Here’s the official LARKSTORM summary:

In the years following the destructive Long Winter, when half the world’s population perished, the State remains locked in battle against the Sensitives: humans born with extra abilities. 

As one of the last descendants of the State’s Founders, seventeen-year-old Lark Greene knows her place: study hard and be a model citizen so she can follow in her family’s footsteps. Her life’s been set since birth, and she’s looking forward to graduating and settling down with Beck, the boy she’s loved longer than she can remember.

However, after Beck is accused of being Sensitive and organizing an attack against Lark, he disappears. Heartbroken and convinced the State made a mistake, Lark sets out to find him and clear his name.

But what she discovers is more dangerous and frightening than Sensitives: She must kill the boy she loves, unless he kills her first.

What’s your ideal YA novel?  Fantasy? Dystopian? Romance?  Perhaps all three rolled up into one delicious yet devastating package?  Then this is your lucky week!

LARKSTORM just came out in paperback, and I’m so excited to share this book with you that I’m giving a copy away!  I’ve loved this story for SO. LONG.—even in its early, pre-pubbed form, Dawn’s striking prose grabbed me and didn’t let go until the last heart-stopping moment.

Dawn created such a fascinating world and setting for Lark and Beck, and the relationship between the two of them felt so real. I love that Lark is a powerful character, and how the reader gets to experience the emotional roller-coaster right along with her.  I don’t want to give too much away, but fans of star-crossed love stories NEED this book.  N-E-E-D.

The Contest: 

Win a paperback copy of LARKSTORM by Dawn Rae Miller AND a $15 gift card to Amazon.

To enter, just leave a comment with your name, email address, and your favorite tragic love story of all time. (+1)

You can get additional entries by:

Tweeting this contest (+1)

Blogging or Facebooking this contest (+1)

BONUS:  Back when Dawn was first brainstorming titles for this book, a few of her friends came up with some really helpful (*cough*) attempts. IF you can come reasonably close to one of my spectacular title fails, I’ll give you your own free copy of LARKSTORM.

The Fine Print:

Contest ends on Tuesday, January 17^th, 2012 at 6:07 pm Pacific Time.  (Okay, so I probably won’t be checking down to the minute, but still…it sounded more interesting than a round number)

GO! ENTER! WIN!

(And if you don’t, you can buy your own copy of LARKSTORM here.)

Whatever POSSESSed Fergie?

*Disclaimer:  No sleeping hound dogs were harmed in the taking of this photo.

Also, while I’m here–go check out MTV’s Awkward. It’s my fave new teen show by a mile.

Oh, Jenna.

Jenna and Matty...trying to DTR.

Now, back to the revision cave!!  Hopefully I’ll emerge long enough later this week to post a few SCBWI pics–especially since my pajama party costume was totally crazypants.

First off–a cover reveal! Check out fellow Apocalypsie Jessica Spotwood’s cover for BORN WICKED–isn’t it STUNNING???

Check out her celebratory contest here.

So, some news. My blog posting time is going to be limited this summer as I dive into revisions for MILA 2.0.

I’ll try to not to disappear completely, but instead continue with updates, photos, and little bits of randomness.  In fact,  I’m going to kick off my revision-mania with an ARC giveaway!

This giveaway is for Andrea Cremer’s WOLFSBANE, the eagerly anticipated follow-up to NIGHTSHADE.

Summary:

This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended–Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer–one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack–and the man–she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive

If you’re a Nightshade fan then I know you must be panting after this book (cough, couldn’t resist), which comes at the end of July!

To win, we’re going to  play a little game called Name That Musk.  Tell me in the comments what you’d name a designer werewolf cologne or perfume.  You get an extra entry for tweeting about the contest, and entries close on Monday, June 20^th, at noon PST.

Good luck!

Here’s the EVENFALL cover:

Isn’t it gorgeous?  And here’s the book description:

In life, Frank could’ve had any woman he wanted.

In death, he’ll try to win back the one that mattered…

Frank Wildermuth always regretted a mistake he made as a teenager: choosing Clara Murphy over her sister Gert. And like a true Murphy woman, Gert got on with her life, never admitting to heartbreak. Not even now, decades later, with Frank dead-dead, that is, but not quite gone. Now, Frank’s niece, Andie Murphy, is back in town to settle his estate, and she sees that things have changed in Hartman, Connecticut. Aunt Gert still drives her crazy, but Cort, the wide-eyed farmboy she used to babysit, is all grown up-with a whole new definition for the word “sleepover.” Even freakier are the whispers. Either Andie’s losing her mind, or something she can’t see is calling out to her-something that insists on putting right the past.

