Welcome to my website and the YA Scavenger Hunt! I’m Tonya Kuper, author of ANOMALY, the first in my YA scifi trilogy (with kissing), releasing 11/25/14!!!
This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors…and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize–one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!
Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are SIX contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the BLUE TEAM–but there is also a red team, a gold team, an orange team, a red team, and an indie team for a chance to win a whole different set of signed books!
If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.
Ashley Elston is the author of THE RULES FOR DISAPPEARING & THE RULES FOR BREAKING (Disney Hyperion) and represented by Sarah Davies of Greenhouse Literary. She lives in North Louisiana with her husband and three sons. She is also a huge Saints Fan. Who Dat!
Find out more about Ashley and her books visit her Website or buy The Rules for Breaking at Barnes & Noble!
The RULES FOR BREAKING is the book you could win!
Anna Boyd almost lost her life to get what she wanted most in the world: freedom. But just when it seems that her family has finally escaped Witness Protection, the illusion that Anna could resume a normal life comes crashing down.
But check out this amazeballs exclusive scene from Ashley’s first book, THE RULES FOR DISAPPEARING, told from Ethan’s POV!
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It’s taken me forever to convince Meg to go out with me but now I’m regretting bringing her to this party. It’s loud and crowded and I can barely talk to her, not what I had in mind for our first date. We’ve only been here for half an hour but I would give anything to drag her away from this crowd and find somewhere quiet.
She’s leaned up against the kitchen counter, talking to Catherine and damn, she looks good.
Will follows my gaze then jabs me in the ribs. He knows I’m staring at Meg. Hell, they all know I’m staring at Meg. “You still think she’s hiding something?” he asks.
“Yes,” I answer. Nothing Meg says makes sense. She knows next to nothing about the town she says she’s from, she looks like a deer in headlights when you ask her anything personal and half the time I call her name, it’s like she doesn’t even hear me.
“So why are you hell bent on hanging out with her?” he asks.
I shrug, knowing there’s no answer I could give him that would make sense. I can’t get this girl out of my head. She’s keeping some big secrets and from what I can guess, she’s got a pretty screwed up home life. But when she relaxes and lets her guard slip, she’s like no girl I’ve ever met.
That’s the girl I’m trying to get to know – the one hidden behind the tough act.
“You’re pathetic,” Will says with a laugh.
I smile and flip him off, then push away from the counter. I’m not waiting any longer to get her alone. Grabbing her hand, I pull her to the den. A group of girls that had been dancing file out of the room once the slow song started and I’m glad we have the space to ourselves.
Turning around to face her, I keep one hand in hers but drop the other to her waist so I can anchor her to me. It always feels like she’s a second from running away from me and now is no different. I’m nervous she’s going to push me away, this is the closest we’ve ever been, but she tucks her head against my neck and I can’t help but smile.
We sway to the music and it’s good. Really good. I slide my hand around to the small of her back and haul her even closer.
The song ends and she pulls back slightly so we’re looking at each other. A faster song comes on but we don’t move. We barely even breathe. We’re close enough that I can feel her heart pounding. If I try to kiss her, will she pull away? She curls her fingers in the back of my hair and that’s all the encouragement I need.
This is it.
And then we hear sirens.
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Wasn’t that AMAZING?! I haven’t read either of these and I’m psyched to add these to my TBR list! And in the witness protection program? Yes, please. I read this excerpt like
TIMES!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE this cover, too!!! All kinds of awesome.
**Don’t forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books by me, Tonya Kuper, Ashley, and more! Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the blue team and you’ll have all the secret code to enter for the grand prize!
I was scared to death I wouldn’t have soul ask me to sign the excerpt ARC my publisher was giving away. Instead, I had the most memorable day ever!
A huge thank you to Mary Weber, Shannon Messenger, & Laini Taylor for making my first signing a day I will never forget. It was so awesome to meet someone I adored online (Mary), then for her to bring two of her YA rock star friends over for my big day.
