UtopYA 2015 Deets and Utopia 2016 Announcements

Happy Friday, everyone! Wow, I've been in a funk since returning from the con Sunday, and I haven't really had the ability to get on here and blog. But, no worries, it's all happening right now!

Before I get started, I have to announce that tickets for the 2016 con--forever more known as Utopia--are on sale NOW for VERY low prices! $80 is the basic one. This year, we'll also have fan tickets that will allow fans into the exhibitor halls to meet the authors. So many changes! Very exciting. Get your tickets or exhibitor space here.

When I set out for Nashville I was raring to go, promising myself I'd blog while I was at the con. That didn't happen. I, somehow, forgot how overwhelmingly busy the conference is. Minus five pounds by the time I got home should give you a good idea. Anyway, let me get to the details of awesome!

I left early Wednesday morning so I'd have the chance to see and talk to a couple of people I knew were already there before things went nuts. I had a lunch date with Regan Claire, and I was hoping to run into Carlyle Labuschagne, Katie John, and Carol and Adam Kunz. I got to see Carlyle and Katie, and low and behold, Ginny Gallagher showed up, too, but Carol and Adam were nowhere to be found. This is the lovely Katie:

Anyway, I squealed and hugged new friends and old ones, and barely had time to breathe. I did manage to get a couple of shots outside the hotel this year:

Regan, Ginny, my niece, and I, all went to Hattie B's for hot chicken and snagged some cupcakes from Gigi's. It was soooo crowded, but we had great food and a wonderful time. Pics!

As we were returning to the hotel, I find we're right behind Bella Roccaforte. I brought back cupcakes, and I handed them out in the HUGE line in the lobby of people waiting to check in. Surprise! It was the birthday of one of my fans (Terri Barber)! Need I say that she got the first pick?

Well, the Fractured Glass ladies (Kelly Risser, Casey L. Bond, Tia Silverthorne Bach, and N. L. Greene) arrived not a moment later. Once everyone got checked in and we hauled all our stuff up to our rooms, I asked the dreaded question: Should we wait an hour to load in to the exhibitor space, or should we eat first? They were starving, so the answer was:

"GIVE US FOOD! NOW!"

Rachael Brownell, Ginny Gallagher, a fellow IBGW editor named Karen Robinson, and Lindsay Lewis came along, and we ate amazing food and had a drink or two at Margaritaville. Pictures? Okay then:

Because we didn't get everything out of the car and into the room until almost six, and because the hotel shuttle was slow, we didn't get back until tenish. Setting up/load in time was up at eleven.

Well, the dynamite five had a book to plan, and I didn't want to be up all hours, so we decided to meet in the room I was sharing with Tia so we could get to business and just set up the next morning.

You guys are going to DIE over the book idea. If it's half as good as we see it in our heads, well... Anyway...

Up suuuuper early the next day (Thursday), I went in search of a cup of coffee to wake me up and a trolly to carry all our junk to the exhibitor room after my shower while Tia was in the bathroom doing the same. I scored one. Whew! We had a bunch of boxes and stuff, and it was all soooo heavy.

After six, we were in the space putting our stuff up (this took about an hour). Then it was off to a very speedy breakfast and on to the keynote speech for the day given by Denise Grover Swank. As she talked about the losses in her life and how they'd brought her to where she is today, I cried. It was so moving. We got out right before the exhibitor hall opened, so I boogied back downstairs (elevators took a LONG time). Here's a shot of Crystal Bryant, me, and Janet Wallace, as well as Denise and the IBGW booth:

 

 

We gave away allll those books you see on the center of the table in the first shot, and I snagged a copy of Lex Talionis by S. A. Huchton (read it already, review to come).

I attended two talks that day: When Marketing Globally, How to Act Locally by Stormy Smith and Slaying the Demons (Dealing with PTSD as a Writer) by Chelsea Starling (this second talk ran wayyyy over, and I didn't get out until right before lunch). See our pic!

