Merit Press Author Interview: Shana Silver + Giveaway

I am back today with another Merit Press post. This is one I am VERY excited about because we get to learn a little bit more about one of the authors and their book, as well as a GIVEAWAY for the book! Yay, everyone loves a giveaway!

I would love to introduce you to Shana Silver, author of Alice in Wonderland High, one of Merit Press' recent releases. 

I asked Shana some interview questions, and here are her responses (continue reading for the giveaway at the end of the post.)

1. How did you first think up the idea for Alice in Wonderland High? Is it something that just came to you, or did you take motivation from somewhere? 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has always been one of my favorite books. As part of a reading challenge, I decided to re-read it. At the same time, I was mulling a book idea involving extreme environmental activism but hadn't gotten very far plotting it. While I was re-reading the original book, I started to realize how many of the scenes and themes of the original aligned with my environmentalism idea. For example, in the original, Alice's main goal is to get inside a beautiful but forbidden garden. A few key scenes became obvious to me too, like how to re-imagine the baby turning into a pig after Alice rescues it. Maybe instead she has to dress a pig as a baby to rescue it. Stuff like that. Once I started plotting, it all fell into place! 

2. Did you base any of the characters in the book (personality, looks, etc.) off of yourself, family, or friends?

I wish I had a fun answer about this, but since this is a retelling, I mostly used the original characters personality traits as a basis for guiding these. I did sort of model Chess's appearance after Finn from the TV show GLEE, but very loosely. Really, the only Easter egg from my real life that made it into the book is the orange and navy sweater the college tour guide wears. That was the same shirt worn by tour guides at my alma matter. That said, in the book, Alice is extremely short, and while I'm not as short as her, I am only 5 feet, so I was able to draw from experience to describe her struggles with being vertically challenged. 

3. What was your favorite scene to write from the book?

My favorite scene to write from the book was actually the last scene I wrote in one of the later revisions. It's the scene where Alice calls Kingston for help in breaking and entering. I love the dynamic between the two of them in that scene, how they hate each other but also really need each other. I can't believe this scene didn't exist the entire time in the book! It was conceived as part of a revision request during querying to add more beats to the mystery plotline. 

4. What do you hope readers will get/achieve from reading your book? Is there an overall theme you hope that they take away from it? 

Honestly, I just hope they have fun while reading it and enjoy it! I guess if they want to take away something, maybe they should consider not doing ecotage? 

5. Do you have any favorite quotes from the book?

The first line of the book is a particular favorite of mine. It was originally buried in the middle of the first chapter until a critique partner pointed out it was the perfect starting place. I also love a few of the lines between Alice and Chess, particularly when one slips in something and the other withholds something the other wants to hear (trying to be vague here!).

6. Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers? 

Don't give up! I had a very long journey from first deciding I wanted to pursue publication to actually becoming published and it would not have happened if I had given up. To that end, my best advice is to continue writing. You can't publish a blank page.

GIVEAWAY! 

Merit Press is giving away TWO (2) copies of Alice in Wonderland High!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Merit Press: Recent Releases

Hey all, and welcome back to Merit Press July here on my blog! I am super excited to share lots of reviews, interviews, and giveaways in the next couple of weeks. I thought today I would share some information on some of the most recent YA books that Merit Press has published and released. That way, when giveaways pop up soon, you will know which books you REALLY want to win (hint: it will probably be all of them!).

We Will Be Crashing Shortly by Hollis Gillespie

Release Date: June 15, 2015

Page Count: 256

Synopsis:

April Mae Manning from Unaccompanied Minor is back, and back in trouble, but this time, she's run out of chances...

April Mae was raised on airplanes by her flight-attendant parents. But since her dad's death and her mom's remarriage to the nefarious pilot Ash Manning, April's been in nothing but danger: two airplane crashes; two car crashes; and now, as a student pilot, in an old plane crippled over the Caribbean. Can she survive, and save her friends, or is this the watery end to "Crash" Manning's story?

Praise for Unaccompanied Minor: "A laugh-out-loud thriller about family court, money laundering and skyjacking" ~Kirkus Reviews

Crossing into Brooklyn by Mary Ann McGuigan

Release Date: July 18, 2015

Page Count: 224

Synopsis:
To Find Your Future, You Have to Face Your Past

At sixteen, Morgan Lindstrum has the life that every other girl wants--at least from the outside. A privileged only child, she has everything she could ever want, except her parents' attention. A Princeton physicist and a high-powered executive, they barely have any time for each other, much less for Morgan. Then her beloved grandfather dies, depriving Morgan of the only stable figure in her life. If that's not enough, she suddenly finds out he was never her grandfather at all. To find out the truth about her family, Morgan makes her way to Brooklyn, where she meets Terence Mulvaney, the Irish immigrant father who her mother disowned. Morgan wants answers; but instead of just satisfying her curiosity, Mulvaney shows her the people in his condemned tenement building, who are suffering and have nowhere to go. He challenges her to help them, by tearing away the veil of shame, and showing her wealthy parents and her advantaged circle of friends a world they don't want to know exists. The temptation to walk away from this ugly reality, as her mother did, is strong. But if she does, can Morgan ever really leave behind what she learned when she crossed into Brooklyn?

