Blog Tour and Giveaway: Deuce (Vortex Series #3) by Janine Caldwell @J9fiction

The epic conclusion to The Vortex Series coming soon!

In an instant everything changes for seventeen-year-old Cassie Moore. Together she and her time-traveling boyfriend, Trent Astor, battle to survive their next impossible challenge. As they navigate through a third parallel world in which Cassie begged Trent to create for her, the two soon discover that no world can be made perfect.

And while they fight through their new circumstances, the universe may just have its own agenda for them both.

With DEUCE, the 3rd and final book of The Vortex Series, Janine Caldwell combines fantasy and romance to create a compelling love story of integrity and sacrifice.

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Deuce-Vortex-Series-Janine-Caldwell-ebook/dp/B00I44WXH2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1393099713&sr=8-2&keywords=janine+caldwell

SMASHWORDS: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/402887

Meet eighteen-year-old Trent Douglas Astor, AKA Jeremy. He’s the reluctant hero of this series with an extraordinary secret he must keep hidden from the world for his family’s safety. This secret, involving a supernatural power, forces Trent and his stunning yet feisty younger sister, Lorelai, to be on constant alert, ready to run again. The orphaned siblings move every six months with a new identity so the ones after his power cannot find him. This makes teenage life almost unbearable. Lonely and ultra private, Trent knows making friends will only put them all in jeopardy. His saving grace is his love for his sister and his music. He’s mastered the guitar and allows himself to perform with local rock bands as long as he keeps them at arm’s length. Trouble is when you have a body and face like Trent, people tend to notice you. However, because of his powers, he knows a normal life will never be in his future. Allowing anyone, especially a girlfriend into his heart, is unthinkable.

 

Now enter the heroine of this story, Cassie Anne Moore. At eleven-years-old, Cassie was in a horrific shooting that tragically scarred her for life. The once promising tennis prodigy, threw all hope of a future in tennis away, unable to play again after her terrifying loss of innocence. Now as she enters her senior year of high school, she struggles to find herself, her self-esteem at an all time low. When Jeff Tanner, a football god at her school, wants to date her, she’s thrilled until he begins to manipulate her and treat her altogether badly. If she could only somehow recover from her past, she may have a chance to get her groove back. She never imagined it could be possible, though, until she meets Jeremy, the strangely familiar and gorgeous new student in her PE class.

Janine Caldwell was born in Concord, CA and raised in the small San Francisco Bay Area town of Clayton. Four days after high school graduation, Janine attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and graduated with a degree in English.

Janine now lives in Anthem, AZ with her husband and two sons. As a lifelong literature fanatic, she knew it was only a matter of time before she would become obsessed with writing her own work. With relatives like the Brothers Grimm and Anita Loos (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes), she figured fantasy writing had to be in her DNA.

Books published by Janine include Visited, a YA coming-of-age fantasy, Rematch andDouble Fault–the first two books of The Vortex Series. The final book in this YA fantasy romance, Deuce, will be released soon.

Author Links:

http://janinecaldwell.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5804836.Janine_Caldwell

https://twitter.com/J9fiction

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanineCaldwell?fref=ts

***GIVEAWAY*** 10 ebooks of Deuce (via smashwords coupon) (INT) RULES AND RESTRICTIONS: Contest is void where prohibited. Entrants must be 13 or else have parent or guardian’s permission to enter. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner’s name will be selected. Winning entries will be verified for authenticity. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast and Giveaway: Visited by Janine Caldwell

Seventeen-year-old Joanna Murphy has lost faith in her life. Vying for her mom’s attention, she’s resentful of her stepdad’s intrusion to their family. Her best friend, Tommy, has no clue she’s in love with him as he dates girl after girl without noticing how it tortures her. The final kicker, though, is God’s sick joke to make her freakishly tall when everyone knows boys prefer petite girls.

Then in a bizarre accident Joanna meets James, a breathtaking teen who appears to her after an unusual falling star sighting. Suddenly, her dream for an alien encounter becomes all too real. But when she finds her life has been made unrecognizable, she’s forced into an explosive study of the original design for her life that just may have her regretting every wish she ever made.