Lunch was crammed down between talking with people and chewing. Then, it was back to the exhibitor hall.

I moderated a panel that day about being a book blogger/tuber. We gave away a book, and everyone who attended said they loved it so much. I was sweating, so it thrilled me to hear that bit of info. On the panel were (from left) the lovely Maria Pease, Chris Canon, and Tammy Blackwell. It was fun! Here's a pic Christina Marie took from the audience:

Then it was back to the exhibitor hall until four. Everyone didn't clear out until almost five, but we managed to escape eventually. I headed back to my room to freshen up and change clothes for the keynote speaker dinner at seven.

As always, I was a little early (6:30ish), and I ran into one of the women I'd been dying to meet but hadn't gotten the chance: Regina Wamba. She's an amazing photographer, and she does cover shoots for many of the attending authors as well as headshots and promo pics. I finally got to drink some water, which was amazing, by the way, and ten minutes later Denise Grover Swank came in. I spoke with her for a little bit, and then Liz Long, Janet Wallace, Kim Holden, Lindsey Miller (the backbone of the con), the winners of the dinner (Myra Lang and Meg Farrell) showed up along with Lauren Miller. This is Lauren:

We were shown to our tables. Oh man, I got to sit with her! Denise was at another table, and Kim was at yet another table.

You guys, Lauren is SO down to Earth. She's such a real person. And, we got to eat amazing food! Yes, I took photos:

Jamie Anderson (also one of the vertebre of the con), showed up, and he and I talked about his upcoming release (news to come later). I saw a photo of this somewhere. I can't find it now. Gah! 

Anyway, after the dinner (which ended around nine), I headed downstairs to find Tia. After stopping in the lobby and chatting with folks milling about, I located her and we headed to bed. Earlier than most, but later than I would've liked (like I said, I love my sleep). I tossed and turned all night, and woke up early the next day (around fiveish). Fun! No, not really. I'm crabby when I can't sleep.

So, it was off to the races once again. After locating coffee and having breakfast, we headed upstairs to listen to Lauren give her keynote speech. Wow did it resonate. I'm so elated to have gotten to meet her. I skipped the shaking of hands and rushed down the stairs (see previous note about the elevators) to get back to the exhibitor hall.

There I was all day until lunch (which I again inhaled between conversations) and my panel right afterward. This one I was sitting on, and it was moderated by Rick and Amy Miles. It was a good debate there for a minute, because it was called: How to Make Your Blog Tours Run Like Clockwork. You all know me.

Moving on.

After that, I hoofed it back to the table because we had to start breaking down soon. An hour later saw us unloading in the room, separating stuff so we could set up the next morning, and getting ready for the Afterlight ARV-3 short film premiere that night. I have a bunch of pictures and videos that I'll be sharing Monday. For a little teaser, here's the author and the crew:

Man, I do loooove me some zombies.

Once the film was done, we headed back downstairs to get food. We were dead on our feet. I inhaled dinner once it made it to the table (slowwwwwwww) and we skipped karaoke in favor of our beds. It was late, and with two women and two teens in our room needing to get changed/ready for bed, we finally crawled into bed around eleven.

Up again at five on Saturday, we had to shower, eat, set up for the day (again), and be upstairs for the last keynote speech by eight-thirty. I had a bit of a rough start that day because I was so tired, but I got through it and pushed on. All day was spent at my table, with an hour for lunch where I sat and talked with S. M. Boyce. Here's my table, and B. Kristin McMichaels's beautiful little girl!

Once again, breaking down and stuff happened around four thirty (people were difficult to clear from the signing hall), then it was back to the room to get ready for the awards and the cocktail hour that began at six. Dinner was pizza, courtesy of Casey L. Bond, that she had sent to the room. It was crazy. CRAZY with seven females getting changed, doing makeup and hair, and trying to eat. I got one piece of pizza.

Then, downstairs for the awards where we had a lip sync battle, and Casey L. Bond won an award for Sin for best serial series! Pics!

