PLUS enter to win a SIGNED copy of The Jewel!

About Amy Ewing…

Amy Ewing is the young adult author of The Jewel, the first in a trilogy from HarperTeen, coming out September 2014.She grew up in a small town outside Boston, where her librarian mother instilled a deep love of reading at a young age. Amy moved to New York City in 2000 to study theater at New York University. Unfortunately, her acting career didn’t quite pan out. She worked in restaurants, as an administrative assistant, a nanny, and a sales representative for a wine distributor before the lack of creativity in her life drove her to begin writing.

Amy received her MFA in Creative Writing for Children from The New School, where she was lucky enough to meet a fabulous community of YA writers who keep her sane on a daily basis. She lives in Harlem, where she spends her days writing, eating cheese, and occasionally binge watching The Vampire Diaries.

You can learn more about Amy Ewing by watching her fun author facts video on the Epic Reads YouTube Channel, by visiting her website at amyewingbooks.com, or by connecting with her on Facebook and Twitter.

About The Jewel…

The Selection meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this darkly riveting debut filled with twists and turns, where all that glitters may not be gold.

The Jewel means wealth, the Jewel means beauty—but for Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Born and raised in the Marsh, Violet finds herself living in the Jewel as a servant at the estate of the Duchess of the Lake. Addressed only by her number—#197—Violet is quickly thrown into the royal way of life. But behind its opulent and glittering facade, the Jewel hides its cruel and brutal truth, filled with violence, manipulation, and death.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her life . . . all while trying to stay alive. But before she can accept her fate, Violet meets a handsome boy who is also under the Duchess’s control, and a forbidden love erupts. But their illicit affair has consequences, which will cost them both more than they bargained for. And toeing the line between being calculating and rebellious, Violet must decide what, and who, she is willing to risk for her own freedom.

Q&A with Amy Ewing…

Angela asks, “What advice do you have for newbie writers?”

Here are five things I’ve learned over the past few years:

1.     Finish what you start. There is so much power in finishing a draft of something, even if it’s bad.

2.     Cut. Cut, cut, cut. I overwrote so much when I first started writing.

3.     Keep it simple. Always remember the heart of the story you are trying to tell. Don’t get too bogged down with flowery language or long descriptions if they don’t serve the needs of the story.

4.     Love what you write. Rejection happens to EVERYONE in this business. And it’s hard and it hurts, but always remember why you wrote this particular story. Love your world, love your characters, because if you don’t, why should anyone else?

5.     Don’t give up!

I hope you find them helpful! And, as always, keep writing.

Zekkaina S. asks, “What is the most unique author experience you’ve had so far?”

I was lucky enough to be sent on tour this October and there were some cities where people I’d interacted with on Twitter came out to see me. It was so cool, to meet readers I’d spoken with about the book and who were so passionate about it—the fabulous Sara Ella was one of those people! I got to meet her in Salt Lake City and it was so much fun. 

Aww, thanks! It was fun to meet you too, Amy!

Christen K. asks, “What’s your normal writing day look like?”

Oh, how I wish there were such a thing! It really depends on the book and where I’m at with it. When it comes to first drafting, I work much better in the afternoon. For revisions, I have to start right in the morning with my coffee. I can also work a lot longer on revisions, so if I’m drafting I might only be able to write for two hours, whereas when I’m revising, I can go for six or eight hours. Really, as long as I’m getting words on the page, it’s a good writing day!

Zekkaina S. asks, “Do you prefer book tours or online interaction with readers?”

Book tours are fun, and it’s great meeting readers in person, like I said before. But they are also super exhausting. And I am a bit of a homebody, so I’d say online. It’s quicker and easier, and you can ultimately reach more people.

Laura P. asks, “Since it’s football season, who is your favorite team?”

The Patriots! I am a New England girl, born and bred, and a die hard Pats fan. And I’ve loved them since way before Tom Brady, when they were terrible 🙂 

The Giveaway…

So I had the AWESOME opportunity to meet Amy Ewing when she visited Salt Lake City last month! Yes, I know, I can hear your “oohs” and “ahhs” coming at me through cyberspace. Just settle down, there’s more. Not only did I get my copy of The Jewel signed, but I grabbed a signed copy to giveaway as well. That’s right, one of you awesome book nerds could be the proud owner of a SIGNED copy of The Jewel! Here’s what you have to do to enter:

1. Head on over to YouTube and watch my video review of The Jewel.

2. Hit the red “Subscribe” button beneath the video to subscribe to my channel.

3. Like the video (that’s the little thumbs up button).

4. Leave a comment in the comments section beneath the video.

That’s it! Extra entries are available via the Rafflecopter below. The giveaway will run through Sunday, November 30th. One random winner will be chosen and announced in my December Newsletter (so be sure to sign up via the form at the bottom right hand side of this page). I’ll be in touch if you’re the winner!

Thanks for entering and thanks so much to the fabulous Amy Ewing for taking time to share on the blog today! Feel free to leave a comment or question for her below. I know she’d love to hear from you! Until next time, happy reading!
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Disclosure:

I purchased and reviewed the book featured in this post of my own accord. I was not asked to write a positive review. All views and opinions are solely and completely my own. This post also contains affiliate links. To learn more, please read my full policy.