tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80095741308293794342024-02-19T07:22:23.628-05:00Cara BertrandYoung Adult Author, ABNA 2011 FinalistCara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-18614993043623550712016-08-24T16:35:00.002-04:002016-08-24T16:35:41.603-04:00Tangled Thoughts on Tour!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.novelpublicity.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/luminis-facebook-banner-1-700x259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.novelpublicity.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/luminis-facebook-banner-1-700x259.jpg" height="235" width="640" /></a></div>
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This week <em><strong><a href="http://sententiabooks.blogspot.com/p/book-3.html" target="_blank">Tangled Thoughts</a></strong> </em>is on tour, a blog tour to be precise! Head over to:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.novelpublicity.com/tours/current/the-luminis-thoughts-tour/" target="_blank">The Luminis Thoughts Tour @ Novel Publicity</a></span><br />
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for reviews, an exclusive interview, and a super-stocked raffle!!<br />
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New reader interested in the series? <strong><em>Lost in Thought</em></strong> is currently available for less than $4! Don't miss out!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="550" src="https://read.amazon.com/kp/card?asin=B00IQY2R9O&asin=B00IQY2R9O&preview=inline" style="max-width: 100%;" type="text/html" width="336"></iframe><br />Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-64312430955695869242016-06-07T14:35:00.001-04:002016-06-07T14:35:38.528-04:00B-Fest! B there! Saturday, 6/11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Event alert! Saturday, June 11, 1-4PM</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Millbury, MA Barnes & Noble </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Shoppes at Blackstone Valley<br />
70 Worcester Providence Turnpike #5 </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Join me, <a href="http://www.lisaakramer.com/" target="_blank">Lisa Kramer</a>, <a href="http://welcometonyeusigrube.blogspot.com/p/den-of-shadows.html" target="_blank">Amelia Atwater-Rhodes</a>, <a href="http://mandilynn.com/" target="_blank">Mandi Lynn</a>, <a href="http://ginadami.co/" target="_blank">Gina Damico</a>, and <a href="http://www.mpbarker.net/" target="_blank">MP Barker</a> at Barnes & Noble's first ever Teen Book Festival! Open signing from 1:00 to 3:00PM followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session on our books and being a writer! For more information, visit BN.COM/B-Fest. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Do we have an <strong>awesome</strong> line-up or what?!</span></div>
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Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-90006694088168908462016-05-12T12:54:00.000-04:002016-05-12T12:57:45.228-04:00TANGLED THOUGHTS ebook NOW AVAILABLE!Hooray!!! The ebook for TANGLED THOUGHTS is yours for the having! Go ahead, download it today! <br />
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</span> <span style="font-size: large;">| <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cara-Bertrand/e/B009NK4OLO" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Cara%20Bertrand%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/tangled-thoughts/id1112611948?mt=11" target="_blank">iTunes</a> | | <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/tangled-thoughts-1" target="_blank">Kobo</a> |</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">No ereader? No problem! Paperback original coming soon! Preorder yours today: <a href="http://www.odysseybks.com/book/9781941311943" target="_blank">The Odyssey Bookshop</a> (signed copies) | <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781941311943" target="_blank">IndieBound</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">And while you're at it, go ahead and add the book on </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27135562-tangled-thoughts" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>!</span>Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-33901485481772469112016-02-16T10:13:00.000-05:002016-05-12T12:37:22.954-04:00Thoughts Point to Yes: A Sententia Novella available NOW! A sweet little something to tide you over until <a href="http://sententiabooks.blogspot.com/p/book-3.html" target="_blank">Tangled Thoughts</a>... Thoughts Point to Yes (A Sententia Novella) is available TODAY!<br />
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The summer after Lainey Young’s senior year at Northbrook Academy was supposed to be perfect. She should have known better than to believe anything would turn out the way it was <em>supposed</em> to. Following her disastrous confrontation with Daniel Astor, and her narrow escape with her life, Lainey spends the months before college lonely and alone, and worse—she has to pretend that’s exactly how she wants to be. <br />
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But as summer draws to a close, Lainey’s best friend Amy Moretti surprises her with a request: one last day, just the two of them. A <em>Yes Day</em>. One final hurrah before college forces them apart, too—to different rooms, with different roommates, on different sides of the river—for the first time in two years. Together, they journey around Boston, surprising each other, and themselves. In the end, Lainey makes one final decision, and one last goodbye, before starting her freshman year with a new resolution and a renewed sense of the thing she’d once wanted most: freedom. <br />
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This ebook original includes the 75-page novella Thoughts Point to Yes PLUS an additional 17 pages of BONUS SCENES.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.com/B01BTQI6K4" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/615848" target="_blank">Smashwords</a> | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/thoughts-point-to-yes-sententia/id1085832203?mt=11" target="_blank">iTunes</a> | <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/thoughts-point-to-yes-a-sententia-novella" target="_blank">Kobo</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thoughts-point-to-yes-cara-bertrand/1123428669?ean=2940158054631" target="_blank">B&N</a>Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-76744392619841252832015-10-28T12:33:00.000-04:002015-10-28T12:33:57.862-04:00Title and Cover Reveal for Sententia 3!Yes, I know what you're thinking: FINALLY! So without further ado...<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">TANGLED THOUGHTS (Book Three of the Sententia) releasing 4/1/16!