Visited by Janine Caldwell 
Publication date: May 25th 2013
Genre: YA coming-of-age fantasy

Excerpt of Visited

I gape up at him, the fear beginning to course through my veins. “Who are you?”

“A friend.” He answers in an even enough tone, but at the same time, his face begins to glow the color of amber, making him look warm and unusually vibrant. I’ve never known any being able to radiate such a glow. Any being from Earth, that is.

“A friend?” I manage to whisper back before swallowing a gulp. “Are-are you human?” I’m half kidding, but after years of watching realistic science fiction movies and reading a library of fantasy novels, I think I mean the question more than I want to admit. However, he doesn’t answer me. He averts his eyes, blinking rapidly like he’s unsure of the situation.

Again, I’m at a loss of what to think. I thought I asked a pretty straightforward question and he can’t even answer that. By his omission, I have to assume he’s trying to tell me he isn’t human!

Is this really happening? And, more importantly, if he’s not human, then what is he?

My brain pores through a dozen images at once, my chest heaving from the excitement. I flash to movies, T.V. shows, graphic novels, and to my own imagination as I consider what life form James could be. While I try to convince myself I’m jumping to conclusions, that of course this is all a misunderstanding or perhaps an elaborate hoax, something else itches in the back of my mind. That something whispers: Haven’t you always considered the existence of other worlds? Discussed the possibility a hundred times with Tommy?

The answer to both questions is an emphatic yes. I decide right then, despite all reason, I know what James is.

“I think I know what you are,” I remark feebly.

He turns to me with a spark of expectation in his eyes, still glowing, still warm.

“You came to Earth with that star last night, didn’t you?”

Blood rushes to his cheeks, giving him an even brighter supernatural glow, and then I know I have my answer.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” I sit upright, gripping the sheet into my fists. “You’re from another planet. That’s how you have the power to heal.”

He pales for a second, but amazingly, he doesn’t deny it. He flickers his lashes upward like he’s searching the ceiling for his reply. After a moment, he shakes his head of soft curls that brush his neck before redirecting his intense expression back on me. He licks his lips and smiles pensively, but I feel the same need as before to shy away; whether it’s from shock or from a loss of focus I don’t know, but holding his gaze is next to impossible.

My mind is all aflutter trying to come to grips with what I’m being confronted to believe.

“Incredible. I was right all along,” I murmur, commenting to myself. “Aliens do exist.”

Janine Caldwell was born in Concord, CA and raised in the small San Francisco Bay Area town of Clayton. Four days after her high school graduation, Janine attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and graduated with a degree in English. 

Janine now lives in Anthem, AZ with her husband and two sons. As a lifelong literature fanatic, she knew it was only a matter of time before she would become obsessed with writing her own work. With relatives like the Brothers Grimm and Anita Loos (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes), she figured fantasy writing had to be in her DNA.

Books published by Janine include Visited, a YA coming-of-age fantasy, Rematch and Double Fault—the first two books of The Vortex Series. The final book in this YA fantasy romance, Deuce, will be released fall 2013.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: The Vortex Series by Janine Caldwell

Today I'm excited to be participating in the blog tour for Janine Caldwell's Vortex Series.

DOUBLE FAULT is the 2nd book in The Vortex Series where Cassie and Trent’s problems have only just begun as they navigate through a parallel world rot with mind-blowing complexity. With Cassie’s tennis career hanging in the balance, she continues to watch her world crumble while fiercely hiding a secret that might cause her to lose what’s most dear to her heart.

Author of The Vortex Series, a YA paranormal romance. Janine currently lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons. When she's not writing or hiking around a Sedona vortex, she's practicing yoga, playing drums, and taking care of her family.

Follow Janine at the links below:
www.janinecaldwell.com
www.twitter.com/J9fiction
www.facebook.com/AuthorJanineCaldwell
www.goodreads.com/author/show/5804836...

