Friday, December 23, 2011

Holiday eBook Sale!

It's almost Christmas!!!! Yay!! Personally, I'm just hoping there won't be a repeat of the Honeybaked Ham incident this year.

To celebrate the holidays, my publisher put the Eternal Starling eBook on sale! Wheeeeee!!! It's almost half the usual price people! Check it out, and then tell your friends! It would make a great Christmas gift, and the sale lasts until January 3rd, so it's perfect for giftcards you might get too!

Eternal Starling Kindle eBook

Eternal Starling Nook eBook

So, I have two things I want to tell you about this sale...

First, I would be happy to send you, or the person you're gifting the eBook to, a signed bookmark and Eternal Starling tattoo. Just go to my website and fill out my contact form. Leave me your mailing address, as well as who you want the bookmark signed to, and I'll drop them in the mail!

Second, I want LOTS of people to know about the sale! So I need your help Tweeting, Facebooking, dancing around in an elf suit telling people to buy Eternal Starling, etc. (Okay, I was joking about the elf suit, but if anyone actually does it and sends me proof, you'll totally get an awesome gift package from me). You can use the Rafflecopter links below to tell people about the sale. The winner will get a pair of handmade lily earrings from the Eternal Starling jewelry line!


The sale lasts from now until January 3rd, so that's how long the contest will go. Good luck everyone, and thank you SO much for all of your help spreading the word about Eternal Starling!

Happy holidays!!!


Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Eternal Starling Launch Party!

Eternal Starling has been out for a whole week! I still can't believe it and I've been overwhelmed with all the nice things people have said about the book! I'm thrilled so many of you have already read it!

My launch party was held last week at The King's English in Salt Lake City! The King's English is near where I went to college. I used to wander around the store and wonder what it would be like to have a signing of my own there. So having my launch party at TKE was totally a dream come true!

 
The staff did such a fabulous job with the event, and things went really well! I was so scattered the day of the party that I completely forgot to have someone take photos! Luckily, my BFF, Ashley, was there to save the day. So if you weren't able to attend the party, you can check out the photos below!


 Me and my BFF, Ashley.


Me greeting people as they came in. That's my hottie husband in gray. :)


 People waiting for the event to start. This was just one half of the room! By the time I started speaking, there were over 90 people there and it was standing room only! I was totally overwhelmed with all the support!




Answering questions during the Q & A.


 People lining up to have me sign their books! That's author Lani Woodland sitting down in the dark blue shirt with dark brown hair! She flew from California to come to my launch! How awesome is that?


 I still can't believe people waited in line so I could sign their books!


 Talking with people while I signed! This was my favorite part!


 And finally, me signing books with my pink pen (to match the book cover of course!). :)


Thanks so much to everyone who came to the party and everyone who has read Eternal Starling! I'm happy you've fallen for Evie, Alex and Emil as much as I did when I wrote them! And speaking of that, I'm off to work on book 2!








Thursday, December 1, 2011

YA Scavenger Hunt!!!





It was awesome to meet so many of you during the YA Scavenger Hunt! The Hunt only lasted a few days, so the exclusive material from Erica O'Rourke is no longer available in this post, but I left Erica's bio and information about Torn and Tangled. Check out her website to learn more!
I'm so honored to be posting exclusive material from the fabulous Erica O'Rourke! Erica is the author of the Torn Trilogy.


Mo Fitzgerald knows about secrets. But when she witnesses her best friend's murder, she discovers Verity was hiding things she never could have guessed. To find the answers she needs and the vengeance she craves, Mo--quiet, ordinary, unmagical Mo--will have to enter a world of raw magic and shifting alliances. And she'll have to choose between two very different, equally dangerous guys--protective, duty-bound Colin and brash, mysterious Luc.  One wants to save her, one wants to claim her. Which would you choose?


A month ago, Mo Fitzgerald risked her life to stop an ancient prophecy and avenge her best friend's murder. Now, she only wants to keep her loved ones safe. But the magic—and the Chicago Mob—have other plans. Mysterious, green-eyed Luc is back, asking for help—and a second chance. Colin, her strongest protector, is hiding a shocking secret. And inside Constance, the magic is about to go terribly wrong. Tangled in a web of love and betrayal, Mo must choose between the life she's dreamed of and the one she's destined for.

Don't they sound fantastic! The first book, Torn is already out and the second book, Tangled, comes out January 31st! You can read more about Erica below.


Erica O'Rourke writes books about girls who make their own fate and fall for boys they shouldn't. She loves sushi, hates fish, and drinks way too much coffee. TORN, the first book in the trilogy, won the 2010 RWA Golden Heart Award for Best Young Adult Manuscript.

