Constance Roberts's Blog

If you're one of my VIPs, or if you've checked out the new Work In Progress page, then you might have already heard about the new release I have coming out in February. I've had a lot questions come in since that email so I figured I'd drop all the details in the Q&A below!Circus of ScalesThe Dragon Sanctum 1Ivy and her mystical dragon are bound to the Circus of Scales. People flock from all over the Emerald Continent to watch Ivy and Celestia's death defying act.With the threat of dragon hunters lurking in every town, Ivy knows the circus is the safest place for her beloved dragon. Still, Ivy wishes she could give Celestia the freedom a magnificent creature deserves - instead of having to endure the cruel harvesting of her magic as well as other abuses at the hands of the circus ringmaster.When Celestia is kidnapped, Ivy risks all she has to bring her dragon back. But the farther she drifts from the circus, the harder it is to see where the real danger lies. Q: Is this book a part of the Twisted Fairy Tales series?A: No. Circus of Scales is an original story not based on any fairy tale.Q: Haven't I already read this? It's in the Cirque Du Vol Mystique anthology, right?A: Yes and no. The story was published a year ago by Crescent Sea Publishing for their circus anthology, however now that I have rights back, I've chosen to expand upon it. This book now has an editing overhaul, map, as well as an additional chapter!Q: Will this be a series?A: Yes! Each part will be released as a novella (short book, a hundred pages or so) and there are three installments in The Dragon Sanctum series.Q: Will this be released as an audiobook?A: Perhaps. It is something I would love to do, but the reality of creating an audiobook depends greatly on the number of pre-orders, reviews, and overall sales. If this is something you're interested in, please consider pre-ordering or reviewing the book.Q: When do I get to read this??A: Circus of Scales releases Feb. 2020 (pre-order coming soon) but if you can't wait that long, you can join my ARC squad to snag a free advanced copy. :)Keep up with the book's progress!Cover reveal coming soon!(Seriously, I can't wait for you to see this one.)

November marks the start of National Novel Writing Month. Don't know what that is? Check this out.Briefly, the NANO organization encourages writers of all stages to devote the month of November to writing 50,000 words. The challenge is meant to jump start that idea for a novel you've been sitting on for the last decade, or to help you get over your fear of actually turning your idea into a novel, or both. For many, NANO has been a helpful tool to get their work out on paper. The book I just finished reading, The Night Circus, started as a NANO novel.For many writers, 50,000 words a month is no easy feat. That's about 1,700 words a day. My personal word count goal for when I'm writing a book is about 1000 words. Other authors I know eat the NANO challenge for breakfast and can break out 50k words in a matter of a few weeks.We're all at different stages, but the point is, we love to write. And some of us need a little help to get the fingers flowing on the keyboard.Will I be participating in NANO this year?The answer, sadly, is no. To my embarrassment, I actually never have set out to do the challenge of writing 50k in a month. The problem (or my excuse, rather) is that I have always been in the middle of editing a project during the month of November. I thought about starting my next project, but it's a novella, which will fall embarrassingly short of the word count required to be considered a NANO novel. Hopefully next year I will coordinate my schedule better to line up with National Novel Writing Month. It's something I'd love to participate in and highly encourage other writers to do. My tips for NANOWriMo:1. Have an outline ready, not just an idea. When writing, you may like to fly by the seat of your pants, but when it comes to a deadline it's best to have your research done before you sit down to actually write. The words will flow much faster if you don't have to stop and think of the name for your character's dog or figure out how he got that scar.2. Hydrate and have a healthy snack on hand. You need your brain on optimal firing power so eat rich protein foods like eggs or low cal protein bars. Now would be a good time to cut out refined sugars. Refined sugars are poison for your brain. Look it up.3. Take frequent breaks. A lot of writers find they get more words on the page if they write in spurts. Fifteen minutes seems to be the magic number. I've tried this and had excellent results. Write for 15 minutes, then 4. Think of NANO as your new religion. In my faith, we are highly encouraged to pray and study scriptures daily above all other activities. Even for just a few minutes. Consider applying this same devotion to your writing time. Block off your time and don't let anything disturb you. Turn off your phone. Like, literally, turn it off. Put the kids to bed. Buy the dog a new chew toy. Rent that movie for your spouse they've been dying to see and then lock the door. This time is for YOU and for you to do something you've always wanted to do. Don't let anything get in the way. 5. Don't get discouraged. I repeat DON'T GET DISCOURAGED. Writing a novel is like, really hard. I get it. But at this point, you're not writing a novel, you're writing a first draft. You're putting fifty thousand words on a page and let me tell ya, no matter how jumbled and confusing that first draft may be, finishing it feels pretty darn good. And I bet wearing the badge of NANO Winner feels even better. Hopefully I'll find out someday. :) Superstar author Leigh Bardugo said,"Just as the moon waxes and wanes, inspiration and creativity can ebb and flow according to whatever we encounter in our daily lives." You will probably have days when the words just won't come. You'll have days you feel like a "failure". But let me tell you something, nothing is accomplished without consistency. A book isn't written in a day. You can't edit a blank page. If your dream is to write a novel, write. Even if it absolutely sucks rotten eggs (it won't) you will have become a better writer by finishing it. You'll go on to write something that sucks a little less, (in your self sabotaging opinion) and a little less, until finally you've written something you feel proud of. You can do it, friend.Good luck!