Now for the interview!

D:  Evenfall is written from three points of view:  Aunt Gert’s, Andie’s, and Frank. Did you know going into this story that you’d be using multiple perspectives, and can you tell us some of the difficulties associated with that?

L:  I knew early on that Frank would tell his story in the first person but that he wasn’t omniscient — there were too many gaps in the way his story came to me for him to ‘know’ everything.  Originally I had Gert in first person as well, but her voice was so strong that way I felt it would take over the book and overpower everyone else.  With Gert in third person, it made sense to have Andie tell her story from that perspective too.

The most difficult part, for me, was choosing which characters to leave out.  I toyed with having two other perspectives in the book — that of Clara and Cort –  but I felt five would be too unwieldy for me to manage.  Since Clara’s choices truly influence the arc of the book, I tried hard to let her tell her story through the other characters, and to make her sympathetic through them as well.

D:  Was Evenfall your first book, or do you have some hiding in the trunk, clamoring to get out?

L:  In my twenties I did write another novel.  I sent it out to one agent, who rejected it with a very nice personalized note.  I put it away after that.  : )  I think, looking back, that it really never would have found a home, but it was a very good learning experience.

D:  A ghost plays a prominent role in your novel. Do you believe in ghosts?

L:  I would like very much to believe in ghosts, especially benevolent ghosts like Frank.  I have had very, very vivid dreams featuring people I love who have passed on, and would like to believe that they aren’t only the product of my subconscious, but am not quite convinced.

D:  Since you know I’m a dog nut, you won’t be surprised that I glomped onto the dog in your story, Nina.  Did you base Nina on characteristics of your own dogs?

L:  The story of Nina is actually one of the ‘secret pages’ on my website.  (For people who come to a book reading or send me a picture of themselves with my book, I’m giving out codes that let them access those pages and learn more about the backstory of Evenfall.)   But all of my dogs have been big-hearted, protective beasts.

D:  Name the naughtiest thing one of your own dogs has done:

L:  Oh, the list is long and illustrious, and I’m not sure there can be just one thing. (Debra:  I know the feeling) It has to be a toss-up between the time one dog concussed me (accidentally, of course) and the time the same dog decided that a horse counted as ‘big game’ and attempted to take said horse down by the neck.  The counter-surfing incidents in which they ate entire cakes, loaves of bread, a 120 count bag of Dum-Dum lollipops (just the wrapper and candy — they spit out the sticks) and an entire bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken aren’t even in the same league.

(While Liz didn’t have photos of her dogs caught in the act, I just happened to have a few of my Fergie–aka: The Ferganator.  In honor of naughty dogs everywhere):

Sprinklers Taste Just Like Chicken

So do toothbrushes.....

What this backyard needs is more cardboard pieces....

D:  Nina seems to have an awareness of what’s going on above-and-beyond what many would attribute to a dog. Do you believe dogs understand and sense more than we realize?  Do you have any personal examples?

L:  I do believe dogs are often more aware than we give them credit for.  My current pup, Harley, is particularly sensitive to moods.  There have been times when I’ve found him sticking especially close to me, and when I’ve thought about it I’ve realized I’m particularly stressed that day.

Harley kicking up his heels

Another dog I had loved absolutely everyone, and barked maybe 10 times in his life.  I was hiking in the woods one day with my daughter and that dog, who had rambled off on his own.  All of a sudden he bounded down from a hill, got directly in front of my daughter and started to growl.  A moment later a very unsavory gentleman emerged from the woods.  He’d been hiking on a separate path and started to cut across the uncleared woods toward us.  When he saw the dog, he immediately got back on his own path and disappeared.

D:  I know you’re writing another book. Can you tell us a bit about it, and also—will there be dogs in that one, too?

L:  My next book is about a family in which in every generation, one daughter is born with the power to make things disappear — to literally wish them away.  Those wishes don’t always work out as planned, however.

Like Evenfall, this book has very strong ties to the natural environment.  And there are dogs — a small furry pack of them.

D:  Describe your ideal writing environment:

L:  My ideal writing environment would have shelves lined with the colorful  Waldorf toys my children are outgrowing, and maybe a few fish bowls with beta fish in them.  It would have white walls, but plum, hydrangea blue, raspberry, and canary yellow chairs and throw pillows, and a beautiful pine desk.

