Mindee Arnett
CLOSE SEARCH
/
One comment

Cover Tweak and Context 25

Yep, you read that title right. The cover for The Nightmare Affair is getting tweaked. Now before anybody panics, the cover is staying mostly the same. The only change will be the girl silhouette aka Dusty. She’s getting a makeover to emphasize that the book is a YA and not an MG (if there was any doubt, it is most definitely YA). I’ve seen the early comps of the change, and they are fabulous. Dusty’s getting new clothes, new hairstyle, a brand new and more accurate look. If you liked the cover before, you’re going to like it even more when you see the update. I promise!

My other big news of the week is that I’m going to be a panelist at this year’s Context 25, a sci-fi/fantasy convention with a literature focus that takes place in Columbus, Ohio. You can find the schedule here. I’ll be the blond woman trying her best not to look stupid as I attempt to live up to the title of “entertaining guest.” Ha, ha aren’t they in for a surprise! Kidding. Well, mostly.

So if you feel like coming out, cheerleaders, hecklers, and SF enthusiasts are all welcome.

FULL POST & COMMENT
/
6 comments

teamTEENauthor September Topic: Harry Potter

Learn more about teamTEENauthor and my teamTEENauthor friends here.

Oh Harry Potter, where to begin? My undying love for Harry Potter is a topic I could on about for hours. My debut The Nightmare Affair would not be the kind of book it is without Harry Potter as an influence. But that’s a topic for later, perhaps. Instead I’ve decided to come up with the top five signs you might be a Harry Potter addict (hint: I’m guilty of all of them!)

 5. You ritualistically listen to the audio versions of all 7 Harry Potter books.

Yes, I do this. Over and over again. I have a long commute to my day job, and audio books are the only things that make it bearable. Now, while I do listen to other books on audio, I always frame those listens around Harry Potter. I can’t help it. I have a compulsive need to hear the story. And every time I listen, I catch something new. Oh, and can I just say how much better Lord Voldemort’s name sounds in the first 4 books when the “t” is silent the way JK Rowling initially intended it to be? Um, yeah, we can blame the films for that awful change.

 4. You called in sick to work to finish book 7.

Yep, I did this (and don’t worry, the boss knows). When book 7 came out, I was at a horse show, but my husband went out and grabbed the book for me. As soon as I got home, I spent the next two days in my favorite chair tearing through it and avoiding the internet and potential spoilers. I cried and cried in so many places. And burning up an entire day’s worth of PTO, was completely worth it.

3. You describe your child’s educational career in Harry Potter terms.

 Yes, again, guilty. And here’s the proof:

Now to be fair, an entire conversation broke out among my twitter friends about the goodness that exists in Slytherin. And I totally agree. Snape is awesome, no doubt. But the first day of preschool my daughter exhibited some of the more negative traits of Slytherin. And really, she belongs in Gryffindor (for the record, I’m a Ravenclaw). Firstly, she’s incredibly fearless, at least when it comes to any kind of social situation. To give you an idea, when she was 2 we took her trick-or-treating, and she walked right into a stranger’s house! Seriously, she just burst through the door and into a dinner party. Everyone thought it was funny. Me, I thought it was a bit scary. Secondly, she’s a bit of a show-off, always wanting to be the center of attention.

2. You understand that the reason why the movies pale by comparison is because they left out all the whimsy.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the movies. But for the longest time I couldn’t figure out why they were so “meh” when compared to the books—I mean beyond the usual “the movie is never as good” thing. I finally figured it out one day while listening to the audio books. The filmmakers cut out all the funny and whimsical/magical moments that really give the books their special flavor. My favorite example of this comes from book 6 when Dumbledore picks up Harry at the Dursleys’. In the book Dumbledore offers the Dursleys something to drink by conjuring glasses out of thin air. But of course, the Dursleys refuse to accept the glasses which then spend the rest of the scene knocking them in the head. It’s hysterical and the kind of thing that would’ve been visually funny. In the movie though, we go straight to the scene with Horace. I understand why the filmmakers did this, but it still makes me sad. This is also why I harbor a deep hope that someday there will be a cartoon version of Harry Potter that includes ALL the whimsy and magic.

 1. You bought your house because of the cupboard under the stairs.

Well, this one isn’t entirely true, but it definitely didn’t hurt our decision. Rest assured—none of my children have ever been forced to live inside it. Although, more than one cat has spent a couple of hours locked up on accident. I have a feeling they didn’t mind. And no, unfortunately, none of them are named Crookshanks. But I might remedy that someday…

So what are your signs of Harry Potter addiction?

And check out these other teamTEENauthor members talking about HP!

Julie Cross

Janci Patterson

E.C. Myers

Elizabeth Amisu

FULL POST & COMMENT
/
One comment

A Preview and a New Blurb

Hey all! Just wanted to give you a quick update. Firstly, my guest post at Fiction Freak went up yesterday. It contains a small preview of a section of The Nightmare Affair. Check it out here.

I’m also blogging today over at the Lucky 13s about signs of a Super Star Agent (here’s a hint: Mine is one!)

And lastly, but definitely not leastly, I’ve been given the go ahead to share another blurb for The Nightmare Affair from the fabulous, New York TImes bestselling author Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder! I couldn’t be more thrilled with what she had to say.

And here it is:

“The Nightmare Affair is brimming with wit and charm, along with plenty of mysteries that kept me guessing to the very end. Mindee Arnett has created a brand new school of magic to delight and enthrall us, and I’m sure I won’t be the only reader impatiently awaiting the next adventure at Arkwell Academy.”—Marissa Meyer, New York Times bestselling author of Cinder

Happy writing!

 

FULL POST & COMMENT
/
One comment

Winners and News!

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in my giveaway. I’m so happy to announce the winners.