You can read more about Erica and the Torn Trilogy on her website.

You can also buy Erica's books here:

Torn
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound


Tangled
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound


Thanks for visiting my blog! Eternal Starling, the first book in the Emblem of Eternity trilogy, will be released in just a few days on December 6th! The winner of the Eternal Starling bracelet will be contacted soon! Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest!


Also, don't forget about the Eternal Starling Kindle contest! If you pre-order Eternal Starling, you'll be entered to win an Amazon Kindle! Just send a copy of your receipt for proof of purchase to EternalStarlingContest@gmail.com and a Kindle winner will be chosen randomly. The eBook version of Eternal Starling won't be available until the release date (December 6th), but the contest is open until December 7th.


Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Win Eternal Starling Swag!

Eternal Starling releases in one week!!!!!!

One week, people!!!


To celebrate the release, I'm giving away an Eternal Starling tote bag full of cool Eternal Starling swag! See the swaggy picture below.



You get the tote bag, an Eternal Starling magnet, a signed bookmark, a signed bookplate, a handmade book thong, a Western State College pennant, and a personalized copy of Eternal Starling signed to anyone you want it signed to.

I still need your help spreading the word and getting people interested in Eternal Starling! So, to win the tote, follow the rules below! The contest is open for the next 2 weeks!

Thanks so much for being as excited about Eternal Starling as I am!


Monday, November 21, 2011

Best I've Read 2011!!!


I'm so excited to announce that Eternal Starling has been chosen as a 2011 Best I've Read pick!

You can read about it here!

I'll be doing a guest post in December as part of the week-long Best I've Read celebration, but I couldn't wait to share the good news! I'll let you know when my guest post is up!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Guess What Came???

If you follow me on Twitter or the Emblem of Eternity Facebook page, you've already seen this, but I'm so excited I had to post the photo here too!
Eternal Starling is here! Okay, so it's not out for 15 more days, but I have copies at my house and got to hold the actual book in my hands! Let's be honest, I didn't just hold it. I carried it around with me for 2 days like a toddler with her favorite toy. And of course, as soon as I got it I had to take photos, and I bribed Pippin with a Milkbone to get him to pose for the photo. :)

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Another ARC Giveaway!

Eternal Starling releases in 20 days!!!!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! (This is me running around the house, arms flailing, and my little dog in complete confusion because he only acts this way when he has a Milkbone...which I'm clearly lacking).

To celebrate the fact that the release is EXACTLY three weeks away, I'm giving away another ARC!

The rules are below, and the contest is open internationally.

Good luck!



Tuesday, November 8, 2011

ARC Winners and Kindle Contest

First, I want to thank everyone who shared the blog tour link last week! You're all amazing and really helped me let people know about the tour and Eternal Starling! THANK YOU!!!! There were two rockstars who spread the word like crazy. Vivien and Ifrah. So, I decided to give two ARCs instead of one! I've emailed you both!

Keep watching my blog because I'll be giving a few more ARCs away before the release in a month! You can also enter to win an ARC from Yara at Once Upon a Twilight, Heather at Fire and Ice, and Jen at My Life With Books!

Also, those of you who have been following the blog tour already know about this, but I wanted to tell you about a fun giveaway! If you pre-order Eternal Starling, you'll be entered to win an Amazon Kindle! Just send a copy of your receipt for proof of purchase to EternalStarlingContest@gmail.com and a Kindle winner will be chosen randomly. The ebook version of Eternal Starling won't be available until the release date (December 6th), but I'm leaving the contest open until the end of the day December 6th. That way, you can buy the ebook the day of the release and still enter to win the Kindle.

Thanks again for all your help spreading the word about Eternal Starling!

Monday, October 31, 2011

Eternal Starling Blog Tour and ARC Contest!


The Eternal Starling blog tour is here!!!

Yara, from OnceUponaTwilight.com is the awesome host of the tour, and she did a fabulous job putting it together! The tour runs from November 1st-18th, and includes 16 exciting stops with reviews, fun interviews, excerpts, and more! Plus, each blogger will be holding a contest every day of the tour and you can win a special prize from me! There's a different prize each day of the tour so don't miss your chance to win!

To celebrate the start of the tour (and Halloween, my favorite holiday), I'm giving away a signed Eternal Starling ARC! Starting today, link to this blog post on Twitter, Facebook, your blog, or anywhere else you can think of! In the comments section, leave the link to where you shared the post. The contest lasts one week, until November 7th. You can post links every day, and the person who posts the most links will win! The contest is open internationally.


Here's the tour schedule! Stop by each day of the tour for a chance to win prizes and learn more about Eternal Starling!

