Boldly Bookish Blog Tour: Guest post with Emery Lord + Giveaway

I am so excited today to feature the four authors and books who are part of Bloomsbury's spring 2015 Boldly Bookish tour–Trish Doller (The Devil You Know), A.C. Gaughen (Lion Heart), Emery Lord (The Start of You and Me), and Tiffany Schmidt (Hold Me Like a Breath)! Today's post is a guest feature with Emery all about adorable nerdy boys! Keep reading after Emery's post to learn more about the authors, their books, and the stops on the tour. Oh, and there's a giveaway too, but you probably aren't interested in that, right? ;) Take it away, Emery!

Ode to the Nerdy Guy

a post by Emery Lord 

So, here’s the thing. I think the Top 10 of my massive high school graduating class included at least 5 people from my friend group. We were literally all in marching band. Most of us in show choir. A few of us were on the QuizBowl team. Nerds.

We also got in trouble with the cops senior year. Pranked each other, huge-scale and creatively. Loved each other ferociously. Traveled. Went to shows. Sometimes we stayed in and played Mario Kart. We went through a phase where we were really obsessed with Risk. We took AP classes. We also skipped classes sometimes. We talked politics, theology, culture, and laughed over dumb stuff. Fun as hell nerds.

So I guess I love nerd guys (and girls) because I think “nerd” means you’re interested. And interested makes you interesting. Also, most nerds are good at things—it’s often what we’re made fun of for. But being interesting and competent? Sorry, but that’s sexy.

One thing about Max Watson, unabashed nerdboy of The Start of Me & You, is that it’s probably fair to call him a beta male. He’s not dominant, he’s not suave, he’s certainly not ripped. But he is confident. He’s also deeply kind, a good listener and loyal friend.  I think the thing that is so attractive about guys like Max is that he has nothing to prove to anyone. He knows exactly who he is and doesn’t really care what you think. All I see in swagger is guys who are overcompensating. Give me a secure guy any day of the week.

I know it can be easy to gravitate toward the people who have smooth lines, who will approach you with ease, who can attract you with rugged toughness. …eh, pass. Give me a lifetime of someone who is engaged with his world, with you, who cares and doesn’t care who knows it, who is good and good at things, who likes what he likes even if you don’t really get it. Give me someone who can make me laugh with smart humor. Besides, if being a nerd basically means you’re super into something…that means someone is passionate. Draw your own conclusions! ;)

So, to the girls who have asked me where to find guys like in YA books: might I recommend your high school’s Team Physics? Marching band? QuizBowl? The Engineering college of your local university? (Speaking 100% from personal experience.)

As a nerd, writer and the wife of a hot man who has a pretty serious Star Trek obsession, all I am saying…is give nerds a chance. Live long and prosper, xo!

*****

Okay, I just have to say, I agree with Emery 100%. I also was a Mario-Kart-playing, marching-banding, AP-class-taking, Scholars-Bowling certified nerd (and proud of it!), and truthfully, the guys (and girls) I knew from those activities were hands down the best people I interacted with in high schoool AND college. Also, Max may not be an Alpha male, but I've read (and loved) The Start of Me and You, and I'm totally in love with him so I'm pretty sure Alpha males are entirely overrated. Bring on the nerds!

Pub Date: March 31, 2015

Genre: young adult contemporary romance

Status: standalone
Summary: It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

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About the Author:

EMERY LORD is the author of Open Road Summer. She lives in a pink row house in Cincinnati, with a husband, two rescue dogs, and a closet full of impractical shoes. Open Road Summer is her first novel. Visit her online at www.emerylord.com and on Twitter @emerylord.

 

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Pub Date: June 2, 2015

Genre: young adult contemporary thriller

Status: standalone
Summary: Eighteen-year-old Arcadia wants adventure. Living in a tiny Florida town with her dad and four-year-old brother, Cadie spends most of her time working, going to school, and taking care of her family. So when she meets two handsome cousins at a campfire party, she finally has a chance for fun. They invite her and friend to join them on a road trip, and it's just the risk she's been craving-the opportunity to escape. But what starts out as a fun, sexy journey quickly becomes dangerous when she discovers that one of them is not at all who he claims to be. One of them has deadly intentions.