First up, the ARC of Renegade by J.A. Sounders and a swag pack of The Nightmare Affair goes to:

Hwa Sun Kang of The Shangri La of Books!

The two runners up, both receiving swag packs of The Nightmare Affair are:

Magan Bagan of A Trail of Books Left Behind

and

Lisseth of Read-A-holicZ

Winners, please send me your address information so I can get these prizes out to you pronto ([email protected])

And now for the news. I’ve had two announcements appear in Publisher’s Marketplace. First, the audio rights to The Nightmare Affair went to Audible.com in a 3-book deal. And second, German rights went to Heyne in a 2-book deal at auction!

Needless to say, I’m very excited 🙂

Have a great holiday weekend!

FULL POST & COMMENT
/
37 comments

Giveaway: Renegade ARC + Nightmare Affair Swag

Okay, as promised, I’m giving away my ARC of Renegade by J.A. Souders plus some swag packages for The Nightmare Affair. There will be three winners. The first will win the ARC plus a bookmark and an Arkwell Academy Student Guide (inside picture here). The two runners up will receive the bookmark and Guide as well. The contest is open internationally.

To enter, just comment on this blog. You can earn an extra entry for mentioning the contest on twitter and facebook (1 entry each, so 2 possible). If you mention on twitter, be sure to include my handle (@mindeearnett) so I can track it. And if you mention on facebook, provide the link in your comment. Here’s a short link for the contest: http://wp.me/p29HNn-60. The contest will be open until midnight Thursday, eastern standard time.

Good luck!

So here’s the cover and description of Renegade from Goodreads. This book was unlike any I’ve read. It was dark and twisted, ultra-fast paced and completely thrilling. I enjoyed it immensely, and I’m sure you will, too.

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb… and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

And here’s a picture of the front and back cover of the Arkwell Academy Student Guide:

FULL POST & COMMENT
/
Leave comment

Cover Interview and Upcoming ARC and Swag Giveaway

Hi all!

Today I’m over at the awesome Gypsy Book Reviews discussing my cover for The Nightmare Affair. It’s got some sneak peeks into the book along with some other fun stuff. Plus, Ashelynn is super nice and smart and you should follow her blog anyways because it rocks. Go check it out here.

Also, be sure to show up next week as I’m going to be holding a giveaway for Renegade by J.A. Souders. This book is amazing. I tore through it, completely engaged by the creepy, intense, and weirdly beautiful story. The ARC winner will also receive a swag package for The Nightmare Affair – a bookmark and one of the extra-awesome Arkwell Academy Student Guides. I’ve got photographs off the guide over on my Facebook author page. It includes custom artwork based on the book and an in depth look at the world it takes place in. There will also be two runners up who will receive the swag package as well. Entering will be easy and painless, I promise.

See you then!

FULL POST & COMMENT
/
Leave comment

Book Rec: The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin

I had the good luck to read this fantastic book last November. I tore through it and loved every second. It’s deliciously gruesome and wonderful, a modern Hansel and Gretel. It also has one of my all-time favorite supporting characters, the delightful Andrew. Oh, and the cover rocks, too. The book comes out today. Go get it! See the description from Goodreads below:

When Lorelei’s old school mysteriously burns down, a new one appears practically overnight: Splendid Academy. Rock-climbing walls on the playground and golden bowls of candy on every desk? Gourmet meals in the cafeteria, served by waiters? Optional homework and two recess periods a day? It’s every kids’s dream.
But Lorelei and her new friend Andrew are pretty sure it’s too good to be true. Together they uncover a sinister mystery, one with their teacher, the beautiful Ms. Morrigan, at the very center.

Then Andrew disappears. Lorelei has to save him, even if that means facing a past she’d like to forget – and taking on a teacher who’s a real witch.

What Lorelei and Andrew discover chills their bones – and might even pick them clean!

 

FULL POST & COMMENT
/
2 comments

Linky Links

Just a quick note to let you know some places you can find me on the internet. I did a W.O.W – Writer Odyssey Wednesday interview over at Chasing the Crazies. You can read it here.

Also, the link to my WriteOnCon post is here. You can comment to win a Query + 1st Chapter critique from me as well a swag package for The Nightmare Affair (a bookmark and one of the super-awesome-you-want-this Arkwell Academy Student Guide).

FULL POST & COMMENT
/
Leave comment

Blurb for The Nightmare Affair

I’ve got the most awesome news to share! I’ve received an absolutely fantastic blurb for The Nightmare Affair by none other than Kendare Blake! That’s right, the ultra-talented author of Anna Dressed in Blood, Girl of Nightmares, and the forthcoming Anti-Goddesses series, has this to say about my book:

“Mindee Arnett has a knack for magic. The world of Nightmares, Sirens, Wizards and Demons at Arkwell Academy is wondrous and strange, yet so human and well-drawn that you get the feeling you might stumble into it by accident if you go out wandering too late. THE NIGHTMARE AFFAIR is whimsical and wild. I read it too fast. What’s next, Arnett?”—Kendare Blake, author of Anna Dressed in Blood

Yes, I could faint from joy or cry or maybe just jump up and down a lot. How about all three? Kendare is such a fine writer. I adore her work, and to have her enjoy mine in return is about as good as it gets. Her latest book. Girl of Nightmares is out in stores right now. Go get it. You won’t be disappointed.

Oh, almost forgot to mention. I’ve seen the cover art for the ARCs, and this blurb appears on it! And speaking of ARCs, I’ve added this page to my website where you can formally request one.

And last but not least, don’t forget WriteOnCon is happening next week. My blog post on world building is going up Tuesday at 5:00, but there are dozens of live events you can participate in. Be sure to register soon.

Happy writing!

FULL POST & COMMENT