Erica O'Rourke

We have a winner! (and a secret)

Thanks again to everyone who participated in the YA Scavenger Hunt! According to the fine people at Rafflecopter, our winner is

 

EMILY C!

Congratulations, Emily! I will send you an email in a few minutes as well as a twitter DM, and we'll get your Dissonance package in the mail this week.

If you were not a winner, never fear -- I'm going to do another giveaway next week, because we have some fun announcements about DISSONANCE coming on Tuesday that I can't wait to share with you!

 

Let the YASH begin! (UPDATED)

 

The Fall 2014 YA Scavenger Hunt is now OVER. Thank you all so much for participating! I hope you've enjoyed the exclusive bonus content -- and grown your TBR pile!

 

While the YASH is over, my personal giveaway hit a technical glitch -- and to make amends, I'm keeping it open through Monday! So if you haven't entered yet, there's still time. See below for details, and thanks again for making this year's YASH such a success!

 

BONUS CONTEST:

Want to be entered in to win a DISSONANCE swag pack? I'm giving away a signed copy of DISSONANCE, plus stickers, bookmarks, origami and more!

You have several ways to enter, via this handy Rafflecopter: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A few things to note:

• During previous hunts, I've requested you leave a comment on the blog. But I'm going to be switching over to Tumblr full-time soon, so I'd recommend following me there instead. My Tumblr Ask box is also a good place to go if you have questions. (You can still comment, of course! I love comments! It just doesn't count as a contest entry.)
• Obviously, if you have questions about the contest or the hunt, the comment section is an ideal place to ask. (Though Tumblr would work too. Or twitter. Or email. ASK, is what I'm saying, and I'll do my best to answer.)
• Several of the entry options require you to give your username for verification. If I can't verify you, it doesn't count, so check for typos!
• As always, my giveaways are international.
• This giveaway runs until midnight on Monday, October 6.

 

 

Cover Love, Our Winner, and Another Contest

Today is a good day, people. I know it's Monday, but all three of my children are in school. It's rainy and gray, which means nobody is making me feel bad about not doing spring yardwork. Most importantly, I can show you the cover of DISSONANCE!

Now, if you participated in the YA Scavenger Hunt last weekend, you've already seen it. And I was BLOWN AWAY by your kind words and incredible response. (See the bottom of this post for the winner.) But when the hunt was over, the cover came down. The good news is, I have got your back. Behold:

 

This cover, guys. I fell in love with it the minute I opened the email. And then, when an envelope from the good people at Simon and Schuster arrived with actual cover flats -- printed copies, just like you'd wrap around a hardcover -- I gasped. Because in real life, this cover shimmers. I don't know how they do it. Fairy dust, maybe, or intricate laser something-or-other. But it shimmers, and the colors glow, and everything about it, every single aspect, perfectly captures the story.

I don't think I'm spoiling anything if I tell you that music and sound make up a huge part of Del's world, as does her ability to walk between alternate realities. And Lizzy Bromley, my genius cover designer, has done an incredible job of getting that musicality and movement across in a single image, whereas I needed a whole bunch of words. I love, love, LOVE it, and I hope you do, too.

There are a few descriptions of the book floating around right now, but I'm still revising, so take them with a large grain of salt. For now, here's what I can share about the story itself:

For Delancey Sullivan, alternate universes aren’t just a theory: they’re a way of life. Every time someone makes a choice – to eat breakfast or skip it, to sneak out or stay in bed – parallel realities are created, and echo versions of ourselves take the roads not traveled in the Key World. As a Walker, Del navigates between the Echoes, keeping the dimensions in harmony. But when her own choices go horribly wrong, she must decide between her heart and her duty – and live with the consequences.

 (Also, there are cute boys. And kissing. I don't think that's too spoilery.)

If you want more hints about the story, check out my tumblr -- there are plenty of pictures I've reblogged and tagged "Dissonance." They're not spoilers, but they've reminded me of the book in some way, so you can start to get a feel for Del's world (or worlds, really). And if you want to add the book to your Goodreads pile, I am told this is a good link for such things.

Now, on to the giveaway portion of this post. First, the winner of the YASH giveway is...

TESSA VAN DIEST!

So: if you are Tessa, I'll be emailing you to get your address for the prize pack. If you're NOT Tessa, you still have a chance to win a copy of TORN and a cover flat of Dissonance: all you need to do is ask a question (preferably about Dissonance, but I'm not super-picky) either here or in my Tumblr Ask Box. I'll answer the tumblr questions pretty quickly; the ones here will be answered...eventually. (The contest runs until 3:00pm central time on Friday, April 12.)

 

 

I like shiny things and sharing.