Once the main event was done, I cleaned all the crap off my face, changed into jeans and a tank top, and went to the after party. I danced with B. J. Sheldon and all the other ladies, but we only stayed about an hour. Again, I was so tired!

I can list the drinks I had over the four days on one hand. Okay, so I'm lame, but water was always, ALWAYS needed, and I don't like to have cocktails when I'm dying of thirst. *grin*

Up again super early on Sunday to head to the closing ceremonies and pack everything up so we could check out of the room and head to the Parthenon.

Big announcements happened that morning, and Janet Wallace revealed the theme for year five: Revolution! She also announced that utopYA will be changed to utopia and will expand to include middle grade and adult paranormal and contemporary. Wowzers!

It was my nieces first (and maybe only) visit to Nashville, and I wanted her to see all the things. Besides, I wanted that extra hour with Tia, who I only get to see once a year. Here are some photos!

After that, I dropped Tia and Jackie back at the hotel and started the drive home. It wasn't too bad (just about three or four hours), but I was exhausted and traffic sucked because TDOT decided to put some cones in the road. Yeah, no construction, just cones.

Finally, I made it home! Today was the first day I've felt anywhere close to being a human, so it is what it is. I've been busy today rounding up the bloggers for next year, so expect me to be back to my regularly scheduled program on Monday.

Still on the fence about doing written author interviews for 2016, but we'll see.

Did you enjoy them last year?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Learning at UtopYA Con 2015

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm here to talk to you all about panels. Why? Because you need to know what you want to attend when you arrive at utopYA in June. If you don't have tickets to the con yet, you need to get them now. There are only five more days to buy! Go here to visit the Eventbrite page and get your order on!

Let me tell you, $110 for all you can potentially learn is one heck of a steal!

You can add these panels to your schedule on this page of the Sched app.

Let's just get going, shall we?

Thursday, June 18 11-12am:

ClockWise World Building
Moderator: C. J. Redwine
Panelists: Amy Bartol, Helene Dunbar, and Marissa Meyer

What you can expect to learn:
World building isn’t just for fantasy books. It is central to not only things like the topography of the places held within its pages, but also to the cultural standards and rules governing the interpersonal relationships and politics of the book’s plot and story. Is there such a thing as too much description? How do you temper or pepper it throughout the book to best effect? The creative process intertwines with research to create rich, believable characters, settings, and mythology that keep the reader coming back for more. Learn how to do this well from authors at the top of their game.

For: Beginners

Expand Your Universe: A How-to Guide for Newbies and Introverts
Moderator: Mindy Ruiz
Panelists: Rachel Harris, Eva Pohler, and Misty Provencher

What you can expect to learn:
Writers are inherently isolated creatures -- even the most extroverted still have hints of insecurity that tend to hold them back from effectively networking at conferences. Let’s face it; writers work and play with imaginary friends most days and nights. This panel aims to provide an interactive how-to workshop on how to network for the wallflower or newbie. What to say past “I love your book.” And how to step out of your comfort zone, approach any group, and add them to your “clump” or tribe of collaborators, conspirators and friends.

For: Beginners

Tense Time Warp: Raise the Tension with Past and Present POV
Moderator: Crystal Bryant
Panelists: Kristina Circelli, Cambria Hebert, Elizabeth Kirke, and Christina Mercer

What you can expect to learn:
The overwhelming trend in current NA books is to switch points of view each chapter between the male and female protagonists. And in YA we see one book written from one person’s point of view, and the next in the series written from another.  There are even books out there where one chapter is written in first person, and the other chapters, written from another’s point of view are written in third person limited. Do you know how to write from the different points of view? Do you know what they are and what ones are most effective for your audience?  While it drives purists insane, it drives readers wild with delight. What’s your point of view?

