Did you miss the first time I made Awaken free on my birthday? Don’t fret!! It’s FREE again today!! Please grab your copy and share this great news with your friends!!
I can’t begin to describe to you all how excited I am about the cover of my new novel, Echo of an Earth Angel. It turned out better than all of my expectations combined. When I gave the concept of what I wanted to Elizabeth, I didn’t know if it could be created. In the end, we actually used real people and took a photograph instead of sifting through stock art. And with lots of manipulations, Voilà! My cover is paranormal.
I have to give major props and shout outs to Elizabeth Sharp, my cover artist, who did such a fantastic job creating it. Her talent continues to amaze me and I recommend her to anyone looking for a book cover. I also need to say a special thanks to Clare Diaz and Bill Blaes for posing for the pictures and allowing me to use their images on the cover. I am so grateful to them; they have made my cover infinity better. Interesting side note: Clare is one of my former students, now a successful college student, and I know it had to have been odd to get an email from me one day saying, “Hey, I like your hands. Can I use them?” It’s amazing she didn’t run away screaming!
So without further ado, I present to you Echo of an Earth Angel. (Due out May, 2012)
18 year old Tessa Copeland barely survived the worst year of her life—in fact, it was a miracle. After making it through the tragedy that killed both of her parents, she’s left to pick up the pieces of her life. Combating the holes in her memory and the concern of her friends was hard enough, but a new talent threatens to destroy everything she’s trying to reclaim.
David Allegri didn’t mean to ruin Tessa’s life. She was the brightest soul he’d seen in centuries and he couldn’t let her die, so the fallen angel used his abilities to heal her—only he took it too far and changed Tessa forever. Now, he has to figure out a way to explain what’s happening to Tessa and somehow protect both of them from the consequences.
His choice made them targets for the Hunters, who will use any means necessary to capture their prey. Only a desperate plan can help them escape, and sacrifices will be made. Time is ticking. Will they make it, or will they be lost to the echoes of fate?
Earlier this week, I read a post from the blog Book Riot (see LINK) about books that he was forced to read in school, and consequently were ruined for him, never to be enjoyed, made inspirational, or heck, even learned. All because school ruined the story by making him focus on the text.
As a former English teacher, it breaks my heart when people tell me they hate to read. I can’t imagine my life not filled with and surrounded by books. I grew up with a passion for literature and it never dimmed. When students (and worse, adults) tell me they don’t like reading, I always ask why. What was it that turned them off? Was it a nasty teacher? A book they hated? Are they insecure about their reading abilities? Did their parents never read to them? What was that trigger?
I used to ask my students, and I found for most of them, it was that they either just never found a book they liked, or they were embarrassed by their lack of reading skills. How many of us had that horrible moment in school where the teacher asked you to read aloud and you stumbled over a word? Even with my degree in English, I still get tongue tied every once in a while and yes, I admit that I don’t know the definition of every word in the dictionary and get embarrassed when I come across a word I should probably already know.
Reading–and storytelling– is supposed to be pleasurable. Allowing yourself to get caught up in a new world where the possibilities are endless. Reading should allow you to be anything, or anyone you’ve ever dreamed of. It takes the best parts of our dreams, and lets us simmer there for hours.
Saying you don’t like to read is saying that you don’t like music. There are just too many choices to dismiss the entire genre. If you didn’t like the books you read in school, read something else. Read Chicklit or murder mysteries, or Sci-Fi fantasies that are out of this world. Books should not be confined to school. And our ideas about what books are should not be confined to what you were forced to read in school.
If you are a book lover, don’t give up on those who haven’t found our passion yet. Keep suggesting books and buying books for them. Eventually they’ll find something that theylike.
If you are not yet a book lover: Contact your local librarian– or even me!– and get some suggestions for things you might enjoy. Don’t be embarrassed about anything. Reading is for you to enjoy, and no one has to know what you’re reading. If you’re in your 40′s and still want to read YA, Go for it! I do! If you’re a teen and haven’t found your niche, that’s okay too! Reread some of your favorite kids books or other books by a favorite author.
I leave you today with the wise words of a great man:
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!
Because my birthday is today, I’m giving everyone else a present: My book is free!! This will just be for today so download it now!!
Download it here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/
And please share this with your friends!!! Thanks in advance!!
Happy Easter and Happy Sunday Morning to all!! Now that I’ve finished my second novel Echo of an Earth Angel and it is off to the editor, I have started book 2 of the Patronus series, Avenge. I know many of you have been anxiously awaiting it!
Today’s Six Sentence Sunday comes from Echo of an Earth Angel. In this scene, David knows that Tessa is in danger and is trying to find a way to tell her– but doesn’t get the chance yet…
Before he could continue, the doorbell rang, followed immediately by a pounding on the door. Tessa jumped and David moved protectively in front of her.
Glancing at the clock, Tessa was startled to realize it was midnight. Who would be coming to her house at this hour? She tried to head back to the living room to open the door, but David gently grasped her arm.
“I don’t think you should answer. Let me,” he offered, bracing for whatever or whoever could be lurking in the dark.
Stay tuned for more information on Echo of an Earth Angel in the coming weeks, including the cover reveal and official release date announcement!!
