Secrets and Interviews and Mythology

LIGHT OF THE MOON will be officially released in almost a week. 

What?

Excuse me?

LIGHT OF THE MOON WILL BE OFFICIALLY RELEASED IN ALMOST A WEEK! 11/6/12

You guys, I'm getting excitednervouscrazywildsillygoofyhappynervousexcitedgiggly. Truly, I cannot wait to share this story with you. Calum and Kate have been with me for a while now, and I'm excited for the real world to meet them. Both characters are so strong in completely different ways, and I'm interested to see what you all make of them as well as the rest of the cast. Plus, I might have possibly eaten maybe almost an entire 5 lb bag of gummy worms this past week, and my excuse has been that I'm "excited about the book," so once this book is out I can stop with all the snacking. 

Ha. Right.

During this week leading up to the publication of LIGHT OF THE MOON, I'll be posting some secrets, a few deleted scenes, interviews, and quotes over on my facebook page. You'll only be able to find these secrets there, so make sure you "like" the page to keep updated. Plus, you get to see really awkward pictures of me trying to pull off hipster glasses so win/win. 

http://www.facebook.com/davidjamesauthor

Speaking of interviews, last week I had a great interview with Kimberly of Kimberly's Kozy Korner blog. We talked about LIGHT OF THE MOON, gummy worms, curses, and kisses. She is SO excited for LIGHT OF THE MOON! Kimberly tried to get me to spill some secrets about the book and the sequel, but I kept my lips sealed. For the most part. Make sure you check out the interview and follow her blog because I'm sure I'll be back for more.

The last thing is that my good friend and editor, Helen Boswell, is doing an amazing promo on Amazon in honor of Halloween. Until then, you can get her debut novel, MYTHOLOGY, for only 99 cents! 

About MYTHOLOGY: "Hope Gentry doesn’t believe in Fate. Born with an unusual power to see the dark memories of those around her, Hope just wants to be a normal teenager. But on the first day of her senior year of high school, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to a transfer student named Micah Condie. At first glance, Micah seems like a boy that most girls would dream about. But when Hope's powers allow her to discover Micah's darkest secret, she quickly becomes entangled in the lives of mythical entities she never dreamed existed. Was this her destiny all along? And will her powers help her survive the evil of the Demon Impiorum? Mythology isn’t just for English class anymore."

LIGHT OF THE MOON

11/6/12

The Dark Side of LIGHT OF THE MOON

In the creepy spirit of Halloween, I created a creepy trailer that should only be watched by those who enjoy creepy things for this creepy time of year. Creepy. This is the other side of LIGHT OF THE MOON...

You have been warned.

"One night long ago, a constellation disappeared and fell from the sky in the form of a boy. 

Secrets are being kept in the sleepy town of Lakewood Hollow, Colorado. Nothing but pools of blood and dripping words are left where bodies once were, and no one but Calum Wade seems to be worried. Life unfolds in shades of red for Calum, until a mysterious girl named Kate Black enrolls at his school and everything changes. 

Suddenly a dangerous world of dream demons, elemental enchanters, and blood witches unfurls before Calum. He learns that the stars have forever held his destiny, and that the constellations above are much more than what they seem. As Kate and Calum sink deep into a paranormal war, they realize that an ancient prophecy might hold the answers they seek. But life is not so easy for Calum, and he can feel his heart beat faster whenever Kate is close. Worse, Kate's blood holds a dark secret even more dangerous than the war between the demons and enchanters. Soon the two find that there are worse things than loving someone you shouldn't. For Calum and Kate, even love and the fiery power of stars may not be enough to break a curse as dark as the blood that binds their destiny.

A romantic story of true love and dark curses, LIGHT OF THE MOON will leave you breathless."

On Writing

  An early review of LIGHT OF THE MOON was posted today by the wonderful and hilarious Literati Literature Lovers review team and, while I'm not going to post the full review due to spoilers, I want to talk about a few things the reviewer pointed out in terms of my writing style. I've been wanting to post something about this for a while, mainly because as a reader I enjoy learning about how an author writes, and how their style differs from every other author.

"What I found refreshing was the poems within the story itself. Words crossed out within the context of the poems and the sentences within the story were something I’ve not seen too much of in a book. So it was different. Not odd different, but more of a “Oh that’s kind of cool” different. Throughout the story, as Calum fights his internal battle to be something more than what he is, he crosses out words to underscore certain phrases to emphasize the characters’ feelings. I found it quite heartbreaking at times to see Calum wrestle with his past... From Calum’s scribblings:

I am 

nothing without truth

 someone more than this.

I am someone. 

Am I even alive

?

Who am I?