For: Advanced

Thursday, June 18 12-1pm:

Expanding Your Empire: International Markets, Audiobooks, etc...
Moderator: Tammy Blackwell
Panelists: Nikki Jefford, Carlyle Labuschange, Lana Popovic, and Cameo Renae

What you can expect to learn:
Now that you have a few published books under your belt and sorta have the hang of this whole writerly life, it's time to take your books and career to the next level. There's a big world out there, and this session will help you: navigate the waters of international markets, get yous books into libraries and book stores, market to new and influential audiences, understand licensing - turning your booksinto audio books, comic books, movie franchises and more.

For: Advanced

Great Sexpectations
Moderator: Delphina Miyares
Panelists: Angela Graham, Katie McGarry, and Jessica Sorensen

What you can expect to learn:
The lines of sex in NA and what is acceptable and what is expected are blurry at best. Clean NA is getting slammed for being too clean. Hot NA is being called erotica in disguise. New Adult is still a NEW category, and it will undoubtedly evolve or split off into multiple categories. Why not be a part of the discussion and influence the future of NA. There is just so much here to unpack, and these panelists are going to help you do just that.

For: Beginner/Advanced

So You Wanna Be a Writer?
Moderator: Kallie Ross
Panelists: Laura Christiano, Amy Evans, Kim Holden, and Morgan Wylie

What you can expect to learn:
You have a book in your heart, characters chatting in your head and a desire so deep to finally write that book you’ve been dreaming about. So what’s holding you back? Time to step out of the shadows and into the world of writing. Whether it’s just something you want to cross off your bucket list or what you want to do for the rest of your life, getting a book into the hands of the public has never been easier. This session will talk you through the realities of the writer’s life so that you can lead your dreams.

For: Beginner

Did you miss the buy link? Let me share it yet again:

Get tickets here!

You don't wanna miss this conference. Just read some of the testimonials on the Our Stories page on the utopYA website. 'Nough said.

Don't forget to visit the other official bloggers today and tomorrow so you learn about the other awesome panels that are happening at utopYA this year.

A Book Vacation
Book Junkie
Paisley Reader

Which one are you itching to sit in on?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Interview - Kristina Circelli

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I bring you another author interview from one of the fine ladies attending utopYA Con 2015! I did an interview with Kristina about a year ago (check it out here), and I had the pleasure of meeting her at the 2014 con. If you don't have your tickets yet, you need to get them now. Go here. Prices go up February 28th. You don't wanna be the only one left out of the party, do you? *grin* Anywho, grab your coffee and let's get going.

Jo: Welcome back to the blog, Kristina! I’m honored to have you here. It was so amazing to meet you at utopYA 2014, and I can’t wait to see you again this year. Are you ready to get rolling with this interview?

Kristina: You know it! I love to talk about writing :).

Jo: Yee haw! Let’s get to it. I totally didn’t realize you were a shy lady, and I was shocked to hear how you felt uncomfortable (didn’t pick up on that when I hugged you at ALL, but maybe I was just overly excited to meet you LOL). How are you planning to help yourself push through it this year? Any way we can all help?

Kristina: I’m always uncomfortable in large groups, haha. I am not exactly the best at small talk and close contact - but I have mastered the one-arm hug! To be honest, I push through it at every event, but I think I’m getting better now that I know more people, so I’m more comfortable just going up and saying hi.

Ways to help? I’m not really sure. But I will say that if you do approach me, I’ll talk your ear off about books, writing, movies, Disney, cats, elves that live in the forest. You’ll be wondering how to shut me up.


Jo: Heck no! I'll be asking for more. *grin* Now, I hear you’re writing a couple of horror books. Fill me in, lady! I want all the juicy details: Title of the series, main idea, and when we can (possibly) expect the first one.

Kristina: I am! I had actually planned on writing one horror book in a couple years, but I had the opportunity to pitch the book to a publisher, Permuted Press, at Indie BookFest last August. Permuted signed me, on the condition that instead of one book, I would make it five. So, the Five Flames series was born!

Without giving too much away, the premise is about a spirit that contains within it five demons, and when this spirit comes in contact with a human, those demons enter into a bidding war for the person’s soul. Five demons, five souls, five books. Though each book focuses on a different demon and person, they are all interconnected. So, a minor character from book one just might be the main character of book five, and so on.