My Review:

I received this bookor a blog tour through SupaGurl Book Tours (http://www.supagurltours.blogspot.com) to read for an honest review. Receiving this book for free in no way influenced my opinion or review.

I was given the first book of this series, Rematch, to read and review by the author, Janine Caldwell. That review can be seen here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/.... So when the opportunity to read and review this book came up, I was eager to start and see where the story went.

First I'd like to talk a bit about the cover. It certainly incorporates many of the elements of the story put forth in Double Fault. The tennis player representing Cassie, the guitar representing Trent (Jeremy) and the clock representing time travel. While I like that these elements are all included, I am not sure if the cover is eye catching enough to really draw a crowd to picking it up. I'd love to see the cover reworked, perhaps with using some cover models who could be holding the elements in their hands or having those things in the background.

Next there are the characters. Since I read the first book, I was pretty familiar with Cassie and Trent, even Lorelai. It was nice to get to know some of the secondary characters a bit more: Nate, Micheal, Jeff. I loved that you got to see more of Nate. I find him very intriguing. I did not, however, see many changes or growth in Trent or Cassie. They were exactly who I remembered from the first book and remained so throughout this book

I was excited to see a different story line emerge in this book. But at the same time, I missed the sci fi aspect I loved so much in the first book. I love the concept of time travel. I have read a few books where this has been incorporated and I always like to see what different authors do with the concept. Caldwell has her own twist on things for sure, Trent travels to help others. I love this and I love how this affects Trent's personality (making him a loving, caring, wonderful person). However, much of this story is focused on the relationships between the characters. I felt it was more of a contemporary novel when I was expecting it to really delve into the sci fi aspect. I also found that the story line was a bit predictable, but it was still nice to read it.

Janine's writing is very good. It flows well and I love the voices of her characters. I can picture them in my mind, which is always a plus. She really delves into the character's struggles throughout the book and I could feel their pain, longing, love, aching, etc.

I have to say that there is a lot of description in this book. And I feel like some of the same things are covered many times during the course of the book, making it for a repetitive read.

All in all this was a nice read. If you are looking for something that really grabs you with time travel, I would say this is no the book for you. If you are looking for a book that deals with romance and teens growing into who they are, then you should pick this one up.

Synopsis Saturday

Good morning friends. Time for me to give you a summary of what I was reading this week. It was busy with Christmas, but I managed to get in quite a bit!

I got this one as an ARC from Disney Hyperion. It was AWESOME. I'm really glad this is a series and can't wait for the next one to be released! Review will be up tomorrow:

Title: The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1)

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Publication Date: December 18, 2012

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.
When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.
When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

I got approved to read an eARC of this one through J. Taylor Publishing. I was really excited when they offered it because I have been wanting to get my hands on it. My review for this one will be up tomorrow

Title: Reaper

Author: L.S. Murphy

Expected Publication Date: January 7, 2012

Publisher: J. Taylor Publishing

There's no way sixteen year old Quincy Amarante will become the fifth grim reaper. None. Not over her shiny blue Mustang. Her Jimmy Choos. Or her dead body.
She’s supposed to enjoy her sophomore year, not learn about some freaky future Destiny says she has no choice but to fulfill.
It doesn’t take long for Quincy to realize the only way out of the game is to play along especially since Death can find her anyway, anywhere, anytime. And does.
Like when she’s reassuring her friends she wants nothing to do with former best friend Ben Moorland, who’s returned from god-knows-where, and fails. Miserably.
Instead of maintaining her coveted popularity status, Quincy’s goes down like the Titanic.
Maybe ... just maybe ... that’s okay.
It seems, perhaps, becoming a grim reaper isn’t just about the dead but more about a much needed shift in Quincy’s priorities—from who she thinks she wants to be to who she really is.

I read this one for a blog tour. It was a cute contemporary. My review will b up on January 7th!

