I’m so excited to be a stop for the blog tour for Shuttered by Laurie Faria Stolarz. Read on for info on the book and a fabulous guest post from Laurie.
ABOUT SHUTTER:
THE FACTS
• Julian Roman, age sixteen, is an escapee from the Fairmount County Juvenile Detention Facility.
• His parents, Michael Roman and Jennifer Roman, are dead.
• Julian is wanted for murder.
THE QUESTIONS
• Why is Julian Roman on the run?
• Just how dangerous is he?
• And who did kill Michael and Jennifer Roman, if not Julian?
Seventeen-year-old Day Baker views life through the lens of her camera, where perspective is everything. But photographs never tell the whole story. After Day crosses paths with Julian, the world she pictures and the truths she believes-neatly captured in black and white-begin to blur.
Julian is not the “armed and dangerous” escapee the police are searching for, but his alibis don’t quite add up, either. There is more to his story. This time, Day is determined to see the entire picture . . . whatever it reveals. Did he? Or didn’t he?
Day digs deeper into the case while Julian remains on the run. But the longer her list of facts becomes, the longer the list of questions becomes, too. It’s also getting harder to deny the chemistry she feels for him. Is it real? Or is she being manipulated?
Day is close to finding the crack in the case. She just needs time to focus before the shutter snaps shut.
Buy links: Amazon|Barnes & Noble
Guest Post:
10 things I didn’t know about being an author before I became one
1. I didn’t know how much of a good investment high quality coffee would be.
2. I knew that writing could be isolating, but I didn’t know the value and importance of connecting with other writers both in-person and online. Attend conferences, teach workshops, go on writing retreats, organize panels at bookstores, schedule meet-ups to work or talk shop, etc., etc.
3. I didn’t know how much of a pen snob I’d become. Writers need to invest in high-quality pens and notebooks (and keep them handy at all times). It makes a big difference when scribbling down ideas or working through plot.
4. I didn’t know how much my work would mean to certain readers. Over the years I’ve had readers tell me my work has gotten them to love reading, saved their lives, changed their philosophical and religious views, helped them escape, inspired them to write, given them hope, taught them about courage, and helped them face their biggest fears.
5. I didn’t know that coffee shops could provide some of the best office space.
6. I didn’t know what an impact I could make as an author. After I had a couple of books published, I started making periodic visits to an all girls’ residential treatment facility to talk about my work, writing, and perseverance. On one of my visits, I hit huge traffic and arrived thirty minutes late (and I’m never late for anything, so it was super stressful). When I finally got there, a girl was in tears simply because she didn’t think I’d come and I actually did. She was so used to being disappointed in life, she cried to think I’d actually pull through.
7. I didn’t know that sometimes the best writing happens away from the computer. I’m frequently thinking of character and plot throughout my day, which is why keeping that notebook and pen handy is essential.
8. I didn’t know how beneficial it was to get away from the screen to get inspired. Sometimes when you sit down at the computer, the words just aren’t there. Taking walks, exercising, being active in the community, getting out with others, teaching, learning, experiencing…it’s all essential for writing.
9. I didn’t know how much the industry would change – the birth of e-Readers and book blogs, the death of Borders. There are now more online opportunities for marketing, but less shelf space at stores to carry titles. There are more opportunities for people to be published, but less certainty as to where publishing houses and authors will get the biggest bang for their marketing/advertising buck.
10. I didn’t know how grateful I’d be for my marketing degree.
ABOUT LAURIE FARIA STOLARZ:
Laurie Faria Stolarz grew up in Salem, MA, attended Merrimack College, and received an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College in Boston.
Laurie Faria Stolarz is an American author of young adult fiction novels, best known for her Blue is for Nightmares series. Her works, which feature teenage protagonists, blend elements found in mystery and romance novels.
Stolarz found sales success with her first novel, Blue is for Nightmares, and followed it up with three more titles in the series, White is for Magic, Silver is for Secrets, and Red is for Remembrance, as well as a companion graphic novel, Black is for Beginnings. Stolarz is also the author of the Touch series (Deadly Little Secret, Deadly Little Lies, Deadly Little Games, Deadly Little Voices, and Deadly Little Lessons), as well as Bleed and Project 17. With more than two million books sold worldwide, Stolarz’s titles have been named on various awards list.
Website|Twitter|Facebook
Tour Schedule:
Week 1:
10/10: Pretty Deadly Reviews – Review
10/11: The Irish Banana Review – Q&A
10/12: A Writer Named Charley – Review
10/13: Novelgossip – Guest Post
10/14: The Worn Bookmark – Review
Week 2:
10/17: Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Review
10/18: Bibliobuli YA – Guest Post
10/19: That Artsy Reader Girl – Review
10/20: In Wonderland – Top 10
10/21: Stuck In Books – Review
Giveaway:
3 Finished Copies of SHUTTER (US Only)
Novelgossip 