The idea was born out of my own greatest fear - being possessed by an alien, ghost, or demon. My husband and I planned a trip to Savannah and went on a ghost tour, and the story built from there. The entire series centers around one house in Savannah, and its many horror stories.

The series will be out in 2016. The first book, Follow Me Home, will be out in November 2016 and then the others will be released in the following consecutive months.

Jo: It sounds incredible! I can't wait to read them. Congratulations on getting signed! How exciting is that? So, did you return to teaching at UNF? Why not? What did you learn by teaching writing?

Kristina: No, I never did return, and I’m pretty sure that I won’t. Between writing, editing, and my other job, it was too much and, in the end, not worth it financially. I enjoyed teaching but it was really more an opportunity that fell into my lap, and I didn’t want to pass it up because it was great experience and I learned a lot. I learned not only how to connect with students (which translates to connecting with readers and fans), but also how to better express myself. I’m great when I can write things down, but when I speak I can get jumbled and my words don’t come out right. Obviously as a teacher that’s frowned upon, ha. So I had to get better at presentation.

Jo: It's good to know exactly what you want and go for it. I applaud you. How’s the business going? Any awesome updates since the last time we chatted? I know you were wanting to expand your business and take on some new faces. Any luck on making that happen? What’s the plan?

Kristina: Business is great! I’ve taken on several new clients and worked with lots of current clients that I absolutely adore. I also began offering blurb writing services. I’m one of the rare few who loves writing blurbs :). That’s about it expansion wise. I actually took a few months off at the end of the year to write Follow Me Home, since it’s due at the publisher in February (book two is due in June), but now I’m back in it full swing. I don’t have plans to do anything big and crazy this year since I have a lot of books to write, so it’s business as usual for now.

Jo: I'm not a fan of writing blurbs, either. Great idea! I'm knee-deep in Markaza, and will be taking time for that one over the next month. I set a goal to have it written by March 10th. We'll see. Now, tell me about the book you wrote about your cousin that passed, and what writing A Single Swim did for you (kudos to you for writing that novel to raise awareness; I can’t imagine how difficult it was). By the way, it’s not on your Amazon author page. Is there a reason for that?

Kristina: Simple oversight - it’s on my Amazon author page now! Thanks for the heads up.

A Single Swim began as a book for my cousin who passed away, and her family. But the more I researched it, the more I saw an opportunity to really raise awareness on the amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, so that people everywhere could protect their loved ones. I worked a lot with my cousin’s mom, PJ, and their organization, The Courtney Nash Amoeba Awareness Foundation in Florida, and with Heidi LaMeyer of Swim Above Water in Minnesota. With their help I learned about the amoeba and the families who lost young children, and a couple who lost adult family members (children are more common victims due to their immune system and the way the cribriform plate in the nose is constructed). I also met with infectious disease specialists who taught me the science behind the amoeba so I could better present that in the book.

It was heartbreaking to write, and hard because above all I wanted to do these families justice. I wanted to honor the victims, not create something that was sensationalist and used their stories for personal gain. So I sought to find a way to incorporate their stories and quotes from their loved ones, primarily the parents of young children, in a way that would speak to the hearts of readers.

The reception to the book has been phenomenal. People are aware, and they are thankful this issue has come to light, that stories are being told. I am actually planning to go back and add more to the book about awareness efforts. Now that I’ve been to events held by the organizations, I want to showcase them better, and offer updates on progress in terms of treatment.

Jo: You're welcome! Do you know you're one of my favorite people? How amazing of you to use your writing skills to try and save lives. *bows* You do so many awesome things to bring awareness with your books. *wipes away tear* Let's lighten the mood a little! Rapid fire question time! Aliens or ghosts?

Kristina: Oh man. Aliens, I suppose. I’m kinda terrified of a ghost possessing me. Aliens could too, but at least then I’d have proof of life from outer space.

