Sarah J. Maas: Thanksgiving (belated) Podcast

Thanksgiving has just passed, and this month on Authors are ROCKSTARS!, we were thankful for an awesome interview with New York Times bestselling author, Sarah J. Maas! If you're a regular listener, you know we love fantasy here on the podcast, and Sarah's books are just our cup of tea.

Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes!

Visit Sarah's website to keep up with this amazing author, and be sure to stop by her publisher, Bloomsbury.

Extra special shout out this month to our awesome editor Marc who had his work cut out for him due to some Skype issues. :) You rock, Marc!

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. To make sure you never miss an episode, subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes.

Tamara Ireland Stone: October podcast

Rev up your DeLoreans, listeners, because it's time travel month here on Authors are ROCKSTARS! We've got a terrific interview for you with Tamara Ireland Stone, author of Time Between Us and its recently released sequel, Time After Time.

We talked to Tamara about musical influences, time travel theories, and her next project now that her fantastic time travel romance duology has come to an end. We had so much fun chatting with her-- we know you're going to love this interview.

Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes!

To keep up with Tamara, stop by her website, and check out her publisher, Disney Hyperion!

Also, we're pleased to offer a fabulous giveaway this month: an ARC of Emerald Green, the exciting finale to the Ruby Red trilogy by Kerstin Gier. It's Michelle's book pick of the month, and we're offering it to you. Just comment and tell us your preferred method of time travel from any work of fiction-- DeLoreans, the TARDIS, a time turner... the possibilities are endless and we want to hear about it. Please note: this contest is open to US residents only. Please leave your email or Twitter handle with your comment so we can contact the lucky winner. Deadline for entries is Friday, October 18. 

EDIT: We have received some complaints about spam due to commenting with contact information. So we're including a Google Doc Form here for you to enter and extending the deadline to October 25th.

FORM CLOSED! Winner is Alyssa Susanna! Congratulations and thank you to all the participants. Glad you liked the Google Form better. :)

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode-- and reviews are always welcome!

Jessica Brody: September Podcast

It's been a busy year around here at Authors are ROCKSTARS! While Michelle was preparing for a big cross-state move earlier this year, Allison had the pleasure of interviewing Unremembered author Jessica Brody via Skype.

We talked about her journey as a writer, moments in her life that she'd like to "unremember," and of course... the karaoke question.

Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes!

Visit Jessica's website to learn more about Unremembered and her other books, and stop by her publisher, Macmillan. 

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode-- and reviews are always welcome!

Gwenda Bond: Special Edition Podcast

We're rounding out the ALA 2013 series of Librarians are ROCKSTARS! podcasts with an interview with the fabulous Gwenda Bond, author of Blackwood.

Together with Steve from Circulating Ideas, Allison got to hang out with Gwenda in a quiet corner of the ALA Annual conference in Chicago. Gwenda chatted with us about her thoughts on using social media as an author, why she enjoys writing for the YA audience, and what she read as a teen... (spoilers: we have a pretty in-depth discussion about Christopher Pike!).




Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes!

Visit Gwenda's website to find out about her upcoming book, The Woken Gods and visit Steve at Circulating Ideas for tons of awesome librarian interviews.

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode-- and if you leave a review, that would make our day.

Gene Yang: Special Edition Podcast

We're back with another episode of our special edition series of our podcast, Librarians are ROCKSTARS! We're thrilled to collaborate once more with Steve from Circulating Ideas, the librarian interview podcast. Steve and Allison met up at the American Library Association Conference in June to talk to some fantastic authors about their thoughts on libraries and librarians.

To kick off this round of Librarians are ROCKSTARS!, we're sharing an interview with Printz Award winning author and artist, Gene Luen Yang. We had a blast chatting with Gene about his perspective on libraries as an author and an educator, as well as his upcoming graphic novels, Boxers and Saints, which will be out in bookstores everywhere next month.

Also, even though Michelle wasn't at the conference with us, the two of us settle a VERY IMPORTANT debate about the Great Lakes in this episode.



Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes!

Keep up with Gene at his website, and stop by his publisher, First Second. Be sure to check out Circulating Ideas for the next episode of Librarians are ROCKSTARS! (and a whole bunch of awesome librarian interviews, to boot). And if you missed our earlier collaboration with Steve on the Librarians are ROCKSTARS! series, check here for an interview with Kirby Larson and here for an interview with Tom Angleberger.

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode-- and if you leave a review, we might be your BFFs. 

Jennifer Bosworth: July podcast

Earlier this summer, we got to hang out with the lovely Jennifer Bosworth, author of Struck, at Vroman's Books in Pasadena. We had a blast talking to Jennifer about the role of cults in her debut novel, what she was like as a teen, and her relationship with the city of Los Angeles as a transplant from Utah.

Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes.