And don't forget to stop by the live chat hosted by Once Upon a Twilight December 6th, the Eternal Starling release date! I'll be answering all of your questions!

Happy Halloween!!!

November:

1st: OUaT Kicks-Off tour - Review + giveaway
2nd: My Life with Books - Interview + giveaway
3rd: SupaGurl Books Review + giveaway
4th: Mundie Moms - First Chapter + giveaway
5th An Avid Reader's Musings - Review + giveaway
7th: Fire and Ice - Review + giveaway
8th: Books with Bite - Excerpt + giveaway
9th: Whats Your Story - Review + giveaway
10th: Book Portrait - Interview + giveaway
11th: Good Choice Reading - Guest post + giveaway
12th: Ivy Reads - Review + giveaway
14th: Author Lani Woodland - Review + giveaway
15th: Most Important Letter - Playlist + giveaway
16th: Late Bloomers Online - Review + giveaway
17th: Read My Mind - Cover Interview + giveaway
18th: Author Jamie from Writers write, right? - review + giveaway


Monday, October 10, 2011

Halloween and Bookplates!

It's October! My favorite month of the year! I'm about 30 minutes from some of the most scenic mountain drives in the world, and the fall colors are stunning! The weather is perfect, and since Halloween is my favorite holiday, there isn't a better time of year!

I usually spend the month eating way more candy than I should, and watching super scary movies that make me not want to go to the basement alone. One of my favorites is the original Halloween movie. I don't think there's a scarier crazy serial killer than Michael Myers. The knife, no talking, and the way he just tilts his head... *shivers* I also love the spooky factor of Sleepy Hollow with Johnny Depp. Since I love Halloween so much, we have a few traditions:

We always carve pumpkins.


And we attempt to dress up our dog. He never gets as excited about this as I do. I think the bat costume is super cute.


Halloween is a REALLY popular holiday in Utah. We actually have some of the best haunted houses in the nation, though I've only been to one. It was a harrowing experience during college in the Park City Haunted Mine that involved a crazy (no really, he might have actually been insane) man dressed as the Albino from The Princess Bride. He followed me around the mine for 45 minutes petting my hair. I know you think I'm kidding. I'm not. Luckily, my boyfriend/now husband was there to rescue me just in time to take me to the cage with the chainsaw guy, who might have been even more insane than the Princess Bride dude.

I vowed to never go to a haunted house again, but then while I was in London, I made the mistake of not doing research about the London Dungeon before going inside. Once there, I realized I was in over my head and tried to escape. I was ushered back inside by a 7 foot tall revenant who gave me a horrific smile and suggested I enjoy my time in the dungeon. After that traumatic event, I had the sense to avoid the Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussauds.

This year, October coincides with me writing the first draft of book 2 in the Emblem of Eternity series! Halloween and Easter are the two best times of year to write because they're the two best times of year for candy...trust me, I'm an author, so I know. There's no better motivation to finish a chapter than fresh mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

So, I want to know some of your Halloween traditions? And it comes with a prize! Comment before October 17th and three random people will get a signed bookmark and, since I just got them and love all three designs, you'll also get a signed bookplate that's personalized just for you. You can check out the bookplates below. Also, be sure to note what happens when you try to take a photo at midnight with horrible lighting. Oh well, at least it gives you an idea of how they look. :)


Feel free to share this post with your friends too! Happy haunting!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Giveaway Winners and Book Widget

Thanks for all your comments on the Eternal Starling book cover! I'm really excited you guys like it so much!

You were great to help me get the word out about Eternal Starling and the cover! Because I had such a great response (both here and on Twitter and Facebook), and the fact that I just got the magnets in the mail and love them, I've decided I need two winners!

The winners are:

Safari Poet and
BellsColella


I'll email you both to get your address so I can send your magnet, bookmarks, and photo. :)

In other news, my A-MAZ-ING software genius husband made me a countdown widget for Eternal Starling! I'm a little biased, but I think he's pretty incredible. If you want the widget, copy and paste this link and embed it on your website or blog.

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.angelacorbett.com/escountdown.js"></script>

He's also making some other exciting things for me too, so I'll let you know as soon as they're done! Thanks again for helping me spread the word about Eternal Starling!!!


Monday, August 22, 2011

Eternal Starling Cover Giveaway

The Eternal Starling cover is here!!!!!!!!!


Final Cover


Promotional Cover


I hope you like it as much as I do!!!!

In honor of the Eternal Starling cover reveal, I'm having a giveaway!