Been wanting to catch a glimpse of Penny and the other Automas? Now's your chance! Read the first chapter below!STRUNG What if Pinocchio was a girl?CHAPTER ONEThe only way Penny could tell she wasn’t real was by the smooth, unlined crook of her elbow. Her ivory skin trailed down her arm as perfect as porcelain. There were no scars, no crevasses or dents where her joints met. Only a few decorative freckles artfully placed throughout her chloroderm, a plant based synthetic skin that protected her steel skeleton, circuit boards, and other various wires that tethered her consciousness to the manufactured body.She wasn’t exactly sure how it all worked. Gideon, the tech specialist, had tried to explain it all to her when she’d first arrived at Monstro Theater, but she had been a bit distracted by more pressing questions to take in the intricate details.Why had she woken up in a laboratory?Why couldn’t she remember her own name?Why couldn’t she taste the inside of her mouth?In the studio, Penny gazed mindlessly over her perfect arms and hands, which, if she were human, surely would have been dripping with sweat after hours of rehearsal with Madame Stromboli. Thankfully, chloroderm did not sweat. Its only job was to look as identical as possible to human skin. The synthetic was maintained by a nutrient-rich ointment and daily exposure to sunlight. For Penny, that meant having aides apply the oily lotion over every inch of her before being powered down and locked in a box fitted with special light bulbs for four hours every night. This was to also let her software rest and update, Gideon had explained.If Penny’s hardware ever over heated, Gideon was alerted immediately and the appropriate repairs were made. But that had only happened once, and it was in the beginning of her two-year servitude at Monstro Theater. Apparently, glitches were common in the early days of new models, as kinks always took time to work themselves out.Penny’s gaze migrated through the glass wall of the studio, outside to the canal that sparkled in the afternoon sun. A row of tall brick buildings, their colors ranging from wild yellow to Scandinavian blue, were slabbed together with hardly a space between them. The walkway was adorned with manicured hedges that nobody seemed to notice as they passed by, their eyes already glued to their devices.Penny stared longingly at a sickeningly cute couple on a bench sharing a treat piled high with whipped cream. A group of young girls, about Penny’s age, floated by on a gondola. She could tell they were tourists because nobody from Amsterdam wore spiked heels near the cobble stone streets. The girls huddled close as one of them flipped her caramel hair forward and took a selfie, their smiles so bright they radiated youth and freedom.Hard to believe it had been two years since she’d been outside. Not that she could remember it, anyhow.Penny’s vision shifted to her own reflection in the glass. A heart shaped face with doe eyes stared back at her, beneath a wig of mahogany red hair pulled back in a dancer’s bun. Hazel eyes shimmered in the sunlit window. Penny knew the face she saw wasn’t truly her own, but it was the only one she’d known.“Penelope!” Madame Stromboli shouted from across the studio. The dancemaster leaned on the sleek black cane she used to keep time with the music. Her other hand, decorated with a different jewel on each finger, rested on her bulbous hip. The woman’s voice cracked like a whip. “If you’re the reason we stay locked in here until midnight, so help me. Now pluck your eyes off the window and rehearse this routine like your life depends on it.”Penny smirked. She and the others knew Madame Stromboli’s threat was hollow. There was a show tonight, so the dancemaster would have to dismiss them within the next hour in order to be stage ready by curtain call. Regardless, it was Penny’s two-year anniversary, so she had a mandatory session coming up with Dr. Cricket. Not even a chance to sneak outdoors would keep her from that.Penny took a deep, calming breath. Though breathing did no good biologically, it pushed away her distracting daydreams of the outside world. She picked up her violin she’d set down while the rehearsal had been paused for a regaling account of Madame Stromboli’s decade with La Scala Theatre Ballet Company. Penny just had to endure another half-hour with the long winded dancemaster, and then she could move on with her day.Cleo, her best friend, cast her a teasing glance as the eight dancers shuffled into formation. Today, Cleo donned a wig of shiny black hair woven into braids with golden strands, which complimented the mocha shade of her chloroderm. Cleo whispered something through a wry smile, probably some jab about Penny getting called out again for the third time that day, but Penny failed to hear it over Madame Stromboli shouting, “I want full-out this time, darlings!”The dancemaster’s cane pounded on the floor in four rhythmic beats before Penny methodically placed her bow on the strings and began to play. She didn’t even have to think about the chords, nor did she strain over the steps she had to perform simultaneously. None of the dancers did. The sheet music and choreography had been downloaded to their hard drives days ago. The hours of rehearsing each day were not for perfecting the execution of the steps or even technique. Rehearsals were always for perfecting the