Seen the June issue of VOYA?

...Because there's a PERFECT TEN review of Lost in Thought in it!

5Q 5P J S

 

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.

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 VOYA

And if you miss it this month, all Perfect Ten books from 2014 will appear again in a magazine feature early next year! Wheeee!

Winter Ball Style File: Lainey and Amy

Confession: I like fashion, but I love dresses. So want to see what Lainey and Amy wore to their Junior Year Winter Ball in Lost in Thought? 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....

Winter Ball Style File: Lainey & Amy (Lost in Thought: First Book of the Sententia) by carabertrand featuring high heel shoes

Did you imagine something different? Send me a picture!

It's official!

Today's the day--Lost in Thought's official release day! Ebooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers are now available everywhere! So go ahead--spend your afternoon getting Lost in a book :)

Remember you can learn all about Lost in Thought and The Sententia at the www.thesententia.com!

Happy reading everyone! <3 p="">
 

Book Club Guide--Lost in Thought

If the question was Do you have discussion questions for Lost in Thought? The answer is Yes!

You can find all the goodies for The Sententia Series at thesententia.com, including the Book Club Guide.

You can also go straight to the downloadable .pdf!

The guide was developed by my brill friends Christine Mooney and Dr. Wendy Ku, so all rights, thanks, and applause are reserved for them!

Lost in Thought would be great for a variety of book clubs--teens, parent/children groups, adults who love YA...basically everyone. The book is fun and accessible, but that doesn't mean there's not plenty to think and talk about too!

School Library Journal: Lost in Thought is "a quietly compelling supernatural romance."

Super excited by this review of Lost in Thought from the April issue of School Library Journal!

Gr 9 Up–First-time author Bertrand offers a quietly compelling supernatural romance. Since childhood, Lainey Young, 16, was living nomadically with her godmother following her parents’ deaths. A fondness for antiquing triggers the first of Lainey’s supernatural gifts: touching objects involved with death allows her to witness these fatal occurrences. Accompanied by dizziness, fainting, and migraines, this power lands the teen at Northbrook Academy, where she learns that, like most legacy students, she’s Sententia (a secret society of people with special perceptive abilities). With a strong ally in Amy (her non-Sententia roommate) and romance with fellow Sententia Carter Penrose (recent Northbrook grad and town It Guy), Lainey gets her first taste of high school drama, which also melds with her suddenly supernatural life. Bertrand infuses the book with plenty of mystery surrounding the main character’s family history and the Sententia’s governing body. She ups the ante and tension by finally revealing the protagonist’s and Carter’s more dangerous talents. Lainey is a likable heroine who holds her own but with realistic insecurities. Initially, the narrative’s focus skews more toward the teens’ romance than the Sententia plot; still, the author is able to establish the characters and the New England prep school setting well. With occasional swearing, teen drinking, and frank but not crude references to sex, this novel is suitable for older teens. A violent altercation and unearthed secrets leave plenty of workable and interesting loose ends for the next installment. A promising start to a series that will find a fan base.–Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ

Lost in Thought IN STOCK at Barnes & Noble stores

So, life achievement unlocked:

Lost in Thought is reportedly IN STOCK at Barnes & Noble stores.

Use that link to search for stores in your area!

And remember: B&N stores have the PAPERBACK.

Want a hardcover? You can ORDER signed HCs from Odyssey Books.

Want to WIN a signed hardcover? Tweet or email me a picture of yourself with a paperback copy between now and 5/5! One winner will be chosen, but pictures in Barnes & Noble will get two entries!

Want a SIGNED HARDCOVER? THREE ways to WIN!

Lost in Thought's official release is rapidly approaching, and I have THREE signed hardcovers to giveaway! Here's how you can win...

1. The FUN way: See, here's the deal...Barnes & Noble stores will have Lost in Thought! That's awesome! But they've elected to carry the paperback. So, between now and May 5, tweet or email me a picture of yourself with a copy of the paperback and you'll be entered to win a signed hardcover and a copy of Afterthought, the Sententia summer novella available in May. Pictures with the paperback IN Barnes & Noble will get double entries! (I'll post about this more in coming weeks.)
   
2. The easy way: Enter the giveaway on my upcoming blog tour
   
3. The easiest way: Enter this Goodreads Giveaway:
   
   
   

   
   

   Goodreads Book Giveaway
   

   
   

   

   
   

   Lost in Thought
   

   by Cara Bertrand
   

   
   

   Giveaway ends April 25, 2014.
   