The rules are super simple. Just comment below and tell me what you think about the cover! You'll get extra love if you share this blog post link or the book cover on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media sites. :)

The prize is a signed bookmark, a magnet with a photo of the Eternal Starling cover, and a picture of my favorite, gorgeous location in Eternal Starling. The location is also where a very important scene happens, so the photo is a bit of a hint about the book. :)

The winner will be randomly chosen and the contest is open until Sunday, August 28th. The giveaway is open internationally, so comment away!!!


Sunday, August 21, 2011

Eternal Starling Cover Reveal!!!

SQUEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Today is the Eternal Starling cover reveal!!!

I'm so excited and I LOVE the cover! I hope you love it too!

Krista, a wonderful blogger (Cubicleblindess.blogspot.com), is helping me out with the reveal. She's giving some signed bookmarks away as part of the reveal, so go check out the cover, leave a comment, and maybe get a bookmark! Also, stop back here Monday because I'll be doing a cover-related giveaway too!

LinkClick here to go to Krista's blog and see the cover!

Feel free to share the cover and link on Twitter, Facebook, etc. :)



Saturday, August 13, 2011

Road Trip!

Last week I spent a couple of days in lovely 80 degree weather surrounded by trees, mountains, lakes, and learned that standing at the top of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and looking down at the 1/2 mile drop is enough to make what are normally perfectly good knees go weak with terror.

Gunnison, Colorado, is the setting for Eternal Starling. When I started writing the book over three years ago, I knew I wanted the setting to be a real place. I needed a small mountain town with a small college. So, I did what a lot of authors do: I Googled. After combing through search results, I did a happy dance when I discovered Gunnison was the perfect fit for my vision of Eternal Starling.

I wanted to make sure I was being as true to the town and school as possible, so I did a lot of research as I wrote. I looked at pictures and maps of the town; researched Gunnison history, the surrounding recreation areas and mountains; and spent a lot of time on the Western State College website taking virtual tours and trying to make sure Evie's college experience was authentic.

I've been to Colorado many times, but last week was my first trip to Gunnison. The online research I did was great, but it was really nice to spend time driving around Gunnison, meeting people who live there, going to the stores, and visiting the Western State College campus. I was happy that my research paid off while writing the book, and there's not much that needs to be changed before Eternal Starling goes to print. However, there were a few things I took creative license with in order to make the story work, and people familiar with the area will notice those things. :)

I took some pictures while I visited, so you can experience a little bit of Gunnison too. Here are the photos, and some info. about how they relate to Eternal Starling.


The Western State College W near the college campus where Evie goes to school.


The main College Center building at Western State. A few important scenes in the book happen here.


Blue Mesa Reservoir near Gunnison. Evie does a lot of hiking in areas near the reservoir.


Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. People actually climb this monster! Evie gets lost hiking here in the first chapter of the book.





Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Eternal Starling Sneak Peek!

The YA Scavenger Hunt was SO much fun! I hope you got the chance to read the bonus material from all the authors participating! Since the Scavenger Hunt only lasted one day, I've decided to re-post the Eternal Starling bonus material. For those of you who didn't have time to take part in the Scavenger Hunt, you can check it out here!

Read on for the Eternal Starling summary and your sneak peek at a scene from Eternal Starling. :)

Eternal Starling Summary
A love so strong, even eternity can’t separate them.

Evie Starling has lived a relatively uneventful life hanging out with friends, gossiping about boys, and driving her 1966 Mustang. All of that changes when she moves to Gunnison, Colorado, to start college and meets two mysterious men.

For centuries, Alex Night and Emil Stone have yearned for Evie—but they each have their own reasons for wanting to be with her. When both men claim to be her soul mate and tell her about an unbelievable past, Evie learns that she’s not the person she thought she was. Soon, Evie finds herself in the middle of an age-old battle between the Amaranthine Society—the soul protectors, and the Daevos Resistance—the soul destroyers. With a past she doesn’t understand, and a future rife with danger, Evie has to decide who she can trust. But Alex and Emil aren’t the only ones who want Evie, and her soul is about to become the rope in an eternal tug-of-war.



Sneak Peek of Eternal Starling, by Angela Corbett

Suddenly, I felt like I was falling into a dream. I watched as a girl not much older than me brushed chestnut colored ringlets off her face with a gloved hand. She was beautiful in a long scarlet ball gown with a deep lacy neck, and skirt that opened slightly in the front showing a ruffled petticoat underneath. A male figure stood about ten feet in front of her. They were outside, shrouded by darkness and trees. Though I could see the girl clearly, the male figure was too far away to make out any details—but I could hear him.

“This is your choice?” he asked, contempt obvious in his tone.

The girl nodded in response, the slight movement emitting a palpable sadness.

“Why him?” he asked. “Why now?”