emotions and energy for each dance, the one thing no sort of technology could reproduce.Penny and the other seven dancers at Monstro Theater were Automas, or “auts,” as they affectionately referred to one another. Penny knew the word in five different languages. Avtomat. Jiquiren. Robotto. Roboter. Robot. A vast wealth of knowledge was available to the Automas through a digital library. Basically, if she could download it, she could memorize it. Penny could already effortlessly play the violin, recite the infinity of pi, and build a rocket from scratch. In eight years, when her servitude was up and she’d be free to walk out the door, she’d be able to perform open-heart surgery and fly an F-15 Eagle jet. Among other things.The Automas executed their flawless routine with plastered-on smiles. Penny spun around the practice space while she played away on her violin. Even though she couldn’t feel pain, she was sure her face muscles would have been sore by now from the wide, doll-like grin. This dance had a steampunk theme and spunky music to match. Stromboli had told them they were supposed to be passengers on an airship flying to an undiscovered land. Last week, they were marauders wreaking havoc in the desert. At least their costumes for this routine weren’t so billowy and hard to see in. Penny had designed them herself. She had a talent for costuming and had downloaded every design, sketching, and sewing software available. In a matter of hours, she was a pro. Madame Stromboli was more than happy to hand off the wardrobe responsibilities to an Automa.This week, she dressed her fellow auts in leather corsets and slacks, vests and skirts made of plum and burgundy silks, and brass accessories featuring keys and clock parts. She considered the ensembles her best work yet and couldn’t wait to unveil them later that night.“Beautiful, my darlings!” Madame Stromboli clasped her hands together dramatically. “Orelle, if you could just lift your chin a bit higher…” The dancemaster wandered over to the chestnut haired Automa with hickory skin. “Let the audience be entranced by those rich brown eyes, ah?” While her attention was diverted, Cleo discreetly slid closer to Penny.“Ugh. I can’t even pretend to focus today.” Cleo sighed. “This isn’t fair. It’s Cicero’s last day. We should all have the day off to say goodbye.”“Ha! A day off,” Penny said. “Keep dreaming.”“I guess I’m just kinda jealous. He gets to go out and be like, a real person. No curfew. No more stupid dances. I mean, I’ll miss him, but I’d trade places with him in a heartbeat.”Penny shrugged. “I’ll miss him too, but it’s not like we’ll never see him again. He has to come back every four months for maintenance. That’s not too long.”Cleo glanced sideways to an aut across the room. “Try telling that to Hera,” she said solemnly.Lately, Penny had felt a heaviness every time she looked at Cicero’s lover. Today the porcelain skinned beauty wore a platinum blond wig and a perpetual frown. She kept her long hair out of her face with a dark blue scarf that matched her eyes. Hera and Cicero had been an item for the entire two years Penny had been at Monstro. Hera still had six years left until her servitude was complete and rumor had it, she didn’t believe Cicero when he said he’d wait for her.“It’ll be so weird with him gone. I wonder what the new guy will be like,” Penny said.“Dibs if he looks Latino,” Cleo said, just as Madame Stromboli was demanding the group’s attention again.Penny shoved her friend teasingly.“Again, my darlings,” Stromboli commanded. “It’s beautiful, but there is still something missing. Remember, in this dance you are daring, adventurous, excited to be the first embarking on a new land!”By a stroke of luck, Stromboli’s speech was interrupted by Mr. Cricket’s British voice over the intercom. “Sorry to intrude, Madame, but I have a mandatory session with Penelope in ten minutes.”Penny felt as though she could leap to the ceiling. Finally! Not only was she getting out of rehearsal, but she’d get to sit down with her favorite full-human at Monstro. She’d already set down her violin before Stromboli was done saying, “Fine, fine. Go now. But tonight, for the sake of us all, remember your stage posture.”Halfway out the door, Penny looked back and gave a wave to Cleo, who mockingly scowled and mouthed I hate you.Penny practically skipped down the hall to Dr. Cricket’s office. When she opened the door, the tall, lean-framed man was hunched over his laptop, his brown eyes sparkling behind sliver wire-rimmed glasses. He looked up the moment Penny walked in.“Hey there, Penny. Have a seat.”Penny involuntarily smiled. Dr. Cricket was the only full-human that used her nickname instead of calling her Penelope. It was refreshing to be treated as an individual, someone with feelings and aspirations. Not like the aides, who barely spoke to her and treated her like a machine that needed maintenance. Dr. Cricket casually closed the laptop and gestured to her usual spot on his heather-gray sofa. He maneuvered around his streamlined glass desk to lounge in the chair across from her.Everything in Dr. Cricket’s office was chosen to match his monochromatic wardrobe. All of the decor was some shade of black or gray, from the one of a kind art on his wall to the three fountain pens lined up on his desk. Even the books stacked on his cadet-gray shelves were all black hardcovers. A miniature