A new friend caught the best pic of me. And yep – I totally yelled at Victoria Schwab as she passed in front of the booth while I signed. Because I’m a dork like that. David Levithan was ever gracious when he had on his editor hat. (Thank you to the gifted and hilarious Elizabeth Eulberg for being the excuse I used to introduce myself). Now, I think I have a crush on him. He is sweet and SO cute, besides being massively talented.
I also met the amazing Markus Zusak and thanked him for tweeting with me a year and half/two years prior when my book club was reading his book and encouraging me as an aspiring author. He glanced at my badge that said AUTHOR. I said, “I just had my first signing today. My debut comes out in November.” He asked the title and genre then asked how to spell ANOMALY. This is what he wrote in my book. He was incredibly humble and adorable.
Dawn Chartier, Rebecca Zanetti, Boone Brux, and me winning at Bingo. If you read adult romance, go read them. Heather Riccio makes $#!+ happen. I love her for so many reasons.
Beth Yarnell (adult romance, some of which is safe for teens), Heather Riccio (assist publisher), Nicole Steinhaus (editor), Karen Grove (editor), and Karri Thompson (YA author). Yes, I always take the best selfies, don’t I?
I got to spend time with such fun and genuinely good people from Entangled Publishing. Some were writers, some editors, and publishers. I’m beyond impressed with my publishing house, the passion of the people behind it, and the talent they embody. I laughed so much. A huge thank you to Liz Pelletier (publisher/editor), Heather Howland (publisher), Heather Riccio (assistant publisher), and Stacy Abrams (editorial director) for making it an awesome experience!
Fun & crazy cool writers, both adult and young adult. The gorgeous Brooklyn Skye (aka Nicole Steinhaus) with her YA novel, FRAGILE LINE – a gritty contemporary that will blow you away.
Kate Birch signing PERFECTED. The sweet and lovely editor Stacy Abrams.
I met the hilarious Bethany Crandell and my first fan, Michelle Luker. (Thank you, Michelle. You flattered me.)
The Entangled Publishing conference and American Library Association Annual Conference was an absolute RIOT!
1. WHAT AM I WORKING ON?
I’m starting Book 2 in the Schrodinger’s Consortium series which releases summer 2015. ANOMALY, book one in the scifi series comes out November 4, 2014.
2. HOW DOES MY WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS OF ITS GENRE?
ANOMALY is based on a quantum physics theory, which coincides with the general guidelines of the science fiction genre BUT it is not a dystopian, it’s not in the future, it’s not in space or a parallel/alternate universe, it’s in the here and now. This story takes place in contemporary time, in the USA as we know it today. So, if you like stories that ask “what if,” you might dig it.
I’m so excited to share with you the amazing cover of my friend Kate Brauning’s debut, HOW WE FALL!!!
Kate is an absurdly talented writer who is not afraid to push boundaries and make her readers think.
Pre-order the book, sure to leave a lasting mark in Young Adult literature, below and make sure to “add it” on Goodreads.
YA contemporary
Publication date: 11/3/2014
Publisher: Merit Press, F+W Media Inc.
ISBN-13: 9781440581793
Hardcover, 304 pages
About the Book:
He kissed her on a dare. She told him to do it again.
Ever since Jackie moved to her uncle’s sleepy farming town, she’s been flirting—a bit too much—with her cousin, Marcus. She pushes away the inevitable consequences of their friendship until her best friend, Ellie, disappears, and the police suspect foul play. Just when she needs him most, Marcus falls for the new girl in town—forcing Jackie to give a name to the secret summer hours she’s spent with him. As she watches the mystery around Ellie’s disappearance start to break, Jackie has to face that she’s fallen in love at an impossible time with an impossible boy. And she can’t let Marcus, or Ellie, go.
The Reveal!
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Isn’t beautiful…and intriguing?!!
Sneak Peek Page:
Chapter One
Last year, Ellie used to hang out at the vegetable stand with Marcus and me on Saturdays. This year, her face fluttered on a piece of paper tacked to the park’s bulletin board. Most weeks, I tried to ignore her eyes looking back at me. But today, Marcus had set the table up at a different angle, and she watched me the entire morning.