Keep up with Jennifer at her website and be sure to visit her publisher, Macmillan.

Giveaway! 

We happen to think Jennifer's book is the perfect kind of book to pick up when you're in a reading slump-- it's high-concept, action-packed, and a fun read. What do you do when you're in a reading slump?

Comment on this post and tell us your favorite recommendations for books to get you out of a reading slump. Your comment will enter you to win a hardcover copy of Struck, signed by Jennifer Bosworth. Remember to leave your email with the comment so we can contact the winner. Contest open to US residents only. Deadline is Friday, August 9.

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode, and thank you for listening!

Shannon Messenger and Debra Driza: June Podcast

Today on the podcast, we have an extra special treat: two authors in one interview! Debra Driza, author of MILA 2.0 and Shannon Messenger, author Let the Sky Fall. We had an absolutely fabulous time and think you will too! Highlights include Deb singing Domo Arigatou and the phrase "MORE TONGUE!" Yep-- be prepared for a wild ride. ;)

Oh and don't forget Michelle and Allison's picks of the month. This month, we chat about Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale and Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool.



Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes.

Be sure to visit Debra and Shannon on their websites for more from these two incredibly fun ladies.

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode, and thank you for listening!

Leigh Bardugo: Roadtrip Edition Podcast

Last month, we were thrilled to meet up with Leigh at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena to discuss her upcoming book, Siege and Storm, which comes out on June 4th. 

We were blown away last year by her debut novel, Shadow and Bone, so we loved sitting down to chat about this exciting sequel.

We talked about the development of Shadow and Bone for the big screen, what readers can expect from Siege and Storm, and Leigh answered listener questions. Also, we have a new music-related question for Leigh, since she addressed our favorite karaoke question in last year's interview!

Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes.

Be sure to visit Leigh at her website and check out her publisher, Henry Holt (an imprint of Macmillan). And in case you missed it last year, catch our first interview with her!

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode, and thank you for listening!

Cylin Busby: Roadtrip Edition Podcast

We are pleased to bring you an interview with the incredible Cylin Busby, recorded at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena. 

We had so much fun chatting with Cylin about her latest book for teens, Blink Once, a suspenseful paranormal thriller- what kind of research she did, and what it was like to write from a male perspective. We also talked about the intense memoir she co-wrote with her father, The Year We Disappeared, and then we capped it all off with some truly epic regional accents. 

(Time warp! We interviewed Cylin earlier this year

when Michelle still had a baby on board.)

Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes.

We have a giveaway to go along with this episode of the podcast! To win an autographed hardcover cover of Blink Once, comment on this post and tell us which one of Cylin's accents you liked best. Be sure to include your email address or Twitter username so we can contact you if you're the winner. Deadline is Tuesday, May 14, 11:59 pm PST. Contest open to US residents only.

Visit cylinbusby.com to keep up with Cylin, and be sure to check out her publisher, Bloomsbury. Many thanks go to Cylin's rockstar publicist, Deb Shapiro, for setting up this interview! 

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode, and thank you for listening!

CJ Redwine: April Podcast

All right, fantasy fans, get excited! We have an interview with Defiance author, CJ Redwine, for you. We had so much fun talking to CJ about what inspired the intense emotions in this post-apocalyptic fantasy, her determination to write while juggling the duties of motherhood, and more-- and she answers listener questions! So if you submitted a question, tune in.

In this episode, we also share our must-read book picks of the month: Eleanor & Park, by Rainbow Rowell, and Golden, by Jessi Kirby.



Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes.

Be sure to visit CJ at her website and visit her publisher, Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins.

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode, and thank you for listening.

Got a question for Leigh Bardugo?

Leigh Bardugo is going to be back on the show, ya'll, and we couldn't be more excited. To celebrate, we are opening up the floor to YOUR questions. What do you want us to talk to Leigh about? Let's make sure we aren't asking for spoilers, OK? Although, to taunt you, I am reading Siege & Storm right now and o...m....g, but that's all I'll say.

Leave a comment here or tweet us at @AuthorsROCK. We'll enter everyone who does for a chance to win some limited edition Shadow & Bone nail polish and buttons! (1 entry per person, not per question) Get 'em in by April 25th. We'll announce the winner(s) shortly after.

And stay tuned.. up next on the podcast, C.J. REDWINE!

Lauren Oliver: Roadtrip Edition Podcast

Lauren Oliver, author of the spellbinding dystopian Delirium series, visited the Mission Viejo Library last month, and we were thrilled to snag an interview with this amazing author! Michelle is still on semi-maternity leave with her cute baby, so I was joined by our good friend Lalitha of Masala Reader for this event.

Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes. 

Lauren's visit to the Mission Viejo Library was fantastic-- her fans were rapt as she spoke about her writing and read an excerpt from Requiem, the final volume of her New York Times bestselling Delirium trilogy, and everyone enjoyed mini cupcakes iced to match the covers of Lauren's books as they waited in line to meet her and have their books signed.