A road trip fling turns terrifying in this contemporary story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

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About the Author:

TRISH DOLLER is the author of Something Like Normal and Where the Stars Still Shine. She's a former newspaper reporter and radio personality who now works as a bookseller at the Ft Myers B&N. She lives in Fort Myers, Florida, with her two mostly grown children, two dogs, and a pirate. (For real.)  Visit her online at www.trishdoller.com and on Twitter at @TrishDoller.

 

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Pub Date: May 19, 2015

Genre: young adult historical fantasy, retelling

Status: book 3 of the Scarlet trilogy
Summary: Scarlet has captured the hearts of readers as well as the heart of Robin Hood, and after ceaseless obstacles and countless threats, readers will finally find out the fate of the Lady Thief.

Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire. After a daring escape from the Prince's clutches, she learns that King Richard’s life is in jeopardy, and Eleanor of Aquitaine demands a service Scarlet can’t refuse: spy for her and help bring Richard home safe. But fate—and her heart—won’t allow her to stay away from Nottinghamshire for long, and together, Scarlet and Rob must stop Prince John from going through with his dark plans for England. They can not rest until he’s stopped, but will their love be enough to save them once and for all?

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About the Author:

A.C. GAUGHEN is the author of Scarlet and Lady Thief. She serves as the Director of Girls’ Leadership for the non-profit Boston GLOW, creating opportunities to encourage and engage teen girls in the Greater Boston area. She has a Masters in Creative Writing from St. Andrews University in Scotland and a Masters in Education from Harvard University. Visit A.C. online at www.acgaughen.com and on Twitter at @acgaughen.

 

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Pub Date: May 19, 2015

Genre: young adult contemporary thriller, romance, retelling

Status: book 1 of the Once Upon a Crime Family series
Summary: Penelope Landlow has grown up with the knowledge that almost anything can be bought or sold—including body parts. She’s the daughter of one of the three crime families that control the black market for organ transplants.

Penelope’s surrounded by all the suffocating privilege and protection her family can provide, but they can't protect her from the autoimmune disorder that causes her to bruise so easily.

And in her family's line of work no one can be safe forever.

All Penelope has ever wanted is freedom and independence. But when she’s caught in the crossfire as rival families scramble for prominence, she learns that her wishes come with casualties, that betrayal hurts worse than bruises, that love is a risk worth taking . . . and maybe she’s not as fragile as everyone thinks.

Book Buy Links:

   

About the Author:

TIFFANY SCHMIDT is the author of Send Me a Sign and Bright Before Sunrise. She lives in Pennsylvania with her saintly husband, impish twin boys, and a pair of mischievous puggles. Visit Tiffany online at www.TiffanySchmidt.com and on Twitter @TiffanySchmidt.

 

Author Links:

  

Blog Tour Schedule:
May 18th: Alexa Loves Books
May 19th: The Eater of Books!
May 20th: Mary Had A Little Book Blog
May 21st: Jessabella Reads
May 22nd: Blue Sky Shelf
May 25th: Ageless Pages Reviews
May 26th: Mundie Moms
May 27th: Reading Teen
May 28th: On Starships and Dragonwings
May 29th: The Quiet Concert

Book Tour Schedule:

I am SUPER excited for this tour for many reasons, one of which is that I'm actually moderating the last stop in Texas! So join me, Annie, Trish, Tiffany, and Emery for a Boldly Bookish evening at the Barnes & Noble Stonebriar in Frisco on June 12! Thank you, Bloomsbury, for this amazing opportunity!

 
Giveaway: 

One winner will be able to choose one of the four books featured on the Boldly Bookish tour! Open to US residents age 13+.