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NSsOFHnGVhOiegqoLXs7WYQAi7QAuE0nQDhFFRjb6Mfo41uwCxEbdKENdQvHmUzZwDM3xUhoV-EgTeaq250mLDAabvTHhGyNNb-f6y8YyGfwFMTMYyjHnSdGtT4bJ4yzi86PT9V8ORs/s1600/Tangled+Thougts+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NSsOFHnGVhOiegqoLXs7WYQAi7QAuE0nQDhFFRjb6Mfo41uwCxEbdKENdQvHmUzZwDM3xUhoV-EgTeaq250mLDAabvTHhGyNNb-f6y8YyGfwFMTMYyjHnSdGtT4bJ4yzi86PT9V8ORs/s640/Tangled+Thougts+cover.jpg" width="408" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.odysseybks.com/book/9781941311943" target="_blank">The Odyssey Bookshop</a> | <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781941311943" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cara-Bertrand/e/B009NK4OLO" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Cara%20Bertrand%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | iTunes | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27135562-tangled-thoughts" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span>Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-15855420247907133562015-03-10T11:09:00.003-04:002015-03-10T11:09:20.693-04:00Pi*e Day Panel!<strong>SATURDAY, 3/14</strong> aka Pi(e) Day at <strong>4pm</strong> come see:<br />
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<a href="http://anniecardi.com/" target="_blank">Annie Cardi</a> <em>(The Chance You Won't Return)</em><br />
<a href="http://ginadami.co/" target="_blank">Gina Damico</a> <em>(Hellhole)</em><br />
<a href="http://www.acgaughen.com/" target="_blank">A.C. Gaughen</a> <em>(Scarlet)</em><br />
<a href="http://www.kimharringtonbooks.com/" target="_blank">Kim Harrington</a> <em>(Forget Me)</em><br />
and<br />
<a href="http://www.thesententia.com/" target="_blank">ME</a> :)<br />
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for an <strong>epic YA panel</strong> and, just maybe, PIE<br />
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at<br />
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<a href="http://www.bluebunnybooks.com/" target="_blank">Blue Bunny Books</a><br />
577 High Street * Dedham Square * Dedham, MA 02026 <br />
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We'll be talking books, taking questions, and signing your stuff! Bring your smiling faces out of the house!<br />
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You can even <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/400875590093568/" target="_blank">RSVP here</a> if you want to make us happy!<br />
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Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-50060119071175310682015-01-12T13:15:00.001-05:002015-01-12T13:15:34.789-05:00Winter's a good time to stay in and...make positive changes! I've always been fond of the New Year and fresh starts. Every year I make resolutions and--believe it or not--I keep most of them. Why? I like to set achievable goals and self-improvements because, frankly, no one likes failure. <br />
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Failure is demoralizing, but small successes add up. Collective small accomplishments, and the sense of pride/increases in well-being/incremental improvements that come with them, can eventually lead to those big, sweeping goals and changes. And if they don't? You've STILL done something positive. You've still not-failed. And THAT, to me, is winning.<br />
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So my simple but meaningful resolutions for this year:<br />
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<ol>
<li>VITAMINS. Taking them, regularly, is a small effort that can have a big impact on my overall well-being and energy levels. And they're so easy to skip. So, in effort to stick to this resolution--and a few other things too--I have a motivational/accountability calendar. Stars for successes, and it hangs <strong>in the kitchen</strong>, so cannot be ignored.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Photo: Not perfect, but not bad! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/progress?src=hash">#progress</a> <a href="http://t.co/EpJxiWLysb">http://t.co/EpJxiWLysb</a><br />
— Cara Bertrand (@carabertrand) <a href="https://twitter.com/carabertrand/status/554694360001175552">January 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <br />
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</li>
<li>COMPOST. This is something we started several years ago, but husband and I got verrry lazy with in 2014. 2015 we're back at it and off to a good start.<br />
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</li>
<li>Use fewer PLASTIC BAGS. I know, this isn't really a quantifiable one, since I don't really keep track. BUT making the resolution keeps me mindful about making conscious choices. So far, so good.<br />
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</li>
<li>Go to more BOOK EVENTS. Not as an author (I go to pretty much any I'm invited to!), but as a guest. Just to be in the book community more, meet people, fan girl and all-around participate. I've been to two so far this month (see the blue stars on the calendar!), which is about as many non-author events as I attended all year last year. One a month would be great. I'm already ahead!<br />
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</li>
<li>Late entry to the list, but a good one: USE FEWER CHEMICALS (on my body and elsewhere). A friend's post on Facebook inspired this one. She was starting with eliminating commercial deodorant and making her own. I'm not ready to give that up--yet--but it got me thinking. Lately, my skin has been the worst it's possibly ever been, or at least since high school. My friend's chemical detox got me thinking about the random time I bought an olive oil body scrub and used it on my face when I ran out of my Clean & Clear. While it lasted--never found it again--I thought my skin looked great. So, I decided my first experiment would be skin care because Lord knows it can't hardly get worse, or more expensive than the commercial products I've been using. SO, enter first two days of homemade olive oil, honey, sea salt face scrub:<br />
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So far REALLY good.</li>
</ol>
What are YOUR resolutions? Got any homeopathic/non-chemical recipes for me? :)<br />
<ol>
</ol>
Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-85171695791294270032014-12-29T22:04:00.000-05:002014-12-29T22:04:08.567-05:00'Best of' 2014 readsIt's that time of year again! In no particular order, my top reads of 2014:<br />
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<li><em><a href="http://amzn.com/B0061Q6CI6" target="_blank">Such a Rush</a></em>, Jennifer Echols- So good, I read it twice! She is an absolute master of sexual tension.</li>