First, an announcement: I'll be at the Aurora Public Library's Catch A Bunch Of Authors Book Fair this Saturday afternoon, speaking on a panel with the incredibly talented, incredibly nice Veronica Roth. I'll also be signing books and handing out swag. Because I love swag. Click here for a PDF of the details, or to submit a question to the panel.

Second, I'd mentioned elsewhere that if everything went according to plan, I was going to have new office shelving by the end of the weekend. Naturally, all did not go according to plan. I'm sure you're all shocked.

I'm still hoping to have shelves up this afternoon, which means my rambly, state-of-Erica post will have to wait for another time. In the meantime, I shall distract you with something shiny:

A bracelet! A shiny, shiny, custom-made Torn Trilogy bracelet! (Also in the background: new kitchen table!) It says, as those of you who have signed copies of TORN might recognize, "Make your own fate." It's an adjustable cuff, so you can make it fit as snug or as loose as you'd like.

Want one? I'm collecting shots of BOUND in the wild -- your locker, your bookshelf, your vacation, the front seat of your car, with the pet of your choice...go nuts. Shots of it on your e-reader are fine, too.

Send me the picture at erica at ericaorourke dot com, or @-message me on Twitter, or make it show up on my Facebook page (I don't know much about FB, so I don't know how one does this). I'll close entries next Friday, September 14th, at 5pm CST, and pick a random winner. HOWEVER: I have more than one bracelet. I might give out some to truly amazing entries.

(I'll be using the pictures in another post, FYI, so don't send a picture you wouldn't want seen on the internet.)

And now, I'm off to install shelving. Cross your fingers that I don't lose mine.

WIP Friday: Epilogue Edition + Giveaway Winner!

If you've been here for a while, you know that I have a hidden page on my regular website which can be accesssed in one of two ways: typing in the top secret URL, or by scanning the QR code on the back of Torn Trilogy swag. And if you've gone to that secret page, you've read the epilogue to the series, which I cleverly designed so as to give you a glimpse of Mo's future without being spoilery.

I'll be swapping that scene out soon, and thought it was high time to let everyone read it, especially now that the trilogy is concluded. So if you're looking to see what happened once BOUND was over, I present to you...

AFTER

(I've tested it, and I think the link will work even if you're not logged into FB, but if you have problems, let me know. I won't fix it, because I'm clueless about Facebook, but I have PEOPLE, and they will make it all better.)

Now, I am a person who loves spoilers. You can tell me how a book or series ends and it doesn't diminish my enjoyment in the slightest, but many people don't feel that way. So, while I'd love for you to comment or share or discuss or whatever, if you've finished the series and you know which guy is in that scene, please don't give away the ending for others.

In the meantime, I also promised you a giveaway winner: Sarah @ The Book Life!

Sarah's essentials include: Multiple pairs of sunglasses because one always breaks, and good books. Clearly, she is Good People. Congrats, Sarah -- I'll be contacting you via email!

The gorgeous swag I've been waiting for has arrived, so we'll be having another giveaway next week -- but in the meantime, have a great weekend, all!

Currently on a Tuesday

I am...

:: getting ready for a long-overdue dentist appointment. "You're going to love it here!" chirped the receptionist. Somehow I doubt it, but this IS the dentist that sent my husband a bottle of champagne because he's so conscientious about flossing, so I am witholding judgement for now.

Seriously. For FLOSSING. I don't even know, people.

:: listening to this singer nonstop. When I make up the Dissonance Soundtrack, expect to see a lot of her songs.

 

:: loving this blog, because it reminds me how much better life is when I'm not drowning in stuff.

:: wondering how the hell I'm going to get rid of the old couch when I can't even fit it through the doorway.

:: sniffling a teensy bit at this keynote by Myra McEntire. Hint: someone you know is in the video.

:: ignoring the backyard. Don't look at me like that. Nobody gardens in this heat.

:: restocking my own Summer Survival Kit, thanks to your excellent suggestions. If you haven't entered the giveaway yet, there's still time!

Happy Tuesday, all!

WIP Friday: Still Summer Edition

First of all, thank you for all the wonderful comments and shoutouts and excitement over DISSONANCE! I've got plenty of work ahead of me, and I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to share about the story just yet -- but I have heard that you can already add the book on Goodreads.  (Confession: My books are on Goodreads, but I am even more clueless about Goodreads than I am Facebook, if such a thing is possible. Regardless, I think if you click the link above you can...add it? Do things with it? Stare at the placeholder for the cover? I dunno, but I'm told it's a good thing.)

Second, happy news! Kirkus Reviews has named BOUND one of July's Top Twenty-Two Books for Teens! And even better, my dear friend Susan Dennard's upcoming release, SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY, made the list as well.

Third, I find this:

UNACCEPTABLE.

Honestly, you guys. This weather? This is Darklings-murder-your-bff-in-an-alley weather. And we're only halfway done with summer.

