Our mother was a witch, too, but she hid it better.
I miss her.
Not a single day goes by that I don’t wish for her guidance. Especially about my sisters.
Tess runs ahead of me, heading for the rose garden–our sanctuary, our one safe place. Her slippers slide on the cobblestones, the hood of her gray cloak falling to reveal blonde curls. I glance back at the house. It’s against the Brothers’ stricture for girls to go out of doors uncloaked, and running isn’t considered ladylike. But we’re concealed from the house by tall hedges. Tess is safe.
For now.
She waits ahead, kicking at the dead leaves beneath a maple. “I hate autumn,” she complains, biting at her lip with pearly teeth. “It feels so sad.”
“I like it.” There’s something invigorating in the crisp September air, the searing blue skies, the interplay of orange and scarlet and gold. The Brotherhood would probably ban autumn if they could. It’s too beautiful. Too sensuous.
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.
What people are saying:
“Spotswood has re-imagined history, entwined with magic and the struggle for power, in a tale so captivating you don’t want it to end. The Cahill sisters are heroines to be reckoned with!” –Andrea Cremer
“The feminist undertones, the descriptions of sumptuous dresses, the dangerous, secretive magic wielding: Born Wicked is like a sizzling, more fun version of The Witch of Blackbird Pond.”–Romantic Times
Released: February 7, 2012
About the author:
Jessica Spotswood lives in Washington, DC with her playwright husband and a cuddly cat named Monkey. She’s never happier than when she’s immersed in a good story, and swoony kissing scenes are her favorite. You can visit her at www.jessicaspotswood.com.
To whoever should have the misfortune to review this closed—but still unresolved—case, I extend my condolences. I tell you truly that all persons involved have been insufferably odd.
All we know directly of Miss Natalie Stewart, disappeared at age seventeen, is what you will read here in what was left behind as an absurd testimonial.
Herein you shall find pertinent newspaper articles enclosed by Miss Stewart regarding Lord Denbury and his infamous portrait. There are also letters from involved parties.
I am left to conclude that everyone involved is a certifiable lunatic. Should you wish to indulge yourself and read a young lady’s foolish reveries on such highly improbable events, so be it. Should you believe any of it, I hope you have no business with the New York Police Department now or in the future.
The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
New York City, 1880. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart’s latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing… Lord Denbury’s soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.
What people are saying:
“You’ll love it if you love murder mysteries with a supernatural twist… the story is so different from other fantasy novels that have been coming out recently. This chilling tale will draw you in and keep you guessing until the very last page!”–Seventeen Magazine
“Hieber applies some real imagination to the story…A good romp with effective suspense.”–Kirkus
“This smart novel will have wide appeal.”–Shelf Awareness
“A hypnotic web of suspense and romance…”–Booklist
Released: November 8, 2011
About the author:
Leanna Renee Hieber graduated with a BFA in Theatre from Miami University, a focus in the Victorian Era and a scholarship to study in London. She adapted works of 19th Century literature for the stage and her one-act plays such as Favorite Lady have been produced around the country.
Her debut novel, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, first in her Strangely Beautiful series, landed on Barnes & Noble’s bestseller lists, won two 2010 Prism Awards (Best Fantasy, Best First Book), and has been optioned for adaptation into a musical theatre production currently in development. Foreign rights have been sold to Poland and Thailand. DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul, hit the Kid’s/YA INDIE NEXT LIST as a recommended title by the American Booksellers Association. Foreign rights have been sold to China (Complex translation, via Taiwan) and Turkey.
Leanna’s short fiction has been featured in anthologies Candle In the Attic Window and the upcoming Willful Impropriety: Tales of Society and Scandal and the upcoming Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells (TOR). A member of performers unions AEA, AFTRA and SAG, Leanna works often in film and television and lives in New York City with her real life hero and their beloved rescued lab rabbit. You can visit her at http://leannareneehieber.com.
When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father. By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this “vacation” has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up.
But understanding love, especially when you’ve watched your parents’ affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you’ve lost it?
