Chanelle Gray: MY HEART BE DAMNED

Chanelle Gray is a twenty-something graduate with a degree in psychology and counselling. She lives and writes and works in London, where she also enjoys shopping and eating out!

She is a huge animal lover with two dogs that are practically her babies. When Chanelle isn't working, writing, or socialising, she's with her baby nephew who she looks after whenever she begins to feel broody.

If you want to find something to talk about with her, food is always a good option. So long as it's not about cheese (which she hates, but ssh! don't tell anyone).

You can find her online on her twitter account, on her personal blog, her website or her Goodreads page.

DEBUT: My Heart Be Damned (KRP; Fall 2012)

In Amerie's world, the evilest of souls can escape from Hell and take up residence in human bodies. It's Amerie's job to send the 'Damned' back. But when her mentor, and mother, dies on the job, Amerie quits and falls off the map.

Until Marshall turns up offering her information on who killed her mother in exchange for her to begin hunting again. As Amerie focuses on revenge (and on winning Marshall's heart), Marshall focuses on deception, and his secret could be more dangerous to her than all of the Damned in the world combined.

FIVE TRAITS TO SURVIVE THE APOCALYPSE:

1) The ability to kick some serious zombie ass. The training to roundhouse kick, or decapitate a zombie with your bare hands will always come in handy.

2) To know how to keep quiet. If you're hiding and something is slithering past, you don't want to be drawing attention to your hiding place with loud breathing or crying.

3) A quirky 'glass half full' kind of personality. Nobody likes a whiner. They usually end up dead. Positive thinking, my friend, positive thinking.

4) Know your allies. You have to know the people who will throw you to a pack of zombies in order to get away and the ones who will turn back for you when you fall.

5) Some serious 'Katniss' hunting skills would be great. No point in surviving all the way to the woods where you soon run out of water and food and die anyway.

Jay Kristoff: STORMDANCER

BIO: Jay Kristoff writes sci-fi/fantasy (specifically steampunk) and is represented by Matt Bialer at Sanford J. Greenburger & Associates. He grew up in the most isolated capital city on earth and fled at his earliest convenience. Being the holder of an Arts degree, he has no education to speak of. His debut novel, STORMDANCER, sold at auction in January 2011 – Jay expects the hangover to wear off some time in August. Until then, please be vewy, vewy quiet. He blogs utter nonesense here, tweets meaningless twaddle here, haunts the Book of Faces here and reads good here.

DEBUT: STORMDANCER (St Martin's Press/Tor UK Spring 2012)

The Shima Isles are verging on the brink of environmental collapse; decimated by clockwork mechanization and toxic pollution. Sixteen-year-old Yukiko is the daughter of the Shogun's Hunt Master, gifted with the ability to speak telepathically to animals, but forced to hide her talent for fear of the murderous Lotus Guild and their campaign against "impurity". Befriending the last griffin alive on the islands, Yukiko pits herself against the Shogun and the Guild in the hope of seeing her homeland saved, her family freed and the crippled griffin fly again.

FIVE PLOT DEVICES FOR THE APOCALYPSE:

• Zombie mutant vampire werewolf ninja assassins


• Non-threatening boy with Dark Secret(tm)


• Some kind of prophecy


• Love quadrangle (25% better than a triangle)


• The Last of the V8 Interceptors

Corrine Jackson: IF I LIE and TOUCHED

BIO:
Corrine Jackson (pronounced Cor-een) is a young adult author repped by Laura Bradford of Bradford Literary Agency and her young adult novel, If I Lie, will be published by Simon Pulse in Fall 2012. Touched, the first book of her young adult paranormal romance trilogy, recently sold to Kensington in a 3-book deal.

An education addict, Corrine has attended eleven different colleges, has earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English, and currently attends Spalding University’s MFA program. A recipient of a West Chester Poetry Conference scholarship, she is also the former Editor-in-Chief of two literary magazines, including Statement (CSU, Los Angeles) and Dash (CSU, Fullerton). A member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators) and AWP, she has mad skills in the kitchen, especially when it comes to pies and cupcakes.