~Sarah~
As a former teacher, I love being the center of attention–err… I mean inspiring students. I taught 8th grade English for 9 years before becoming a full time writer. When the opportunity to speak to the creative writing students at OSCA came to me, I jumped at the chance. How could I turn it down? I love kids (one of the main reasons I write YA), and I miss being able to help them learn like I could when I was teaching. So this opportunity was really exciting and by the end, really reminded me why I loved teaching so much.
I was given 90 minutes to explain to about fifty kids (grades 7-12) everything about writing, editing, promoting, publishing, and anything else they wanted to know. Needless to say, I ran out of time. It was so wonderful to see teens who were excited about writing and who gobbled up the information I presented like it was candy!
I started by explaining my background, the types of books I write, and gave each kid some swag (bookmarks/business cards) which they seemed to really enjoy. I then opened the floor to questions. I honestly expected one or two, and then nervously wracked my brain for what else I should talk about. But it wasn’t necessary, multiple hands shot in the air eagerly. It was amazing how many questions they had from the start. They wanted to know everything: from my writing process, to how I found a publisher, to how to sell books.
I don’t think there wasn’t a time when a hand was in the air!
I was also able to bring several copies of my book, which the kids happily began reading, LOL. We talked cover images, creating a blurb, choosing a title, pen names, and even the legalities of using titles and other things that others have already been used. I was amazed at how knowledgeable they already are about writing (something I never was at their age) and what wonderfully thought out questions they asked!
When my 90 minutes were up, I was actually sad. I had so much fun talking to them and answering their questions. I would have happily done another 90 minutes!!
What a wonderful opportunity the youth of today have been given. To be able to know early on what craft you wanted to embrace and actually be able to start focusing on it as a teen. Imagine how many more amazing authors we could’ve had if there were creative writing majors in high schools when F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, or even the Bronte sisters were writing! I would have loved to been able to study this as a teen, and probably would have been more focused in college if I had. (I still can’t fathom why I thought double majoring in Bio and Chem in college was a good idea…) I hope more schools offer opportunities for students like this across the nation.
Thank you to Mrs. Walsingham for allowing me this opportunity, and thank you to the students of the Osceola School for the Arts! I hope they had as much fun as I did and learned a lot (or at least a little) in the process.
Some of the excited students eager to read and write:
I know it’s less than an hour before midnight here in Florida, but I figure better late than never, right?
Today’s Six Sentence Sunday comes from my new novel, Echo of an Earth Angel, set to be released this spring. Enjoy this little teaser!
*Note: this has not been edited, so forgive any errors please!*
“Everything about the girl was beautiful, from the gentle way she fingered the menu with her delicate hands to how brightly she smiled when her friend told her a joke. If he stared at her for a hundred years it wouldn’t be enough time to fully comprehend her beauty.
He was glad she was coming out in public more now. He physically ached for weeks while she was holed up in her house recovering and he couldn’t see her. He’d been inconspicuously keeping tabs since he first laid eyes on her over a year ago. He knew it was wrong and against the rules, but he couldn’t seem to help himself- he actually felt when he was around her.”
~Sarah~
I am very pleased to announce all the details about my very first Book Signing!! I am teaming up with author Tawdra Kandle, author of Fearless and soon-to-be realeased Breathless at Dog-Eared Books in Orlando, Florida. If you’re in or near Orlando, I’d love for you to come by and say hello!
Where: Dog-Eared Books
3920 Towne Center Blvd
Orlando, FL 32837
407-730-5923
When: Saturday, March 31st from 1-4
Can’t wait to see you there!! ~Sarah~
Book Description:
Amelia Hoffman always knew she would be with Nathaniel Peplow forever, but after they bonded everything started to go wrong. Nate treats her like the enemy, her siblings are in danger, and an old threat grows closer. As Nate pulls away and Amelia’s burgeoning friendship with a handsome stranger blossoms, she worries she made the biggest mistake of her life. If sorting out her love life wasn’t enough, a new drug emerges that not only threatens the ones she loves, but seems to be part of something larger than she could ever imagine. Amelia’s new and old friends must work together to not only save themselves, but the whole world.
**This is book two of the series. Book One is Natural Selection which you can buy HERE.
My Thoughts:
When I read Elizabeth Sharp’s first book, Natural Selection, I was delighted. It was a fresh take on a Young Adult supernatural novel. It was so much more than a typical love story. I loved all the little details of it, like how being a Gaia means she could only eat and wear organic clothing. The family dynamics of her adopted siblings who are also paranormal creatures. And the deep connection of her mom and dad and how in love they were. I especially loved the love story of Amelia and Nate. Needless to say, I was very excited to read the second book in this series, Second Nature.
Second Nature did not disappoint. I think it was even better than the first! The emotional roller coaster that these characters go through and the action and adventure had me turning the page and refusing to put it down until the very last page. The growth of the characters from teens in high school to being self-sufficient was so well done I believed it was possible. I felt for them, both happy and sad (and at times frustrated) throughout. The introduction of new characters had me reconsidering who my favorites were and which “team” I was on. By the end, I was so wrapped up in the story that I didn’t even notice how late it was or that I hadn’t eaten in hours.
I highly recommend this series to any fans of YA Paranormal Romance. You will not be disappointed!!
You can buy Second Nature HERE and follow Elizabeth on Facebook and Twitter.