What people are saying:
“The author does a terrific job of keeping the plot moving by using poetry to her advantage. Reluctant readers will appreciate the brevity while poetic souls will appreciate the format.”–School Library Journal, Starred Review
“A verse novel with real depth to accompany all that white space.”—Kirkus Reviews
“The formal variety of Tregay’s poems creates an immediacy that should maintain readers’ interest and sympathy for Marcie. With multiple shredded relationships and friendships, there’s more than enough angst to go around, as Marcie rages against the decisions her parents have made, as well as her own.”—Publisher’s Weekly
“Although the words are simple, the themes of Love and Leftovers are not.”—VOYA
“Amazing. The most delicious love story I’ve read in ages.”–Lauren Myracle, New York Times bestselling author of SHINE
Released: December 27, 2011
About the author:
Sarah Tregay is a graphic designer. When she isn’t jotting down poems at stoplights, Sarah can be found hanging out with her “little sister” from Big Brothers Big Sisters. She lives in Eagle, Idaho, with her husband, two Boston terriers, and an Appaloosa named Mr. Pots. You can visit her at www.sarahtregay.com.
Win an ARC of The Boy Project! Details at the end of this post.
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD:
an organized way of finding
answers to our questions
(according to Mrs. Sabatino)
Step 1: Ask a Question
Question: How can I find a boyfriend?
Monday, January 1
Bedtime
I am starting this experiment because I have no choice. Well, I have no choice unless you consider being a lifelong boyfriendless social outcast destined to die alone a choice. Which it isn’t.
To be honest with you I probably would have acted sooner if I’d known how truly desperate my situation was. Which I didn’t.
I was really in the dark about it. As dark as the closet I went into with Chip Tyler last night after he spun the bottle and it pointed to me.
Chip Tyler is a total dweeb. I’ve known him since kindergarten. I’ve grown up a lot since then. Chip hasn’t. So I wasn’t exactly hoping that I would end up in the closet with Chip on New Year’s Eve, but I guess I was a little excited that I might finally find out what it feels like to be kissed. But no. As soon as he shut the door behind us, he took my hand in his. Then he shook it. That’s all.
Wildly creative seventh grader, Kara McAllister, just had her best idea yet. She’s going to take notes on all of the boys in her grade (and a few elsewhere) in order to answer a seemingly simple question: How can she get a boyfriend? Kara’s project turns out to be a lot more complicated than she imagined. Soon there are secrets, lies, and an embarrassing incident in the boy’s bathroom. Plus, Kara has to deal with mean girls, her slightly spacey BFF, and some surprising uses for duct tape. Still, if Kara’s research leads her to the right boy, everything may just be worth it…
What people are saying:
“This middle-school drama is hip to the moment, with break-up texting, kissing and popularity tug of wars…Kara’s boy-crazy experiment lends refreshing perspective on teen relationships, and the results point to self-enlightenment.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Kinard creates a highly credible middle-school universe of popular girls, dorky boys, unpredictable teachers, and volatile loyalties; she hits all the right notes as Kara learns that first opinions are rarely accurate and that the scientific method does not always apply to human beings.”—Publisher’s Weekly
“Kara McAllister will take you on a wild ride through the halls (and boys’ bathrooms!) of middle school and keep you laughing every step of the way.”—Kathryn Erskine, Winner of the 2010 National Book Award for Mockingbird
Released: January 1, 2012
About the author:
Before she’d finished seventh grade, Kami Kinard had written several books. Most people call these books diaries. Without the details garnered from these early works, The Boy Project might not have been born! A former high school teacher, Kami currently writes from balmy, buggy, and beautiful Beaufort SC where she lives with her husband and two children. You can visit her at www.kamikinard.com.
Giveaway:
Kami has been kind enough to contribute an ARC of The Boy Project for a giveaway!
Just comment on this post to enter.
For extra entries:
-Be a follower of this site (just click “Join this site”) or a follower on Twitter [+1 entry each].
-Link to this contest on Twitter, Facebook, etc. [+1 entry per each link].
Please list your extra entries in the comments.
The contest is open in the US and Canada, and ends on January 19th at midnight EST.
I once read that football was invented so people wouldn’t notice summer ending. But I couldn’t wait for summer vacation to end. I couldn’t wait for football. Football, dominator of fall – football, love of my life.
“Blue forty-two! Blue forty-two! Red seventeen!” I yell.
The cue is red seventeen. JJ hikes me the ball. The defense is blitzing. JJ slams into a freshman safety, knocking him to the ground. The rest of my offensive line destroys the defense. Nice. The field’s wide open, but my wide receiver isn’t where he’s supposed to be.
“What the hell, Higgins?” I mutter to myself.
Dancing on my tiptoes, I scan the end zone and find Sam Henry instead, and hurl the ball. It flies through the air, a perfect spiral, heading right where I wanted it to go. He catches the ball, spikes it, and does this really stupid dance. Henry looks like a freaking ballerina. With his thin frame and girly blonde hair, he actually could be the star of the New York Ballet.