   See the giveaway details
   at Goodreads.

   
   Enter to win
   
   

So, enter early and often! Signed hardcovers await!

GirlsLife.com - Vampire Academy meets Spellbound in Lost in Thought

So this happened today: GirlsLife.com - Vampire Academy meets Spellbound in Lost in Thought

Could there BE a more awesome set of comparisons? I want to hug and cuddle this review and be forever friends.

A little trivia: the author of Spellbound and I have happen to have the same name.

In OTHER news... really wanting to read Lost in Thought? Well, you CAN. Though the 'official' release is 4/25, dear Amazon is shipping hardcovers and paperbacks NOW. Like, right now. You could get it tomorrow.

Don't forget that if you wait a few days, you can order a signed copy here.

Autographed Copies!

ONE MONTH. It's one month until release day, and I have exciting news:

The (totally brill) Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA will be carrying signed copies of Lost in Thought! I'm beyond excited to work with them and have a way for you to easily obtain a signed copy for no extra cost! Support an independent bookstore + get a signed copy = double win!

So go ahead, Order your copy of Lost in Thought from The Odyssey Bookshop
(At checkout, don't forget to mention you'd like it signed!)

Lost in Thought GIVEAWAY--10 signed ARCs!

You guys! It's hard for me to believe it, but the release of Lost in Thought is so soon! April will be here before we know it. In the meantime, Luminis has generously provided ten--10!--ARCs for giveaway to lucky readers. Enter here and be reading by March!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Lost in Thought

by Cara Bertrand

Giveaway ends March 04, 2014.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

BOOK DEAL NEWS! Sentenia series signed with Luminis Books

It's real, guys! Today I get to tell you my exciting news:

I've signed a four book deal with Luminis Books for the entire Sententia series, including Lost in Thought!

What does this mean for the books? They will have support, professional support!! You'll be able to find them in your local libraries and bookstores, or if you don't find them, you can ask to stock them! They will be released in hardcover, followed by paperback.

But Lost in Thought is already available? It is. And it will continue to be, at least as an ebook, until approximately November.the end of this month. It will be re-released in hardcover (and ebook) in Spring 2014, tentatively April.

Will the story be the same? Basically, yes. There may be some changes, including some minor name changes, but they won't be extensive.

What about the sequel? Currently, we’re discussing a release date in Fall 2014, tentatively October. That, I know, is a long time for early readers, and for that I apologize. In fact, this length of time between the original release of LiT and the new release time frame for Sententia two was the. hardest. part. of my decision to sign with the publisher. But eventually I concluded that signing with Luminis was the best option for me and for the future of the Sententia series. I am sorry for the wait it will cause for early readers, but I like to believe it will be worth it. I hope you'll stick with me and will think so too! If you are a blogger/reviewer, it may be possible to add you to the advance reader list for the sequel. Feel free to contact me about this at any time.

And finally, here it is, the fulfillment of a little dream I've had for years now: the announcement in Publisher's Marketplace!

Pretty girls are pretty

Thanks again to everyone who entered my Goodreads and Second Chance giveaways! Those are over for now, but so much fun I bet I'll do them again soon :) SC Giveaway winners--your digital copies are on the way!

A question I think every writer gets is "who would play [insert character name] in a movie?!" And it's a fun one to think about. Whenever I start to write something new, I search for images for character inspiration, but I try not to use famous people. Sometimes I have trouble taking the image I have in my head and translating it to an actress or actor, but in my recent obsessive rewatching of Pitch Perfect, I think I've found a great option for Alexis Mercer, and she even has the same name: Alexis Knapp!

via Tumblr

She's a stunner, no? Who are your suggestions?

Buzz for Libboo!

Lost In Thought has found a new place to play and some new friends! Check it out on Libboo, a new site for discovering and sharing books!

There are LOTS of other fun books to check out, like Incarnate, with one of my favorite covers of 2012.

So go ahead, check out some books. Sign up to be a Buzzer if you're interested (it's free!). Want to learn more about the program and its origins? Check out the TechCrunch article.

And now, for your reading pleasure...

So, remember that last post? It turned out to be Something. And that Something is this:

Yes, Lost In Thought is now available for purchase! By you! And your friends! And everyone!

Go ahead, tell the world!