installation made of chrome spheres that swiveled around an axis sat next to his silver nameplate, tempting Penny to fiddle with it every time she came in for a session.Something about the way Dr. Cricket looked so relaxed in the black leather wing chair made Penny feel relaxed too. The man always moved so fluidly. His limbs seemed to meld into whatever surface they touched, like they just belonged wherever he placed them. Across from her, Dr. Cricket cradled his tablet in his hand with ease. The fabric of his slim-fit pants stretched across his lap as he rested his foot on his knee, proudly displaying his new Berluti oxfords.Penny appreciated a man with style. It pleased her eye for good design. Dr. Cricket, with his triangular torso and towering height, wore designers well. The roguish streak of gray hair that stood out against his dark locks suggested he was in his mid-thirties, but the completely smooth olive skin over his pronounced cheek bones did a great job of convincing Penny he was most likely no older than twenty-five. He was still a bit old for her, considering Penny was seventeen at the time of her accident two years ago, but she didn’t care. Being around Dr. Cricket didn’t feel like being around the other people that worked for Monstro. He didn’t feel like her therapist. He felt like her friend.Dr. Cricket adjusted the silver frames over his brown eyes, the color of dark roast coffee. “Sorry for pulling you in here for an extra session, but you know protocol.”Penny settled herself on the couch across from him. “I really don’t mind,” she said. “If I had to shuffle and smile for one more run through of that routine I would have screamed.”Dr. Cricket laughed, a quiet, rocky sound. “Cut Stromboli some slack. She’s stressed about the big fundraiser coming up. We all are.”Ah, yes. The annual fundraiser. As if Penny could be allowed forget. In less than a week investors from all over the world were coming to the theater for a one-night show that had to be so spectacular, so amazing, that people would be willing to fork out billions of dollars to keep Monstro Institute and the Automa technology research going. Madame Stromboli was pulling out all the stops. There was an Atlantis style set being built, including a giant tank where Cleo and Aesop were going to swim around like sea creatures. Penny had spent every minute of her free time for the last three days designing the costumes and the choreography was supposed to be downloaded into the auts the day after next. Everything was riding on the annual fundraiser. Gepetto, the CEO, would not tolerate anything less than a groundbreaking performance.“I know,” Penny said. “And I’m happy to do my part, but I’ll also be glad when it’s over.”“Couldn’t agree more,” he said with a smile so slight it was almost hidden.Dr. Cricket had a way of unhinging something in her when he said even the most casual things, looking at her so intently with his swirling java eyes. It was as if one look from him could unravel her; she had to admit, though, part of her wanted to be unraveled.“So tell me Penny, why is it you don’t want to smile?”“Huh?” Penny blinked herself back to reality. “What do you mean?”Dr. Cricket tapped something into his tablet. He hardly ever took notes so early in a session. “You said earlier when you were talking about rehearsal that you didn’t want to smile anymore. Why?”A peculiar question. Something was off.Penny shrugged. “Oh, you know, after sixteen times in a row, I’m not really feeling it anymore.”“I hear ya. Any one of us would need a break.”“I mean, we know the routine by heart. It’s literally programed into our brains. I just think the time would be better spent with Cicero on his last day.”Dr. Cricket nodded. “For sure. Let’s talk about Cicero. How are you handling his departure?”For some reason, perhaps with everything going on, Penny felt like she hadn’t actually faced the fact until that moment. “Fine, I guess. I mean, I’ll miss him. Cicero’s like my brother. He’s like everyone’s brother. He’s been a part of my life every day for the past two years.”“Being that it’s your anniversary and Cicero gets to leave tomorrow, that’s got to be a tough thing to process. Does that bring any emotions to the surface?”Penny shifted in her seat. This was nothing like their usual chatter of new music and Cricket’s shopping trips to Madrid. She sighed. “If I’m honest, I’m pretty jealous. I can’t help it. Cicero fulfilled his servitude, and if anyone deserves to go off and live life, it’s totally him. But I can’t help wanting what he has right now. He’s so excited and hopeful and has all these plans. Waiting eight years just seems impossible right now.”“It’s a long time,” Dr. Cricket concurred. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do after servitude?”Penny shrugged. “Honestly, I try not to think about it too much. I just want to get through, you know? But I plan on doing a lot of traveling while I work on my fashion line.”Dr. Cricket leaned back in his chair and fiddled with his Rolex. “What would you change about your day-to-day, if you could?”Dr. Cricket’s office had no windows, but there was an Ansel Adam’s portrait on the wall of a silver river curving its way to a snowy mountain in the distance. Penny stared at it while she answered. “The biggest thing would be going outside. Don’t get me wrong. I love my friends, and I’m grateful for this opportunity. I realize I’d be six feet under if it weren’t for the Monstro Project, but sometimes… I just feel so trapped here.”