DEBUT: IF I LIE (Simon Pulse, Fall 2012)
Seventeen-year-old Sophie Quinn becomes an outcast in her small military town when she chooses to keep a secret for her Marine boyfriend who has gone MIA in Afghanistan.

DEBUT: TOUCHED (Kensington/KTeen, TBD 2012)
Remy O’Malley has the power to heal people with her touch, but her ability comes at a steep cost because every illness or injury she heals becomes her own. This is Book One in the Touched trilogy.

5 DESSERTS FOR THE APOCALYPSE: Pot de Crème, Crème Brulee, Fleur de Sel Cupcakes, Rocky Road Ice Cream, and Sweet Tart Chewy Tarts.

Lenore Appelhans: LEVEL TWO

BIO: Lenore writes speculative fiction for young adults and is represented by Stephen Barbara of Foundry Lit & Media. Though a US citizen, she lives in Frankfurt, Germany where she works as an award-winning freelance advertising copywriter, collaborates on picture books with her husband (illustrator Daniel Jennewein) and gives into the frequent demands of her three fancy Birman cats. She started reviewing books on her blog Presenting Lenore in April 2008 and won the BBAW (Book Blogger Appreciation Week) awards for Best YA Blog and Best Author Interviews in 2010.  Check out her personal blog, group blog for Sci-fi YA debuts in 2012 and follow her on twitter!

DEBUT: LEVEL TWO (Simon & Schuster BFYR, Fall 2012)

In Level Two, the liminal place between our world (Level One) and heaven, Seventeen-year-old Felicia Ward spends her days in her pod reliving her favorite memories - until she gets broken out by Julian, a boy she knew when she was still alive. There’s about to be an uprising in Level Two, and Julian wants to recruit her to the cause. But unsure whether she can trust Julian, and still in love with her boyfriend Neil on Earth, she finds herself torn between two loves—and two worlds.

5 ITEMS TO STOCK UP ON FOR THE APOCALYPSE*:

Rice & Powdered Soup Mixes

Bottled Water

Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur (to drink) & Whisky (to trade)

Chocolate (preferably dark)

Blankets

(*note that I am really taking this seriously!)

McCormick Templeman: THE LITTLE WOODS

BIO: McCormick Templeman is descended from musicians, revolutionaries, and criminals. She holds a BA from Reed College and two master’s degrees, but she only owns one pair of shoes. She lives in California with some people and some stuff. She is represented by Kate Garrick of DeFiore and Company.

DEBUT: THE LITTLE WOODS (Schwartz and Wade/Random House, July 10, 2012)

The history of St. Bede’s Academy is one of excellence and rigor, tarnished only by a single tragic event: the night that Clare Wood disappeared from her bed, vanishing without a trace. Ten years later, Clare’s disappearance is still unsolved, and for many people it is nearly forgotten, but when her sister, Cally, arrives at St. Bede’s, everything begins to change. While Cally struggles to navigate social etiquette and burgeoning romance, her presence is awakening old ghosts, and soon Cally finds that St. Bede’s is not what she expected, and that the woods behind it whisper of another night, another girl gone missing, and of a horrifying secret that burrows deep into the heart of the school.

FIVE TELEVISION SHOWS FOR THE APOCALYPSE:

1. Twin Peaks
2. Flight of the Conchords
3. Arrested Development
4. The Mighty Boosh
5. The Sopranos

Claire Legrand: THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS

BIO: Claire Legrand writes fantasy and science fiction for all ages and is repped by Diana Fox of Fox Literary. She used to be a professional musician until she realized she could no longer ignore the stories in her head. Now she writes fantastical tales and works as a ninja librarian, which, let's be honest, is pretty rad for a day job. Her daemon is an ocelot but sometimes a unicorn. Claire is a born and raised Texas girl but for a while now has felt that she would like to leave Texas and wander the world armed only with her laptop and nunchucks, both of which she can forsooth wield mightily. When presented with the choice to high five or not to high five, she will always choose TO HIGH FIVE.