<li><em><a href="http://amzn.com/B00BATIMO6" target="_blank">The Burning Sky</a></em>, Sherry Thomas- I could gush on and on. Loved everything about this, especially the magic and Titus. Give me your tortured heroes, all of them.</li>
<li><em><a href="http://amzn.com/B005IQZC2M" target="_blank">Seraphina</a></em>, Rachel Hartman- Orma is my spirit animal.</li>
<li><em><a href="http://amzn.com/B00GU2RLMC" target="_blank">The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry</a></em>, Gabrielle Zevin- Just brilliant, especially if you're a book person. Bookseller recommendation, and I picked up a signed copy.</li>
<li><em><a href="http://amzn.com/B005LVQZLQ" target="_blank">Grave Mercy</a></em>, Robin LaFevers- God of Death hooked me; the brilliant writing kept me (for the whole series). I am almost always most partial to book 1 in series with rotating POVs...something about the first characters I fall in love with. (BONUS: Only $1.99 on Kindle as of this writing!)</li>
<li><em><a href="http://amzn.com/B00ERWUQR4" target="_blank">The Winner's Curse</a></em>, Marie Rutkoski- I'm slightly obsessed with this book and especially the last line. This was a 'word of mouth' read that I snagged on a whim after I seemed to be hearing the title from every blogger I followed on Twitter. There's a reason they were all talking about it. A good one.</li>
</ul>
Honorables!<br />
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Best voice: <a href="http://amzn.com/B007HU7J0A" target="_blank">Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea</a>, April Genevieve Tucholke<br />
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Best series (that I read all of this year): TIE <br />
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<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B00CKD3N1S/kindle/ref=sr_bookseriesnull_B00CKD3N1S" target="_blank">The Montmaray Journals</a>, Michelle Cooper (I listened to these on audio and HIGHLY recommend that medium)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B00K76PZWK/kindle/ref=sr_bookseriesnull_B00K76PZWK" target="_blank">His Fair Assassin series</a>, Robin LaFevers</li>
</ul>
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Best series starter: <a href="http://amzn.com/B004INH9P4" target="_blank">Blood Red Road</a>, Moira Young<br />
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Best sleeper hit (ie. HFS, why aren't more people reading this?!?!): <a href="http://amzn.com/B00AGVNHC6" target="_blank">The Lost Sun</a>, Tessa Gratton<br />
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My stats for the year: approximately 65 books read, though this number includes some novellas and an early chapter book or two I read with my daughter (and does not include DNFs or manuscripts, my own or critique partners'). This is four fewer books than last year; <em>however</em>, it amounted to only 1,600 pages fewer than last year's total, not even a chapter's worth of words. So I read a bunch of BIG books this year. Looking at my list, I understand why, because I devoured a good amount of rich fantasy, series conclusions, and historical fiction.<br />
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The above list is only a smattering of the books I loved and liked out of the 60+! Remember you can always follow what I'm reading on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/carabertrand" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> or <a href="http://carabertrand.blogspot.com/p/what-im-reading.html" target="_blank">here on the blog</a>.<br />
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<strong>What were your favorites of the year? What should I put on my TBR for 2015?</strong>Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-22542555646920835322014-12-01T11:04:00.001-05:002014-12-01T11:04:53.139-05:00Shop Small, Give Books!'Tis the season! What makes great gifts, now and year round? BOOKS! <br />
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<em>Thank you </em>in advance to everyone who supports their favorite booksellers this holiday season, and <em><strong>extra</strong></em> thanks to those who choose to gift the Sententia Series! <br />
<br />
Want to make your gift even <em>more</em> special? You can #shopsmall and order <strong><em>signed and personalized</em></strong> editions of the Sententia books direct from my local indie, <strong><a href="http://www.odysseybks.com/" target="_blank">The Odyssey Bookshop</a> </strong>in South Hadley, MA. They ship anywhere in the world and gift wrap too! <br />
<br />
Signed paperbacks are <strong>in stock</strong> and can ship immediately. <em>Personalized </em>copies in any format (hardcover, paperback) can be special ordered and ship in time for Christmas.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong><a href="http://www.odysseybks.com/search/apachesolr_search?author_filter=Bertrand%2C%20Cara" target="_blank">ORDER HERE!</a></strong></span><span style="color: blue;"><strong> <span style="color: black;">*Remember to request signed editions/note personalization at check out.</span></strong></span><br />
<strong></strong><br />
Already purchased copies you'd like to make special? You can always send me a SASE to:<br />
<br />
PO Box 465<br />
Sturbridge, MA 01566<br />
<br />
and I will send YOU signed bookmarks and bookplates!<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"></span>Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-57972881275699569462014-10-28T21:20:00.001-04:002014-10-28T21:20:29.967-04:00Upcoming Events! Write Here, Write now / Futures & FairytalesBig things happening in my little bookish world! First up:<br />
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<strong>Write Here! Write Now!</strong>--teen writing workshop series hosted by the Jones Library in Amherst, MA! <strong>Wednesdays, October 29-December, 3:30-4:30pm</strong><br />
Instructors include: Cammie McGovern, Heather Richard, Dawn Metcalf, Page Morgan, and me! <br />
My date is 11/5, and is conveniently followed directly by an event with Leigh Bardugo.<br />
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And then:<br />
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<strong><a href="http://futuresandfairytales.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Futures & Fairytales Tour</a></strong>--9 Authors, 7 Cities, 1 epic tour. So thrilled to help kick off this tour with Claire Legrand, Kendall Kulper, & Phoebe North! <br />
<strong><span style="background-color: cyan;">Saturday, 11/8, 4PM</span></strong> at the brilliant Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA<br />
Like on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FFTtour" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
Follow the #FFTtour action on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FFTtour?src=hash" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