Title: My Invented Life

Author: Lauren Bjorkman

Publication Date: September 29, 2009

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co

With Roz and Eva everything becomes a contest—who can snag the best role in the school play, have the cutest boyfriend, pull off the craziest prank. Still, they’re as close as sisters can be. Until Eva deletes Roz from her life like so much junk e-mail for no reason that Roz understands. Now Eva hangs out with the annoyingly petite cheerleaders, and Roz fantasizes about slipping bovine growth hormone into their Gatorade.
Roz has a suspicion about Eva. In turn, Eva taunts Roz with a dare, which leads to an act of total insanity. Drama geeks clamor for attention, Shakespearean insults fly, and Roz steals the show in Lauren Bjorkman’s hilarious debut novel

I'm reading this one for a blog tour. I've read the first book so I wanted to go on in the series. I expect to be finished by tomorrow but my review won't go up until Tuesday. Stop by for the blog tour!

Title: Double Fault (The Vortex Series, #2)

Author: Janine Cladwell

Publication Date: April 12, 2012

DOUBLE FAULT is the 2nd book in The Vortex Series where Cassie and Trent’s problems have only just begun as they navigate through a parallel world rot with mind-blowing complexity. With Cassie’s tennis career hanging in the balance, she continues to watch her world crumble while fiercely hiding a secret that might cause her to lose what’s most dear to her heart.

Yup, still reading this one that I got as an ARC through Spencer Hill Press. Almost done. I'm taking it slow because it's not out until March and I can't put my review up until February. But I expect to be done with it this weekend!

Title: Finn Finnegan

Author: Darby Karchut

Expected Publication Date: March 12,2013

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Finn (not bleedin' Finnegan) MacCullen is eager to begin his apprenticeship. He soon discovers the ups and downs of hunting monsters in a suburban neighborhood under the demanding tutelage of the Knight, Gideon Lir. Both master and apprentice are descendents of the Tuatha De Danaan, a magical race of warriors from Ireland. Scattered long ago to the four corners of the world, the De Danaan wage a two thousand year old clandestine battle with their ancient enemy, the Amandán, a breed of goblin-like creatures.
Now with the beasts concentrating their attacks on Finn, he and his master must race to locate the lost Spear of the Tuatha De Danaan, the only weapon that can destroy the Amandán, all the while hiding his true identity from his new friends, Rafe and Savannah, twins whose South African roots may hold a key to Finn's survival. Armed with a bronze dagger, some ancient Celtic magic, and a hair-trigger temper, Finn is about to show his enemies the true meaning of "fighting Irish.

I still have three others that I've been reading forever. I really wanted to finish them before the year was out, but that doesn't seem in the cards. So hopefully I will get to them as soon as the new starts.

Have a great weekend!

Synopsis Saturday

Happy Saturday! It's time again for a synopsis of what I've been reading this past week. So let's get down to business!

I read and reviewed this book as part of a blog tour. You can see my review HERE and I will be posting it tomorrow as part of my Sunday Reviews. I enjoyed it. It was a nice twist on time travel.

Title: Transcender: First Timer

Author: Vicky Savage

Publication Date: July 21, 2011

Ripped away from her quiet Connecticut life with the force of a lightning bolt and glitched into a weird alternate universe, Jaden Beckett lands smack in the middle of a kidnapping--her own!
The powerful Inter-Universal Guidance Agency (IUGA) engineers her escape and is working overtime to return her home.
But now Jaden's not sure where she belongs. In this world, she has her mother back (a miracle she never imagined). She's known as Princess Jaden, a member of the royal family of one of the three surviving nations,and against her better judgment, she's fallen insanely in love with Ryder Blackthorn, the most wanted outlaw in the land.
Can the IUGA force her to go? Or is Jaden what others in the land beleive she is--a Transcender with the ability to travel among alternate worlds at will?
She's not sure what to believe or who she can trust--except herself

I finally got to finish reading this. Now that I'm done with the first series for this author, I will soon move on to The Lost Prince. You can see my review HERE and I will also be posting it tomorrow as part of my Sunday Reviews.