My most productive writing environment is an unheated beach cottage with no television and no internet connection and no phone.  I go there in March, when it is still quite chilly, and walk in the morning to warm up.  Then I write for four hours, break for lunch and short walk, write for a few more hours, go for a run, eat, edit,  and go to bed.

D:  Sweet or salty treats?

L:  BOTH!  Popcorn with dark chocolate, or a Snickers bar.

Thank you so much for having me on your blog!

Author Liz Michalski, photo by Elizabeth Sullivan Photography

And thank you, Liz, for stopping by!

Remember—comment to win a copy of her fabulous book! Share your favorite pet or ghost story, if you have one (but not necessary to win). Winner will be chosen this Friday, April 1^st, at noon PST.

Also, I got to hang with a bunch of my fave local YA writers:

So of course I wanted to participate in the Total Non-Blogfest blogfest today to support Kirsten! In the beginning of Like Mandarin, MC Grace would have given anything to be like exotic, wild girl Mandarin.

And when I was in high school?  I was like this (the blond sitting in front):

BUT

Yes, I was the kid who desperately wanted to be a rebel, but was too terrified to try.  So I lived vicariously through those who did. And who symbolized rebellion better than Madonna in her early days, wearing whatever bits of ratty clothing she could throw together, writhing around on the ground in a wedding dress and thumbing her nose at the idea of being “proper,” and generally giving conservative adults everywhere heart attacks?

So, I would have given anything to be THAT girl in high school:  confident, unconventional, and completely unconcerned about what others thought of me.

It’s  okay, though. I’m still a work in progress.  (Also, in the interest of complete disclosure, I could not have dealt with Madonna’s hairy armpit phase AT ALL. I have this neurosis about freshly shaven pits. And enough with the over-share.)

Go, buy Like Mandarin, if you haven’t already!

Must. Have.

Oh, and I’M GIVING AWAY AN EXTRA SIGNED COPY of Like Mandarin that I bought at the launch, just for the occasion! Simply tell me in the comments who YOU would have given anything to be like in high school (or WOULD give anything to be like, if you’re still in high school) and I’ll select a winner.  Contest ends at noon this Friday, March 18th.

Another ARC will go up for grabs this week–stay tuned!

KARLA NELLENBACH!!!  Karla, send your address to houndrat at yahoo dot com  and I’ll hook you up!

For the rest of you, sorry you didn’t win. But never fear!  Your luck could change in the next ARC contest, which starts…nowish. And you really, REALLY want this one.  It’s for Veronica Roth’s DIVERGENT.

I had the pleasure of reading this book before Vee got agented, and it was fabulous. I read it again once I picked up the ARC ,  and it was even better.

Divergent is the kind of book that leaves you thinking about it long after you finish, the kind of book that makes you question your own character just as Veronica’s Tris questioned hers.

It’s the kind of book that will show you a stunning, stark version of Chicago in the future, a book that grabs you from the very beginning and doesn’t let go until you finish.

It’s also the kind of book that makes you think boys who use numbers for names are hot, a book that makes you wonder…does Starbucks exist in the future?

Um. Anyway.  Here’s the blurb:

One choice

One choice decides your friends, defines your beliefs, and determines your loyalties . . . forever.

Or, one choice can transform you.

In Veronica Roth’s debut novel, Divergent, a perfect society unfolds into a dystopian world of electrifying decisions, stunning consequences, heartbreaking betrayals, and unexpected romance.

And here’s the cover, this time with Fergie as the model (she was feeling left out):

Even Hounds Like Divergent!!!!

Now, here’s the contest. Most of you eager to get your hands on this book know that Tris’s choice involves picking one of the five factions that splits her society. Those factions are:

Candor (the honest)

Abnegation (the selfless)

Dauntless (the brave)

Amity (the peaceful)

Erudite (the intelligent)

Since the factions  revolve around virtues, I’d like to know:  which virtue is most important to you in a main character, and why?  (you can pick from the above or make up your own and extra kudos if you give a YA example).  Leave that in the comment section, and please, please, please, follow me on twitter by clicking the button on the top right (though again, I won’t hunt you down and blow raspberries at you if you don’t.  Probably.)

GOOD LUCK!!!  Contest ends at noon PST on Tuesday, February 1st.

Oh, yeah–I guess I could give you a linky:

Old People Writing for Teens

Oh, and come back soon–I’ve got more great writing tips to share from the Big Sur Children’s Writing Workshop.

Sparkle Out.