In all seriousness though, please, go ahead, tell the world! Recommendations are like gold to any author, and I will give you hugs and gratitude for any time you mention Lost In Thought to someone who might enjoy it.

As of right now it's available on Amazon, Kobo, and iBooks. Nook and Sony are all coming soon.

THANK YOU all, again, a million times, for all the support you've given me and this book. I'm proud to share it with the world.

(And yes, before anyone asks, I still love my other book and it is still entirely in the works. More news on that in the future! For now, enjoy Lost In Thought!)

The Golden Ticket, Part 7, beyond the ABNA finals

Or, What Else Have You Got?

If your goal is to be traditionally published, make sure you can answer the above question. Writing the sequel(s) is a rookie mistake.

This post assumes you’ve got one idea that you’ve finished, polished, and are querying or submitting. Once you’ve gotten to that point, while you wait, here’s the deal: it’s time to put that idea down. If it’s something you’ve imagined as a series, make notes, make outlines, write down a few words you absolutely don’t want to lose, but then write something else.

Really.

It can be hard to switch gears, to take a breather on characters and a world you’ve been living in and undoubtedly love, but you don’t want to write books 2-infinity until you’re sure you need them. Because if the first book you’re pitching doesn’t land an agent or doesn’t sell, you need to be ready with the answer to the question that started this post. And if the answer is, “Well, I’ve completed three books in this series,” you’re stuck.

Don’t be stuck, or, like me, behind.

My last post told you all about where Lost in Thought is on the path to publication (or not). (Or not) being a good possibility. I admit to making the rookie mistake I’m trying to save you from. When I wrote LiT, and subsequently submitted to the contest, it was for fun. While it was in the contest, I worked on the sequel just because. I was still pregnant and on limited activity and the writing was fun.

When I made the ABNA finals, I underwent a rapid paradigm shift. Suddenly, what had always been an idle dream became a viable reality. I’d always imagined writing and publishing books, but never really believed it would happen. Hell, I’d never really worked at it either. It was just a dream.

Yes, LiT was the first novel-length piece of fiction I ever wrote. Some people probably don’t like me for that. (In fact, I know some don’t because one flat-out told my husband as much.) I’m sorry. My first peek at success came with some luck, yes, but also, some skill. That’s what the contest helped me recognize. I didn’t have to dream about it; I could be a writer.

When I made that realization is when I should have put aside working on the sequel to LiT and started one of the other story ideas I’d been collecting. It took me 8 rejections and a conversation with last year’s YA ABNA winner to realize it. It took me three starts and stops to settle on the next project.

And that has put me almost a whole MS behind. If LiT doesn’t sell, I should be done drafting my next MS, but instead I’m only about ¼ of the way there. Lesson learned.

If your goal is to be traditionally published, don’t make my mistake! Write one thing well, put it out there, and then write something else.

Traditional publishing is certainly only one goal. There are other options out there. If self-publishing is an avenue you want to pursue, this post may not speak to you. Go ahead and write the sequels. :)

I think this is the last in the Golden Ticket series (and a loose connection at that). Today, six 2012 ABNA finalists will be getting the calls that change their lives. Good luck to you all!

What the experts are saying about Lost in Thought...

Publishers Weekly: "Compelling and solid, this paranormal thriller has it all: love, murder, intrigue, mind games, and a bit of mystery."

Gayle Forman, NYT Bestselling Author of If I Stay: "...my pick for the winner, a fantastic novel trying to break free.... The boarding school setting is a lot of fun, and the chemistry with Carter snaps... Lainey and Carter begin exploring the provenance of Lainey’s Legacy, the true extent of her powers, and just how those powers might be manipulated, the book starts to pick up momentum, leading to an action-packed ending with a twist that will leave readers clamoring for the next installment."

Jennifer Besser, Vice President and Publisher of G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers: "...the novel is full of characters teen readers will enjoy spending time with, especially Lainey’s vivacious roommate, Amy, and Carter, the mysterious and swoon-worthy love interest... a nice dose of romance, mystery, and supernatural thrills keeps the pages turning."

*Publishers Weekly is an independent organization and the review was written based on a manuscript version of the book.

Media Awareness

In The Telegram & Gazette: Competition spurs possible career change

In The Press: Mainland grad dares herself to write novel - and does it

In The Sturbridge Villager/Southbridge Evening News: Penning her way to success