Beth Balmanno's Blog

I've always thought of myself as a YA author. The voices in my head (yes, there are several) are young and the stories that always resonated with me were pretty firmly planted in the YA camp.

But lots of people--authors, friends, my children--urged me to try a different genre. "How do you know you can only write children's fiction?" they would ask. Or, "What about those award-winning short

If you've ever checked out the reviews I've given on Amazon or
Goodreads, you've probably noticed something. I give an awful lot of
5 star reviews. Like...a LOT. 


Why? Am I too easy?

I don't think so.
I think it all boils down to how I view what a 5-star rating is. I read a
fantastic blog post about this a few weeks ago that, sadly I cannot
find to link here, but the gist of it was this

So NINE LIVES has been out for almost two weeks and the reviews are rolling in. If you're one of the 7,500 people who downloaded it for free this weekend and enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. They matter. Especially to independent authors.






5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best novels I've read in a while!, June 23, 2012





By 

KClev -

I promised a cover reveal but guess what? The final cover and the edited version of NINE LIVES were ready within hours of each other. And, if you know me at all, you know I am not a very patient person. Who has time for a cover reveal when you can just put up the entire thing??



So, here it is. NINE LIVES. My first middle grade novel. I am absolutely in love with it. Not in a Noel from Set

Nothing warms an author's heart more than this.






NINE LIVES is in the hands of test readers. This darling girl spent half her day reading yesterday...until math called her away (yucky, icky math!).  

Thanks very much to Amy for sending me this pic of one of my beta readers! It planted a smile that lasted all day. 

Cover reveal coming soon for NINE LIVES.  I can't wait!

A free Amazon gift card? What? Where? How? Keep reading...



Question time. Do you shop at Amazon?
If you have a computer and a credit card, I'm guessing you probably
do.




And I'm also guessing that the things
you buy are varied. If you're like me, you've probably bought
everything from books to blenders to vitamins online. Amazon has
turned into the Wal-mart of cyberspace—I mean,

Is it ok to admit I'm feeling just a
teensy bit like a jealous girlfriend? People are emailing me and
messaging me on Goodreads and posting on my Facebook Author page about how much they love Noel from Set in Stone. Like....looooove him.




“I want more Noel!”




“I miss Noel....when will the sequel
be done?”




“Why can't every man walking the
planet be like Noel?”




“I will come and

This is Mike. 

Don't worry--he's friendly. In a pushy, in-your-face kinda way...

He's headed your way. Soon.

NINE LIVES. June 2012.

I spent Mother's Day without my kids.
Not by design, of course. (Seriously, can you imagine the mom who
says: “Know what would be the best Mother's Day gift ever? Not to
see you guys for the whole day!”)




I'd planned a trip to Texas this last
weekend, not really paying attention to calendar dates. When I
realized what day it was, I shrugged it off. Manufactures holidays
have never done

The Novel Novice, a great book review/education site, is doing a series of posts on Edgar Allen Poe in conjunction
with the release of Bethany Griffin's book, The Masque of The Red Death (totally
want to read this!).




I subscribe to her blog and have been
loving all of the posts about Poe. Not because I'm a huge fan of
horror (I'm not) but because I have been fascinated with his life
ever