While I am dreaming of moving to Newfoundland (average July high temp: mid-60s) it seemed fitting to do a very summery giveaway! The best thing about summer, in my opinion, is sitting around and reading because you don't have school. But I've heard that some people actually like to go out, into nature, where it is hot. And you get sunburns. And bugbites. And dehydration. You need to be prepared.

I, myself, always feel better with a survival kit. And I feel even better when you have one, too. So, I'm giving away some essentials to bridge the gap between now and when Nature decides to straighten up its act. Wanna see what's included?

 

(You can never have too many cute bags.)

(It's important to stay hydrated.)

(This sunbock doesn't make your face all greasy.
And nothing's worse than sunburned lips.)

(Chocolate melts in this weather, and you want fresh breath when you see your summer crush.)

(Because nature is dirty. And out to get you.)

(Scarf/wrap/emergency towel/picnic blanket.)

And of course, no survival kit is complete without something to read!

Just to mix it up, I'm including two books in the giveaway:

• Your choice of one book from the Torn Trilogy (TORN, TANGLED, or BOUND) and swag.
• A copy of SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY when it comes out (July 24th). Trust me -- it is worth the wait! In the meantime, go check out the SS&D website, which is chock-full of goodies and a gorgeous trailer. Sooz is including a set of SS&D trading cards, which are custom-illustrated, in the giveaway.

 

To enter, leave a comment telling me what your summer essentials are. The giveaway ends Friday, July 13th at noon CST, and as always, it's international. One entry per person, please.

 

BOUND is here! Let's have a contest!

Today's the day! BOUND has been released into the wild!

I wanted to celebrate properly this time. A girl doesn't have a book come out every day, you know, much less one that concludes a trilogy. And frankly, my method of marking TANGLED's publication...left a little to be desired.

This time, I wanted to do something different. Something important. Something involving shopping, because I am most often motivated by rewards. Something like...

 

...a new water heater.

It's not glamorous, I'll give you that. But I spent all weekend without hot water, which meant no showers, no laundry, and no dishwasher. And while my love of shiny electronics is great, the ability to wash my hair whenever I want is even greater.

(Clearly, I would not fare well in a dystopian society. I'd be the girl in the corner pitching a fit about how the world is ending due to a natural disaster/terrorist act/global warming/zombie virus/rise of the machines, and everybody knows that girl gets picked off by the end of chapter 3.)

In all seriousness, it's an exciting day. The culmination of a lot of work by a lot of people -- my family, my friends and critique partners, my amazing agent and her team, the incredible people at KTeen, and you guys, who have read the book and cheered me on and given me something to strive for. I'm so very grateful to all of you. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: luckiest girl in the world. Thank you.

I've got all sorts of fun book stuff planned for the summer, but today, it seemed fitting to give away the entire series -- all three books and a healthy dose of swag. Of course, giveways involving the last book of a series are tricky, so if you already have a copy of TORN or TANGLED (or both) I'll swap out those books for another title I've read and loved.

All you have to do is leave a comment! Contest is open until noon CST on Thursday, June 28th, and as always, it's international.

And now I'm off to take another shower. Just because I can.

 

FAQ Contest: Answers, part deux.

The kitties are home! I was planning on posting pictures of Maya in her lion cut, but it turns out that Maya with a lion cut is actually really upsetting to, because she's such a skinny, stressed out little thing. She's a big ruff of furface and then a scrawny little rat body. It's awful, and while I generally have no problem mocking my cats on the internet, it's just not sporting this time around.

Anyway, let's hit the next round of answers, shall we?

Jaime asked, "Do you use any certain music to set the tone while you are writing, as kind of a soundtrack to the books?"

I do! Each book has a soundtrack, though because TORN is a trilogy, some of the songs carry over from book to book. You can see the soundtrack for TORN here, and TANGLED here, and I'll be posting BOUND's soundtrack sometime next week. Here's one song I was particularly fond of, though.

 

Music is crucial to my writing process because it allows me to immediately slip into the story or a character, especially if I'm not writing at home. When I'm revising, it's a little different -- I tend to listen to scores from TV shows or movies. It's likely because I'm looking at the words on the page so closely that lyrics would interfere with my concentration, and I'd read more into the story than actually exists. My favorite score for revising, of course, is from Doctor Who.

Kim, who knows me very well, asked, "Besides being able to work in pajama pants, what is the best thing about being a writer of YA?"

The readers. Hands-down, the readers. I love talking with teens -- not just about my book, but books in general, and all of the other facets of their lives. Teenagers are smart, observant, funny as hell, and incredibly authentic, and getting to interact with them, whether through email or social media or classroom visits is the best part of my job.

Jess asked, "What's next for you? Any more books on the horizon? WIP's? I hope we see more!"