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Mary's Minute: Event Advice, Part 1

I'm back for another edition of Mary's Minute! This time I want to take this time to talk about something I get questions about A LOT:

Event Advice

I moved to Dallas in late 2012, and I started blogging in December that year. Since then, I have attended 68 author events featuring hundreds of authors in six(ish) cities in three states (which actually isn't too many because I know my friend Katie of the Polished Page-Turners has gone to events in eight states! And in fact will be landing in Texas in about 12 hours to attend RT with me). I have attended press tours for best-selling authors and launch parties for debut authors. I have attended festivals and panels and individual signings at high schools, college campuses, city streets, public parks, convention centers, libraries, bookstore chains, indies, and even the dang Texas state capitol building. I have attended these events as a "regular" reader, blogger, moderator, and now, staff, which has allowed me to experience these events in different capacities. I started keeping an event page here on the blog 1. so I could share upcoming events with my friends and fellow book lovers, and 2. so I could always remember the events I've attended!

While I would never use the word "expert" to describe myself unless we're talking about sleep or cheese consumption, I do have lots of experience and a fair amount of general event knowledge.

Part 1: How do I get [x author] to visit my city?

Good question, and sadly, this is the one that is the most difficult to answer because a lot of it depends on SHEER DUMB LUCK.

First, I have to ask: is [x author] JK Rowling? John Green? Suzanne Collins? Rick Riordan? Veronica Roth? Stephanie Meyer? Best of luck to you, but honestly, these authors don't tour very much at all, and because demand for them is very high, you're in a crap shoot. I'm so sorry, but I have zero advice for you aside from telling you to find an event they'll be at, no matter where it is, and trying to attend. That's your best bet.

The biggest part of the puzzle actually is: does your city receive a lot of author visits? If yes, you're in good luck. It could happen quite easily! If no, I'm sorry to say, you're going to need to do more work, and sadly, I don't have much advice for that part. 

If your city DOES receive a lot of visitors, you can help get [x author] to visit by doing the following: checking their books out from the library REGULARLY. Share those books with your friends and family and encourage them to do the same. Tell your library you would be interested in meeting [x author]. Also, buy [x author]'s books from a local bookstore (preferably whichever one does events, be it a B&N, Half Price books, indie, etc). Ask to speak to their manager (preferably the event manager), and tell THEM you would like to meet [x author]. Pro tip: Event managers at Barnes & Noble are called CRMs. If you ask to speak to the CRM, you are more likely to be taken seriously. If you are still in school, talk to your school librarian to research a school visit with [x author].

Now, I do think it can be helpful to tell [x author] you are interested in meeting him/her at an event in your city, BUT I'm going to caution you here, as with any author interaction: Don't. Be. Annoying. Don't spam them with horribly spelled tweets and emails. No "[x authorrrr] I luv u plz com to Dalas bc u r my fav!!!1!!" Stop that. Be professional and friendly. Bonus points if you send AN ACTUAL LETTER via their publisher. Physical mail somehow always holds more metaphorical weight in addition to actual physical weight. Pro tip: Before you do this, check [x author]'s schedule. Have they visited your city before? How recently? If it was last week or even in the last year, they might not come back for a while.

If [x author] has a book coming out in a few months, this is a great time to try to reach out because BOOK TOUR! Most authors schedule the majority of their publicity events around book releases. It's a business thing. And again, if you can help your library or bookstore prove they've got numbers to back up interest, you can strengthen your case for your author visit.

So to recap, the best way to get your favorite author to visit: 

1. Pick a realistic author.

2. Be lucky.

3. Share their books.

4. Check out & buy their books.

5. Tell librarians & booksellers of your interest.
6. Check their schedule for future & past events.

7. Contact the author and/or publisher & tell them of your interest.

8. Be lucky some more.

Be sure to check out Part Two, which discusses how to find events and how to get the info you need to attend!

All Played Out release blitz

Today I am excited to bring to you All Played Out, the third book in my dear friend Cora Carmack's Rusk University series. Guys, seriously. This book is so so so so so so so very good! I gave it five stars, and it's definitely warring with All Lined Up for my favorite of the series...so far!

Author: Cora Carmack
Release Date: May 12, 2015
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
Status: book 3 in the Rusk University series

Summary: First person in her family to go to college? CHECK.

Straight A’s? CHECK.
On track to graduate early? CHECK.
Social life? …..yeah, about that….

With just a few weeks until she graduates, Antonella DeLuca’s beginning to worry that maybe she hasn’t had the full college experience. (Okay... Scratch that. She knows she hasn't had the full college experience).

