January 31, 2013

GIVEAWAY!

Giveaway! 
In honor of all these LIKEs on facebook, I'm having a giveaway for one e-copy of Light of the Moon! The Rafflecopter is below. All you need to do is LIKE David James, Author on facebook. Easy! Help spread the word by sharing this post and telling your friend about the giveaway!




LIKE on facebook HERE.

http://www.facebook.com/davidjamesauthor

January 30, 2013

Quick Update

I'm deep into Secret Project at this point (see previous post), and I'm loving where it's going. I can't wait to reveal the details behind it! The story itself is crazy and dangerous and a little futuristic and very romantic and dangerous and dangerous and dangerous! (It's dangerous) In other news, Light of the Moon is currently ON SALE over on Amazon for a good chunk off the publishing price. Make sure you check it out and tell all your friends. And remember, the Light of the Moon paperback edition has exclusive bonus content hidden in the back as well as different fonts and designs that make it wildly different than any e-copy. 


AMAZON LINK HERE!

Remember to follow me on Twitter @DJamesAuthor for more exclusive updates.
And LIKE on facebook http://www.facebook.com/davidjamesauthor for giveaways!

January 25, 2013

Secret Project

Without words, this is my Secret Project:








Any guesses?








January 23, 2013

Book Rec: The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

review, n.: Sometimes words can replace the feelings we have for people, places, and things. Sometimes they can't. 


The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan is a book that is not so much a book as it is a feeling. It's a story comprised of a series of definitions meant as part of something more. It's a small, tiny little book, and yet the idea behind The Lover's Dictionary is as infinite as the differences love holds for us all.

In a way, the beginning of the book starts like this:


I wondered what I would think of this little book filled with little definitions. I knew it didn't have a traditional narrative structure, but I had confidence in Levithan (Love Is The Higher Law, Every Day) so I began. I was hit with a story that wasn't a story. Feelings that, even though they weren't mine, became so much a part of me that it became effortless to follow the characters who, truly, aren't even there. You begin to fill in the blanks without knowing it. You begin to understand the bigger picture without meaning to. Each definition is part of a larger lover's story, but when looked at individually are simply beautiful quotes about sad and happy and lovely things.

This book makes you feel

The words bleed truth even when they are simple, because sometimes you can't really write about love. Sometimes those kind of words don't speak the truth. And yet, six words on love speak more than most books I've read:




I don't recommend or review books often (although anyone who knows me will tell you that I could spend hours talking about which books you should read), and then not unless they're five stars in my book. The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan was a book I didn't just read, I savored. I've opened it every single day since I finished it just to see the words again. It sits on my desk, and I'll find myself opening it just for inspiration. For a smile. 

Read this book.

January 18, 2013

On Bad Things and Things That Are Bad

WARNING: This post is not a pretty one.

Once upon a time (about twenty minutes ago), Maggie Stiefvater, author of SHIVER and THE RAVEN BOYS, posted a piece of literary rape. The full post is HERE. First, let it be known that her posts is not a post about disliking rape in books. Rather (and here I'm jumping ahead with my own thoughts because I cannot assume what a writer's piece is about), it was a post about this:

Maggie Stiefvater: "What I want is for there to be less gratuitous literary rape.

That, I think, is a conversation we all need to have. I agree with Stiefvater when she says "I'm not talking about books like Speak." Speak is an emotional journey, and when I taught it students were always moved by its raw nature and its ability to tell the truth without hiding much. The students appreciated the fact that it was an honest portrayal of what it means to be raped. And while Speak certainly is not the case for everyone, nor is it an accurate portrayal for everyone, it certainly provides some comfort or guidance or understanding to many who have been raped. The important thing here is to note that Speak is a book about rape, not a book in which rape occurs. There is a difference. A big difference.

A book loses something when it's written to be something that it's not.

It seems to be more commonplace for rape scenes to exist in books where the book is not actually about rape - when it just happens without being a key part of the story. The girl goes through something terrible to gain empowerment or to be rescued. The girl finds herself after being harmed. The girl meets the "nice guy" after being hurt and gets her happily ever after. I'm not sure if this is a response to 50 Shades (the idea that a girl needs a man stronger than her, a rescuer, someone to complete her), or if it's something else entirely. But the thing is, it's not always about the girl. It's not always about being a girl in distress. It's not always about rape. It's not even about the boy. Love, because that's what most of these current books are about, is not about being saved. And people, specifically women, don't need to be harmed in order to be strong.

Girls can be strong without be harmed.