Title: Iron's Prophecy (Iron Fey #4.5)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publication Date: September 1, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Meghan Chase is finally getting used to being the Iron Queen, ruler of the Iron Fey. Her life may be strange, but with former Winter prince Ash by her side at last, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
But when they travel to the Summer and Winter courts’ gathering for Elysium, the oracle from Meghan’s past returns with a dire prophecy: “What you carry will either unite the courts, or it will destroy them.” Now Meghan faces a devastating choice that may determine the future of all fey—and her and Ash’s unborn child… 
A novella from the bestselling Iron Fey series

I am reading this as part of a blog tour. So far it's a cute contemporary YA read. My review will be posted on Friday December 28th, 2012.

Title: My Invented Life

Author: Lauren Bjorkman

Publication Date: September 29, 2009

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

With Roz and Eva everything becomes a contest—who can snag the best role in the school play, have the cutest boyfriend, pull off the craziest prank. Still, they’re as close as sisters can be. Until Eva deletes Roz from her life like so much junk e-mail for no reason that Roz understands. Now Eva hangs out with the annoyingly petite cheerleaders, and Roz fantasizes about slipping bovine growth hormone into their Gatorade.
Roz has a suspicion about Eva. In turn, Eva taunts Roz with a dare, which leads to an act of total insanity. Drama geeks clamor for attention, Shakespearean insults fly, and Roz steals the show in Lauren Bjorkman’s hilarious debut novel

I am reading this one for a blog tour, as well. I was fortunate enough to have received the first one from the author a while back to read. I am enjoying this one more than the first. I am loving the time travel books!

Title: Double Fault (The Vortex Series #2)

Author: Janine Caldwell

Publication Date: April 12, 2012

DOUBLE FAULT is the 2nd book in The Vortex Series where Cassie and Trent’s problems have only just begun as they navigate through a parallel world rot with mind-blowing complexity. With Cassie’s tennis career hanging in the balance, she continues to watch her world crumble while fiercely hiding a secret that might cause her to lose what’s most dear to her heart.

I received this ARC from Disney for review. Unfortunately, I did not get around to reading it before it's publication date. But it's a super read so far, I am really enjoying it. I expect to be done with it soon and my review will be posted :) If you like Xmen, you will like this book!

Title: The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1)

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Publication Date: December 18, 2012

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.
When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.
When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living

Finally, I am reading this ARC I received from Spencer Hill Press. It's the first ARC I have received from them and I'm super excited to be working with them. You will see much more from them on my blog in the near future! I'm 1/2 way through and intend to finish it after I'm done with the two review books listed above. This book is being published in March, so I have a bit of time. It's a cute middle grade fantasy read. I think my oldest son will like it for sure.

Title: Finn Finnegan

Author: Darby Karchut

Expected Publication Date: March 12, 2013

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Finn (not bleedin' Finnegan) MacCullen is eager to begin his apprenticeship. He soon discovers the ups and downs of hunting monsters in a suburban neighborhood under the demanding tutelage of the Knight, Gideon Lir. Both master and apprentice are descendents of the Tuatha De Danaan, a magical race of warriors from Ireland. Scattered long ago to the four corners of the world, the De Danaan wage a two thousand year old clandestine battle with their ancient enemy, the Amandán, a breed of goblin-like creatures.
Now with the beasts concentrating their attacks on Finn, he and his master must race to locate the lost Spear of the Tuatha De Danaan, the only weapon that can destroy the Amandán, all the while hiding his true identity from his new friends, Rafe and Savannah, twins whose South African roots may hold a key to Finn's survival. Armed with a bronze dagger, some ancient Celtic magic, and a hair-trigger temper, Finn is about to show his enemies the true meaning of "fighting Irish."

I do have three other books that I have started in the last few months but have yet to finish. That is certainly on my agenda for the beginning of next year! I hope you all are having a terrific weekend!

Please Welcome Author Janine Caldwell!

Today I'm excited to welcome author Janine Caldwell to my blog and to our group on Goodreads, Never Too Old for YA Books.