DEBUT: THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS, (Simon & Schuster BFYR, Fall 2012)

Everything about 12-year-old Victoria Wright gleams, from her perfect grades to her perfect blond curls to all the labeled boxes in her spotless bedroom. But when her best friend Lawrence disappears, Victoria must quite unexpectedly -- and quickly -- learn how to lie, sneak, and break the rules to save herself, Lawrence, and her beloved hometown from the evil clutches of Mrs. Cavendish, who runs the local orphanage. Very Bad Things are afoot at the Cavendish Home. Trouble is, the citizens of perfect-on-the-surface Belleville seem to be in on it, including Victoria's parents. It's up to Victoria alone to uncover the mystery and stop Mrs. Cavendish's sinister plan -- even if it means getting a little bit messy.

DISCLAIMER: Claire's debut will probably give you nightmares. Or at the very least make you buy a nightlight. You have been warned.

5 FICTIONAL FRIENDS FOR THE APOCALYPSE: Lyra Silvertongue & Iorek Byrnison (His Dark Materials), Malcolm Reynolds (Firefly), Tyrion Lannister (A Song of Ice and Fire), Selene (Underworld)

Robin Bridges: THE GATHERING STORM

By day, Robin is a mild-mannered writer of fantasy and paranormal fiction for young adults.  By night, she is a pediatric nurse.  Robin lives on the Gulf Coast with her husband, one soon-to-be teenager, and two slobbery mastiffs.  She likes playing video games and watching Jane Austen movies.  (Alas, if only there were a Jane Austen video game…) THE GATHERING STORM is her first novel.

You can find Robin on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

Debut:

THE GATHERING STORM, Volume One of the Katerina Trilogy

(Delacorte, January 10, 2012)

 

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888

As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe’s royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the Tsar. Suddenly Katerina’s strength as a necromancer attracts unwanted attention . . . including from two young men—George Alexandrovich, the Tsar’s standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina’s help to safeguard Russia, even if he’s repelled by her secret; and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn to.

The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

5 medical supplies for the Apocalypse:           

1. Bandages. (You’ll probably need a LOT.)
2. Surgical glue.  (Because there’s never an operating room handy when you need one.)
3. Hydrogen peroxide. (It cleans wounds and prevents dark roots too!)
4. Hibiclens. (Also cleans wounds and smells so good!)
5. Bee Gees or Queen CD.  (The latest American Heart Association guidelines recommend 100 chest compressions per minute when performing CPR.  By some strange coincidence, the song “Stayin’ Alive” has the perfect beat for keeping time as you’re pushing down on an unresponsive person’s chest.  “Another One Bites the Dust” also has the perfect beat, but it’s usually not recommended to sing this song out loud while trying to resuscitate someone.)

Kristen Simmons: ARTICLE 5

BIO: Kristen was raised in Sparks, Nevada, just below Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In high school she was a triple threat of awesomeness: Girl Scouts, Jazz Choir, and marching band. She attended several colleges in several states before finally receiving a BA in psychology and a master’s in social work. After working everywhere from a domestic violence shelter to a group home for at-risk teens, she became a mental health therapist. After surrendering to the addiction of all things chocolate, she became a Jazzercise instructor.

Kristen is married and has a rescued greyhound named Rudy. Her first novel, ARTICLE 5, the first installment of her young adult dystopian trilogy, will be released by Tor Teen in February 2012. Read more about Kristen and her writing at www.kristensimmonsbooks.com.

DEBUT: ARTICLE 5 (Tor Teen, February 14, 2012)

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police — instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior — instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested don’t usually come back.

17-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. That life in the United States used to be different.