“I can’t help what I feel,” the girl said. “I’m in love with him.”

“No,” he said through his teeth. He paused, then stalked to a tree and punched his fist against the trunk. “You’re in love with what he wants you to see, not who he is.” He exhaled in disbelief and shook his head. “I’ve done everything I can up to this point, and now you tell me you’re in love with him? Stabbing me in the heart would be no less painful.”

The girl moved toward him, her eyes downcast. “I’m sorry,” she said, coming up behind him and putting a hand on his shoulder. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

He tilted his head toward the spot her hand was resting and then without warning, he reached around her and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her with him into the darkness. She gasped before he leaned down and kissed her, hard at first, like he was trying to prove a point, then becoming gentler until he pulled back from her lips and rested his head against her forehead. In a husky voice, he asked, “Do you still think you love him?”

She didn’t move.

“Do you?”

She didn’t look at him as she gave an almost imperceptible nod.

He dropped her from his embrace and stepped away, turning his back toward her. Minutes ticked by and the muscles in his shoulders tensed. He shifted his head to the side, his profile barely visible, and said, “He will disappoint you.” He stood for a few seconds more before he started walking away from her.

She ran her fingers lightly over her lips and looked up, eyes wide as she watched him leave. “Wait!” she yelled. “Where are you going?”

He stopped and pivoted on his heel, his legs apart and arms crossed over his chest. His face was shrouded by his shoulder length hair as he stared at her. Then he answered her question, “To prove which of us truly loves you more.”

© 2011 by Angela Corbett

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Welcome to the YA Scavenger Hunt!


It was awesome to meet so many of you during the YA Scavenger Hunt! The Hunt only lasted a day, so the exclusive material from Kady Cross is no longer available in this post, but I left Kady's bio and information about The Girl in the Steel Corset. Check out her website to learn more!

I'm so honored to be posting exclusive material from the fabulous Kady Cross! The first book in her Steampunk Chronicles was released in May to rave reviews. I also wish I had her makeup creation talent! You can read more about Kady below.

In her other life Kady Cross is a USA Today bestselling author of more than 20 books. She is lucky enough to have a husband who shares her love for the slightly twisted, and all things geek, and a houseful of cats with whom she shares her darkest secrets. When she’s not listening to the characters in her head she’s either trying to formulate the perfect lipgloss or teaching herself to solder. She has a weakness for all things girly, sugar skulls, and boots. Her love of books and makeup borders on addiction – from which she never, ever wants to be cured.


Kady is the author of the incredible Steampunk Chronicles series. Read about the first book in the series, The Girl in the Steel Corset.

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one…except the "thing" inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch….

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help—and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on—even if it seems no one believes her.


You can read more about Kady and the Steampunk Chronicles on her website.

You can also buy Kady's books here: Barnes and Noble, Amazon, BAM.



Thanks for visiting my blog! Eternal Starling, the first book in the Emblem of Eternity trilogy, will be released December 6, 2011. Check back in the next couple of weeks to find out more about the Eternal Starling cover reveal!



Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Announcements!

I just came out of my revision cave and have things to tell you about!

First, an announcement!

The book launch party for Eternal Starling will be held at The King's English Bookshop in Salt Lake City on December 7, 2011! I'll be speaking and signing books, plus there will be prizes and yummy treats! I know it's 4 months away, but I've dreamed of having a book launch party there since I stumbled into the store my freshman year of college, so I'm VERY excited. Keep it on your calendar and I hope to see you there!

Second, the YA Scavenger Hunt is coming up next week on August 1st! There are so many fabulous authors participating that you won't want to miss out on any of them! Don't forget to check back and read my blog to see exclusive material from the incredible author I'm hosting. Seriously, people, this author is amazing and so is her bonus material!!! If you have no clue what I'm talking about, you can read more about it here. There are awesome prizes associated with the Scavenger Hunt too, so it's definitely something you don't want to miss!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

YA Scavenger Hunt!

Do you want an exclusive look at bonus material by some of your favorite YA authors? If so, mark your calendar for the YA Scavenger Hunt being held August 1st!

Fabulous authors are participating including: Josephine Angelini, Andrea Cremer, Kady Cross, Heather Davis, Bree Despain, Clare Dunkle, Marley Gibson, Abbi Glines, Colleen Houck, Tara Hudson, Elana Johnson, Alexandra Monir, Lisa Nowak, Gregg Olsen, Amy Plum, Beth Revis, Lisa and Laura Roecker, Inara Scott, Sophie Jordan, Lani Woodland and many more! I'll be revealing something special about Eternal Starling as part of the Scavenger Hunt too. :)

You can start the scavenger hunt here on August 1st. I will post another author's bonus material and at the bottom of the post, there will be a link to another author's blog/website. You get to go from site to site, hunting for all the cool exclusive material.

