Mar 24, 2014

Giveaway: The Ring and the Crown by Melissa de la Cruz

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18296016-the-ring-and-the-crown
 Magic is power, and power is magic…

Once they were inseparable, just two little girls playing games in a mighty castle. Now Princess Marie-Victoria, heir to the mightiest empire in the world, and Aelwyn Myrddyn, a bastard mage, face vastly different futures.

Quiet and gentle, Marie has never lived up to the ambitions of her mother, Queen Eleanor the Second. With the help of her Merlin, Eleanor has maintained a stranglehold on the world’s only source of magic. While the enchanters faithfully serve the crown, the sun will never set on the Franco-British Empire.

Mar 23, 2014

Events: YA Events Coming to Texas

Super fun events to put on your radar! We post weekly events at Literary Lonestars and for a full list of events here is our calendar, bookmark it! Not living in Texas? 1. Work that out. 2. If an author is coming to see us, they maybe coming close to you. Check their website for full tour info. Now, get out there and support literacy! 
  
Sara Larson author of DEFY will be at The Book Spot in Austin, Monday March 24th! Facebook event HERE.



Mar 18, 2014

Texas Library Association Conference & Meetup - 2014 #TXLA14

It's that time of year! In THREE weeks, the largest state-wide library conference will start. This year, we are San Antonio bound - think river walk, think shenanigans! I'll be presenting on Tuesday - PR on a Budget, and Thursday - Be Prepared: Best Practices for Scout Projects in the Library  I'll also be moderating the Women of YA panel bright and early on Friday after the YART business meeting. Join me and Ava Dellaira, Rachel DeWoskin,  Laini Taylor, Robin Wasserman, and a secret guest!

This post will fill you in on everything you need to know to attend TLA like a pro and info about a meetup that you don't want to miss. If you have any questions, ask below and I'll try to help!

Mar 17, 2014

Bucket List: Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Texas author Julie Murphy debuts her book SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY on March 18th and many of us jumped on the chance to share our bucket lists. Being that I have a milestone birthday this year, I had been thinking about this a lot. My list is crazy extensive so I'm picking five. 5 things to do before I'm 40! (did I just say that outloud?)

1. Organize an Author Booze Book Cruise:

Music artists do it, why can't we? I'd pick 25-30 authors, borrow a giant boat, ask BookPeople to send a few boxes of books, and thousands of my closest friends and I would head to some exotic beach. I mean seriously...this should be on everyone's bucket list! 

Mar 13, 2014

Repost: Virtual Road Trip: Texas & Book Festivals

I was asked to write a post about youth something unique to Texas that has to do with youth services. Well that took me less than two seconds! Below is what I wrote for YALSA:

You know that saying “Everything is bigger in Texas”? It’s true and when we talk about literary events for young readers and book lovers the saying couldn’t be more fitting. Devoted fans travel across the country, and teachers and kids pack in school buses at too-dern-early o’clock to spend the day with their favorite and soon-to-be favorite authors in Texas. There are more than just a few opportunities to discover new authors and series. Texas hosts a multitude of events throughout the year. Some are YA focused while others bring a mix of YA, middle grade, and picture books that are loved at every age.

Mar 7, 2014

Cover Reveal: Mortal Gods (Goddess War #2) by Kendare Blake

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17561810-mortal-gods
Mortal Gods by Kendare Blake
September 1st, 2014 from Orchard Books

(unofficial blurb that I didn't make up myself, but came from a pretty rad source)
Cassandra Weaver is a weapon of fate. The girl who kills gods. But all she wants is for the god she loved and lost to return to life. If she can't have that, then the other gods will burn, starting with his murderer, Aphrodite.

The alliance between Cassandra and Athena is fragile. Cassandra suspects Athena lacks the will to truly kill her own family. And Athena fears that Cassandra's hate will get them all killed.

Mar 5, 2014

Introducing: #yalove Lit Chats

Do you know what happens when one librarian has a great idea then asks other librarians if they like the idea? You get a gaggle of librarians starting a new adventure! Introducing #yalove lit chats for the YA booklover in all of us! Twice a month we will be chatting about books with focused topics. Join us the first and third Thursdays using #yalove on Twitter. This is a perfect place to find your next favorite book and to connect with readers like you. We'll house all the information and back chats on our Wiki page - bookmark us! Our first chat is March 6th and we'll be talking about dystopians.

Here are the moderators: The Gaggle of Librarians