In the three years since the war ended, Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the Federal Bureau of Reformation. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow. That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And what’s worse, one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

5 places to hide out in the Apocalypse:

Military base (should have everything we need...)
Prison (fortified walls, weapons)
Super Target (now I KNOW this has everything we need)
IKEA (just because it's the apocalypse doesn't mean we can't be trendy and space-conscious. Hope those cinnamon rolls last a while)
Lake Tahoe (hard for zombies to climb the pass, endless supply of fresh water)

E.M. Kokie: PERSONAL EFFECTS

BIO: E.M. Kokie writes contemporary young adult novels and is represented by Chris Richman of Upstart Crow Literary. In high school she was a band geek, played field hockey, and was active in Model Youth in Government, Mock Trial and a slew of clubs. She was rarely invited to the cool parties, which left her plenty of time to read, and to create her own stories, even if she didn’t share them with anyone or think that she could actually be a writer. Now she shares her stories—specifically, novels for teens that explore identity and self-determination, about characters on the cusp of life-changing moments. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with her partner. She will debate nearly any subject, and likes to have the last word. She can be found online at http://www.emkokie.com/, on Twitter, on Facebook, and hanging around the Absolute Write Forums.

DEBUT: PERSONAL EFFECTS (Candlewick Press, September 2012)

Seventeen-year-old Matt Foster thought that if he could only get his hands on his brother’s stuff from Iraq, he'd be able to make sense of T.J.’s death. He wasn’t expecting T.J.’s personal effects to raise even more questions about his brother’s life.

Now, even if it means pushing his dad over the edge . . .

even if it means losing his best friend . . .

even if it means getting expelled from school . . .

Matt will do whatever it takes to find out the truth about his brother’s past.


FIVE LESSONS FOR THE APOCALYPSE (Or, “everything I know about surviving an apocalypse I learned from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”):

1. “What's this? Sitting around watching the telly while there's evil still afoot. Not very industrious of you. I say we go out there and kick a little demon ass!” (Spike, “Doomed”, Episode 2:11);


2. “I have to believe in a better world.” (Giles, “The Wish”, Episode 3:9);


3. “…give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other… the hardest thing in this world… is to live in it. Be brave. Live…” (Buffy, “The Gift,” Episode 5:22);


4. “When it's something that really matters, they fight. I mean, they're lame morons for fighting, but they do! They never... they never quit. So I guess I'll keep fighting too.” (Anya, “End of Days”, Episode 7:21); and


5. Oz: “Guys. Take a moment to deal with all this. We survived.” Buffy: “It was a hell of a battle.” Oz: “Not the battle. High school.” (“Graduation Day, Part 2, Episode 3:22).

Heather Anastasiu: GLITCH

BIO: Heather writes sci-fi/fantasy for young adults and is represented by Charlie Olsen of Inkwell Management. She lives just south of Austin, Texas and is currently finishing up her Master's in Children’s Literature at Texas State University. Her creative writing has been published in several literary magazines: REAL: Regarding Arts and Letters, Gargoyle, and Blue Earth Review among others. She’s a self-proclaimed nerd, attracted to anything fantasy or sci-fi, especially if there’s kissing involved :) She spends her free time writing, reading, and loving on her hubster and cutie-pie kiddo. Check out her blog or follow on twitter!

DEBUT: GLITCH (St. Martins, Summer 2012)

Seventeen-year-old Zoe Gray is a cybernetically-enhanced teenager living in an underground society when her internal hardware begins to malfunction. She slowly realizes that her body is changing, that she’s developing powerful telekinesis, and that she’s not alone. Even though getting caught could mean reprogramming, or worse, deactivation, Zoe begins to seek out other glitchers in society, including a dreamer named Adrian who can see the future, a boy named Max who can mimic other’s appearances, and a young girl named Molly with X-ray vision. They work together to plan their escape, but soon learn there is another powerful faction in the society whose ambitions threaten all their carefully laid plans.