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See you there?Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-6743968911619081232014-10-21T21:28:00.001-04:002014-10-21T21:28:24.253-04:00On reviews, and receiving them, and the reader's right to expressionAbout a year ago, I wrote <a href="http://carabertrand.blogspot.com/2013/10/on-feelings-and-expressing-them-and.html" target="_blank">this post</a> on feelings and the problem when our expressing of them steps over a line. It's still one of my most 'popular' posts, traffic-wise. This year, there's a similar firestorm happening, but in the reverse. It started with <a href="http://www.donotlink.com/framed?565100" target="_blank">this article</a> (that's a no-traffic link, btw) from an author who, frankly, stepped over the line. Way WAY over the line.<br />
<br />
As authors, we write books, and if we're brave and crazy enough, we share them with the world. And here's the thing: the world is allowed to hate them. Publicly and loudly. That's just how it is. Readers are perfectly within their rights to hate every single word of what they just read and, also, to tell people about it. Know what else? So long as they're not actively threatening or condemning the <em>person,</em> the one who <em>wrote</em> the words they hated, readers can express their hatred for a book however they want. Really. However they want. With swears, with anger, with gifs and pictures which may or may not be rude.<br />
<br />
Negative reviews are a bummer when it's your book on the receiving end, but that's part of this deal. Not everyone will love your book. Not everyone will be nice about it either. <em>I</em> don't love every book I read. And while I'd not personally choose to write an angry or caustic review, I respect a reader's right to do so.<br />
<br />
There are many ways to deal with the pain of negative reviews. Cry, email friends, look at puppy pictures, bake, exercise, channel your emotions into something productive, like more writing. Just for a few examples. The top best way would be <em>not to read reviews at all</em>. Now that takes a willpower I don't possess, though I wish I did. So I do read reviews, even the negative ones. (I posit it's just as bad to read <em>only </em>positive reviews, but that's an entirely different issue.) I also respect an author's right to engage a critic, <strong>respectfully and through established channels<em>,</em></strong> though I don't recommend it.<br />
<br />
What's never, ever, ever, ever an okay way to deal with anything, including negative reviews?<br />
<br />
<strong>Stalking someone.</strong><br />
<br />
Seriously, what this author did is <strong><em>not okay</em></strong>. It is not even sane. <br />
<br />
I'm equally horrified that a major news outlet gave her a platform to flaunt the insanity and even, just as ludicrously, gain (some) support for it.<br />
<br />
Unlike my post a year ago, there is <strong><em>no</em> </strong>complexity about this issue. None, zero, not a smidge. There is no gray here whatsoever.<br />
<strong><em></em></strong><br />
<strong><em>Stalking a reviewer--anyone--is not okay</em></strong>. Not if you meant no harm, not if you just wanted to talk, not even if you wanted to thank them or give them a cake. Just no.<br />
<br />
To all the bloggers and reviewers out there, no matter if you loved or passionately hated my books: thank you. I'm so desperately sorry that today some of you have reason to feel afraid.Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-24327692756569194492014-10-06T11:50:00.003-04:002014-10-06T12:10:45.018-04:00Week in Review--BTAF, NEIBA, and a book releaseIn short: Best. Week. Ever.<br />
<br />
Let's rewind to Saturday, the 3rd annual <strong><a href="http://embraceya.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Boston Teen Author Festival</a></strong>, of which I was (3 adjectives):<br />
<ul>
<li>Thrilled</li>
<li>Honored</li>
<li>Humbled</li>
</ul>
to take part! Let me just say that it's so much easier to come up with three adjectives on your blog than on the spot from the moderator! I don't think I can say enough about how fantastic BTAF was. Renee and all the BTAFers did an amazing job AND they do it as volunteers, for love of YA and Boston. Thanks also go to the <a href="http://www.cambridgema.gov/cpl.aspx" target="_blank">Cambridge Public Library</a> and <a href="http://www.portersquarebooks.com/" target="_blank">Porter Square Books</a> for rounding out the event with a place to be and books to buy. I wanted to hug them ALL. (But I didn't, because I was raging sick and handing them my cold as parting gift would not have been nice or a good way to ever get myself invited back.) Unforgettable things:<br />
<ul>
<li>Meeting SO MANY readers enthusiastic about teen lit</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
The early crowd at <a href="https://twitter.com/BosTeenAuthFest">@BosTeenAuthFest</a> -- auditorium full by the end! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BTAF2014?src=hash">#BTAF2014</a> <a href="http://t.co/nY2gqVZnlO">pic.twitter.com/nY2gqVZnlO</a><br />
— Cara Bertrand (@carabertrand) <a href="https://twitter.com/carabertrand/status/515982379606089728">September 27, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<ul>
<li>Signing books for many of them</li>
<li>Meeting so many fantastic authors and at least one of their moms</li>
<li>Being allowed to sit on panel with MT Anderson (National Book Award winner, NBD), Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, Claire Legrand, Gregg Rosenblum, & Heather Swain</li>
<li>Did I mention enthusiastic readers?</li>
<li>Listening to smart ladies talk about character empowerment in the Choose Your Own Adventure panel</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
The insightful, funny, inspiring women discussing character agency in "Choose Your Own Adventure" at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BTAF2014?src=hash">#BTAF2014</a> <a href="http://t.co/QQz05JJpvH">pic.twitter.com/QQz05JJpvH</a><br />
— Cara Bertrand (@carabertrand) <a href="https://twitter.com/carabertrand/status/515984065309450240">September 27, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<ul>
<li>How just incredibly NICE everyone was. I mean EVERYONE. You've never met a friendlier, more genuine group of people.</li>
</ul>
It was such a privilege to be surrounded by people who love books, love YA lit, and are not afraid to show it. I'm giddy still thinking about it. Any future events I do will have a lot to live up to! I may even have had stop halfway home and rest after the sugar from the approximately 42 cough drops I ingested and my adrenaline ran out. THAT, friends, is the sign of a good day.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Photo: Today’s haul <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BTAF14?src=hash">#BTAF14</a> <a href="http://t.co/yQfsa4WdvV">http://t.co/yQfsa4WdvV</a><br />