So Nell does what a smart, dedicated girl like herself does best. She makes a "to do" list of normal college activities.

Item #1? Hook up with a jock.

Rusk University wide receiver Mateo Torres practically wrote the playbook for normal college living. When he’s not on the field, he excels at partying, girls, and more partying. As long as he keeps things light and easy, it's impossible to get hurt... again. But something about the quiet, shy, sexy-as-hell Nell gets under his skin, and when he learns about her list, he makes it his mission to help her complete it.

Torres is the definition of confident (And sexy. And wild), and he opens up a side of Nell that she's never known. But as they begin to check off each crazy, exciting, normal item, Nell finds that her frivolous list leads to something more serious than she bargained for. And while Torres is used to taking risks on the field, he has to decide if he's willing to take the chance when it's more than just a game.

Together they will have to decide if what they have is just part of the experiment or a chance at something real.

Available from:

   

Excerpt:

“We’re going to a Halloween party. Trust me, you’ll feel more awkward if you’re not dressed up. When we get there, you’ll see. This is no big deal.”

I don’t look down at the white button-up shirt that’s gaping open over my boobs. I’ve looked at the awful naughty-schoolgirl costume enough times to imprint the thing on my memory.

“If this costume weren’t so … so …”

“Sexy?” she prompts.

“Atrocious.”

“Well, that’s what you get for buying a costume the day before Halloween. Everything is picked over by then. You didn’t want to go as Jasmine and have your stomach showing, so this is what you got. Besides, it kind of fits you.”

I gesture to the button over my chest that’s threatening to pop with any sudden movement. “It does not kind of fit me.”

“I mean, the schoolgirl vibe. It’s like the amplified version of you. That’s perfect for Halloween.”

“There is absolutely no universe where the amplified version of me would not be wearing yoga pants and glasses.”

“Fine. It’s the bold and wild version of you. Nothing wrong with trying bold and wild for a change.”

I groan and throw myself down on the toilet seat beside her. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t think I should go to this party after all. All those people, and costumes, and decorations. I think Halloween is way too overwhelming for my first foray into the college party scene.”

Dylan tosses her mascara into her makeup bag and faces me, her look now complete. She manages to appear both classy and sexy in a homemade Statue of Liberty costume. Only Dylan could make Lady Liberty look hot.

“Just take a deep breath, Nell. This isn’t nearly as scary as you’re making it out to be in your head. I promise.”

“Maybe not for you. But the idea of being in some frat house with a bunch of people I don’t know—”

She cuts me off. “We’re not going to one of the frat parties. Everyone has been avoiding that scene since … well, it doesn’t matter. The group decided it would be better to have something smaller, more manageable. It’s at Silas’s house. And it’s only people they know and trust. You’ll be fine. I know it.”

            

Apparently “people they know and trust” translates into about thirty people on the lawn, fifteen on the porch, and more people than I can count on the inside. Dylan’s hand is wrapped tight around my elbow as we step through the entryway to Silas’s house. She’s on her tiptoes, searching for him, and all I can think about is making a break for it and getting out of there as soon as possible.

I’m so concentrated on keeping my short skirt down and the too-tight white shirt buttoned up that I don’t even realize she’s found her boyfriend until she lets go of my arm. At the loss of her touch, I look up, panicked. Silas is dressed as a fireman, and he drops his helmet to circle his arms around Dylan. His fist clutches at the material on the back of her dress, just above her bottom, and I immediately look away, only to lock eyes with the one person I want to see even less than a very public display of affection.

Mateo Torres.

He has a beer lifted halfway to his mouth, but his jaw is slack, and he’s staring at me. No, “stare” does not quite do justice to the look he’s giving me. His eyes raze me, and when I lift my hand to touch my neck, subconsciously covering my all-too-visible cleavage, I’m surprised my skin doesn’t flake away into ashes from the fire in his gaze.

Adrenaline surges through me, and for a moment it feels like a fight-or-flight impulse, and I wonder why my brain still reads his presence as dangerous. But then I stop and think. It’s not quite the same sensation. Fight or flight generally makes me either panic or freeze up. It’s about fear. This is different. When seconds pass and he still hasn’t taken his eyes off of me, I recognize the extra sensation riding on the adrenaline’s heels.