“That’s a completely normal reaction,” Dr. Cricket assured her. “Unfortunately, as you know, it’s not possible to expose you to the outside world while you’re in our care. That’s why we try to make your extended stay with us as comfortable and enriching as possible.”“And you do. I know how lucky I am.” Penny hated to sound ungrateful. Anything Penny needed was at her disposal. She had access to every piece of literature or film ever produced. If she needed art supplies for her sketches or a special type of chiffon from India for one of her designs, she needed only to ask. If she really wanted to go somewhere, all she had to do was close her eyes and pick one of thousands of virtual tours around the world. Sometimes those digitally recorded images satisfied her need for escape. But sometimes, Penny longed for an experience that was real. An experience that she didn’t read about in a book or watch on a screen.Dr. Cricket’s fingers typed away on his tablet. It was unsettling how much he was writing. Something was up, Penny knew it. If she could lean over just a bit she might be able to take a peek at his words…“And while there’s not much else we can do about that feeling now…” Dr. Cricket abruptly stopped typing and looked back up at her. Penny flinched and sunk into the couch as if she hadn’t been trying to read his notes. “It’s good to plan for the future,” he continued. “Where is it you’d like to go on your travels?”Penny didn’t hesitate to answer. “Once I get out of here, I’ll be so rich I could go to the moon.”Dr. Cricket raised a dark eyebrow. “There’s a pretty long waiting list to book trips.”“I know. I plan on spending my first stipend on a ticket to get my name in. While I’m waiting, I’ll cross some other places off my list. The Taj Mahal, Morocco, The Grand Canyon, New Zealand,” she said dreamily. “Don’t judge me, but it just looked so picturesque in that Hobbit movie. I also plan to backpack through Malaysia. Once we both get out, Cleo and I are going to take a tour of Seoul together, because that’s where they filmed a lot of our favorite K-dramas.” The corner of Dr. Cricket’s lip tugged upward in a half smile. It was a glimmer of the Cricket she was used to.“You know I’m not here to judge,” he said. He may have thought her love of Korean television was ridiculous, as did most of the other auts, but Penny didn’t care. When she’d first entered the Monstro Institute, Cleo was the first person she was able to connect with, and they happened to connect over outrageous Asian soap operas. The cheesy romances and dramatic story lines grounded her somehow, gave her an escape when adjusting to her new life was overwhelming. And say what you would about Koreans and their overly dramatic scripts, but when it came to fashion, Penny knew they reigned supreme.“Sounds like you’ve actually thought about your plans a lot,” Dr. Cricket said.“Well, like I said,” Penny smirked, “I try not to think about it.” “What are you thinking about these days? What’s on your mind, Penny?”Ah, the way he said her name. With ease and familiarity, like she was a real whole person. Like he really knew her. Like he wanted to do more than just know her.“Not much, really,” Penny said, pushing away the taboo thoughts. “I guess the same thing that’s been on everyone else’s minds. Cicero leaving, his replacement coming in, the fundraiser coming up. The costumes are a pain in the butt to make. Who knew fish netting was so difficult to work with?”Dr. Cricket gave her a knowing smile. “Forgive me, but I meant deeper. What’s on your mind when no one’s around? When you aren’t thinking about other people or deadlines?”It took Penny awhile to speak. She knew the answer, but she was afraid of it. It sat in wait in the back of her mind every hour of every day.“My past,” she said quietly, as if speaking of it were forbidden. It practically was forbidden at Monstro.Dr. Cricket nodded like he’d known what she was going to say. “Why’s that?”Penny sighed. “I guess I just…it’s so hard to ignore the fact that I had a life before all this. With people who knew me and loved me. People who are still out there. There’s so much going on and I try to stay busy, I really do, but…I find myself wondering who my parents were. Who my friends were. Do they still miss me, or have they moved on since the accident? It hurts knowing I’ll never be able to contact them, even after my servitude. Not that they’d recognize me now, anyway. I don’t even know what I used to look like. That’s so messed up.”Dr. Cricket lowered his chin. Sympathy warmed his eyes. “I can’t imagine how that must feel, Penny. For what it’s worth, I’m very sorry it has to be this way for you.”“Thanks,” Penny replied, though the words did little to ease the ache in her.“With the mark of your two-year anniversary, I bet these questions are coming up more and more.”“They are,” she admitted.Dr. Cricket set his tablet aside and stood. He walked over to his desk and opened his laptop. After strumming a few keys, he brought it over to Penny and placed it in her lap.“What’s this?” she asked. Not once has Dr. Cricket ever given her his laptop. Penny was almost afraid to look.“An anniversary present,” he said. “Just read the page.”Penny did. It was a German news article about a girl in Munich who’d died in an accident over two years ago. She’d been on her way home from a concert with her boyfriend when her car was struck by a drunk driver. The boy survived with minor injuries. The girl - killed instantly. There was a picture of the girl in the corner of the screen, smiling brightly in front of a patch of wild cornflowers. The blueish violet color brought out her golden blond hair and honey-colored eyes. A name was printed below the picture. Emilie Klein, age seventeen.Several ticks of the clock passed before comprehension set in. Penny nearly dropped the laptop when she realized the girl she was reading about was her.READ ON!*********What if Peter Pan was a girl?Read the first chapter in LOST