5 BOOKS FOR THE APOCALYPSE:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Graceling by Kristen Cashore
The Way of Zen by Alan Watts
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling.

Susan Dennard: SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY

BIO: Susan Dennard is a 27-year-old reader, writer, lover of animals, and eater of cookies. She used to be a marine biologist, but now she writes novels. And not novels about fish either, but novels about kick-butt heroines and swoon-worthy rogues (she really likes swoon-worthy rogues). She lives in Germany with her French husband and Irish setter, and you can learn more about her crazy thoughts and crippling cookie-addiction on her blog, twitter, facebook, or Goodreads.

DEBUT: Something Strange and Deadly (HarperCollins, Summer 2012)

It’s 1876, and Philadelphia is hosting the first American World Fair. It’s also hosting rancid corpses that refuse to stay dead. When one of those decomposing bodies brings Eleanor--a 16-year-old with a weakness for buttered toast and Shakespeare quotes--a hostage note for her brother, she resolves to do anything to rescue him. But to face the armies of Dead that have him, she’ll need a little help from a rag-tag ghost-fighting team, the Spirit-Hunters.

5 INDISPENSABLE LIFE-SAVING GADGETS FOR THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE:

1. An axe with water purification handle: One end is for ZOMBIE DEATH (the sharp end) while the other end lets you make that foul sewage safe for afternoon tea.
2. Zombie-seeking, night-vision goggles: Don't let darkness creep up on you! Keep these goggles on, and you'll be safe the whole night through. (Laser beam add-on not included.)
3. L'eau des Morts: Gotta make a quick trip outside? A spritz of this perfume, and you'll be masked from zombie senses...just make sure you're back to a fortified location within ten minutes.
4. Screamers: Need a distraction? Gotta make a run for it? Throw one of these fist-sized alarms (complete with delayed detonation!), and you'll have every zombie in a quarter-mile radius shuffling full-speed to the sound.
5. Really, really, really good sneakers: Look, you're probably gonna be running--like, a lot. The worst thing you could do is injure your knee or develop shin-splints due to poor arch support or low quality tread. Invest in some good sneakers, in those rotting piles of corpse won't stand a chance.
   

Kat Zhang: WHAT'S LEFT OF ME

Kat Zhang spent most of her childhood traipsing through a world weaved from her favorite stories and games. When she and her best friend weren’t riding magic horses or talking to trees, they were writing adaptations of plays for their stuffed animals (what would The Wizard of Oz have been like if the Cowardly Lion were replaced by a Loquacious Lamb?). This may or may not explain many of Kat’s quirks today.

Now, Kat attends university, interns for a literary agent, performs as a Spoken Word poet, and contributes to Let The Words Flow, a site for aspiring writers to learn about storytelling craft and the publishing process...all in addition to writing novels, of course!

When she is not exploring the world of her characters, she is exploring her own. To date, she’s had the pleasure of visiting five countries, including more than half the United States. She blogs here and tweets here.

Book: WHAT'S LEFT OF ME (Book #1 of The Hybrid Trilogy)

HarperTeen Fall 2012

A fifteen-year-old girl must fight for her right to survive in a world where two souls are born into each body and one is doomed to disappear. Pitched as THE GOLDEN COMPASS meets GIRL, INTERRUPTED. 

Five Useful Animals to Have on Your Side During the Apocalypse:

1. a horse (what? you know those cars are going to break down. they always do)

2. a german shepherd (big, lovely guard/attack dog)

3. messenger pigeon (i actually don't know how useful they'll be in sending information, but a girl can dream)

4. a grizzly bear (...i did say 'on your side' right?)

5. a t-rex (because i've run clean out of ideas and could you just imagine the awesomeness?)

