Time to Celebrate!! I recently found out that COMPLIANCE is a finalist in the Golden Leaf Awards!
Also, the first two books in my trilogy The Dust Chronicles: DEVIANTS and COMPLIANCE were kindle daily deals last weekend! Both books were on sale for the day for $.99.
Kindle daily deals are awesome both for readers and authors. For readers, it means getting books cheap, and for authors it means (hopefully) finding a lot of new readers.
As a result of the sale, Deviants, the first book in my series, went to #8 in the overall kindle store (or #7? but I never witnessed that) and was #1 on several sub-lists including teen sci-fi books and fantasy e-books (including adult).
Let's just say it was an exciting couple of days that helped take my mind off a family crisis...
To celebrate, I'm having a contest! And the readers of Get Lost in a Story are the first to hear about it!!!
More prizes and options to win may be added to the Rafflecopter over the next week, so check back to this post for more chances to win!
To celebrate the release of Compliance, I'm running a giveaway!
I'm giving away 2 signed hardcover copies of Deviants, the first book in the trilogy. (Which happens to be on sale right now at Amazon.com. See yesterday's blog post for details.)
In celebration of the release, my publisher has put the first book in the series, DEVIANTS, on sale at Amazon!
Currently, the Hardcover is only $2.92, the kindle version $1.92, the Physical audio edition is $4.21 and the Audible audio edition is $1.99! How often can you get a hardcover for under $3? (Not sure how long the sale will last, so order now! (End of obnoxious sales pitch.)
I thought I'd share answers to some FAQs about this series. Here goes!
Q: COMPLIANCE is an unusual title for a novel. What's that about?
A: Parts of the series are set in a domed city called Haven that's run like a corporation. The defacto police in Haven are called Compliance Officers, or Comps. And that's where the title comes from.
Q: The series is written for teens. What age is your target reader?
A: Great question. First, I want to make it clear that the books should be enjoyable for any reader who loves a fast-paced story with tons of adventure and danger and an intense romance, regardless of their age. A huge percentage of the fans of DEVIANTS have been adults, and not just women--men too!
YA fiction might be about teenaged characters, but these days it's not just targeted at teen readers.
As far as a minimum age goes, it really depends on the reader. The publisher has put 12+ on the cover, but I've heard from readers younger than that. If parents are concerned, know that there is some mildly graphic violence, (but less than most cartoons or PG rated movies), some scary situations and some kissing.
Re the kissing... Don't get me wrong, I think that parts of both books are pretty hot (and so do my readers), but most of the heat is left up to the imagination, so younger readers (and boys) shouldn't be uncomfortable.
Q: I haven't read DEVIANTS, can start with the second book?
A: Sure! The full story does arc over three books, but each book also works as a standalone title. I hope that no matter which title readers start with, they'll want to read all three. :) And with the current sale for DEVIANTS, why not pick it up both!
Q: How is your series different from other dystopian YA fiction?
A: I don't actually think of The Dust Chronicles as a dystopian series. I think it's faster paced and more exciting than many of those stories. Yes, elements of the world in my story are dystopian in nature, but the story isn't about the dystopia, per se. I think of it as a post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller, with a dystopian setting, and elements of both romance and horror.
At its core, The Dust Chronicles is a story about a girl whose emotions can kill who must deal with highly emotional and dangerous situations. Including her first love.
That said, I did have a lot of fun setting up the dystopian elements in the story. Haven is run like a corporation with every resident an employee. Because I had a previous career in the corporate world, I found it interesting to imagine how a world might develop if corporations were in charge, and which departments would have the most power. For example, I figure sales would be all but obsolete, whereas departments such as internal audit, human resources and communications might become more important.
Q: Did you draw inspiration from any other YA novels when writing this series?
A: Not directly, but I hope that I captured the pacing and tension of The Hunger Games and the emotional intensity of The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Both books that I highly recommend if you haven't read them yet!
Maureen McGowan
Maureen McGowan always loved writing fiction, but
side-tracked by a persistent practical side, it took her a few years to channel
her energy into novels. After leaving a career in finance and accounting, she
hasn't looked back.
Aside from her love of books, she's passionate about films,
fine handcrafted objects and shoes.Maureen
grew up in various Canadian cities and her previous career moved her to Palo
Alto and Philadelphia, before she settled in Toronto, Canada where she attends
the Toronto International Film Festival each year.
I'm starting to get excited about the release of COMPLIANCE (The Dust Chronicles #2). I can't believe it's May already!!! How did this happen? The book comes out June 4th, a month from today!
To celebrate my cover reveal for COMPLIANCE, (and because it's my birthday, today), I'm giving away 2 copies of DEVIANTS.
The books will be signed if you live in North America, unsigned if you don't. (Sorry... mailing a book overseas can cost $35-$40. But if you're not in North America, I will send it to you from The Book Depository.)