.....also known as Young Adult Scavenger Hunt!Welcome! I am so thrilled to be hosting and have one of my books featured this year! 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! On 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 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 120 hours!Go to theYA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are FOUR contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of theGOLD TEAM--but there is also a redteam, ablue team, a purple team, and a pink team for a chance to win a whole different set of 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 theYA Scavenger Hunt page.SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLEDirections: Below, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the blue team, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by Oct. 6th, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.SCAVENGER HUNT POST:I'm pleased to be hosting author Sara Fujimura for the YA Scavenger Hunt! We just became friends because I found out she's watched a ton of Kdramas. Something like23titles! (hint hint) She's giving away a copy of her book TANABATA WISH to the gold team winner!BIO:I'm the American half of our Japanese-American family. I spend about a month each summer at my in-laws' house in rural Japan with my family. So it will be no surprise that I've written about Japanese culture and raising bicultural kids for such magazines as APPLESEEDS, LEARNING THROUGH HISTORY, EAST WEST, RAISING ARIZONA KIDS, and MOTHERING, as well as, writing travel-related articles for the book TO JAPAN WITH LOVE.You can find out more about Sara Fujimura and her books by clicking on her website:HEREEXCLUSIVE CONTENT:Behind-the-Scenes of EVERY REASON WE SHOULDN'TSara Fujimura Though Olivia is the one telling the story in Every Reason We Shouldn’t, it was Jonah’s character who came to life first. Several years ago, I read eight-time Olympic medalist Apolo Ohno’s autobiography Zero Regrets. I was fascinated by his account of training hardcore to be an Olympic-level short track speed skater while also trying to be a normal teenager. I have one-in-a-million teens in my life, and I watch them struggle with this balance too. Finding time to hang out with friends is difficult when you are a high-level athlete, dancer, singer, etc. Dating is next to impossible, which is why Olivia and Jonah are eventually drawn to each other. Everybody needs that one person who can see into their heart and still understand that they might have to take a backseat to the bigger goal sometimes.Like many writers, I like to know what my characters look like while I’m writing. For main character Olivia Kennedy, I saw singer Kina Grannis, who is a biracial, Japanese-American like Olivia. If you’ve watched Crazy Rich Asians, Kina is the one who sings “Can’t Help Falling in Love” during the wedding scene. For Speedy Boi, Jonah Choi, I saw actor Lee Hyun-Jae. Like Jonah, Hyun-Jae is 3/4s Asian (Korean specifically) and ¼ white. If you’ve watched the Kdrama Shut Up Flower Boy Band, you’ll recognize him as the drummer from the show. A bonus: Until recently, I couldn’t decide on one actress who looked like Olivia and Jonah’s aspiring roller derby queen friend, Annabelle “Mack Truck” MacIntosh. Then I saw Mae Whitman from Good Girls and The DUFF. Now, she’s stuck in my head as their sassy but loyal friend, Mack. Music is an integral part of my writing process. I create a playlist for each of my books to inspire me while I write. Sometimes the songs act like a theme song for a specific character or set the mood for a scene or express the emotions that I would like to convey. Here are the Top 10 Songs from Every Reason We Shouldn’t:That’s My Girl Fifth HarmonyWings Lil MixStay Rhianna with Mikky EkkoWelcome to the Jungle Guns N’ RosesBeliever Imagine DragonsHistory Maker Dean FujiokaHey Look Ma, I Made It Panic! At the DiscoBoy With Luv BTS and Halsey Mirrors Justin TimberlakeLights Down Low MAXThere are actually nineteen songs on my official ERWS playlist. Want to see the whole list? If you are on Spotify, you can listen here:HERE.One last bit of behind-the-scenes news…if you’ve read any of my books, then you know that I’m a foodie with a horrible sweet tooth. In Tanabata Wish, Skyler and Ryouhei have Japanese melon pan. In Breathe, Virginia and Marco share lemon drops. For Every Reason We Shouldn’t, I gave Olivia and Jonah hotteok. Want to make some of these sweet Korean pancakes?Go here:Every Reason We Shouldn’t hits shelves on March 3rd. I can’t wait to share it with you!*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*To continue on the hunt, go to the next author's page!CLICK HEREGood Luck!