I’m gonna give him hell for his dance.
This is my senior year at Hundred Oaks High, and I’m captain, so I’m allowed to keep my players in line. Even though he’s my best friend, Henry has always been a showoff. His antics get us penalties.
Through the speaker in my helmet, I hear Coach Miller say, “Nice throw. This is your year, Woods. You’re going to lead us to the state championship. I can feel it… Hit the showers.” What the coach actually means? I know you’re not going to blow it in the final seconds of the championship game like you did last year.
What girl doesn’t want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn’t just surrounded by hot guys, though – she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that’s just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there’s a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team… and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.
What people are saying:
“Whoever said football and girls don’t mix hasn’t read CATCHING JORDAN! I stayed up all night reading – I couldn’t put it down!”–Simone Elkeles, New York Times Bestselling author of the PERFECT CHEMISTRY series
“I fell in love with the hero on page 1, and CATCHING JORDAN just gets better from there. This feel-good romantic comedy about high school football is the novel I’ve been waiting for. I loved it!”–Jennifer Echols, author of LOVE STORY, ENDLESS SUMMER, GOING TOO FAR and FORGET YOU
“CATCHING JORDAN has it all: heart, humor, and a serious set of balls. With a clever, authentic voice, Kenneally proves once and for all that when it comes to making life’s toughest calls — on and off the field — girls rule!”–Sarah Ockler, bestselling author of FIXING DELILAH and TWENTY BOY SUMMER
“A beautiful novel with a competitive spirit both on and off the field. With a real and captivating depiction of high school relationships, CATCHING JORDAN shows the same reverence for the human heart that it does for the game of football.”–Karsten Knight, author of WILDEFIRE
Released: December 1, 2011
About the author:
Miranda Kenneally is the author of CATCHING JORDAN, a contemporary YA novel about football and femininity, coming in December 2011. Other books include THE GIRL I USED TO BE (fall 2012) and BAD, BAD THING (spring 2013). Miranda is the co-creator of Dear Teen Me. The Dear Teen Me Anthology will be published by Zest Books (distributed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) in late 2012. She enjoys reading and writing young adult literature, and loves Star Trek, music, sports, Mexican food, Twitter, coffee, and her husband. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook. Miranda is represented by Sara Megibow at Nelson Literary Agency.
When high school junior Sara wins a coveted scholarship to study ballet, she must sacrifice everything for her new life as a professional dancer-in-training. Living in a strange city with a host family, she’s deeply lonely-until she falls into the arms of Remington, a choreographer in his early twenties. At first, she loves being Rem’s muse, but as she discovers a surprising passion for writing, she begins to question whether she’s chosen the right path. Is Rem using her, or is it the other way around? And is dancing still her dream, or does she need something more? This debut novel in verse is as intense and romantic as it is eloquent.
What people are saying:
“Stasia Ward Kehoe’s sinuous verse compellingly weaves this story of high level dance, scandalous romance and personal sacrifice.”– Ellen Hopkins, NYT Best-selling author of CRANK and PERFECT
“Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe is a sexy, poignant, and beautifully written coming of age story that will enchant readers of all backgrounds.”–Sarah Gundell, NovelNovice
“Intense, haunting, and ultimately hopeful. AUDITION captures the hazy space between dream and nightmare with honesty and fluid grace.”– Holly Cupala, author, TELL ME A SECRET
“Sara’s coming-of-age tale is one of passion and romance, colliding with her vision of whom she ultimately hopes to be. Her confused feelings are believably expressed, and her attitudes toward her friends and the adults in her life will ring true, especially to those readers who are also involved in the performing arts…Kehoe’s tale will appeal to teens yearning for a life on the stage and give them food for thought via an easy read.”–School Library Journal
Released: October 13, 2011
About the author:
Stasia Ward Kehoe grew up dancing and performing on stages from New Hampshire to Washington, DC. She now writes books for young adults and choreographs the occasional musical. Visit her online at www.stasiawardkehoe.com.
Book tour:
Stasia is kicking off Stages on Pages with 11 other authors who write about the performing arts–dance, theater, music–and were/are performers themselves, in addition to being writers. Check out their books, giveaways, and book trailer!