Jo: Great answer! Cheese or mustard with soft pretzels?

Kristina: Cheese! Not a mustard fan.

Jo: Puppies or kittens?

Kristina: Kittens. I love puppies but my kittens (Lord Finnegin the Fierce and Master Malachi the Mighty) are the best.

Side note - if I ever get a dog, I’m going to name him Bohannon, Bo for short. Named after Cullen Bohannon from Hell on Wheels.

Jo: You totally need an itsy bitsy one! Great name for a tiny dog. haha! Time travel question (because the theme for 2015 demands it)! *grins* If you went back in time to the days when your Native American family was roaming what’s now the U.S., what do you think would be the most interesting thing you’d learn from them? What specific questions would you ask?

Kristina: Ooh, that’s a good one. I think the most interesting thing I’d learn is simply their way of life. Living off the land, truly being absorbed in the culture, everything from hunting to making crafts to spiritual beliefs.

I would ask a lot about that, spiritual beliefs and the cultural legends. I love origin stories, not necessarily of a people as a whole but of everything. Why the butterfly is silent, why only certain trees lose their leaves, and so on. Being able to connect to the spiritual aspect of the culture would mean the world to me, especially if I could then come back to my time and carry on those ways having personally experienced them. I try to do that now, particularly as a storyteller.

Jo: I agree. Spiritual beliefs are all kinds of interesting. Talk to me about the panel Tense Time Warp: Raise the Tension with Past & Present Tense & POV. What kinds of things will you guys be discussing and why should people attend?

Kristina: We … should probably start planning that, haha. I guess I can’t really speak to what all will be discussed just yet, but I can guarantee I’ll have some things to say :). This topic is a great one for me because I plan to come at it from the viewpoint of an editor rather than writer (because I write third person omniscient exclusively and don’t see that changing).

Regardless of what’s discussed, the panel will be extremely helpful to authors because it will help them get a feel for the tense and POV that is truly right for their story and genre, rather than choosing a tense/POV to follow or go against a trend. Knowing the benefits and pitfalls of each makes for a stronger book overall!

Jo: I noticed when reading Fragile Creatures. It's different, to be sure. I'm looking forward to attending! On a personal note, what did you think about Tom Hardy being Bane, and are you hoping he gets the role of Apocalypse in the new X-Men film? *wicked grin*

Kristina: Oh, you caught on that I have a little thing for Hardy, did ya? I could go on all day about the many wonders of Tom Hardy, but I’ll stick to the question at hand. What did I think of him as Bane? I think I’ve never been more attracted to a man wearing a mask that covers the majority of his face. Hardy in the X-Men? Be still, my heart.

PS - Reese was an idiot for choosing Chris Pine over Tom Hardy.

Jo: I figured that question would interest you. LOL! Yeah, my research goes deep! This interview could go on forever, but I’m out of space! Anything else you’d like to share with my readers before you go?

Kristina: Just to thank everyone for taking the time to read the interview! And, if anyone decides to check out my work, I hope you like it! I write something for everyone, which is why I am known for genre-hopping when it comes to my books. You never know what you’ll get!

Jo: I'm sure they'll love it. I know I'm digging your novel. What a great story! Thanks so much for joining me on the blog, Kristina! I’m looking forward to June so much. Can’t wait to see you!

Now, it’s time to tell you all about the featured book of the week!

Title: Fragile Creatures
Author: Kristina Circelli
Genre: YA Contemporary
Length (print): 274 Pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $2.99  ~  Smashwords $2.99  ~  iBooks $2.99  ~  B&N $2.99


Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Evangeline Frost had a great life, until the car accident that killed her father and turned her mother into a bitter alcoholic. Unable to bear the guilt, Evangeline attempts to take her own life, saved only by the memory of her beloved father.

Left with no other options, Evangeline is enrolled in a program for troubled teens at Kindred Hides Wildlife Preserve. There she meets Caster, a keeper as annoying as he is caring; Jett and Lettie, who treat her more like a daughter than troubled teen; and Ruke, a prized giraffe in mourning for his lost mate.