Lynne Kelly: CHAINED

BIO: Lynne Kelly writes contemporary middle grade and young adult fiction and is represented by Joanna Stampfel-Volpe of Nancy Coffey Literary and Media Representation. She was born in Galesburg, Illinois, grew up in Houston, lived in some much colder places, then found her way back to the Houston area, where she works as a sign language interpreter. For a few years she also taught special education, a good career for someone with excellent organizational and planning skills. Lacking those skills, she quit teaching in 2006 and thankfully has more time for playing around on the Internet writing. But it was during those teaching years that she worked with some great kids and became interested in writing, so that all worked out.

DEBUT: CHAINED (Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, May 8, 2012)
The touching story of a boy and an elephant who have a friendship that’s stronger than any lock, shackle, or chain.
Ten-year-old Hastin’s sister has fallen ill, and his family must borrow money to pay for her care in the hospital. To work off the debt, Hastin leaves his village in northern India to work in a faraway jungle as an elephant keeper. He thinks it will be an adventure, but he isn’t prepared for the cruel circus owner. The crowds that come to the circus see a lively animal who plays soccer and balances on milk bottles, but Hastin sees Nandita, a sweet elephant and his best friend, who is chained when she’s not performing and punished until she learns her tricks perfectly. With the help of Ne Min, a wise old man who seems to know all about elephants, Hastin protects Nandita as best as he can. Still he wonders–will they both survive long enough to escape?

5 MOVIES FOR THE APOCALYPSE: I'm thinking we'll need some comic relief, since we'll have enough real-life drama, action, and zombies. So, for a little escape from the day-to-day adventures, I'd like to have these movies I can still laugh at after seeing them over and over again: Airplane, A Muppet Christmas Carol, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Hangover, Love Actually. Oh, and we'll need to grab a generator to charge the portable DVD player.

Marissa Burt: STORYBOUND

Marissa Burt writes middle grade fantasy and is represented by Laura Langlie of the Laura Langlie Literary Agency. She grew up in Portland, Oregon, and drifted eastward, living in Colorado, Illinois, Tennessee, and South Carolina, before coming back home to the Pacific Northwest.

Along the way, she studied Sociology, Ancient Languages, and Theology and clocked hours as a social worker, barista, 5th grade teacher, bookseller, faculty assistant, and reference librarian. But not all at the same time.

Marissa now lives in the Seattle area with her husband and three sons where she enjoys time spent around family, friends, and good books.

DEBUT: STORYBOUND (HarperCollins Children's, Winter 2012)

Una Fairchild, a shy twelve-year-old misfit, feels invisible most of the time. But when a mysterious book transports her to the Land of Story, she only wishes she could blend in.

In an otherworld where characters from books enroll at Perrault College with the hope of being cast into a Tale of their own, Una finds herself juggling classes like Villainy and Outdoor Experiential Questing and navigating the challenges of life with her snooty new roommate, all while dodging the notice of Story's rulers.

Una must unravel the realm's secret Backstory in order to discover who has written her in and why. Her quest lands her smack dab in an ongoing battle between good and evil as she unearths the real reason she's always been STORYBOUND.

FIVE PICTURE BOOKS FOR THE APOCALYPSE:

IF YOU GIVE A ZOMBIE A BRAIN
CURIOUS GEORGE GOES UNDERGROUND
THE VERY HUNGRY PERSON
PAT THE COCKROACH
GOODBYE MOON

Photography by: Barry Gregg

Sarvenaz Tash: THE MAPMAKER AND THE GHOST

BIO: Sarvenaz Tash was born in Tehran, Iran and grew up on Long Island, New York - therefore she can't pronounce water without putting an extra 'w' in there where it shouldn't be. She has a BFA in Film & Television from New York University and has dabbled in all sorts of writing including screenwriting, copy writing and professional tweeting. Currently she is focusing on middle grade fiction writing, which she loves. Sarvenaz lives in Brooklyn, NY. Here's how you pronounce her name: Sar (like the first part in Sara) - ve (rhymes with meh) - naz (like the rapper or rhymes with because).