A lot of you have been asking, and I finally did it! I'm happy to announce I will now be offering signed copies of my books available for purchase through my website! And just in time for holiday shopping!The process is simple:1. Choose your book(s)2. Fill out THIS FORM3. Wait for a PayPal invoice. Books are $10 per copy, plus an additional shipping fee of $3 per order.4. After the invoice is paid, your books will be shipped! ***At this time I am only shipping to addresseswithin the US***Get Yours Today!

Being an author has its perks. One being that you can sometimes trade your books with other authors at conventions and come home with quite a bounty. While I didn't trade for all of these books, each one has a story for how I acquired it at Penned Con.Click on each cover to read the full synopsis.I shared a table at Penned Con with K.M. Robinson. We planned this well in advance so it wasn't a random thing. She and I both write fairy tale retellings and know each other's books well enough to work together. I was hoping to snag a copy of Lions and Lamps, her new Aladdin steampunk retelling, but alas she sold out of that one. My next choice was book one of The Siren Wars, a little mermaid retelling. In return, I traded her a copy of STRUNG. She's a boss on Instagram and I can't wait to see how she photographs it.I found this book the night before the con when all of the authors were setting up their tables. It drew my attention because I've been on a viking kick lately with shows and books and it sounded right up my alley.It looked so good I started to panic that it would sell out before I had a chance to buy it during the con. The author was super nice and let me slip her some cash as she was setting up so I could secure a copy. I read the first paragraph already and am hooked. It's high up on my TBR.This series has been on my radar for a while and honestly I don't even know why I haven't read it yet. When I found out the author was going to be at Penned I decided it was a sign that I should get this book. Lol.I pre-ordered Air Awakens since this author is pretty popular and I was scared she'd run out. During set-up, I went to her booth and asked her very nicely if I could go ahead and pick it up. She asked me what my name was and I happened to be the name on the order she had sitting on her table. I was super awkward and like "I'm not trying to steal it I really am Constance Roberts! See my badge?" *facepalm* But she was super sweet and signed my book and I hurried up so I could get out of her hair. Lol.This was another one that I pre-ordered. (I'll admit it, the cover got me.) Unfortunatly, I didn't have time to actually go and pick it up until like the last hour of the con and I couldn't find the author's table. I was totally fine to contact her later to get it, but I happened to be standing in line next to her when we were all waiting for the elevator. We got to talking and it turns out we actually have a lot in common and I can't wait to read her book!One of the authors of this series is a good friend of mine and I've been waiting to get my hands on book 3. Plus, my favorite character is on the cover!) I would have bought it already but it's such a heffer (like 600 pages) that it's expensive to ship unless you have Amazon prime. When I found out Megan would be at the con I decided to just wait until we were face to face and then she could sign it.What can I say about this one? During set-up I found this and thought it looked interesting. And relatable. And hilarious. I've already read a few stories in this and it's worth every penny. :)I recommend it for anyone who has ever taken care of a tiny human.I traded a copy of Strung for Dream Keeper. I've been interested in this book since last year when it came out and I found out it was a Sandman retelling. The inside of this book is absolutely gorgeous!!! Almost as pretty as this cover. Amber Duell is a hoot to hang out with and I'm so glad I met her.I met Scarlett Kol through a mutual author friend and we basically traded books. This sounds really unique because it's an Ariel retelling, but with angels instead of mermaids. And they're in a high school. I can't wait!!!Lucy Smoke is super outgoing and we just started hanging out all of a sudden, bonding over Bookstagram. We decided to do a book trade, but she only had book 2 left, so I took that and she's going to mail me book 1, Daimon. I absolutely fell in love with these covers. And her bookstagram. Well that about wraps it up. Excuse me if you don't hear from me for awhile. I'm going to build a pillow fort in my bedroom and not come out until these are done. I also want to read The Night Circus this fall since I know I'll love it and am embarrassed that I haven't read it yet.What's a book you're going to read this fall?