Some authors are also having contests and giveaways as part of the Scavenger Hunt, so you don't want to miss this event! I'll be giving away an exciting prize too, so check back on August 1st!

Your special all access pass is good for one day only. All the bonus material heads back into the vault on Aug 2nd, so circle the date and join us as we celebrate what's new in YA fiction!

Thanks to Colleen Houck for coming up with this fantastic idea and organizing it!

Thursday, June 30, 2011

I'm Speaking!

Hi everyone!

I'll be speaking at the Riverton, Utah, library on Wednesday July 6th at 7:00 with awesome YA author, Lani Woodland!

There will be a raffle to win Intrinsical, the first book in Lani's Yara Silva Trilogy. Lani will have a sneak peek of Indelible, her upcoming sequel to Intrinsical, and I have some super awesome Eternal Starling bookmarks I'll be handing out.

Stop by if you have time! We'd love to see you!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Eternal Starling Release Date!

I just got editorial notes back on Eternal Starling! I'm really excited! I love the mythology of this book and series so much, and I can't wait for people to be able to read it!

So...I have a couple of book updates.

Eternal Starling has a release date!!! It will be available to buy on December 6, 2011!

*happy dance*

The book is also now available for pre-order on barnesandnoble.com! If you're interested, here's the link: Eternal Starling

Thanks to everyone for all of your support and encouragement with Eternal Starling!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

What Books Changed Your Life?

Reading was a big part of my childhood. Every night before we went to sleep, my mom or dad read to us and I got to escape into a new world. Sometimes we went to Middle Earth, other times to a Little House On the Prairie, but each night it was something new, and made me imagine from a young age all the places I could go and things I could do.

One of my youngest memories (I was probably about 3-4 years old) is sitting on the living room couch, holding a brightly colored children's book, The Hobbit. Despite the fact that the book/record set came with a plethora of books, The Hobbit was the one I couldn't get enough of. The book came with a record that allowed me to listen and follow the words as I read. I remember jumping up and down on the couch, ecstatic when I recognized the word "and." I started trying to find other words, then I'd go through my mom and dad's newspaper, not understanding what I was seeing, but pretending I could read. Every once in awhile, a word I knew from The Hobbit, would jump out on the page. Granted, since I wasn't reading the Middle Earth Times, there weren't a lot of similarities between The Hobbit and the newspaper, but words like: and, the, but, and or were easy enough to find. I couldn't stop dreaming about one day when I'd be able to read the newspaper all by myself and know every word. Reading has always been important to me, but there are some books that have truly changed my life. Here are some of them...

The Hobbit-Even though I was only reading a children's picture book version, this is the book that made me fall in love with other worlds and want to spend all of my time reading.

The Fairy Rebel-My school librarian, Mrs. Asay, gave me this book when I was in first grade. I wanted to stay with the blue haired fairies forever. Then I realized that even if I couldn't stay there, I could write my own stories that readers might want to live in as much as I wanted to live with the fairies. This was the book that made me believe I could be an author and craft worlds of my own.

Gone With the Wind-I admit, I LOVE a good love triangle...and Gone With the Wind has one of the best. Okay, so most people think Scarlett should be with Rhett. He does seem a better match when it comes to Scarlett's wit and stubborness, but he also tries to reign her in for a good part of the book, and I don't like that. Ashley is the man Scarlett's always wanted and pines for, but he's not good at taking charge and not strong enough to counter Scarlett's strong personality--until one important scene. Maybe it's because I'm putting it in the context of when it was written, but the first time I read it, I put the book down, took some deep breaths and read it a few more times. Then I officially planted myself in the Team Ashley camp for a good long while. However, the amazing thing about Gone With the Wind (for me at least) is that it's a book where I change teams depending on when I read it. Sometimes I want Scarlett with Ashley, other times I want her with Rhett, and a lot of times I think she's far better off on her own. This book, and the Ashley/Scarlett scene especially, taught me how to write romance.

Their Eyes Were Watching God- *Happy sigh* Their Eyes Were Watching God reads like poetry. It taught me how to write different types of love and the prose is so stunning it will stay with me for the rest of my life. I even used this book to answer one of the essay questions on my high school AP English test. The lyrical writing is so beautiful that I keep quotes from the book on my wall. My favorite is: "Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide, for others, the sail on forever on the horizon, never changing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by time." The quote always reminds me to never turn away from dreams.

So, now I want to know, what books changed your life???

Monday, April 25, 2011

Eternal Starling on Goodreads!