— Cara Bertrand (@carabertrand) <a href="https://twitter.com/carabertrand/status/516039660217585665">September 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Next up, this past Wednesday, I was so lucky to be included at the <a href="http://www.newenglandbooks.org/FallConference" target="_blank">New England Independent Booksellers Association conference</a> as a signing author! It was basically book heaven. <br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
I am in book heaven! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/neiba14?src=hash">#neiba14</a> <a href="http://t.co/pulV6Mbtv5">pic.twitter.com/pulV6Mbtv5</a><br />
— Cara Bertrand (@carabertrand) <a href="https://twitter.com/carabertrand/status/517359038615810048">October 1, 2014</a></blockquote>
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The delightful Bill & Ted (really!) of Chesapeake & Hudson hosted me at their table and though I was only scheduled for an hour, they let me stay for almost four!<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Signing & smiling at the Chesapeake & Hudson table <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/neiba14?src=hash">#neiba14</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sententiaseries?src=hash">#sententiaseries</a> <a href="http://t.co/vUY9N572mY">pic.twitter.com/vUY9N572mY</a><br />
— Cara Bertrand (@carabertrand) <a href="https://twitter.com/carabertrand/status/517362571666796545">October 1, 2014</a></blockquote>
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I met so many great book people--booksellers, librarians, publishing reps--and signed and gave away _so_many_ books! The piles, which I thought were huge when I started, were so small by the end. And though I gave away a ton of books, I came home with an amazing selection as well. Thank you, generous publishers! Some for me, and some for YOU. Many of these will be given away to readers at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1518347715070162/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming" target="_blank"><strong>my upcoming events</strong></a><strong> </strong>and on Twitter!<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
The books may or may not look like this. Which are you excited for? <a href="http://t.co/ZysGQrhpII">pic.twitter.com/ZysGQrhpII</a><br />
— Cara Bertrand (@carabertrand) <a href="https://twitter.com/carabertrand/status/517676530395545600">October 2, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<br />
<br />
And last, but certainly NOT least, October 1 was the official release day for <em><strong><a href="http://www.thesententia.com/second-thoughts.html" target="_blank">Second Thoughts</a></strong></em>. Get it while it's hot! Though some venues were already carrying them, hardcovers and paperbacks should now available <strong>EVERYWHERE</strong>! (or if your favorite store doesn't have it, ask them to order it!). And yes, like winter, the eBook is coming!<br />
<br />
Next up for me: write thank you notes and finish Sententia <strong>3</strong>. :)<br />
<br />
<br />Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-79539187755062361892014-09-20T22:09:00.001-04:002014-09-20T22:09:52.360-04:00Boston Teen Author Festival--One Week!ONE WEEK until the 2014 Boston Teen Author Festival! Will I see you there? Check out the epic lineup and list of panels--I wish I could attend them all!<br />
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<br />Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-74603026758314823932014-09-18T16:12:00.002-04:002014-09-18T16:12:46.884-04:00School Library Journal and Booklist review Second Thoughts!So pleased with reviews for <em>Second Thoughts </em>from both School Library Journal <em>and</em> Booklist! <br />
<br />
<strong><em><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;">School Library Journal</span> </em>says:</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
Gr 9 Up–In this sequel to Lost in Thought (Luminis, 2014), nearly 18-year-old Lainey Young has a lot on her mind as she starts her senior year at Northbrook: when should she and boyfriend Carter have sex, which college should she attend, and why is a lowerclassman and Sententia siren bent on breaking up Lainey’s normally <span style="color: black;">unflappable</span> roommate Amy and her boyfriend Caleb. Minor worries compared to the vague premonition implicating Carter in Lainey’s impending death and a new vision involving his father’s demise are stewing with concern over the Perceptum’s desire to make Lainey their executioner. Meeting Carter’s “uncle,” Perceptum bigwig—Daniel Astor—leads to a shocking discovery and initially assuages the protagonist’s fear of Hangman conscription. However, readers and Lainey’s gut know better. Secrets aggravatingly pile up (especially on the heroine’s end), but add plenty of tension in a book that might otherwise suffer from “Second Book Slump.” Characters occasionally succumb to archetypal behaviors, but they’re realistically impacted by anxieties, familiar and unfamiliar. Sex (which happens off page), swearing, and teen drinking are realistically present but not gratuitous. Give to fans of the previous volume. Readers familiar with the story will better understand the stakes and relationships and await the next installment.–Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ<br />
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<strong><em><span style="color: blue;">Booklist</span></em></strong> <strong>says:</strong><br />
<br />
Issue: August 1, 2014 <br />
Like many a romance novel, the question of will they or won’t they have sex is at the heart of Bertrand’s sequel to Lost in Thought (2012), a finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. But since this is a paranormal-romance novel, there is an equally important question: Will the heroine and her boyfriend kill each other first? Lainey is the only living Sententia with the Hangman gift, and she is charged with eliminating rogue Sententia who use their gifts for harm. Lainey’s diviner-sense vision shows her own death at the hands of her handsome boyfriend. Will she in turn have to use her rare second gift to execute her own boyfriend? Bertrand stirs family secrets, a scheming senator, and young rivalries into the otherworldly mix. Many of the questions remain unanswered, and as Lainey drives off into the sunrise, the door is wide open for the next installment. Bertrand writes smoothly, and her characters, if improbably perfect, are engaging enough to keep the pages turning quickly and the demand for the next in the series high. <br />