Power.

He makes me feel powerful.

I drop my eyes, overwhelmed by the rush of pleasure I feel at that idea, and am faced instead with his costume that I hadn’t noticed before. Or more correctly, his near lack of a costume. His chest is bare, and I can’t help but measure him with my eyes. His chest is broad, hewn in muscles that couldn’t be more defined if an artist sculpted them. His skin is a warm bronze, and it looks so smooth to the touch. Everywhere. Except for the small line of dark hair disappearing beneath a strange, leatherlike cloth.

God. A loincloth. He’s wearing nothing but a loincloth.

Oh, mercy.

Then he’s moving toward me, and I don’t know where to look. His dangerous gaze. His naked chest. That cloth that hides only … oh, mercy.

“Girl genius,” he says, and I can hear the smirk in his voice without even looking away from the suddenly interesting spot on the floor. Then he shifts, and something changes in his voice when he says, “Nell.”

A part of me likes hearing him say my name entirely too much. And that part … is a fool.

“Still ignoring my request that you stay away?” I ask stiffly.

“If you wanted me to stay away, you definitely shouldn’t have worn that.”

A furious blush steals across my cheeks and down my neck. “Dylan insisted I wear a costume, and this was all that was left at the store.”

“Thank God for Dylan, then. And for procrastination. Can you do me a favor and say, ‘Hit me, baby, one more time?’ Pretty please?”

Rather than answering, I actually hit him. But when my palm makes contact with the hard muscle of his shoulder, I wish I hadn’t. Because now that I know what his bare skin feels like, I’m not sure I’ll be able to forget the sensation. My brain is already cataloging the feel, comparing it to all the other people I’ve touched, and coming up empty for comparison. Is it normal for him to feel so warm?

It’s the alcohol, I decide. It must be. I read something once about it dilating blood vessels and bringing warmer blood closer to the surface of the skin.

Yes, that’s absolutely it.

Meet the Rusk football team in All Lined Up!

Rating: 5 stars

Pub Date: May 13, 2014

Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)

Genre: new adult contemporary romance

Status: Book 1 of the Rusk University companion series

Summary: In Texas, two things are cherished above all else—football and gossip. My life has always been ruled by both.

Dallas Cole loathes football. That's what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.

But life doesn't always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball… as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.

Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It's obliterated.

Dallas doesn't know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn't know that Dallas is his new coach's daughter.

And neither of them know how to walk away from the attraction they feel.

Book Buy Links:

   

Check out Mateo's hijinks as Silas's roommate in All Broke Down!

Rating: 4 stars

Pub Date: October 28, 2014

Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)

Genre: new adult contemporary romance

Status: Book 2 of the Rusk University companion series

Summary:

Dylan fights for lost causes. Probably because she used to be one.

Environmental issues, civil rights, corrupt corporations, and politicians you name it, she's probably been involved in a protest. When her latest cause lands her in jail overnight, she meets Silas Moore. He's in for a different kind of fighting. And though he's arrogant and infuriating, she can't help being fascinated with him. Yet another lost cause.

Football and trouble are the only things that have ever come naturally to Silas. And it's trouble that lands him in a cell next to do-gooder Dylan. He's met girls like her before fixers, he calls them, desperate to heal the damage and make him into their ideal boyfriend. But he doesn't think he's broken, and he definitely doesn't need a girlfriend trying to change him. Until, that is, his anger issues and rash decisions threaten the only thing he really cares about: his spot on the Rusk University football team. Dylan might just be the perfect girl to help.

Because Silas Moore needs some fixing after all.

Book Buy Links:

   

Check out my review of All Broke Down here!

Cora recently announced that book 4 of Rusk University will star Stella, Dallas's fierce best friend who has been a constant presence throughout the series. Cora needs YOUR HELP with Stella's story so please CLICK HERE to learn more about All Closed Off and Cora's When It Happened initiative to help survivors of sexual assault have their voices heard. You can also add All Closed Off to Goodreads! 

About the Author

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, Losing It, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

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Giveaway:

$25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card (winner's choice)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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