The day that photo was taken, she’d worn her Beauty and the Beast earrings. The teapot and the teacup were too small to see well in the grainy, blown-up photo, but that’s what they were. She’d insisted sixteen wasn’t too old for Disney.
The crunch of tires on gravel sounded, and a Buick slowed to a stop in front of the stand. I rearranged the bags of green beans to have something to do. Talking to people I didn’t know, making pointless small talk, wasn’t my thing. My breathing always sped up and I never knew what to do with my hands. It had been okay before, but now—surely people could see it on me. One look, and they’d know. Chills prickled up my arms in spite of the warm sun.
Marcus lifted a new crate of cucumbers from the truck and set it down by the table, his biceps stretching the sleeves of his T-shirt. Barely paying attention to the girl who got out of the car, he watched me instead. And not the way most people watched someone; I had his full attention. All of him, tuned toward me. He winked, the tanned skin around his eyes crinkling when he smiled. I bit my cheek to keep from grinning.
The girl walked over to the stand and I quit smiling.
Marcus looked away from me, his gaze drifting toward the girl. Each step of her strappy heels made my stomach sink a little further. Marcus tilted his head.
He didn’t tilt it much, but I knew what it meant. He did that when he saw my tan line or I wore a short skirt. I narrowed my eyes.
“Hi,” she said. “I’d like a zucchini and four tomatoes.” Just like that. A zucchini and four tomatoes.
Marcus placed the tomatoes into a brown paper bag. “Are you from around here?”
Of course she wasn’t from around here. We’d know her if she were.
“We just moved. I’m Sylvia Young.” The breeze toyed with her blonde hair, tossing short wisps around her high cheekbones. Her smile seemed genuine and friendly. Of course. Pretty, friendly, and new to town, because disasters come in threes.
“Going to Manson High?” Marcus handed her the bags.
She nodded. “My dad’s teaching science.”
Finally, I said something. “Three bucks.”
“Hmm?” Sylvia turned from Marcus. “Oh. Right.” She handed me the cash and looked over the radishes. “Are you here every day?” Her eyes strayed back to Marcus.
“Three times a week,” he said.
“I’ll see you in a day or two, then.” She waved.
I was pretty damn sure she wouldn’t be coming back for the radishes.
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Pre-Order How We Fall: Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s Books, IndieBound, Books Inc., Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Book Depository,
Amazon U.S., Amazon Canada, Amazon U.K., Amazon Germany, Amazon Japan.
About the Author:
Kate spent her childhood in rural Missouri raising Siberian huskies, running on gravel roads, and navigating life in a big family. Now living in Iowa, she is married to a videographer from the Dominican Republic, and still owns a husky. She loves bright colors, fall leaves, unusual people, and all kinds of music. Kate has written novels since she was a teen, but it wasn’t until she studied literature in college that she fell in love with young adult books. Kate now works in publishing and pursues her lifelong dream of telling stories she’d want to read. Visit her online, on Facebook, or on Twitter.
If you’re in the Sioux City/Sioux Center area, come check out this panel of local authors!
Welcome to my NEW WEBSITE & COVER REVEAL!!!
I’m so freaking excited to show you the badassary! First, get a taste for what the scifi goodness is all about…
What if the world isn’t what we think?
What if reality is only an illusion?
What if you were one of the few who could control it?
Yeah, Josie Harper didn’t believe it, either, until strange things started happening. And when this hot guy tried to kidnap her, shouting about ultimate observers and pushing and consortiums hell-bent on controlling the world… Well, that’s when things got real. Now Josie’s got it bad for a boy who weakens her every time he’s near and a world of enemies on her tail who want to control her gift, so yeah, she’s going to need more than just her wits if she hopes to survive much longer.
Einstein never saw this coming…
What do ya think? AMAZEBALLS, right? I’m so in love with it!!!
Thank you to Liz Pelletier (my editor/publisher) for this awesome cover!
But that’s not all! There’s also another little surprise.
Yeah, I’ve been keeping ALL THE SECRETS.
ANOMALY will be released in HARDBACK!!!!!
SQUEEEEEEEE!!!!
This will now be my home base. Check back here for book news, event updates, and my general dorkiness.
Tonya Kuper 