A little about Janine:

Janine was raised in Northern California and has a B.A. in English from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. After 30 years as a California resident, she and her husband Mike, former wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, moved to Arizona and are currently raising their two sons in Anthem. Janine has always had a passionate love for literature. After many trips to Sedona, she was inspired to write her first YA series (The Vortex Series) based on the beauty and mystery of the Sedona red rock formations. When she is not writing or hiking around a Sedona vortex, she is practicing yoga, spending time with friends, and taking care of her family.

You can contact Janine at the following links:
www.janinecaldwell.com
www.twitter.com/J9fiction
www.facebook.co...more

This is Janine's Vortes Series:

Title: Rematch (The Vortex Series, #1)

Published: March 12, 2012

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

ISBN: 1475004494 

Goodreads Link

n REMATCH, Cassie and Trent’s worlds are about to collide, but not in the way you might normally expect. After a rocky start to their senior year, Trent is determined to hide from Cassie how their lives are supernaturally linked. But when Cassie’s past continues to torment her, she’s soon looking to Trent for answers. Trent must choose between admitting what he is and his role in her past, or running away from her forever.

DOUBLE FAULT is the 2nd book in The Vortex Series and is now available.

Title:

Publication Date: April, 12, 2012

Publisher: Amazon

ISBN:1475005555

Goodreads Link

DOUBLE FAULT is the 2nd book in The Vortex Series where Cassie and Trent’s problems have only just begun as they navigate through a parallel world rot with mind-blowing complexity. With Cassie’s tennis career hanging in the balance, she continues to watch her world crumble while fiercely hiding a secret that might cause her to lose what’s most dear to her heart.

You can buy Janine's books here:

Rematch on Amazon

Double Fault on Amazon

And now let's see what Janine has to say!

1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? 

As soon as I was released from my career job (Intellectual Property Paralegal) and was home starting a family, the burning desire to create was overwhelming. I guess you might consider me to be a late bloomer because I was about 30 when this urgent need came over me. I had always been an avid, life-long reader with a BA in English, but I never thought I could do something I love for a job until I started writing creatively. Since then, I haven't looked back. I know writing fiction is what I want to do with the rest of my life.

2. How long does it take you to write a book?

My first book (Rematch) took the longest. It took 4 years of hard work and many, many (many!) drafts before it became what it is today. The second book (Double Fault), the followup to Rematch, materialized much quicker. I would say it took me about a year. It was so much easier with the 2nd book since, not only did I know my characters and the plot line of the story on a deeper level, I also figured out my writing style.

3. What do you think makes a great story?

For me, there has to be a deep connection with the main characters. I want to feel what they're experiencing until I get so involved, I start to become mixed up on whether the story is happening to them or to me.

4. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

I mostly do all my writing in the hours between 9:00am and 4:00pm. If I'm in an exciting point in the story, sometimes I'll come back to it again at night, but I'm usually too spacey by then. There are weekends, too, that I might work a few hours, but my family keeps me pretty busy.

5. How do you balance family and writing?

Honestly, it's difficult at times not to get frustrated at the demands of my family life when all I want to do is work, but during those times I have to remind myself that this career choice isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. My project isn't going anywhere, Twitter won't disappear if I miss tweeting a few days, and Facebook will take me right back as if I never left. At times, I get so wrapped up in writing my story or promoting my books, it's easy to forget what's important in life. Thank God I do have a husband and kids because I would probably become a complete hermit, never wanting to leave my quiet house.

6. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

So far, I think the ideas have all been planted in my brain by God. That's the only way I can explain it. It's like little messages from a song or a news story on the radio or TV will reinforce the beginnings of a theme in my head. When I sat down to write Rematch, I was aware of the elements I liked in YA fiction, so I knew I had to create a story with a supernatural side to it, that there had to be a love story in there, and that the plot had to be unique. I live about an hour's drive from Sedona, Arizona. As my series is called The Vortex Series, it was my visits to Sedona and its vortexes that ultimately inspired the fantasy element in the series. There is something truly magical about that place. It feels out of this world, fragile. I knew I had to create a story that led my characters to this incredible city.

7. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

That I just don't get sick of doing it. I can work on a book for hours at a time, but it will feel like only a short time has passed.