Visit Lauren Oliver's website to keep up with her upcoming titles, and be sure to take a look at her publisher, HarperCollins. In the Southern California area? Visit the Mission Viejo Library and keep a lookout for any upcoming author visits. 

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode, and thank you for listening!

Jordan Dane: Extra Special Edition

Look at that audiobook cover... you may see a familiar name. That's right-- I'm the narrator of a YA audiobook by the fabulous author Jordan Dane.

On today's podcast, Allison and I chat with Jordan via Skype to talk about her newest release Indigo Awakening and then Allison turns the mic around to interview both Jordan and I about the audiobook release of In the Arms of Stone Angels. I have to admit, it was a bit weird to be on the other side of the interview!



Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes.

Both Indigo Awakening and the print edition of In the Arms of Stone Angels were published by HarlequinTeen and are available at your favorite retailer. You can purchase the audiobook of In the Arms of Stone Angels on iTunes, Amazon or Audible.com.

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode, and thank you for listening!

Shannon Messenger: March Podcast & Giveaway

We are thrilled to have Shannon Messenger on the podcast! She is a most delightful person, and her YA debut, Let the Sky Fall, is in bookstores everywhere TODAY. Michelle is supposed to be taking it easy with her baby, but she is currently doing her "happy book" dance. She is just that excited!

Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes.

And there's a giveaway to celebrate the launch of this fantastic series! We're thrilled to be giving away signed ARCs of Let the Sky Fall. To enter, just comment on this post and tell us which wind direction you would want to be: North, South, East, or West. Be sure to leave your email or Twitter handle along with your comment so we can contact the winner. Contest is open to US residents only. Comment to enter by Sunday, March 10. We have three signed copies to giveaway and one unsigned so FOUR WINNERS!

Visit Shannon's blog to keep up with her latest news, and be sure to stop by her publisher, Simon & Schuster.

And stay tuned... We will be announcing the winner of the Beth Revis giveaway on our Twitter account today. Do you follow us on there yet? You can find us at @AuthorsROCK.

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode, and thank you for listening!

Upcoming Author Events in Orange County

If you're in Southern California, join us at two exciting author events this month at the Mission Viejo Library!


Lauren Oliver - Sunday, March 10, 3 pm
Mission Viejo Library Friends' Story Room
100 Civic Center, Mission Viejo, CA

Lauren Oliver will appear in Mission Viejo to discuss Requiem, the extraordinary epic finale to the New York Times bestselling Delirium trilogy.

Hailed as a “Teen-Lit Queen” by Bloomberg Businessweek, Oliver has also dazzled elementary school audiences with her magic-filled adventure stories, Liesl & Po and The Spindlers, and will talk about writing for different age groups.

Books will be for available by A Whale of a Tale Bookshoppe and can be signed by the author. Call the Mission Viejo Library at (949) 830-7100 x5105 to reserve your seat at this free event.



Cassandra Clare - Friday, March 22, 6 pm

Mission Viejo City Council Chamber
200 Civic Center, Mission Viejo, CA

Don't miss New York Times bestselling author Cassandra Clare when she visits Mission Viejo as part of her Clockwork Princess bus tour. She'll discuss the highly-anticipated finale to her Infernal Devices trilogy, as well as talk about the upcoming City of Bones movie.

Tickets for this event are $21.50 and include a hardcover copy of Clockwork Princess to be signed. Visit the Mission Viejo Library for cash or check purchases. To pay with a credit card, visit A Whale of a Tale Bookshoppe in Irvine. For more information, call the Mission Viejo Library at (949) 830-7100 x5105. Update 3/20: Cassandra's presentation has sold out, but you can still view it via a livestream in the next room, AND meet Cassandra afterward! More info here.

We hope to see you at both of these events!

We won't be attending this one, but here's an exciting opportunity for young aspiring writers...

Writing Workshop with Laura Preble - April 3 & 10, 3:30 pm 
Rancho Santa Margarita Library
30902 La Promesa, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Queen Geek Social Club author Laura Preble will guide teens through a two-day workshop of writing exercises and discussions designed to help map out or flesh out a young adult novel idea.  Topics will include character development, the use of slang and technology, and the state of the current YA publishing market.

Call the Rancho Santa Margarita Library for more information: (949) 459-6094.

Update 3/20: We're sorry to report that this event has been cancelled. 

Beth Revis: February Podcast

Beth Revis is back on the show, y'all! She joined us via Skype to discuss the stunning final volume in her Across the Universe series.

We were utterly thrilled to chat with Beth again, and we know you're going to love this interview. Also in this episode, Michelle goes on maternity leave and Allison shares her book pick of the month, The Star of Kazan, by Eva Ibbotson.



Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes.

Stop by Beth's website to keep up with her latest news, and visit her publisher, Razorbill (an imprint of Penguin).

Edit: Oh my gosh! We almost forgot to mention the awesome giveaway that Beth is doing for our listeners. You could win a set of signed Across the Universe books. Just comment and tell us... if you had a spaceship, what would YOU name it? Be sure to include your Twitter handle or a way for us to contact you. We'll post the winner on the blog next week on March 5th with our Shannon Messenger launch party podcast! US Residents only please.

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode. Thank you for listening!

Annameekee Hesik: Debut Author Edition

We chatted via Skype with Annameekee Hesik, author of The You-Know-Who Girls: Freshman Year. It's a smart, funny read about basketball, girls in love with girls, and self-discovery. We were charmed by Annameekee, and we know you will be, too!



Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes.

Learn more about Annameekee at her website, and visit her publisher, Bold Strokes Books.

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode. Thank you for listening!

Veronica Rossi: January Podcast

Veronica Rossi's debut novel, Under the Never Sky, was one of our favorite reads of 2012. We just loved its unique blend of science fiction, fantasy, adventure, and romance-- so we were thrilled to get a chance to catch up with her around the release of the sequel, Through the Ever Night, which came out earlier this month. 

Veronica was gracious enough to answer lots of questions submitted by YOU, her fans, as well as plenty of our own questions!

Also, be sure to pay extra special attention to the beginning and end of this podcast, because... well, you'll hear why!


Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes.

Visit Veronica at her website and stop by her publisher, HarperCollins.

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode-- and you'll win our hearts forever if you're inclined to leave a review. 

Kirby Larson: Special Edition Podcast

In anticipation of the American Library Association's Midwinter Meeting in Seattle this weekend, we present a special project: Librarians are ROCKSTARS! We teamed up with Steve from the Circulating Ideas podcast to interview two very awesome authors about their experiences with libraries. First up is Kirby Larson!


Kirby Larson received the Newbery Honor for Hattie Big Sky, and its highly-anticipated sequel,  Hattie Ever After, hits bookstore shelves on February 12th.



Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes!

Get acquainted with Kirby at her website, and be sure to stop by her publisher, Delacorte, an imprint of Random House. And for part two of our Librarians are ROCKSTARS! collaboration, visit Circulating Ideas this Thursday.

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode-- and we'd be so grateful if you're inclined to leave a review. 

Kevin Emerson: Road Trip Edition Podcast

We are so pleased to bring you the final interview we recorded at the SCBWI conference in LA this summer: Kevin Emerson, author of the super-exciting Atlanteans series!

In addition to being a talented writer, Kevin is just about the nicest guy ever. We had a blast talking to him about his inspiration for the first book in the series, The Lost Code, his experiences at summer camp as compared to those of his characters, and what it was like to transition from writing for younger readers to writing YA. Enjoy!



Want to download this podcast? Click here for an mp3 or find us on iTunes!

Visit Kevin at his website to learn more about The Lost Code and his upcoming books, and be sure to stop by Katherine Tegen Books, too.

We are also excited to announce the winner of our "Ask a question, win some books!" giveaway. Allison K, you are our winner! Be sure to drop us a line to claim your prize.

Didn't win? Don't be sad! You can win a signed ARC of The Lost Code. We've just got to know... if you could have a super power, what would it be? Leave us a comment with your Twitter name or a way to reach you. You have until January 17th to enter. Must be a US resident or willing to cover shipping charges. A winner will be selected by random.org.

Podcast hosting courtesy of archive.org. Intro music by 46bliss. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Marc Conrad Tabula, for his awesome audio editing skills. Please subscribe to Authors are ROCKSTARS! on iTunes so you'll never miss an episode-- and we'd be so grateful if you're inclined to leave a review. Hope your new year is off to a great start! 

Your chance to ask a question & win some books!

It is giveaway time! Rockin' Jane Austen is ready to party.

Got a question you're just dying to ask New York Times bestselling author of the Across the Universe series, Beth Revis? How about Veronica Rossi, also a queen of sci fi with her Under the Never Sky series. And don't forget C.J. Redwine, whose debut book Defiance just blew us away.

Well, it's your chance to ask them a question. We are interviewing Beth, Veronica, and CJ via Skype this week and we want to know what YOU want to know. Send us a tweet @AuthorsROCK or leave a comment here. We'll try to squeeze in as many questions as possible. :) Deadline to submit a question is Thursday January 3rd at 9pm Pacific. Every US Resident who leaves a comment here or via Twitter will qualify for a surprise ARC giveaway package!

Also, before we sign off for today, a big congratulations to "Reader Roberts" who won our Karen Cushman & Princess of the Silver Woods giveaway. I've sent you an email with information on how you can claim your prize.