Tiki jumped as the dark figure loomed over the corner where she sat, pretending to be half- asleep. Thick, black hair hung low over his forehead, shadowing his eyes. The glittery light of the pub illuminated his face as he leaned toward her, and the fear that bubbled in her stomach dissipated as she recognized him.
“Rieker.” Tiki spoke in a low voice. “What are you doing here?” His timing couldn’t be worse. “Are you following me again?” She’d identified her mark and was just waiting for the right moment to make her move.
“Me follow you?” Rieker gave an arrogant snort. “Now why would I do that?” He jingled the coins in his pocket as if to taunt her. “I’ve been workin’ the World’s End for a few months now.” He leaned an elbow on the plank table, a mug of ale clutched in his hand. “Maybe you’re followin’ me.” He looked her up and down with a mocking gaze. “Because I’d swear I’ve never seen your pretty face in here before.”
Tiki forced an insincere smile. “Maybe you weren’t looking hard enough.” She tugged the bill of her cap down to hide her features. Dressed in breeches and a man’s oversize jacket, Tiki was perfectly disguised— no one but Rieker would have known she was a sixteen-year-old girl. And even he hadn’t known until two months ago.
Orphaned and picking pockets in London’s Charing Cross station to support not only herself, but her ‘family’ of orphans, sixteen year-old Tiki steals the Queen’s ring and thinks she’s solved their problems. That is, until Rieker, a pickpocket from the North End, suspects her in the theft and tells her that the ring is really a reservoir that holds a truce between the British and Faerie courts.
When he warns her that the fey will do anything, including murder, to recover the ring, Tiki is unsure whether to believe him or not. To complicate matters, Rieker seems to know something about the unusual birthmark on Tiki’s wrist. But when Tiki and her family are threatened the game changes.
In a dazzling debut that takes you from the gritty slums of Victorian London to the glittering ballrooms of the Royal Palace to the menacing Otherworld, you won’t want to miss this thrilling tale of mystery, adventure and romance.
“…an intriguing, beautifully written blend of historical fiction, mixed with the perfect dose of romance, mystery, and faerie lore, all set within the time period of Victorian London.”—Katie Bartow, Mundiemoms.blogspot.com
“If you’re interested in historical fiction, urban fantasy, faerie stories, strong female protagonists, and impeccable world building, read this book. If you’re not? Read it anyway, and find out why you should be!”—Candace Cunard, teensreadtoo.com
“The plot-driven story immediately immerses readers into the underworld of old London.”—VOYA
“Hamilton’s debut gracefully mixes fantasy, Dickensian London, and a dash of romance.”—Publishers Weekly
Released: September 27, 2011
About the author:
Kiki Hamilton believes in faeries. And magic. Her novel THE FAERIE RING, tells the story of a young orphan in Victorian England who discovers the reality of faeries. Though she has a BA in Business Administration from Washington State University and has worked in a variety of management positions, her first love is writing YA stories of fantasy and adventure. Kiki lives near Seattle, Washington, where it only rains part of the time. Visit her website at:www.kikihamilton.com.
Win a signed ARC of Virtuosity! Details at the end of this post.
The balcony felt cold under my cheek. Ten floors below me the traffic of Lake Shore Drive purred, but it seemed miles away. Everything before me was perfectly still: a black starless sky over Lake Michigan, my bare arm jutting out between metal bars, and the burnt-orange scroll of my violin rising out of my clenched fist.
It would be as easy as opening my hand. I could just uncurl my fingers one by one, and when the last one relaxed, the violin would slice the night sky like a blade, plummeting to the ground below. Then it would be over.
I exhaled and felt my body flatten against the concrete. My mother would be furious about the gown. Her personal dressmaker had twisted and tucked and pleated the filmy chiffon until it looked like a waterfall, flowing cascades in three shades of blue. Now it was bunched beneath me, probably soaking up dirt, grease, cigarette ash, and whatever else hotel balconies collected.
I shivered. The wind swirled around me, picking up my hair and whipping it against my cheek and bare back. The hair clips and bobby pins were long gone—they’d been the first things I’d removed after stepping inside the hotel room. Then I’d slipped off my heels, peeled off my stockings, and pulled out my earrings. But nothing helped. I couldn’t slough off the shame that clung to my skin.
Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. Two weeks before the most important violin competition of her career, she has bigger things to worry about—like growing out of that suffocating “child prodigy” label, and not disappointing her mother.
But it isn’t just the wrong time. It’s the wrong guy. Jeremy is Carmen’s most talented rival, and according to her mother, he’s only interested in one thing: winning.
He isn’t the only one.
Carmen is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to control performance nerves. But what started a year ago as an easy fix is now a hungry addiction. Carmen is too terrified to quit, but sick of not feeling anything on stage, sick of doing what she’s told.
Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall….
What people are saying:
“Martinez brings this overwrought world to tense, quivering life and guides readers through it confidently. A brilliant debut.”–Kirkus, starred review
“An intoxicating blend of passion, vulnerability, and the desire to have it all, no matter the cost. A mesmerizing read.”–Lauren Myracle, bestselling author of Shine and ttyl
“Passionate and true, Virtuosity sings from first page to last. I followed Carmen’s intense journey through obsession, heartbreak, and self-discovery as if her struggles and triumphs were my own.”–Sarah Ockler, author of Fixing Delilah and Twenty Boy Summer
“Beautiful writing, a swoon-worthy romance, and tension that will keep you turning the pages. Virtuosity is pitch-perfect.”–Lauren Barnholdt, author of Sometimes It Happens and Two-Way Street
“Heartfelt, gripping, and unflinchingly authentic. Virtuosity will change the way you think about music.”–Antony John, author of Five Flavors of Dumb
Released: October 18, 2011
About the author:
Jessica Martinez was born and raised in Calgary, Canada. As a child she played the violin, read books and climbed trees incessantly. She went on to study English and music at Brigham Young University, and since then has been a high school English teacher, symphony violinist, elementary school teacher, violin teacher, and mother. She currently live in Orlando, Florida with her husband and two children. You can visit her at www.jessicamartinez.com.
Giveaway:
Jessica has been kind enough on contribute a signed ARC of Virtuosity for a giveaway!
Just comment on this post to enter.
For extra entries:
-Be a follower of this site (just click “Join this site”) or a follower on Twitter [+1 entry each].
-Link to this contest on Twitter, Facebook, etc. [+1 entry per each link].
Please list your extra entries in the comments.
The contest is open in the US and Canada, and ends on October 25th at midnight EST.
Win a copy of Dearly Departed! Details at the end of this post.
Prologue
Bram
I was buried alive.
When the elevator groaned to a stop in the middle of the rocky shaft, I knew I was buried alive. Trapped thousands of feet below the earth’s surface and hundreds above the bottom of the shaft, dangling in a ten-by-ten foot cage over the bowels of the very mine I had been so freaking relieved to get work in.
I pulled myself to my feet and pushed my best friend Jack aside, hitting the button that controlled the elevator. I hit it again and again, wailed my fist on it. Nothing. The glass-paned lantern dangling from the ceiling flickered wildly as the kerosene within dwindled, as if it were attempting to ward off its own death with bursts of exaggerated life.
Dread became a solid, burning thing within me, something twisting my own flesh to its will, speeding my heart and making my skin slick with sweat. Before I knew it was coming up, I doubled over and retched through the grated floor. Jack sat calmly beside me as I heaved, his bloody eye sockets and the gaping wound in his throat mocking me, mocking my attempt to rescue him. He looked like some kind of hellish funhouse clown.
The dam broke, and I finally started screaming. At Jack. At God. At everything. There was nothing left to do but scream. I hadn’t screamed when the monsters had descended on us. I hadn’t screamed when I’d had to run from them, or fight them, or when I’d dragged Jack to the elevator, blood bursting from the hole in his neck. Everything had happened so quickly, it’d seemed there’d been no time to scream.
A cyber-Victorian/steampunk romance – with zombies.
Almost two hundred years in the future, Nora Dearly lives in a world of bustled gowns, fake manners, watery tea, and uppity lords and ladies.
Thank God the zombies came to rescue her.
Dragged into the night by the living dead, Nora soon finds herself fighting for the father she thought long gone, the friend she was forced to leave behind – and the love of a handsome, noble young army captain.
Who just happens to be a walking corpse.
Released: October 18, 2011
About the author:
Lia Habel was born in Jamestown, NY, and has lived there the majority of her life. Her first book, Dearly, Departed, is a sweeping tale of zombie-living romance set in a cyber-Victorian/steampunk future. When Dearly, Departed sold, Lia was swimming in debt incurred from her studies and years of un- and underemployment, with only a few dollars to her name. Miss Habel enjoys attending anachronistic and steampunk events, watching zombie movies (she has watched over a hundred of them), commissioning ball gowns, and collecting Victorian and Edwardian books. She is incredibly grateful for the opportunities she has recently been given. You can visit her at liahabel.com.