Eternal Starling is now listed on Goodreads.com!!!

If you have a Goodreads account and want to add it to your to-read shelf, here's the link!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11160341-eternal-starling

And here's my author page!

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3015664.Angela_Corbett

Thanks so much to everyone for being so supportive of my books!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Books You Love...or Hate

While searching through my streaming Netflix options the other day, I found a new Masterpiece Theater version of Wuthering Heights, one of my favorite books. I immediately put it in my queue and settled in to watch Heathcliff and Catherine behave badly. The movie reminded me how much I love the book and I got out my highlighted, margin written, dog eared copy to read my favorite scenes.

In doing so, I was reminded that even though I LOVE Wuthering Heights, my BFF, Amazing Ashley, HATES it. As long time blog readers know, Amazing Ashley is an English Lit. professor. Our tastes in books run parallel 99% of the time. Wuthering Heights is the one book we disagree on. Ashley is not a fan of how awful the characters are to each other, and despises the fact that most people misinterpret the book as a great love story.

I, on the other hand, think it's absolutely a love story--one laced with a potent combination of jealousy, revenge, and hatred. Catherine and Heathcliff's actions are deplorable. They are so horrible to each other and the people around them that they can't be anything but soul mates. They are the only two people who truly understand each other. I also love the characterization and dialogue, as well as the strong emotions the characters and story provoke. There are some scenes between Heathcliff and Catherine that are so heated, you don't know whether anger, love, lust, or a combination of all three is driving the scene.

I applaud any book that makes people question what they believe, and Wuthering Heights crossed lines that both invigorated and infuriated people. Emily Brontë wrote one novel before she died. Wuthering Heights was originally published under the male pen name, Ellis Bell. It caused an uproar in England for it's immoral themes and became even more scandalous when people found out it was actually written by a woman who was the daughter of a vicar. In fact, the first time I read it, I remember thinking repeatedly: Holy 1800s! How did Brontë get away with that? Yes, it was shocking at the time, and to an extent, it's even shocking now. Yet, Wuthering Heights still remains one of the most popular books of all time and it's never been out of print.

My Wuthering Heights disagreement with Amazing Ashley made me wonder about books that have been divisive in other people's lives. So, here's my question: What books do you love/hate that friends, family, or the general public disagree with you on?

Monday, March 14, 2011

Book Covers

The other day, my husband and I were in the bookstore perusing the YA Paranormal Romance section (read: I was perusing, husband was rolling his eyes wondering where the section on cars and sports was at). Anyway, my husband stopped rolling his eyes long enough to look at the books in the section and then asked why most YA Paranormal Romance covers are black. The truth is, I have no idea. Maybe it's because the YA Paranormal Romance trend started with Twilight and all the Twilight covers are black? I posed the question on Twitter and one of my friends responded saying she thought it was just a way the genre was grouped.

But I really have no clue? Anyone have any ideas?

Speaking of covers, I want to highlight some of my favorites...

Intrinsical, by Lani Woodland. Isn't this cover gorgeous?! And Lani took the photo herself! It was done under water and is just stunning. I'd read the book based on the cover alone.

Beautiful Creatures, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. I have a feeling I'll like all the covers in this series, but I think the first one is stunning. Maybe it's because my favorite color is purple, I don't know. I also love the matte background on the cover and the raised texture.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. I'm a major fan of metallic anything. I love the silver on this cover and the falling angel tells you exactly what the book is about before you even open the page.

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. I'll admit, the first time I saw this cover and read the blurb, I thought it was a little too sci-fi for me. But I'm so glad I picked it up because the series is one of my favorites now. I love that the Mockingjay is on every cover and I even carved a Mockingjay in my Halloween pumpkin. :)

What are some of your favorite covers? Do you like that most YA covers are black, or does the cover color not really matter to you? Post below!!!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Big News!!!

I've been waiting a long time to be able to write this blog post, and now that it's here, I can't think of anything clever to say. So without further ado, here is my big news...

I received a book deal for my YA paranormal romance trilogy, the Eternal Trilogy, from Pendrell Publishing!!! The first book, Eternal Starling, will be published in late 2011.

I was so excited that when I got the email, I had to read it 20 times to convince myself it was real, then Pippin, our Pomeranian, and I danced around the house laughing and screaming, much to the befuddlement of the contractor who was working on our basement at the time. Of course, as soon as I got the email, I immediately called my husband, Dan. Then he couldn't talk, so I had to wait to give him the news. At that point, I called my best friend and beta editor, Amazing Ashley, she didn't answer the phone either. So I tried my mom. Yeah, no answer there. Then my dad, you guessed it, no answer.