— Lynn RutanCara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-63314073369658688412014-09-02T22:58:00.000-04:002014-09-02T22:58:46.559-04:0010 booksMaybe you've seen this meme going around Facebook*, where someone challenges you or your friends to list 10 books that have impacted you or stayed with you in some way. Well, I've been tagged three separate times now, so it's about time I made my list.<br />
<br />
Since this is about books, I can't not post it <em>here! </em>So, 10 books that have stayed with/impacted me over the years:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><em>The Giving Tree</em></li>
<li><em>Where the Red Fern Grows</em></li>
<li><em>Across Five Aprils</em></li>
<li>VC Andrews's entire <em>Casteel</em> Series (<em>Heaven --> Web of Dreams</em>)</li>
<li>The Bible</li>
<li><em>Jurassic Park</em></li>
<li><em>The Power of One</em></li>
<li><em>I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings</em></li>
<li><em>A Good Man is Hard to Find </em>(and Other Stories)</li>
<li><em>The Sound and the Fury</em></li>
<li><em>Memory </em>(by Margaret Mahy)</li>
<li><em>Twilight </em></li>
</ul>
I think that's more than 10, but you get the idea. Now, I challenge <strong><em>you</em></strong> to share your own list!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*I don't have a public Facebook, in case you wanted to look. Connect with me here or on <a href="https://twitter.com/carabertrand" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="http://carabertrand.tumblr.com/ask" target="_blank">Tumblr</a> or <a href="mailto:info@carabertrand.com" target="_blank">by email</a>--I'll respond!</span>Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-24339968685768349672014-08-18T23:45:00.001-04:002014-08-18T23:45:40.839-04:00Sententia Style File: Afterthought at the BeachHave you read <em>Afterthought</em> yet? No? Then you should! Because it looks something like this:<br />
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<div style="position: relative;">
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/afterthought_style_file_at_beach/set?.embedder=5699001&.svc=copypaste&id=81485174" target="_blank"><img alt="Afterthought Style File: At the Beach" border="0" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/BItGfJ9YG0HRW6s5udxAIQ/cid/81485174/id/jr881TTg4xGknOcMZFZllw/size/c400x526.jpg" height="526" title="Afterthought Style File: At the Beach" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/afterthought_style_file_at_beach/set?.embedder=5699001&.svc=copypaste&id=81485174" target="_blank">Afterthought Style File: At the Beach</a> by <a href="http://carabertrand.polyvore.com/?.embedder=5699001&.svc=copypaste" target="_blank">carabertrand</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/dark_sunglasses/shop?query=dark+sunglasses" target="_blank">dark sunglasses</a></small></div>
<br />
<br />
Get ready for the <em><a href="http://www.thesententia.com/second-thoughts.html" target="_blank">Second Thoughts</a></em> release with Lainey and Carter's sexy summer adventure! 40 page short story + BONUS 15 page Carter scene--only .99!<br />
<br />
Get it at: <span style="font-size: 24px;"><a href="http://amzn.com/B00KKZ4LLY" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/afterthought-cara-bertrand/1119606409?ean=2940149557950" target="_blank">B&N</a> | <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/afterthought-4" target="_blank">Kobo</a> | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/afterthought/id872027415?mt=11" target="_blank"> iTunes</a></span><br />
<br />
PS. Want an advance peek at Second Thoughts? <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/103923-second-thoughts" target="_blank">12 ARCs up for grabs in this Goodreads giveaway!</a>Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-43039533665251695692014-07-15T22:59:00.000-04:002014-07-15T22:59:53.982-04:00Goodbye, sweet friendIn Memoriam <br />
<br />
Felinus Bertrand, 199?-2014<br />
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<br />
We had to say goodbye to our dear old hurricat, Linus, this morning. Linus found us during Hurricane Sandy and decided he'd stay. We loved him until the end and thank him for letting us share his last years with him. <br />
<br />
Goodbye, little buddy. We'll miss you.Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-55053710488665532822014-07-02T10:20:00.002-04:002014-09-18T16:13:42.127-04:0010,000!In honor of round numbers and small achievements, let's celebrate! Because today this little ole blog hit 10,000 page views! And the good news is, probably only half of them came from my mom. :) <br />
<br />
So <strong><span style="color: blue;">thank you</span></strong> to all of you who've stopped by, even those who were searching for something random, and especially those who were actually looking for me! If we keep up this pace, here's to something like only 200 more years until 1,000,000!<br />
<br />
As a little treat to you, here's a snippet of a scene from <em>Second Thoughts </em>(caution: swoony):<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">The grin never wavered as he moved forward, putting one arm on each side to trap me against the car. It was cool out, but it didn’t feel that way when he was so close to me. When he kissed me, it got even warmer. Blazing. After a few moments, he paused just long enough to repeat softly, “I’m sorry.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">“Me too,” I breathed, though at that moment, as his lips traveled down my neck, I was honestly having trouble remembering what we were apologizing for. Above me, in the slice of sky between the trees and the towering bookstore, I counted a thousand glittering stars. Wisps of smoke drifted high overhead, the smell of wood fire mingling with the constant scent of pine trees. Against the car, my back felt icy compared to the heat of Carter’s body pressed to mine. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">“You want to come up?” he said, voice low and rough in my ear.</span></blockquote>
<br />
...to be continued in October!<br />
<br />
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Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-5013276824983276642014-06-25T11:41:00.001-04:002014-06-25T11:41:15.392-04:002014 Boston Teen Author Festival!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's official this week: you can come see me (and a host of awesome authors) at the 2014 Boston Teen Author Festival!<br />
<br />
When: Saturday, September 27, 11am-4pm<br />
Where: Cambridge Public Library<br />
What: Q&A, Panels, Signings, Cookies!<br />
How much: FREE<br />
<br />
(Did you read that right? Yes! It's FREE!)<br />
<br />
The author reveal contest is running for the rest of the week--5 new authors per day!--so you still have time to enter and possibly win a festival author's book of your choice.<br />
<br />