Immersed in the preserve with her new friends, Evangeline finally begins to heal. But the haunting memories of the accident and her mother’s unforgiving words threaten to destroy her progress. Only her new friends and their unconditional support, along with her own special connection with Ruke, can save her.

Evangeline must learn that there is redemption for her father’s death, and that the bonds between human, animal, and life are not as fragile as she once thought.

While your fingers are in the clicking mode, why not give Kristina a follow on every social media platform I could think of when writing up the template for these interviews (plus some)?

Blog: An Awfully Big Adventure
Facebook: Author Kristina Circelli
Twitter: @KCircelli
Goodreads: Kristina Circelli
Website: Kristina Circelli
Amazon Author Page: Kristina Circelli

If you have any questions, pop them into the comments below. Kristina will be happy to answer them!

Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

utopYA Con Book Match Scavenger Hunt Game

Happy, happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I have some awesomeness from the utopYA Con official bloggers. We pulled together and are leading you on a scavenger hunt for our panelists' books. I'll get to the rules in a moment. First, let me tell you about the utopYA Con 2015 earlybird ticket prices! They're ending February 28th! Standard admission is $90 right now, and VIP is $115. On the 28th, those prices go up to $110 for standard admission and $135 for VIP. So, go get yours here. Right now. You've been warned.

Now, let's get to the book hunt! Here's what you have to do to win:

1. Read the synopsis below.
2. Guess which book from my short list the synopsis belongs to.
3. Type your answer in the Rafflecopter entry form.
4. Enter every day throughout the month of February for a shot at the prize!

Each blogger will list one synopsis and five possible titles for you to choose from. It'll be a different title each week.
This form will stay up on my blog for one week. Then, I'll change the entry form to a link for the new hunt over on A Book Vacation. And so on, and so forth. At the end of the game, all incorrect entries will be removed before the winner is chosen.

What's the prize? Well...

You have a shot at winning a pack of three e-books; one from each of our keynote speakers: Denise Grover Swank, Kim Holden, and Lauren Miller! These prizes are being donated by the official bloggers. We wanted to do something awesome for you guys. What's better than books written by awesome women you're going to meet?

This week is now closed. You must go to A Book Vacation to enter.

     What if you woke up in a book? A reader trapped in fiction. The sexy hero waiting for her. A harrowing journey home.
     For fans of "Labyrinth" and "The Neverending Story" comes an epic romantic adventure ...
     A reader gets sucked into the book she’s reading and is trapped, unless she convinces the hero of the story to send her home. Just her luck - the book is unfinished, and its sexy hero is far more alpha male than she’s prepared to handle.
     What Naia doesn’t know: the story – and its hero – have been expecting her for quite some time, even though she has no idea what she’s doing there.
     Naia must learn quickly how to navigate the dangerous, magical world of Black Moon Draw and find a way to complete her journey with the unlikely, uncooperative hero of the story, who holds the key to returning her home.

And the possible titles are:

 

Amy Bartol - Under Different Stars 

Lizzy Ford - Black Moon Draw 

 

T. A. Kunz - Witch Hunter Olivia 

Jessica Sorensen - Seth & Greyson (The Coincidence Book 8) 

Kallie Ross - Descent (A Lost Tribe Book 1)

Time to enter your guess! Remember, you can enter once every day.

Go to A Book Vacation now to read the synopsis and titles and enter!


Bet you're wondering where I got those specific books, huh? Check out the official utopYA Con Reading list here. Lots of awesome stuff. It's a giant list of books by authors sitting on panels in 2015, and where we'll be taking the titles we play the game with. We love our panelists!

Don't forget to visit the other official bloggers this month:
Week 2 – A Book Vacation
Week 3 – The Paisley Reader
Week 4 – Book Junkie: Not so Anonymous

What do you think of our little giveaway? Did you enter?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo