DELIVER ME by Kate Jarvik Birch

I am so happy to be a part of the cover reveal for DELIVER ME by Kate Jarvik Birch, coming April 15^th from Bloomsbury Spark.

Blurb:

One People. One Union. One Future. 

Wynne’s entire life is dictated by the Union: the clothes she wears, the books she reads, even the genes she inherited. And like every other girl in the Union, Wynne dreams of being chosen as a Carrier on her 16^th birthday—one of the elite selected to carry the future generation within her womb. Wynne and her best friend Odessa are certain they will both make the cut, but when Odessa is chosen and whisked off to a life of privilege, Wynne is left behind to work as an assistant, delivering babies for the Union.

As Odessa slips deeper and deeper into the role of Carrier, Wynne begins to see the Union for what it really is: a society that criminalizes the notion of love, and forbids words like mother and family.

For the first time in her life, Wynne is faced with a choice: submit to the will of the Union, or find a way to escape and save Odessa before she is lost forever.

Goodreads |

About the Author

Kate Jarvik Birch is a visual artist and writer living in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and three kids. She wrote her first novel in fourth grade. The main character was suspiciously similar to herself and the love interest bore quite a strong resemblance to the boy she had a crush on. As an adult, her essays and short stories have been published in Isotope: A Journal of Literary Nature and Science Writing, Saint Ann's Review, Scissors and Spackle and Indiana Review. Her first play, (a man enters), co-written with Elaine Jarvik, was produced in 2011 by Salt Lake Acting Co.

Kate’s debut novel, DELIVER ME, comes out April 15^th from Bloomsbury Spark. PERFECTED will be released July 1^st from Entangled Teen.

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Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below to win an electronic copy of DELIVER ME from Bloomsbury Spark as well as a $20 Amazon gift card!

Click here to Enter

  

The Bloomsbury Spark Launch List Seven

Today, Thursday, December 19, is Launch Day for Bloomsbury Spark. All of these titles are now available for purchase! 

 

I have been so fortunate to get to know these fabulous women through my association with Bloomsbury Spark. These are the Launch List Seven. I'm so happy for each of them as they embark on being part of the launch of this great new imprint.

I asked each of them how they planned to celebrate Launch Day for their Bloomsbury Spark debuts. Here are their answers…and links to their websites and goodreads pages for each of their books.

Christine Duval author of Positively Mine

“I am celebrating with a great book blitz that is going on right now with a $50 Amazon gift card giveaway http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d04251294/ And also, a glass of champagne with some good friends.”

Ashley Poston author of The Sound of Us

“With Frankie Brown (author of Until We End) at Avid Bookstore! And a book blitz.”

Frankie Brown author of Until We End

“Partying at Avid Bookshop with all closest friends.”

Jenny Kaczorowski author of The Art of Falling

“Packing to travel the next day & probably some bacon cheeseburgers My book tour, #12daysoffalling, is happening now & I might do something in person in the new year.”

Jen McConnel author of The Secret of Isobel Key

“I'm kicking off 12 Days of Scotland on my blog, getting a massage, and meeting some friends for wine and chocolate that night. The perfect blend of pampering and play!”

Cat Kalen author of Pride’s Run

“Kicking off my release with a big facebook, twitter and goodreads blitz and shoveling out from this snow storm we're having today!!”

Marie Langager author of Beyond Our Stars

“I'll be packing, and hanging out with the family! I'm excited to travel for the holidays and see family and friends!”

Review of THE ART OF FALLING by Jenny Kaczorowski

In honor of the launch of Bloomsbury Spark, the fabulous new digital imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing, I've been given the opportunity to preview several of the launch titles. Of course, as fate has it, I haven't had enough time to read them all!

Because it's Contemporary YA, I read THE ART OF FALLING by Jenny Kaczorowski first.

Goodreads blurb: For seventeen-year-old Bria Hale, image is everything. She’s a militant vegan with purple hair, Doc Martens and a permanent scowl. Kissing captain of the football team Ben Harris? Definitely not part of that image.

Now with each secret kiss, she’s falling deeper for the boy every girl at Oceanside High is crushing on. Throw in a few forbidden bacon cheeseburgers and she’s facing one major identity crisis.

Ignoring Ben should be easy, but when a flashy display of artistic spirit lands her in close quarters after hours with the boy she’s too cool to like, she can’t keep pretending those kisses meant nothing. With her reputation and her heart on a collision course, Bria must either be true to herself or to the persona she’s spent all of high school creating.


First of all, the cover. Isn't the cover gorgeous? It's such a great image and so true to the book. Second of all...the writing. This is a lovely, YA romance. I loved the main character. Jenny does a superb job of crafting a a complicated, strong, and utterly charming protagonist. And yet like real life, Bria isn'tperfect. I loved everything about her. Her friends are awesome. The boy for whom she falls in love is awesome too. And none of them are perfect. Just like real life. 

I wanted to fall into the book and hang out with them.

The book is available on Thursday! Add it to your "to read" list on Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18619662-the-art-of-falling?from_search=true

ANYWAY YOU SLICE IT

So happy to make the official announcement this morning...as it's posted on Publisher's Marketplace.

Kristine Carlson Asselin's ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT, pitched as MYSTIC PIZZA meets THE CUTTING EDGE, in which the pizza business is all a fifteen-year-old knows until a chance meeting with a hockey player and a lucky shot opens her up to a new world on the ice, far away from the responsibilities and pressures of the family restaurant, to Meredith Rich of Bloomsbury Spark, by Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. 

I'm thrilled to be working with Meredith Rich on this project. I can't wait for you all to read about my hockey girl!

My Book Deal Announced: THE SWEET SPOT

I've signed with Meredith Rich of Bloomsbury Spark for my YA novel, THE SWEET SPOT!!!

I have been holding onto this news for weeks. I'm still pinching myself that it's actually real. Here's a screen shot on Publisher's Marketplace from yesterday that proves it's real (September 9, 2013):

Here's the text, if you can't read that tiny print.

Kristine Carlson Asselin's THE SWEET SPOT, in which it is hard enough being a sporty girl in a guy's world without having to figure out who wants to destroy her family business, especially when it could mean accusing her best friend… and secret crush, to Meredith Rich of Bloomsbury Spark by Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

***
SQUEE!!!!

Some of you may remember reading excerpts of this YA manuscript on WriteOnCon, or years ago when it was a short story on Critique Circle. There have been various versions of the MS, and some of my fabulous friends have read multiple versions (I'm looking at you, Laura Pauling, Natasha Sass, and Jennifer Carson). Thank you to all of you who provided critique or insight!

I want to thank my amazing agent Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency for working out the details of the contract. I'm so thankful to Meredith Rich for falling in love with a twitter pitch, and then the novel. And thanks to Brenda Drake and her team for #Pitmad this past May--Meredith favorited my pitch and the rest is history.

Actual tweet favorited by Meredith from #PitMad: A near-miss kiss from Scott, Dad hires a hot new Brit & SOMEONE torches the 8th green. How can Kate focus on her golf game? #YA #pitmad

I looked back in my archives. The very first words of this story were written from a kernel of an idea in August 2006. I've learned a ton from reworking the words over the last seven years. Some day I'll post those early words as an interesting comparison.

In the meantime, I'm ecstatic about working with Meredith to polish up the novel. And I really can't wait to share THE SWEET SPOT with the world. I'm dying for you to know and love Kate and Scott, like I do.