Follow along at:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/BostonTeenAuthorFestival">https://www.facebook.com/BostonTeenAuthorFestival</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/BosTeenAuthFest">https://twitter.com/BosTeenAuthFest</a><br />
<br />
I'll post again with the full author list when it's revealed. Can't wait to see you in the fall!Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-66259748106201947972014-06-20T09:00:00.000-04:002014-06-20T09:00:06.357-04:00Seen the June issue of VOYA?...Because there's a <strong>PERFECT TEN</strong> review of <em>Lost in Thought </em>in it! <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">5Q 5P J S<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
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Lainey Young is a teenage girl with the ability to “sense”
the deaths of people whose possessions she encounters. As the story begins, she
is shopping for antiques with her aunt, Tessa, and as Lainey picks up a
candlestick, she becomes dizzy and has a vision of a young woman wearing an
old-fashioned dress with petticoats and a corset, holding the same candlestick
and crying next to the motionless body of an older man whose temple is
bleeding. Without any further explanation, Lainey determines that the young
woman is the older man’s murderer, having used the candlestick as her weapon. Lainey’s
parents, who died when she was five years old, left her a sizeable trust fund,
and within their wills, a stipulation that she would be able to attend
Northbrook Academy, a boarding school whose population includes students who
have “abilities” very similar to Lainey’s —some are able to “see” various happenings,
such as whether someone is lying; some have the ability to stop someone’s heart
(this “job” is termed “The Hangman,”); and some have the ability to move
objects with thoughts. Lainey’s story does not end with neatly tied laces,
however. Once her relationship with a popular young man becomes well known, a
jealous classmate acts out, causing a multitude of problems. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Fans of paranormal romance, as well
as readers who enjoy stories that delve into “what-if,” will certainly enjoy
this first installment from Bertrand.—Beth Green <a href="http://www.voyamagazine.com/" target="_blank">VOYA</a></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
And if you miss it this month, all <em>Perfect Ten</em> books from 2014 will appear again in a magazine feature early next year! Wheeee!Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-84672557333602074432014-06-13T16:37:00.001-04:002014-06-13T16:37:36.814-04:00Friday Five: Friday the 13th edition 06.13.2014In honor of Friday the 13th, 5 movies or books that scared me as a kid:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>5. Shocker:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AJ45o5nBbA8?rel=0" width="560"></iframe><br />
I didn't watch or read many scary things for a few reasons: I was an only child with no cable. Also, I would get nightmares. This, along with probably any other scary movie that still haunts me, I watched with my cousins (because that's what cousins are for!). <br />
</li>
<li>4. Cujo. <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CY222W/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001CY222W&linkCode=as2&tag=carabert-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B001CY222W&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=carabert-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carabert-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001CY222W" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
Is this even considered among King's scariest books? It was to me. After it, The Stand was the only other one I've ever read.<br />
</li>
<li>3. Gremlins<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-14d51QTVjo?rel=0" width="560"></iframe><br />
These buggers scared me like whoa. I was probably too young when I saw it.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>2. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Witch Saga. <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0689853157/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0689853157&linkCode=as2&tag=carabert-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0689853157&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=carabert-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carabert-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0689853157" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
I LOVED these books even though they scared me.<br />
</li>
<li>1. Nightmare on Elm Street. The original. <br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Xzwt7do8Mpk?rel=0" width="560"></iframe><br />
I STILL have nightmares and the song still makes me shiver. </li>
</ul>
So, what scared YOU when you were a kid? <br />
<ul>
</ul>
Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-16487750417224995122014-06-03T10:31:00.000-04:002014-09-18T16:14:18.796-04:00Second Thoughts ARC Giveaway!Giveaway, yay! 10 <strong>signed</strong> ARCs of <em>Second Thoughts</em> up for grabs on Goodreads! You can be reading it by Fourth of July!<br />
<br />
Details here:<br />
<div id="goodreadsGiveawayWidget95088">
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<h2 style="color: #555555; font-size: 20px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_new">Goodreads</a> Book Giveaway<br />
</h2>
<br />
<div style="float: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21470669"><img alt="Second Thoughts by Cara Bertrand" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1398194779l/21470669.jpg" title="Second Thoughts by Cara Bertrand" width="100" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 110px !important; padding: 0px !important;">
<h3 style="font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21470669">Second Thoughts</a><br />
</h3>
<h4 style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6552441.Cara_Bertrand" style="text-decoration: none;">Cara Bertrand</a><br />
</h4>
<br />
<div class="giveaway_details">
Giveaway ends June 30, 2014.<br />
<br />
See the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/95088" style="text-decoration: none;">giveaway details</a><br />
at Goodreads.</div>
</div>
<div style="clear: both;">
</div>
<br />
<a class="goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink" href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/95088">Enter to win</a><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<script charset="utf-8" src="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/widget/95088" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
<br />