Thanks, Jess! I've got some projects percolating, but the bulk of my attention at the moment is focused on BOUND's release. And getting the backyard under control. It's still pretty bad. As soon as the current heatwave breaks, I'm going to learn how to use the weedwhacker.

Mont_4A asked, "What was the hardest part about writing your query letter? Is there a certain way it should be done?"

To which I say, "GAAAAAAAHHHHH QUERY LETTERS." I hate 'em. But they're a necessary part of the business, and so when it came time to query TORN, I posted a note above my computer that said, "Suck it up, Buttercup," and did precisely that. Here's what I think every query letter should have:

• genre
• word count
• brief, hooky description of your story
• RELEVANT professional credentials (ie, previously published work, membership in professional writing organizations, a career in publishing or the field your book is set in.)
• impeccable spelling/grammar/professional attitude

That being said, every agent has different requirements about what they like/don't like to see in a query. So you have to research EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. Yes, it's a pain. But remember: when you send an agent a query, they have to take time away from their current clients to read it -- following their directions shows you value their time, and increases your chances of getting a request.

The most valuable website I've seen about general query-writing is Kristin Nelson's Pub Rants. Read her entries on queries, google the bejeezus out of the agents you're most interested in, and be brave! It's hard to send your work out into the world, but if you want to be published, you might as well get accustomed to the feeling.

BN100 asked, "Who would you cast in a movie of your books?"

Oooh. This is really hard! Bookittyblog made a trailer for the series, and I thought she did a great job. I tend not to think of specific actors as I'm writing, because I'm afraid of letting their other roles influence my character too much. I think if I was going to cast a movie version, I'd want to find actors who were relatively unknown, at least for Mo, Colin, and Luc. And in Mo's case, I'd want someone who looked more "interesting" than "pretty," since she's convinced of her own unremarkableness. There's a ton of actresses I've seen that are conventionally pretty, but very few that don't seem like they'd already know it.

I'll answer more questions tomorrow, but I promised I'd announce the winner today, and it is...

BN100, who asked which cover was my favorite -- and I'll tell you that tomorrow! If you're BN, email me your snail mail address at erica at ericaorourke dot com, and I'll pop your book in the mail ASAP!

 

 

The Glamour Of Pub Day (and a casting contest)

There is a perception in the world that pub days for authors are frenetic celebratory events. Paparazzi. Interviews. Champagne corks popping like the kettle corn booth at the county fair. Flower deliveries. Coordinated outfits. A general recognition by the world that Something Momentous Has Occurred.

No doubt, this true for some people. I, on the other hand, was instructed to scrub the toilets.

"MAMA. You scrub those potties today," said Big Marshmallow as I dropped her off at school, still wearing my pajamas.

So I did.

This is what we in the publishing business refer to as "Living The Dream."

But really, yesterday was pretty low-key. I checked in on twitter and facebook more than usual. Confession: I do not understand how Facebook works. I am the world's worst Facebooker. I spent a lot of time swearing at the screen and wondering who I was logged in as. (Answer: me-myself, me the Author, and my husband, who apparently has a high school reunion coming up.) I answered a lot of emails. I chatted with some friends. I drank more coffee than I should have, but I do that every day.

My one celebratory concession was that we went out for sushi, but that was mostly because the Boyo was out of town for the day and I didn't want to cook dinner. But when we came home, I found the most amazing thing: The delightful BookittyBlog, who had already written a hilarious review of TANGLED, had made a Dream Cast Video. And I am BLOWN away. I stared at the screen and got a little choked up, that someone would take the time to do something so thoughtful. I think she did a fantastic job, especially with her choice for Billy, who gave me the heebie-jeebies in the best possible way. You definitely should check it out and tell her what you think.

TANGLED Dream Cast Video Of Squee

I don't often think about who would play my characters in a movie. My mind doesn't work that way -- Mo is just Mo, when I picture her in my head, and basing her on someone else would get in the way of her development. But seeing this video after the fact is a treat. It lets me see how other people view the characters. It brings them to life in a completely different way. It was the best possible way to cap off my pub day, so thanks, Bookitty, for making it so special.

And before I forget, the winner of the yesterday's giveway is:

Lynda!

Who cracks me up. Behold:

Guess I'll have to go sappy and say it was setting my cap for my future DH. And make no mistake, I pursued him--big time. After nearly thirty years together (yikes, I'm old) we still joke that I did the chasing. All he had to do was stand still and get caught.

 

Today's another giveaway day: Who would you cast for any of the roles in TORN or TANGLED? Winner gets a copy of BOTH books! If you want to make a video/tumblr post/blog post of your choices, so that we can see who you have in mind, paste the link in the comments, and I'll give you credit for a second entry. If you'd rather just list the people below, that's fine too! The contest ends on Sunday at 5pm CST and I'll announce that night, before I sob my way through Downton Abbey. (As always, the contest is international.)