DEBUT: THE MAPMAKER AND THE GHOST (Walker, April 24, 2012)
Goldenrod Moram loves nothing better than a good quest. Intrepid, curious, and full of a well-honed sense of adventure, she decides to start her own exploring team fashioned after her idols, the explorers Lewis and Clark, and to map the forest right behind her home. This task is complicated, however, by a series of unique events—a chance encounter with a mysterious old lady has her searching for a legendary blue rose. Another encounter lands her in the middle of a ragtag gang of brilliant troublemakers. And when she stumbles upon none other than the ghost of Meriwether Lewis himself, Goldenrod knows this will be anything but an ordinary summer . . . or an ordinary quest.

5 THINGS TO GRAB FROM HOGWARTS FOR THE APOCALYPSE:
- my wand (obvs) 
- Time-Turner, if any are within reach and intact (in case we want to go back and try to thwart the apocalypse. After all, what about the thirteensies?) 
-  Hogwarts: A History (if Hermione is always going on about it, it must be a good read. And we'll definitely need some good reads)
- Quick-Quotes Quill (it'd be nice if some of these first drafts wrote themselves)
- The Boy Who Lived (who I expect to, you know, live. And have some good survival tips)

Jessica Spotswood: BORN WICKED

BIO: Jessica Spotswood writes books about magic and kissing. She is repped by the awesome Jim McCarthy at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. Jess has wanted to be an author since fourth grade, except for that time she went to grad school to be a dramaturg. She lives in a hipster neighborhood in Washington, DC with her playwright husband and a very cuddly cat named Monkey. Jess loves books, theatre, tea, cardamom cookies, the color pink, twirly dresses, and the sound of bells chiming the hour. She is frighteningly enthusiastic.

DEBUT: BORN WICKED: Book 1 of The Cahill Witch Chronicles (Putnam, Spring 2012)

Cate Cahill and her sisters are considered eccentric bluestockings--a little odd, a little unfashionable, and far too educated for their own good. The truth is more complicated; they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it could mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave.

5 FICTIONAL BFFS FOR THE APOCALYPSE:

Hermione Granger (HARRY POTTER series by J.K. Rowling)

Frankie Landau-Banks (THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS by E. Lockhart)

Deryn Sharp (LEVIATHAN and BEHEMOTH by Scott Westerfeld)

Kate (PLAIN KATE by Erin Bow)

Kat Stephenson (KAT, INCORRIGIBLE by Stephanie Burgis)

Nicole Maggi: SHIFT

BIO:  Nicole Maggi writes supernatural young adult fiction and is represented by Irene Goodman of The Irene Goodman Literary Agency.  She lives in Los Angeles, CA with her amazingly supportive husband and is a new mom to beautiful baby Emilia.  Nicole graduated from Emerson College with a BFA, and worked as an actress for many years in New York before the lure of sunshine and avocados enticed her to the West Coast.  Though she still acts, her focus now is on her writing.  In her very limited spare time, Nicole enjoys yoga, hiking, baking (and eating what she bakes), reading on her Nook, and deciphering the neverending mysteries of LOST. 

DEBUT: SHIFT (HarperTeen, Summer 2012)

Based on the Italian legend of the Benandanti, sixteen-year-old Alessia Jacobs discovers she is part of the ancient clan of warriors who can shapeshift their souls into various animals, and is drawn into their centuries-old conflict with the evil Malandanti in order to protect the world's magical sites from their control.  But as she struggles to maintain the balance between her duty to the Benandanti and her normal life, everything begins to fall apart and her two worlds collide with devastating consequences. SHIFT is the first book in the Benandanti Trilogy.

FIVE MAKE-UP TIPS TO KEEP YOURSELF BEAUTIFUL AFTER THE APOCALPYSE:

1. Dr. Hauschka Toner will keep your skin moist and balanced and help combat the damaging effects of not having an ozone layer anymore.

2. Adding a little dot of white eyeliner or cream eyeshadow on the inner corner of your eye will help you look wide awake, perfect after a long night of fighting zombies.