In the meantime, don't forget to pick up <em><a href="http://www.thesententia.com/afterthought-1.html" target="_blank">Afterthought</a></em> to tide you over!Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-54010076616073990192014-05-27T10:41:00.000-04:002014-05-27T10:41:05.902-04:00Just in time for summer: Afterthought available now!It's release day for <em>Afterthought</em>! <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KKZ4LLY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00KKZ4LLY&linkCode=as2&tag=carabert-20&linkId=HS3GK5ZL5LOOMUNG"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00KKZ4LLY&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=carabert-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carabert-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00KKZ4LLY" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
A summer at idyllic Northbrook Academy might be boring, if you were anyone but Lainey Young. In between working three jobs, spending time with her boyfriend Carter, and worrying—about the shocking end to her junior year and more—she’s busy enjoying every beach within a day’s drive. On the most perfect day of summer, Carter surprises her with an unplanned trip to the shore, and Lainey almost succeeds in letting all her worries go. <br />
<br />
But no matter how much she wants to, the one thing she can never escape is her Sententia heritage—and the visions of impending death that come with it. At the beach, an unexpected vision propels Lainey into action, but she needs help. Together, can Lainey and Carter save a friend? <br />
<br />
An original 40 page short story +<strong> BONUS 15 page Carter Penrose POV</strong><br />
<br />
So spend a day at the beach with Lainey and Carter--perfect summer reading to tide you over until <em>Second Thoughts</em> in the fall!<br />
<br />
You can get your copy on: <a href="http://amzn.com/B00KKZ4LLY" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/afterthought-cara-bertrand/1119606409?ean=2940149557950" target="_blank"> Barnes and Noble</a> | <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/afterthought-4" target="_blank"> Kobo</a>* | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/afterthought/id872027415?mt=11" target="_blank"> iTunes</a><br />
<br />
*Don't forget that you can buy Kobo ebooks directly from your local indie bookstore!Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-7710469868482221232014-05-23T09:00:00.000-04:002014-05-23T09:00:06.981-04:00Friday Five 05.22.20145 things I read this week:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>This cute list of <a href="http://redtri.com/19-lies-parents-tell-their-kids-for-very-good-reasons/" target="_blank">19 lies parents tell their kids</a>. I <em>might </em>have told some of them before. Takeaway: “Santa/The Easter Bunny/The Tooth Fairy doesn’t come if you don’t poop in the potty.” is the next one...<br />
</li>
<li>TLT killing it on <a href="http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2014/05/dear-media-let-me-help-you-write-that.html" target="_blank">YA and the media</a> and, essentially, how not to be douche-y (in more professional terms, of course). Takeaway: Just read the whole thing. "And I know this is hard to comprehend, but most people are complex beings who are capable of liking more than one genre at a time. Teens are no different, that is why YA is full of a wide variety of genres."<br />
</li>
<li>Sarah @ We Heart YA on <a href="http://www.weheartya.com/2014/05/changing-conversation.html" target="_blank">changing the conversation</a>. Great, thoughtful post that added many more things to the top of Mount TBR, but also that made <em>me</em> think about <em>my </em>conversation changers. Maybe I'll do my own post on it eventually. Takeaway: "And while everyone is saying the same thing in slightly different ways, every so often, someone steps in and says something that changes the conversation."<br />
</li>
<li>This <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/lists/when-holden-met-katniss-the-40-best-ya-novels-20140522" target="_blank">actually good, not at all douche-y list of top YA</a> put out by Rolling Stone. Seriously, the whole internet is surprised. Don't yet read YA* and want some ideas where to start? I wouldn't complain if you chose from there. Read YA and want to see some classic and diverse choices you might not have hit yet? Check it out.<br />
</li>
<li>A semi-crazy list of <a href="http://www.naturallivingideas.com/50-things-to-stop-buying/2/" target="_blank">50 things you can ("should") start making yourself</a>, including baby wipes, face cream, mayonnaise, Nutella, sunscreen, mascara, and about 44 others. Most of it I'm too lazy to do myself, but you might be more inspired. I AM, however, totally going to try making <a href="http://www.livingwellspendingless.com/2013/02/18/how-to-make-homemade-butter-in-a-stand-mixer/" target="_blank">my own butter with my KitchenAid</a>. At least once. Additional takeaway: COCONUT OIL is magic.</li>
</ul>
What have YOU been reading?<br />
<br />
<br />
*I mean, you're <em>here</em>, so that's unlikely, but just in case.<br />
<ul></ul>
Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009574130829379434.post-49484587994891221082014-05-20T12:09:00.000-04:002014-05-20T12:09:15.196-04:00Winter Ball Style File: Lainey and AmyConfession: I like fashion, but I <em>love</em> dresses. So want to <b>see</b> what Lainey and Amy wore to their Junior Year Winter Ball in <i>Lost in Thought</i>? Me too! When I wrote the book, I created their looks entirely in my head. It was impossible to find exactly what I pictured, but use your imagination to combine the dresses below with how you pictured them as you read and this will give you an idea....<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 400px;">
<div style="position: relative;">
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/winter_ball_style_file_lainey/set?.embedder=5699001&.svc=copypaste&id=67787205" target="_blank"><img alt="Winter Ball Style File: Lainey & Amy (Lost in Thought: First Book of the Sententia)" border="0" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/CSDNIXI4C0Y6xeNHOs8OSA/cid/67787205/id/jsvCZTXg4xGLBxMJPPwIHA/size/c400x398.jpg" height="398" title="Winter Ball Style File: Lainey & Amy (Lost in Thought: First Book of the Sententia)" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/winter_ball_style_file_lainey/set?.embedder=5699001&.svc=copypaste&id=67787205" target="_blank">Winter Ball Style File: Lainey & Amy (Lost in Thought: First Book of the Sententia)</a> by <a href="http://carabertrand.polyvore.com/?.embedder=5699001&.svc=copypaste" target="_blank">carabertrand</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/high_heel_shoes/shop?query=high+heel+shoes" target="_blank">high heel shoes</a></small></div>
<br />
Did you imagine something different? Send me a picture!Cara Bertrandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343089059751424497noreply@blogger.com0