For those of you that don't know,Penned Con is a book conference that benefits Action for Autism. Every September, readers and authors from around the world meet in St. Louis for a three days where we take classes, sign our books, and hang out with our favorite readers and authors. All of the proceeds go to charities like AFA and Autism Academy, which helps kids with Autism transition into public schools.This year was a blast! Not only was I signing copies of my books, but I also got the opportunity to host one of my best writer friends, K.M. Robinson. We also hung out with Megan Linski,Alicia Rades, Amber Duell, and Dana Fraedrich and Scarlett Kol and I met tons more! I came home with way too many books and will be up all night reading until at least next year. I love this con and highly recommend it if you're a reader of any kind and want to support a good cause.I'll be spending the rest of the week recovering and making big plans. I should have some fun announcements coming for you soon! Until then!

Psst...free books and hot beverages ahead!I’m excited to be a part of the Brewing Books Retellings Tour this year with nine other fabulous authors. If you’d like to participate, you can visit all ten blogs, collect the numbers, and then enter the final total on the Brewing Books Rules Post for your chance to win one of our amazing Brewing Books Prize Packs! It's that easy! My gender bent retelling "Lost" is up for grabs, as well as a cup of caffeinated peppermint hot cocoa! For those of you new to Neverland, here's a little bit about what to expect with Peter Pan as a girl....What if Peter Pan was a girl? Neverland sits in ruins. The Pirate Queen wages war. Pandora’s only hope lies in a boy… with no powers.It’s been a century since the Pirate Queen banned all men from the island. Pandora and her Lost Girls hide in crumbling palaces of rulers long gone while pirates terrorize the land. Pan’s only solace is sneaking off to the human realm with her pixie, Tinkerbeau, and spying on the most fascinating creatures she’s ever seen… humans. Tucked away in the flats of London, Pan discovers a lonely boy with an astonishing connection to Neverland. She whisks him away to give as a present to the Lost Girls, convinced he is the key to restoring peace. But as they prepare to battle the Pirate Queen, a terrible truth is revealed. There’s only one way to save Neverland. But Pan’s past has a hidden secret, one that puts her friends— and all of Neverland— in danger.LOST is a standalone novel. It is the second book in the shared author series Twisted Fairy Tales.My favorite thing about writing a Peter Pan retelling was being able to re-imagine one of my favorite fairy tale realms. Neverland is broken up into Tribes of Centaurs, Mer, Fairies, Catlings, Wolves, and Lost Girls. Including Pan, there are TWELVE Lost Girls and each one has a name that has something to do with plants. (Briar, Fauna, Thistle, ect.) The deeper I got into this book the more I fell in love with the twisted Neverland I had created. I hope someday I can go back to it, but because it's contracted as a standalone in the Twisted Fairy Tales universe, that is unlikely.However, yours truly will be returning with another title in this shared series. September 2019 Gryfyn Publishing will be releasing "Strung" a gender bent Pinocchio retelling! That's right, you'll get to rediscover the classic character as a GIRL!Cover and blurb reveal are coming soon, but for now head over to the unbelievably talented, queen of retellings,K.M. Robinson's Blog for the next stop on the Brewing Books Blog Tour. (Fun fact, she lives in Narnia. No joke, just ask her! )is_______. Go visit _____’s blog at _______.”

Before the release of "Lost" I was interviewed on Young Adult Edition with my co-author Megan Linski about what it was like writing in a shared series. If you don't already know, "Lost" is a Peter Pan retelling where Peter Pan is actually a girl. It's also set in a series where each fairytale is written by a different author. We work together to create the world, but each story is individual and they can be read in any order.Read LOST today!

Over a year in the making and "Lost" is finally here! Writing Peter Pan as a girl was a super fun project and I'm thrilled to bring this story to life. It's got pirates, mermaids, pixies, cat people, centaurs, unicorns - everything you could imagine in Neverland and more! Check out "Lost" today! (And please please remember to leave a review! Goodreads and Amazon are great for that.)What if Peter Pan was a girl? Neverland sits in ruins. The Pirate Queen wages war. Pandora’s only hope lies in a boy… with no powers. It’s been a century since the Pirate Queen banned all men from the island. Pandora and her Lost Girls hide in crumbling palaces of rulers long gone while pirates terrorize the land. Pan’s only solace is sneaking off to the human realm with her pixie, Tinkerbeau, and spying on the most fascinating creatures she’s ever seen… humans. Tucked away in the flats of London, Pan discovers a lonely boy with an astonishing connection to Neverland. She whisks him away to give as a present to the Lost Girls, convinced he is the key to restoring peace. But as they prepare to battle the Pirate Queen, a terrible truth is revealed. There’s only one way to save Neverland. But Pan’s past has a hidden secret, one that puts her friends— and all of Neverland— in danger. LOST is a standalone novel. It is the second book in the shared author series Twisted Fairy Tales.Read the first chapter HEREOr get the whole book HERE!EDIT: Due to some printing issues, the "Lost" paperback is currently unavailable. These will be resolved soon and I will announce when they are in stock again.And check out the other Twisted Fairy Tales from other fabulous authors! I'll be announcing new titles soon!