps because 
my feeble brain can't come up with sharp edges fast enough): "good 
heavens! good grief! golly gee! heavens to Betsy!" I know, I know, I
 know. Ever since preschool, the adjective that clings to Anne has been
 "quaint."



What's one game you played a lot as a child (could be a board game, a
 made-up game, or anything)?


AN: My mother presented my sister and me with "Teacher's Kits" when we were
 much too tiny to be in any school, and we loved to squiggle out some 
homework or to make the teddy bears and long-suffering dolls sit in a row
 and behave. Later on we played the most murderous games of Monopoly: 
they went on for days and ended in (figurative) bloodshed and (very real) 
tears. Plus there was a game called "The Emperor of China" that fulfilled 
a kid's natural longing for world domination. And it was important to 
climb the pine-tree behind the back fence from time to time, just to see
 what the world looked like from up there.



There’s a very important, ornate building at the center of your book and I was surprised to read in your author’s note that it really exists! 
How did you come across it and did it inspire your whole story or just a 
part of it?
AN: Actually, the first part of the story to appear in my head was poor,
 drained, unreadable Cousin Louise, and when she first popped into my mind,
 I had no idea she was French. But then we moved to Paris, and I really
 did walk by the Salamander House (not its official name in real life)
 every day when taking the kids to school. You look at that front door and
 you KNOW strange things must be happening inside! The exterior of the 
building may be real, but fiction takes over once the story goes in
 through the gate: I made up all the indoor rooms, and I warped space in a
 very reckless manner to allow there to be all those twisty-turny passages 
leading to the Alchemical Theater.



Paris is the City of Lights! What are three other words you think
 could replace ‘lights’?


AN: Paris is the City of Very Old Stone, of Tucked-Away Magics, and (most
 especially) of Warm Chocolate Croissants.

What are two MG books you'd recommend and why?


AN: Oh, but I'm always the person who fails the
"quick-what-book-goes-with-you-to-the-desert-island" quiz! I can't
 choose. I love too many, and the ones I love most change from minute to
 minute.  Right this very moment I might say Tove Jansson's Finn Family Moomintroll, because its combination of magic and strangeness and loss and
 charming domesticity; and The Penderwicks, by Jeanne Birdsall, because
 when I read this book I rejoiced rejoiced rejoiced that such a story
 (family! humor! summer!) could still be written, even in this new century; 
and The Story of the Amulet, by E. Nesbit, because who can forget the London children's
 shocked reaction to the blue sky and clean air of the Past; and Ozma of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, because of the lunchbox tree.  Oops, you said two?
:)


Thank you so much, Anne! And now on to the giveaway!

GIVEAWAY:
Entering is simple (this time I mean it!) Just follow the instructions in the rafflecopter form below. You'll get +1 entry for leaving a comment on this post; +2 entries each for tweeting (up to once per day) or Facebooking about this giveaway; and +3 entries for blogging about it. The giveaway is open internationally and will run until Friday, February 10th at 11:59 PM EST. Good luck!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

The YAmazing Race with MGnificent Prizes

Update: The race is officially over but thank you SO MUCH to everyone who played (and especially everyone who entered my ARC contest. It was incredibly fun to "meet" so many new people and read your comments)! Winners for the big race will be announced soon and you can check out the winner of my contest below.

I am so excited to be part of the YAmazing Race with MGnificent prizes: a blog hop with 50+ debut authors involving a ton of prizes (including a signed ARC of The Mapmaker and the Ghost)!

How does it work, you might ask? Well, first, make sure you've gone here to the Apocalypsies blog for the complete rules. From there, you're going to be led to a series of our blogs where you'll learn a little bit about each of our books. File away the info in your head because you will then use it to take a short quiz. There will be five quizzes in all and you must complete all 5 to be eligible for a prize pack. Most right answers win (with a random selection in case of a tie)!

Got that?

So, without further ado, here's a little bit about my book:


The Mapmaker and the Ghost by Sarvenaz Tash

Goldenrod Moram loves nothing better than a good quest. Intrepid, curious, and full of a well-honed sense of adventure, she decides to start her own exploring team fashioned after her idols, the explorers Lewis and Clark, and to map the forest right behind her home. This task is complicated, however, by a series of unique events—a chance encounter with a mysterious old lady has her searching for a legendary blue rose. Another encounter lands her in the middle of a ragtag gang of brilliant troublemakers. And when she stumbles upon none other than the ghost of Meriwether Lewis himself, Goldenrod knows this will be anything but an ordinary summer . . . or an ordinary quest.