8. How many books have you written? I have two published novels. Which is your favorite?

I guess a writer will always feel something special about their first baby, so I have to go with Rematch. Although, I'm starting to have readers tell me their favorite of the two is Double Fault. Good sign that they'll want to read the final book in the series (Deuce) when it's out.

9. Are your characters based on anyone you know?

There are elements of friends of mine, famous musicians (Brandon Boyd and Dave Grohl for example), students I've known over the years in my time as a youth group leader, and a little of myself in all of the characters. In the end, though, each character becomes their own person by the time I'm done writing the story.

10. Do you have a favourite place you love to write?

I'm the most productive in my office at home, butt in chair, and complete quiet in the house.

11. How hard is is to get published?

To be traditionally published, it's incredibly difficult these days. Unless you're a celebrity or a proven best selling author, you most likely won't get a sniff by any agent as a new writer on the scene. You have to absolutely floor an agent in two paragraphs of your query letter for them to consider reading the first 50 pages of your work. Agents tell us they receive hundreds of query letters in a month. It's a freakin miracle if they happen to choose your query letter as one they will follow up on. The good news is that self-publishing is not quite as painful. Oh, to do it well it's not exactly easy--finding a solid, reputable editor, hiring the right cover artist for your story, and then affording all these expenses on your own, can be nerve wracking and stressful to say the least. However, in the end, your labor of love is out there for the world to receive instead of being shoved into a drawer of failed dreams.

12. What do your family and friends think about your books?

They have all been wonderful supporters of my writing career and have been surprised by how much they now like YA fiction. My kids, especially, were so proud when I got invited to speak at their school this past year and can now find copies of my books in their school library. Most of my friends and family have known that this was a life-long dream of mine and are thrilled to see it begin to take shape into a tangible thing.

13. What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I do like to exercise--Vinyasa yoga, running with major tunes blaring in my ears, or hiking mountain trails are a few of my favorite activities. When I get my exercise done, though, I love to read (surprise, surprise). I love YA books just as much as any blogger and Goodreads user out there. And if I have any time left on my hands, which is rare, I love, love to play drums. I would say I play at an intermediate level, but I fantasize I'm keeping up with Jose Pasillas of Incubus and Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters. My husband tells me to "dream on."

14. Do you have any suggestions to help aspiring writers better themselves and their craft? If so, what are they?

My best advice is to continue reading as much as possible, and not just the genre they write in, but in all genres. Don't let too long a stretch of time unfold without doing some sort of writing while you're plotting your masterpiece in your head.

15. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I have to admit, I just don't remember. Is that terrible? Besides being a track star, I really had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Glad to have finally figured it out. Remember, late bloomer here.

16. What are your favourite books and which authors inspire you?

Oh, so many to list! J.K. Rowling is a goddess. Her genius still gets to me. What she and Stephenie Meyer accomplished is absolutely stunning. Both their series will forever remain in my top favorites. Other YA books I love are The Hunger Games series (of course!), The Divergent series, Matched series, Uglies series, and The Giver series. Classically speaking I have to go with J.D. Salinger's The Catcher In The Rye, Charlette Bronte's Jane Eyre, Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, Charles Dickens's The Tale of Two Cities, and Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.

17. For an aspiring writer what do you feel are certain do's and don’ts for getting their material published?

Do find a professional editor to polish your novel before publishing. Do work with other writers on your draft all along, so that the story is well into perfection before handing it over to an editor who will most likely charge by the hour. Don't feel you have to spend thousands of dollars on a cover artist when there are wonderful artists out there charging much less. Don't give up on yourself.

18. What are you working on now? Right now, I'm 200 pages deep into a story called Visited about a 17-year old girl who gets visited by a hot, mysterious, alien teenage boy. But, I have also been plotting in my mind how I'm going to complete The Vortex Series with the 3rd and final book. As soon as Visited is done, I will be immediately moving on to write Deuce.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Janine! It's been so great having you hear! Can't wait to hear more about books from you in the future!