Giveaway:
Lia has been kind enough to contribute a copy of Dearly Departed for a giveaway!
Just comment on this post to enter.
For extra entries:
-Be a follower of this site (just click “Join this site”) or a follower on Twitter [+1 entry each].
-Link to this contest on Twitter, Facebook, etc. [+1 entry per each link].
Please list your extra entries in the comments.
The contest is open in the US and Canada, and ends on October 18th at midnight EST.
Win a signed copy of Falling for Hamlet! Details at the end of this post.
Prologue
“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Oh, thank you!” Zara shouts as she feigns surprise at the audience’s outpouring of affection and its standing ovation. She gestures for the audience members to sit down, though she smiles broadly when they continue to stand. “Please. Please,” she gestures, and since they have all been watching her for years, they know that she means business even when she’s giving a casual instruction. They settle into their seats as Zara flops precisely onto her overstuffed cream couch, smoothing her dark hair.
She leans forward and begins: “Today we have a guest who will amaze you.” She pauses to punctuate the drama and yells, “Ophelia is in the house!” Her tone sends the audience members to their feet again. They know how lucky they are to have been in the audience on this day, and this is their moment to show it. The camera cuts to mostly middle-aged women in seasonal sweaters gasping, clapping, smiling. One even dabs a tear of excitement, or is it sadness? Who can tell, and who really cares? It’s a tear that some cameraman was lucky enough to capture, a cameraman who is planning, as he films, what he will buy with the bonus the segment producer will give him for catching an actual tear wipe.
The audience calms down after a last twitter and exchange of amazed glances. “Our nation has been so deeply saddened by the tragedies surrounding the royals of Denmark. Today, we will speak to Ophelia herself and find out how this young woman was caught up in the secrecy, the revenge, and the madness . . . madness that we all thought had consumed her.
“You are a lucky audience, indeed, to be here this afternoon. Ophelia has agreed to make one appearance, one exclusive appearance, to tell her story. So, ladies and gentlemen, here she is. Ophelia, come on out here, girl.”
Meet Ophelia, high school senior, daughter of the Danish king’s most trusted adviser, and longtime girlfriend of Prince Hamlet. She lives a glamorous life, has a royal social circle, and her beautiful face is splashed across magazines and TV. But it comes with a price — her life is dominated not only by Hamlet’s fame and his overbearing royal family but also by the paparazzi who hound them wherever they go.
After the sudden and suspicious death of his father, the king, Hamlet spirals dangerously toward madness, and Ophelia finds herself torn between loyalty to her boyfriend, her father, her country, and her true self.
This is a contemporary retelling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet from Ophelia’s point of view filled with drama, romance, tragedy, and humor. And this time, Ophelia doesn’t die.
What people are saying:
“Sexy and searing, Falling for Hamlet is much more than a riveting retelling of a Shakespearean classic. Michelle Ray has crafted an artful story of a girl who comes unapologetically and forcefully into her own.”–Justina Chen, author of Girl, Overboard
“To read or not to read will never be the question for Falling for Hamlet. Michelle Ray’s clever debut gives readers an Ophelia who is in turns humorous, clever, and full of girl power. I’m simply mad for this book.”–Elizabeth Eulberg, author of Prom and Prejudice
“Falling for Hamlet is incredible. Michelle Ray has a real gift for the inclusion of those subtle but important details that make a story absolutely real. I found myself thinking about the characters as if I knew them as real people long after I finished the book. If you don’t love Falling for Hamlet you’re as crazy as Hamlet himself. There’s something wonderful in the state of Denmark.”–Trent Reedy, bestselling author of Words in the Dust
Released: July 5, 2011
About the author:
Michelle Ray is a graduate of Tufts University where she majored in drama. She is now a sixth grade English teacher in Silver Spring, Maryland, where she lives with her family.
Michelle spends a great deal of time trying to convince people that Shakespeare is not scary, both in her professional and personal life. Falling for Hamletis her first novel. You can visit her at www.michelleraybooks.com.
Giveaway:
Michelle has been king enough to contribute a signed copy of Falling for Hamlet for a giveaway!
Just comment on this post to enter.
For extra entries:
-Be a follower of this site (just click “Join this site”) or a follower on Twitter [+1 entry each].
-Link to this contest on Twitter, Facebook, etc. [+1 entry per each link].
Please list your extra entries in the comments.
The contest is open in the US and Canada and ends on August 2nd at midnight EST.