Think you're ready to take the first quiz? You're in luck, because that's exactly where my blog will lead you. Go here to take it.

Oh and guess what? I'm giving away another signed ARC of The Mapmaker and the Ghost and some swag right here on this blog! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below -- you'll see there are extra ways to get entries by leaving a comment, following me on Twitter, liking me on Facebook, following my blog or adding my book to your Goodreads shelf. My contest will be open until Sunday, January 22nd at 11: 59 PM EST.

Good luck!

MG Author Spotlight & Giveaway: Interview with Jenny Lundquist

It's a brand new year and time to spotlight some more of my favorite middle grade authors!

For January, we have Jenny Lundquist whose sinfully adorable debut novel, Seeing Cinderella, comes out on March 20th. Got a girl with glasses in your life? How about any kid who's ever felt a little awkward? Alternately hilarious and sweet, this book is destined to be an instant favorite!

Jenny has also generously donated a signed ARC for me to give away in conjunction with this interview! Read on to find out how to win it.

Calliope Meadow Anderson is terrified to start seventh grade. Not that the summer has been so great— her overachieving best friend, Ellen, is slipping away, her parents’ marriage is falling apart, and to top it all off, she has to get glasses the day before school starts. Life isn’t going too smoothly.

But things get unexpectedly weird when Callie meets her wacky optometrist and receives a pair of glasses so ugly they make braces and headgear look cute. But pretty soon, Callie makes a freaky discovery. Her glasses have magic powers: they can read people’s thoughts (and she’s pretty sure they repel boys, too).

Callie uses her new glasses to navigate middle school life and learns things she never knew about the people around her. That overachieving Ellen isn’t so super confident, after all. That neither of her parents are who she thought they were. That it’s a good idea to make sure your crush Knows Your Name before you spy on his thoughts. But when the glasses show Callie that Ana Garcia—a new student from Mexico and Callie’s Spanish tutor—has become a real-life Cinderella in her uncle’s house, she has to make a choice. Will she stay in the shadows and hide behind her magic glasses, or step out of the background and stand up for her friend?

What's the first book that you remember LOVING as a child?J
Jenny Lundquist: As a child I loved the Trixie Belden series. She always seemed so brave and strong to me, and I wished I could become a member of the Bob-Whites of the Glen. And I kept waiting for her and Jim to get together already!

To borrow (and modify) a question from James Lipton, what’s your favorite middle-grade appropriate “curse word?”
JL: That's an easy one! Merlin's Beard, from Harry Potter, as I think it's by far the most creative.

If you had a pair of magic glasses, what one superpower would you wish they had?
JL: That would depend upon the day. Yesterday, I would've liked my magic glasses to tell me the exact location of my son's missing shoes. Today, I’d love a pair of glasses that can teleport chocolate cupcakes my way at the exact moment I require them. But for the record, I wouldn't actually want glasses that can read minds—when it comes to people's private thoughts I tend to think ignorance is bliss!

What’s your favorite version of Cinderella (book, movie, remake, adaptation) that you’ve ever read or seen?
JL: I would have to say Margaret Peterson Haddix's Just Ella. I loved her realistic take on the downside of happily-ever-after when you find yourself engaged to a dim-witted prince and spend your days learning embroidery and etiquette.

What are two MG books you'd recommend and why?
JL: Hmmm, that's a tough one. I mean, I could say your book, The Mapmaker and the Ghost [and...this is where I blush]. Or I could say, The Cabinet of Earths, by Anne Nesbet. Then again, I'm a huge Harry Potter fan. But then there's always Thirteen by Candice Ransom—one of my personal favorites when I was in middle school. And who could forget Little Women? I mean, the possibilities are endless! (Do you like how I just cheated?)

Thanks so much, Jenny! For the record, I definitely don't mind cheating when it involves adding fabulous MG books to everyone's TBR piles.

GIVEAWAY:
This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to everyone who entered!