Stiefvater says this: "I wasn't really looking for equal opportunity violation" and I agree. It's important to note, though, that a girl does not have to be harmed in order for her to be a strong character. And while yes, it is more interesting to a reader to see a character grow, growth does not have to come from something so traumatic unless the book is specifically about something traumatic. And really, it's not about boys versus girls or girls versus boys or any of that - it's about the fact that any individual does not have to be harmed to be strong. We don't need to be harmed to find a happy ending - and really the idea of love and happy endings are what a lot of these books are about.

In the end, I suppose I'm just trying to say this: We live in this world where, like it or not, boys and girls and men and women are still trying to be equal. Unfortunately, all of us do things that continue this battle for equality, and not in a good way. Books about girls tend to be the same, because that's what people buy. Books about boys tend to be the same, because that's what people  buy. Different sometimes doesn't sell because we don't always buy different. But we should. We must. And although rape is a terrible way to have this conversation, it seems to be one that's needed. Boys can be emotional too. In fact, this is one thing I wanted to showcase in Light of the Moon - how boys and girls can be BOTH strong and emotional without being stereotyped. Boys want happy endings just as much as girls. Girls don't have to be saved to be strong. Boys don't need to be violent. Girls don't need to be weak.



Happy endings are not just for girls. Strong characters are not just for boys. 

 Of course, everything is about personal experience, isn't it? Mine are different than yours, just as are my opinions. The key is to respect them all. Have a conversation about them. And in the end this post, this conversation, isn't even completely about rape. It's about equalityI appreciate that Maggie started this conversation for so many people, and I hope that it's one we continue to have in attempts to finally gain the equality so many of us strive for.

January 16, 2013

Reviews and Giveaways

The contest for one signed paperback of Light of the Moon is ending in just 4 days! The link to the giveaway is below, so make sure you spread the word and/or sign up for yourself! I'll be including some extra things as well - swag like bookmarks and whatnot. Also, the paperback of Light of the Moon includes exclusive bonus content!




Goodreads Book Giveaway

Light of the Moon by David     James

Light of the Moon

by David James

Giveaway ends January 21, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win
One more thing. REVIEWERS and YA BOOK BLOGGERS - if you would like a review copy (e-version only) of Light of the Moon please contact me via email (d.james.author@gmail.com) or send me a message on facebook/twitter/goodreads. Just let me know!

Happy Wednesday!

January 15, 2013

Cover Reveal: The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard


Title: The Forgotten Ones

Author: Laura Howard

Genre: NA Paranormal Fantasy Romance

Expected release date: May 15, 2013

Age Group: New Adult

Cover Designer: Stephanie Mooney 




Book Description:

Allison O'Malley just graduated from college. Her life's plan is to get a job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She doesn't have room for friends or even Ethan, who clearly wants more.

When Allison's long-lost father shows up, he claims he can bring her mother back from the dark place her mind has sent her. He reveals legends of a race of people long forgotten, the Tuatha de Danaan, along with the truth about why he abandoned her mother.







Share on Facebook and/or Twitter and you could win a $50 Amazon (or B&N) Gift card!



January 10, 2013

So there's this article

The university I graduated from, Grand Valley State University, ran a feature on me in their newspaper, The Lanthorn. Aside from the article honestly being very well written, I'm a little biased because I used to work at the paper once upon a time as a staff writer and as part of the editing team. I can't tell you how honored I am to be featured in The Lanthorn. Check it out HERE!

http://www.lanthorn.com


January 6, 2013

The Book Trailers





For whatever reason, I found myself watching these trailers again today and thought I'd share for those who have not seen them yet. 

Light of the Moon: Official Book Trailer

Light of the Moon: Official Music Trailer (featuring The First Impression)

Light of the Moon: The Official Bloodletter Teaser Trailer

The Witch's Curse: Official Book Trailer


You can get Light of the Moon (Legend of the Dreamer, book 1) on Amazon HERE or Barnes&Noble HERE. You can also pick up The Witch's Curse (A Legend of the Dreamer short story) on Amazon HERE and on Barnes&Noble HERE.

January 3, 2013

Cover Lust for 2013

Here are a few books that, based on their covers, I can't wait to hold! For different reasons, I love all these covers, and I appreciate the fact that many of them have very different elements. I appreciate the fact that, like recent YA writing, the covers for a lot of YA books have become focused on the details instead of the "black background" WOW factor - and in doing so the artists have created a different, better kind of WOW. In the storm of YA covers, these 2013 ones have caught my eye.