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IN THE AFTER Epic Bookplate Giveaway!

Want a signed copy of IN THE AFTER, but can't make it out to one of my events in Chicago? Enter to win one of fifty signed bookplates!

Contest runs Wednesday 7/31/13 to Wednesday 8/7/13.
U.S. only. (Sorry rest of the world!)
One entry per person please!

And if you want to check out IN THE AFTER before you enter, here are some links:

IN THE AFTER Book Trailer
Browse inside on Epic Reads
My FB Page

Okay, I'm going camping (not really a camping girl, so we'll see how that goes) and I'll be back next Wednesday!

Posted by Demitria at 12:06 PM 1 comment: Labels: Epic Reads, Giveaway, HarperTeen, In the After


In Defense of Love Triangles

I am not a romance writer; the amount of romance in IN THE AFTER is very little, and the small amount that can be found is very subtle. But I have a confession…I love love triangles, especially in YA lit, which I read almost exclusively. I know some people feel very strongly (and very negatively) about them, but before you unfollow, unlike, block, and write me off completely, let me explain my affection for the much maligned YA love triangle.

Choices, Choices – Choice in YA lit is not a bad thing. Teens may not feel like they have a lot of say over their daily life, but most teens can decide who they date (or if their parents are strict, at least who they want to date.) Portraying teens as in charge of their own life, and as having choices when it comes to something so important, is a positive trend.

Having a character choose between two or more love interests can also be a great plot device. It can keep the reader interested in a love subplot or rooting for one character over another…but it goes beyond plot progression. Why is heartthrob A better than heartthrob B? How do their traits differ? What makes one a better choice than the other? A character reveals a lot about themselves through the choices they make, and choosing between love interests can round out an MC. Of course, this can be done poorly. Two supermodel-esq teens fight over an MC who isn’t very interesting or dynamic. I’m not saying simply having a love triangle will make a story, but it can definitely enhance it when done right.

Love (Un)Interest - When you have an MC that is kick-ass, smart, hot, and interesting, who wouldn’t want to date them? If the MC were dull, they probably wouldn’t be the MC…they’d be the best friend or the tertiary character stuck in the background. When there’s an awesome MC, I think it’s completely realistic that there would be multiple guys (or girls) chasing them and perhaps these suitors are less than ideal. It would be equally realistic that they would try to avoid the attention of the shallow/jerk/meathead/overbearing character.

I personally have never had to choose between two equally wonderfully perfect guys who each pursued me with a passionate fury…but I’ve had plenty of unwanted weirdo creep attention. It’s just part of being human. Someone you wouldn’t give the time of day to will like you, while you like someone else who doesn’t know you exist. Yes, it’s harsh, but it’s also high school.

Crushed - The definition of a crush is: a temporary romantic attraction, especially in teenagers and young people. Though they are not always lumped in with the love triangle, crushes are a huge part of YA lit…and with that comes crushes on multiple characters. I think this is great.

Not every attraction ends in meeting your soul mate and results in a lifelong relationship. It's normal for teens to crush on someone one week and lose interest the next, that's why it's called a crush and not love eternal. It's also normal for teens to have multiple crushes at once. My high school guy friends always had at least three or four girls they were interested in at any given time. That many crushes in a novel may be unwieldy, so I can see why some stories stick to the two crush scenario, which gets them put squarely into the love triangle category. (Ha! Squarely into the triangle...never mind.)

And yes, sometimes along the course of a novel a crush develops into love and can result in breaking an MC’s heart (See love (un)interests above) but that’s just another part of growing up. And when the crush character doesn’t break the MC's heart? The progression from crush to relationship can really drive a story. And let’s be honest, an MC’s early crush on the "wrong" character also makes it all the more satisfying if they do wind up with the "right" character at the end.

That’s my take on love triangles. I love any YA lit that realistically portrays teen emotions and all the depth (and sometimes the shallowness) that comes along with finding yourself and growing into adulthood.

What's your take on the love triangle in YA lit? Love them? Hate them? Feel free to rant…I love a good rant!
Posted by Demitria at 8:00 AM 7 comments: 


Book Spotlight - MAID OF SECRETS by Jennifer McGowan 

Recommended for fans of: YA Historical Fiction, Elizabethan Fiction

MAID OF SECRETS is available now!
Posted by Demitria at 11:45 AM 2 comments: 


SCBWI New Authors Panel in Chicago

Tomorrow I'll be on another panel, here in Chicago. Here are the details:

July 25th - (Thursday) - SCBWI New Authors Panel Discussion‏ - It's a Summer Cavalcade of Debut Children's Authors! When: Thursday, July 25th
Time: 6:30-8 p.m.
Where: 57th Street Books, 1301 East 57th Street in Chicago
Join us at 57th Street Books in Hyde Park for the next SCBWI South Side Chicago Network panel discussion. We're featuring four debut children's authors who will share their journey to publication, how they broke through and won over an editor, whether they used an agent or didn't, the role of revision, what it's like selling and marketing, and much more.
The lineup!
Demitria Lunetta whose dystopian YA "In the After" (HarperTeen) hits shelves in late June http://demitrialunetta.blogspot.com/
Tom Watson whose middle-grade "Stick Dog" (HarperCollins) came out in January and is already a four-book series http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/books/Stick-Dog-Wants-Hot/?isbn13=9780062110800&tctid=100
Liesl Shurtliff whose middle-grade novel "Rump" (Knopf) is garnering critics' praise http://lieslshurtliff.com/
Eileen Meyer whose non-fiction picture book "Who's Faster?" (Mountain Press) is just the first of many new titles from this author http://www.eileenmeyerbooks.com/books.html

Posted by Demitria at 11:54 AM 1 comment: Labels: Events, publishing process, SCBWI


ARC Spotlight – STARGLASS by Phoebe North 

Recommended for fans of: YA Sci-fi, Dystopian

I loved STARGLASS for so many reasons, so let me try to break them down here. J Firstly I love the feel of the book, that classic Sci-fi spaceship journey feel. I also love the dystopian aspect…you know something’s not quite right on the Starglass, and you can’t help but turn the pages to find out what that something is. You may think it’s just another ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, but it’s actually a fresh spin on the idea. North weaves action, familial issues, and social intrigue together to form an amazing book. I also love how North uses Jewish culture as her basis for the ships society, and her characters deal with tough issues, including coming to terms with their sexuality, as well as uncovering the truth aboard the Starglass. There’s also a bang up twist at the end, which will have you wishing for the sequel. I highly recommend this book for any YA sci-fi fans out there!

STARGLASS releases tomorrow, July 23rd!
Posted by Demitria at 10:00 AM 2 comments: 


Book Spotlight – THE NEPTUNE PROJECT by Polly Holyoke 

Recommended for fans of: MG or YA Dystopian/Action Adventure.

This MG dystopian is packed with action, an exciting plot, and loveable characters. I was really drawn to the MC, Nere, and her plight; finding out that she is part of a genetics experiment that created humans who could live in the ocean. Within the first few chapters, Nere’s life is changed forever and the reader empathizes with her fear and resentment. But Nere is also strong and courageous and really drives the story forward. Although this book is MG, I think a lot of older teens would like it too. Definite rec to any pre-teen/teen interested in marine biology or who is looking for a fun spin on the dystopian genre.

THE NEPTUNE PROJECT is available now!
Posted by Demitria at 10:43 AM 1 comment: 


IN THE AFTER on the Apocalypse Blog Hop

Check out my interview on the very cool Apocalypse Blog Hop here at Christy's Love of Books. I answer some pretty great questions...including If you had to be stuck with one celebrity in the post-apocalypse world, who would you want it to be? Visit Christy's blog to find out what I said and enter to win a signed copy of IN THE AFTER (or if you already have a copy, a t-shirt!) Posted by Demitria at 6:00 AM 2 comments: 


Signing at Barbara's Bookstore in Burr Ridge, IL

Tomorrow (Saturday, July 13th)  I'll be at Barbara's Bookstore in Burr Ridge, IL at 3pm. If you're in the area stop by and pick up a personalized copy of IN THE AFTER! Here's the address and phone number:

Barbara's Bookstore
810 Village Center Dr.
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
 Posted by Demitria at 8:58 AM 5 comments: Here are the numbers of Ann Galardi’s life:

She is 16.

Recommended for fans of: YA Contemporary 

Edits Are In!

I just hit send on my edits for book 2, IN THE END and I am so happy with how it's turned out. I also got a recent glimpse of the cover, and though I can't share right now, I can tell you that I love it. It goes perfectly with the IN THE AFTER cover.

I'm going to take a few days to recover, but I'll be back Wednesday!

Posted by Demitria at 8:19 AM 4 comments: Labels: Editing, In the End


The Blog Chain - Guilty Pleasure Reading

The Blog Chain question this week is:
What are your guilty pleasure books/genres?
My guilty pleasure reading is historical fiction...which I admit doesn't sound like it should be a guilty pleasure. It's far from dull, though. I once described historical fiction as a retelling of "really old gossip" and the juicier the better. Especially anything to do with royal intrigue. There's always murder, adultery, international espionage, and of course pampered royalty who have more power than sense.
I love love love anything by Philippa Gregory. And I also love any historical fiction that is also a ghost story...here' a recent one I read that was fantastic: Posted by Demitria at 9:27 AM 3 comments: 


IN THE AFTER Launch Party Pics!

My launch party was sooooo much fun! Here's some pics:

Class Five was there to help out :) A lot of wonderful people popped in and out throughout! Want to see more pics? There are more on FB here:
HAVE A GREAT 4th EVERYONE! I'll be back Friday!
Posted by Demitria at 12:52 PM 6 comments: Labels: Events, In the After