3. Who has time for foundation after the apocalypse?  A tinted moisturizer is a great alternative.

4. Always carry a nail file.  The apocalypse is bound to be rough on your manicure.

5. Don't be afraid to experiment with color!  Peacock blues, iridescent purples and emerald greens are all going to be hot hot hot after the end of days. 

Emily Hainsworth: THROUGH TO YOU

BIO: Emily Hainsworth writes YA paranormal thrillers and is represented by Mary Kole of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. She was raised in upstate New York, but quickly fled its gray skies for the sunny Rocky Mountains. She studied English and psychology at the University of Colorado, and though she spends her days working around cats and dogs, writing for young adults is her true passion. She counts F. Scott Fitzgerald and the dark thrillers of Christopher Pike among her influences. Emily currently resides in Denver with her husband, cat, and standard poodle. Through to You is her first novel. She's hard at work on her next.

DEBUT: THROUGH TO YOU (Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins October 2, 2012)

Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. He’d give anything to have just one more glimpse of her. But when Cam makes a visit to the site of Viv’s deadly car accident, he sees an apparition. Her name is Nina, she’s a girl from a parallel world—and in this world, Viv is still alive. Cam’s wildest dreamsseem to have come true. But things are different in this other world and Viv isn't the same girl he remembers. Nina is hiding something too, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with who this Viv has become and the secrets she is keeping, he’s forced to choose—stay with Viv or let her go—before the window closes between them once and for all.

5 EMOTIONS FOR THE APOCALYPSE: Love, Fear, Strength, Relief, Resilience

Leigh Bardugo: SHADOW AND BONE

BIO: Leigh Bardugo was born in Jerusalem and grew up in Los Angeles. She graduated from Yale with a B.A. in English and has written for Jump, New Mass Media, LA Weekly, and Fox.com. As a makeup artist, she creates glamour and ghouls under the name L.B. Benson. When not writing or bringing lip gloss to the masses, she hunts lovely unnecessaries in the craft fairs of Southern California and sings with Captain Automatic. Follow her on twitter or visit her at LeighBardugo.com.

DEBUT: SHADOW AND BONE (Holt Children's/Macmillan, June 5th 2012)

Inspired by Tsarist Russia, SHADOW AND BONE brings to life a fantasy world of superstition and science, saints and samovars, in which a lonely refugee must leave behind her best friend- and first love- to save her country from the growing darkness of the Unsea. But first she must contend with the dangerous and decadent world of the kingdom’s magical elite and their powerful leader, a creature of dark charm and deadly ambition.

FIVE SURVIVAL GUIDES FOR THE APOCALYPSE:

I Before Argh: Speak Fluent Zombie Fast!
Bunker Living
Of Mice and Mutants
So You Want to Start a Militia
The 5th Horseman: Ennui

Zoraida Córdova ~ The Vicious Deep

Zoraida Córdova was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where she learned to speak English by watching Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker on repeat. Her favorite things are sparkly like merdudes, Christmas, and New York City at night. She is currently working on feeding your next mermaid fixation.

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Set against the backdrop of a Coney Island summer comes The Vicious Deep, the story of sixteen year old Tristan Hart whose life is turned upside down when the mermaids make an unscheduled return to land in search of their new king.

When a sudden storm pulls Tristan from lifeguard duty into a deadly riptide, he discovers what he really is—a prince of the Sea Court. Turns out, his girlfriend hopping and talents as a swimmer aren’t caused by his teenage prime hormones after all.

In this modern Arthurian tale with a twist, when all a guy wants to do is get The Girl and enjoy the freak show that is a Coney Island summer, Tristan has to fight for his life, the lives of his friends, and his humanity, if he still wants it, as he’s caught in a race for a throne that is as ancient as the gods.

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Five Items for the Apocalypse

1. toilet paper

2. whisky

3. my boot knife

4. gummy bears

5. salt

Really? Really.