Surrender by Elana Johnson, plus Link Roundup

I'm pleased to welcome GCC and Storymaker sister Elana Johnson to the blog this week. Elana's the author of POSSESSION and REGRET, and is celebrating the release of her latest book, SURRENDER. You might also know Elana from around the web, as she's a founder of the QueryTracker blog and co-organized WriteOnCon (which, if it isn't already on your radar for August, most definitely should be. Free writing conference. Online. Fabulous.)  Elana has also written the ebook FROM THE QUERY TO THE CALL (which you can actually download free here). In short, Elana keeps herself busy!

When she's not running the online writing universe, Elana wishes she could experience her first kiss again, tell the mean girl where to shove it, and have cool superpowers like reading minds and controlling fire. To fulfill her desires, she writes young adult science fiction and fantasy... like SURRENDER.

The Book:

Raine has always been a good girl. She lives by the rules in Freedom. After all, they are her father's rules: He's the Director. It's because of him that Raine is willing to use her talent--a power so dangerous, no one else is allowed to know about it. Not even her roommate, Vi.

All that changes when Raine falls for Gunner. Raine's got every reason in the world to stay away from Gunn, but she just can't. Especially when she discovers his connection to Vi's boyfriend, Zenn.

Raine has never known anyone as heavily brainwashed as Vi. Raine's father expects her to spy on Vi and report back to him. But Raine is beginning to wonder what Vi knows that her father is so anxious to keep hidden, and what might happen if she helps Vi remember it. She's even starting to suspect Vi's secrets might involve Freedom's newest prisoner, the rebel Jag Barque...

Elana's Tip:

I think every author owes it to themselves to find out the way they work best. With SURRENDER, my agent asked me for an outline before I wrote the book. It took me three months to write the outline (20 pages), because I hate outlining, and I'd never done it before.

I then wrote the book in 25 days. So it was easier and faster to write 350 pages! BUT. But I learned I can outline, that I do like knowing a little bit in advance the things that are coming in the story, that outlining isn't of the devil. Well... Ha!

You can find Elana online at her website, on her blog, on twitter, on facebook, and blogging with The League of Extraordinary Writers.


Bonus! Elana is hosting a Spectacular Seconds GIVEAWAY this week! You can enter to win one of five signed sophomore books by Beth Revis, Ally Condie, Veronica Roth, Kristi Cook and Kim Harrington. Details here: Spectacular Seconds Contest.


This week's link roundup:

12 Style Blunders in Fiction (Mystery Writing is Murder)

10 Great Tips from 10 Great Writers (Looking for Mr. Goodstory)

8 Things You Might Not Know About the NYT Bestseller Lists (YA Highway)

5 Ways to Explore Your Story (Revision) (Fiction Notes)

5 Top Mistakes Writers Make at a Crime Scene (Novel Rocket)

5 Ways to Connect With Other Writers (Creative Penn)

4 Temperaments (Characters) (My First Book)

4 Tips for Writing a Middle Grade Novel (Karen Cioffi)

3 Things Writers Should Look For in a Smart Phone (Procrastinating Writers)

Rhythm and Pattern in Picture Books (The Other Side of the Story)

Converting Backstory into Character (Romance University)

Untraditional Story Outlining Techniques (DIY MFA) (Love the Hunger Games subway map.)


When the Best Writing Happens (I.N.K.)

Why Write Fiction? Why Even Read It? (Beyond the Margins)

Surprises in Stories (Gail Carson Levine)

Unmasking the Muse (Writer Unboxed)

How to Get a Book Deal When You Suck at Pitching (MuseInks)

What Writers Can Learn From Barry Eisler (The Book Deal)

Why Daydreaming Isn't a Waste of Time (MindShift)


Why Self-Conscious Writers are Doomed (Wordplay)

Words to Live By (Genreality)

Writing About Painful Memories (Julie Musil)

Now go have a fantastic day. And write!