The most exciting news of my life and no one was answering their dumb phone!!! I finally got a hold of everyone and my mom was screaming so much that I couldn't understand a word she said for at least 5 minutes. My incredible husband brought me 2 dozen roses and made dinner reservations for us to celebrate. It was truly one of the best days of my life and I'm so excited for the next steps in the process! I couldn't ask for a more fabulous publisher.

So, details!

Eternal Starling will be released in hardcover and as an ebook in late 2011. When I know more details, I'll post about them here, and on The Eternal Trilogy Facebook page.

If you're a book reviewer, you can read about Pendrell's ARC policy here. I'm VERY excited and can't wait to hold my book in my hands! Thanks so much to all my fans and everyone who has been so supportive and stuck with me through this long process! Also, a huge thank you to the reader at Pendrell who liked Eternal Starling so much, and to my incredible publisher, Kamilla Quast, for this opportunity!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Well-Meaning People...

When I tell people I'm a writer, the conversation often goes something like this:

Well-meaning acquaintance: "You're a writer? Where can I get your books?"

Me: "You can't yet. I'm in the querying process and still looking for a literary agent."

Well-meaning acquaintance wrinkles their nose: "An agent? What in the sam hill do you need one of those for?"

Me: "Agents make sure I get actual money in exchange for my book instead of, say, a chinchilla."

Well-meaning acquaintance, who looks surprised that I would be displeased with a chinchilla payment: "So once you get an agent, your book will be in stores?"

Me: "Not quite. After the agent decides to represent me, we have to go through the submission process all over again, only this time, it's with editors at publishing houses."

Well-meaning acquaintance: "Huh, that seems like a lot of work..." And because some people think they're book experts just because their high school English teacher made them read The Grapes of Wrath, what inevitably follows is a suggestion so insane that I file it away to pull up every time I need a good laugh and The Daily Show isn't on.

This blog post is dedicated to the well-meaning people who have NO idea how the publishing industry works, but endeavor to advise my career anyway. And, of course, I've added commentary.

"Why don't you just call Stephenie Meyer? She's sold a lot of books. I bet she could help you out."
Yes, because like Edward and Bella, Stephenie and I have a bond...one the transcends the fact that we've never met. I keep her number in my address book right next to Obama's and Angelina Jolie's.

"Hey! Know what you should write? Something with a wizard, vampire, and fairy...and they could search for the Holy Grail." *Pause* "Oh, and the vampire and wizard should be in love with the fairy. Love sells."
OMG!!! It's the next bestseller! Why hasn't anyone else thought of this? Agents and editors will cause a riot trying to get their hands on it...to burn in the fiery pits of hell, the only place worthy of such a masterpiece. Then said agents and editors will find you and stab you repeatedly with sporks.

"You have a love triangle in your book! I told you love triangles sell! Does that mean I get credit for the idea? Do you need to know how to spell my name to list me as the co-author?"
Yes, please. Because mentioning one ambiguous aspect of a story I'd already come up with means that you helped write the book. No need to mention the fact that I'm the one who sat my butt down for countless hours writing and revising, came up with the entire plot, argued with fictional characters, and spent wee hours of the morning pacing the room and discussing plot points with my dog. You should probably contact Stephenie while you're at it and tell her she owes you royalty money for Edward and Jacob fighting over Bella. Hold on, I have her number.

"Why are you writing other books? Authors just have to write one to be rich."
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
*breathe*
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

"Getting an agent can't be that hard. There are lots of crappy books out. Yours has to be better than those. Just find an agent who represents crap."
Thanks for the encouragement. I will continue my quest to get my writing up to "crap" standards. Then I'll be sure to mention the "crappy books" the agent represents in my query. Brilliant.

"How about Oprah? Man! If you got on there, you'd sell, like, TONS of books! And you better do it fast because her show ends soon."
Oprah's number is in my address book right next to Stephenie's.

"You're a writer? No, I mean, what's your real job?"
I do have another job besides writing, but this question always makes me want to give a snarky comment along the lines of: "Oh, so you're in management? Gosh, a job where you only work 40 hours a week instead of being on the clock day and night, constantly carrying notepads, and having characters jump out at you wanting something at the least opportune times--like when you're talking to someone about what you do for a living and it reminds you about the character you need to kill. You know, the one who's so stupid he gets pecked to death by an ostrich he thought was dead and the only part of him still identifiable is his yeti-like hairy back, covered in muddy ostrich footprints. Also, it looks suspiciously like he might have been stabbed with sporks.

I know I'm not the only one who gets this kind of advice. I'd love to hear some of the gems you've been told. Please post in the comments if you have some of your own. :)