Cover Buzz for Virtuosity!

Show some love for the author of Virtuosity, Jessica Martinez...

I was born and raised in Calgary, Canada. As a child I played the violin, read books and climbed trees incessantly. I went on to study English and music at Brigham Young University, and since then have been a high school English teacher, symphony violinist, elementary school teacher, violin teacher, and mother. I currently live in Orlando, Florida with my husband and two children.

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Onto some Hardback Virtuosity Truths...

Hardback                           Paperback

Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?

Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.

Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall...

1. I am the last person in the world to see that my cover looks like an iTunes ad. When someone pointed it out, I was like, “Hmm, yeah. You’re right. Am I about to get sued by Apple?”


2. The model on the cover is Asian.


3. It’s actually the second cover my publisher created. The first was beautiful, but much darker, almost paranormal looking (to my eye), so I’m thrilled with the modern feel of the cover they went with.


4. My editor, because she’s awesome, asked me which dress I liked best for the cover shoot. No comment on whether or not she went with my favorite.


5. As a teenager, I wouldn’t have touched the color pink with a stick. (Anybody else remember grunge?) I’ve recovered. Now I love pink and even wear it occasionally, which is good because my second book has a pink cover too.

More buzz about Ms. Martinez's second novel...

From the author of Virtuosity, a novel about two sisters and the secrets they tell, the secrets they keep, and the secret that tears them apart.

Amelia is used to being upstaged by her charismatic younger sister, Charly. She doesn’t mind, mostly, that it always falls to her to cover for Charly’s crazy, impulsive antics. But one night, Charly's thoughtlessness goes way too far, and she lands them both in serious trouble.

Amelia's not sure she can forgive Charly this time, and not sure she wants to…but the situation is even worse than either of them realizes. Amelia has no choice but to give up everything--her friends, her future, her dream--in order to cover for Charly’s huge mistake.

Amelia doesn't understand how her sister could have done this to them both. What she doesn't know is that Charly is hiding a terrible secret—one with the potential to change everything.

Thank you, Jessica, for sharing some tidbits behind your debut's cover!

LiLi

Teen Book Scene: Untraceable Cover Post

Introducing author of Untraceable, S.R. Johannes...

Shelli Johannes-Wells started out writing for her local school paper, winning a state Nutrition essay contest for “Be a Smart Cookie”, and singing in a local Jazz band. Somewhere along the way, she earned an MBA in Marketing and embarked on an 18-year marketing career in Corporate America working as a marketing and communications consultant.

In 2000, Shelli traded in her expensive suits, way-too high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing. She started her own marketing & communications business, www.bilaninc.com, and continues creating materials for a variety of large profit and nonprofit clients, including Spanx, Goody Hair Products, Chick Filet, Delta, CARE, and the Boys & Girls Club of America.

Shelli’s dream is to publish children’s books and magically imprint the imaginations of kids. In addition to juggling nap schedules while attending client meetings, Shelli focuses on her writing. She is a frequent marketing speaker at SCBWI conferences across the U.S and runs a popular marketing blog, Market My Words (www.faeriality.blogspot.com) where she provides marketing advice for authors in the hopes of helping them better market their words.

In her spare time (yeah right!) and if the kids allow (yeah right!), Shelli obsesses over movies, reads children’s books (over and over), wishes she could squeeze in Bikram Yoga sessions, and dreams of sleeping in on the weekends.

She currently lives in Atlanta with her dog, British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess that someday will change the world.

Onto the Cover Post...

Ever since I started writing Untraceable, I had a very specific concept in mind. A girl hiding in the woods. It was important to me to use a real life model. I wanted the reader to feel like they were in the woods with Grace. I wanted it to contrast the dark books out there with bright greenery yet still needed a feeling of suspense to come across.

I hired Vania at VLCphoto.net to shoot the cover because I love her trailers and her photography.

I wanted an original concept to grab people. Stock photo just would not do it for me and I knew Vania would breathe life into my book.

The minute I saw the model’s photo in the casting call, I knew she was the one. She is Grace in a nutshell. She exactly like I pictured Grace.

For hours we tromped around in the woods. Jae was willing to do anything and we got some great shots. She was a trooper.

The cover ended up amazing. I love the cover! It is everything I wanted it to be. Grace is a nature girl and the book is a thriller. I think this cover captures that. Perfectly.

16 year old Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival.

When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.

One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father.

Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves.

Thanks to Shelli and Teen Book Scene!

LiLi

Teen Book Scene: Cracked Cover Feature

Introducing author of Cracked, KM Walton...

K.M. Walton writes contemporary YA, middle grade suspense, picture books and nonfiction. Her debut contemporary YA novel, CRACKED comes out from Simon Pulse ~ Simon & Schuster in January 3, 2012. She is fortunate to be represented by the lovely Sarah LaPolla from Curtis Brown Ltd.

K. M. had a dream when she was a little girl. Actually she had a gazillion dreams, and she spent a large amount of her childhood wondering what her future would hold. Her biggest dream was to be a teacher. Teaching became a reality for K. M. and she taught for twelve glorious years – some of it in Osteen, Florida and most of it in Springfield, Pennsylvania (Hi, Osteen Elementary and ETR Middle School!!). But, it turns out writing is K. M. Walton’s favorite thing to do in the whole world. Even the hard parts – and there are a lot of hard parts.

First, a sincere thank you to Lili for hosting me today on Chica Reader.

The love the cover of CRACKED, and I know I’m a bit partial, being the author and all, but it’s true. When my editor asked me if I had any cover ideas I’d like her to pass on to the art department I replied: I’ve got nothing. The only thing I requested is that there be no people on the cover. I’m a big fan of simple covers like these:

As well as John Green’s LOOKING FOR ALASKA and the Twilight covers. So when my editor sent the email with the cover image attached, I screamed out loud with happiness. It was everything I wanted, even though I didn’t know I wanted it. Part of the novel takes place in the psych ward of a hospital, hence the pill cup. I like to think that the two pills represent the two main characters—Victor and Bull—but I’ve never had that confirmed by the talented people who created it. Perhaps one day I will be able to ask them in person. The feedback I’ve gotten has been overwhelmingly positive. Everything from, “Wow, you hit the cover lottery!” to “If I were a teenager in the bookstore I’d definitely pick this book up!”

I can’t wait until January 3, 2012!

Thanks to KM and Teen Book Scene!

LiLi

Cover Art: One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost (Night Huntress, Book 6)

This has to be my favorite cover from any of the books JF has ever written--even from the Night Huntress World series.

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon (August 30, 2011)

What do you think?

LiLi

Uncommon Criminal Cover Reveled!

Since I'm reading Heist Society, I loved finding out that Ally Carter just released the cover to the sequel Uncommon Criminals.

Hardcover: 304 pages

Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (June 21, 2011)

ISBN-10: 1423147952

ISBN-13: 978-1423147954

From Goodreads:

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life. Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.

There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long, and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous and that is simply… the emerald is cursed.

Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses, realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.

Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

LiLi

Shift Cover!

I love Rachel and I love the cover to her next adult novel in her Shifter's series! Check it out at The Pride! Make sure to become a member first, then under the Shift category, prepare to be amazed!

Tempted: House of Night Series Cover

To see the cover and synopsis of the next novel in the House of Night Series go here: http://www.houseofnightseries.com/pages/tempted.html
I'm so excited, love this series!

GONE is here! (Does not make sense, I know)

It is AWESOME! Check out Lisa McMann's blog to read the funny back story on this chair-in-a-spotlight cover!