Alice in Wonderland High by Rachel Shane

Release Date: April 18, 2015

Page Count: 304

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Alice just can't find a way to be free. Her parents are environmental activists whose cringeworthy public protests might involve chaining themselves to a fence and pleading with passersby to “Save the World. Save Alice!” It’s not that Alice doesn’t believe there’s work to be done. But after a petition to start a farmers’ market meets with more snickers than signatures, she figures she should shut up instead of speak out. At least, that is, until she can find something that feels real. Then along comes Whitney Lapin, a girl who speaks in cryptic riddles and spends her free time turning abandoned warehouses into beautiful gardens. Charismatic Whitney leads Alice on a rabbit trail into the underground—a.k.a. secret society—of Wonderland High.

Curiouser and curiouser. Alice is in wonderland! Even though Whitney’s group of teenage environmental vigilantes operates on the wrong side of the law, with them, Alice is finally free to be herself. She stomps on her good-girl image by completing a series of environmental pranks to impress the new group: flooding the school and disguising a pig as a baby in order to smuggle it out of a testing facility. She wants to trust them, and she especially wants to trust (or maybe kiss) Chester Katz—a boy with a killer smile, a penchant for disappearing, and a secret that will really turn Alice’s world backwards. But then one of the young vigilantes tries to frame Alice for all the pranks, and she must figure out their secret before she ends up in front of a jury that’s screaming, “Off with her head!”

 

Perdita by Faith Gardner

Release Date: August 1, 2015

Page Count: 224

Synopsis: Granted, Arielle has a vast, excitable imagination. But she's not imagining how strange and out of control her life becomes after the death by drowning of her older sister's best friend, Perdita. Not only does this death echo the death of Arielle's own older brother, ten years before, it leads to dreams and visions in which Perdita seems to be reaching out to Arielle, asking for her help. The only other explanation—that Arielle's high-strung emotions have finally caused her to break with reality—is even more terrifying. A story that builds to greater and greater heights of suspicion and fear, Perdita is also a multi-layered literary achievement that leaves no emotion untouched.

 

Unlovely by Celeste Conway

Release Date: January 2, 2015

Page Count: 256

Synopsis: Accidents happen. But they happen more often when the beautiful ballet dancers return each summer to the island. When he hears the ruthless way that the loveliest dancer talks about boys getting what they deserve when they break girls' hearts, Harley, home for the summer after his first year of college, wonders if he's losing his mind. He knows for sure that he's losing his heart to this girl...But then, strange incidents start happening all over the island and Harley is caught between desire and fear: could he also be in danger of losing his life?

 

 

Merit Press Publishing - July Feature

In July I have decided to do something a little bit different on the blog, especially since I'm coming off a bit of a blogging hiatus. I have been working alongside Merit Press for several months now (maybe even close to a year!). I first read and reviewed one of their YA books for a tour, and then was contacted by Bethany and asked if I would like a hard copy of that book (obviously I said "Yes!" because I loved the book!). Since then, Bethany has been sending me copies of their newer releases, and they have been wonderful! So, with that, and being so thrilled with the company, I decided I would focus on them for the whole month of July!

What sorts of things will you see?

• Obviously there will be LOTS of reviews, as that is something that I like to focus on here on the blog. I have several of their newer releases that I have read and am ready to share some reviews with you (SPOILER: they're all amazing!). 
• Guest posts - The authors might share their own posts, and I will share some information about some of the awesome authors as well! 
• GIVEAWAYS - Want to read some of the books I review/talk about? Here is your chance! 
• LOTS of other fun posts! 

I am so excited to share this wonderful publishing company with you guys! If there is anything you would like to see this month, let me know! Any questions you would like some of the authors to answer? Leave them in a comment below!

Happy July!

July Wrap-Up

Happy August folks! I honestly cannot believe that July has already come and gone; it seems like it flew by! I guess that's how summer tends to be, though. With August here, that means soon enough I will be back to work. This is actually my last week of freedom before my new teacher orientation and things begin, so I am going to try to enjoy it as much as possible!

Honestly, July was not the best reading month for me. There were several days when I simply did not feel like reading. Because of this, I mostly stuck to reading e-books that I had for review and things like that. I do hope that my reading will pick up again, but it will be interesting to see how things go once I'm back to work.

Alright, enough rambling, here are the books that I read in July, and the ratings that I gave them:

Number of Books Read: 13

Prom Impossible by Laura Pauling - * * * 

Broken Worlds by Anitha Robinson - * * * 

Four by Veronica Roth - * * * * *

 Carrier by Anne Tibbets - * * * * *

Dangerous Dream by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl - * * * 

Twilight: The Graphic Novel Vol. 1 by Stephenie Meyer - * * *

 Twilight: The Graphic Novel Vol. 2 by Stephenie Meyer - * * * *

New Moon: The Graphic Novel Vol. 1 by Stephenie Meyer - * * *

The Maze Runner by James Dashner - * * * *

 The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel - * * *

Imitation by Heather Hildenbrand - * * * * *

Brutal Youth by Anthony Breznican - * * *

Every Ugly Word by Aimee L. Salter - * * * *

I read a lot of great books this month, but I am still disappointed that I did not get to more of the ones I really hoped to read. I am looking forward to a good reading month in August, though!