So in summary, I found the book to be engaging, and I believe that young readers, ages 13 and up, will be thrilled with the world this author has fabricated. I’ll certainly be looking forward to more of this author’s works." - Rozette of the Literati Literature Lovers

  I enjoy writing that focuses on what isn't rather than what is. Writing that decides to tell what might have been instead of what should be. As a reader I like when I read something that is just different from everything else - has a different feel or tone or atmosphere than the last book I read. So, in ways, that's what I attempted with LIGHT OF THE MOON. The review above is just a small example of the ways I used the strikethrough technique to show Calum's inner struggles (similar to Tahereh Mafi's SHATTER ME). And while I only used that technique a few times throughout the novel, the words that weren't helped Calum's inner battle between good and evil, and past and future.

 This technique reflects the way I write. Often, I write without anything in mind, and eventually find myself in a story that wasn't there before. With Calum (and with new stories), I continue to write in a stream of consciousness narrative form. Most days I write without the use of proper grammar, punctuation, or any kind of traditional flow, and I wait to include those elements when I edit. I like this because it helps me understand what the character might be thinking beneath the true storyline, and if I can understand what a character feels at their core - what breaks them and bends them and makes them breathe - then they have an even greater chance of feeling alive to the reader.

  Also, poetry. Or rather, more appropriately, verse.

 Writing in verse, I think, is much different than including poetry in your writing. In ways I've done both, but I focus on verse more. Verse (a style similar to Ellen Hopkins' CRANK or BURNED) has a lot of similarities with the stream of consciousness style of writing, where instead of focusing on a traditional narrative, words just seem to flow and drift where they want. Personally, I like the way verse provides the reader with simple words and simple phrases, but leaves them completely shattered in emotion. Raw. That, I think, is the one thing I enjoy about this style of writing more than anything else - the very raw emotion that is found when words are stripped away until the reader is left with only feelings.

  More on writing later. Getting excited! =)

LIGHT OF THE MOON

out Tuesday

 11/6/12

  

More LIGHT OF THE MOON Music

Like the title of this blog suggests, to me words are somewhat like breathing. So, in turn, is music. There's a good chance I was something of a "band nerd" for a long time while I was in school, and I had a hard time breaking the habit. After the huge response to my previous post on the music that inspired LIGHT OF THE MOON (which you can find HERE), I thought I would post a few other songs that equally motivated parts of the story. (Looking at these, I feel as though I should say that "angels" are not technically part of the story here)

"Angel With a Shotgun" - The Cab

"Your Guardian Angel" - The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Ok. I know this one isn't "music" but LISTEN TO IT. I can't tell you how much this audio book inspired me while writing. Actually, I think it was Stiefvater herself that said something along the lines of "imagine Emma Thompson reading your book in your head." Instead, I use Steve West.

"The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater - Audio Book" 

- Narrated by Steve West and Fiona Hardingham

Also, I have some pretty cool news that deals with music coming up in the next few weeks. I'll be posting information here as well as on facebook and twitter. I can't tell anyone anything at the moment, but I'm pretty excited about it! So stay tuned.

LIGHT OF THE MOON

11/6/12

New Release: VAEMPIRES: ZOMBIE RISING

The awesome Thomas Winship has a new book out today called VAEMPIRES: ZOMBIE RISING. Check out the blurb below and make sure you check it out! =)

"The tale of the Evolutionary War resumes in Væmpires: Zombie Rising...

Væmpires have taken control of twelve major cities. Their leader, Vielyn, seeks the atomic weapons that will bring the rest of the world to its knees. Vampire forces are reeling. As Linq and Ray race to the royal estate to rendezvous with Cassandra and Daniel, the princess is captured and Daniel falls. With the fate of world shifting to their teenage shoulders, Linq and Ray must deal with tremendous losses while battling a most unexpected—and undeadly—new foe."

He is currently working on the next installment of the Væmpires series, which is scheduled for a 2013

release.

Official Book Trailer for LIGHT OF THE MOON

LIGHT OF THE MOON

by David James

"Secrets are being kept in the sleepy town of Lakewood Hollow, Colorado. Nothing but pools of blood and dripping words are left where bodies once were, and no one but Calum Wade seems to be worried. Life unfolds in shades of red for Calum, until a mysterious girl named Kate Black enrolls at his school and everything changes. Suddenly a dangerous world of dream demons, elemental enchanters, and blood witches unfurls before Calum. He learns that the stars have forever held his destiny, and that the constellations above are much more than what they seem. As Kate and Calum sink deep into a paranormal war, they realize that an ancient prophecy might hold the answers they seek. But life is not so easy for Calum, and he can feel his heart beat faster whenever Kate is close. Worse, Kate's blood holds a dark secret even more dangerous than the war between the demons and enchanters. Soon the two find that there are worse things than loving someone you shouldn't. For Calum and Kate, even love and the fiery power of stars may not be enough to break a curse as dark as the blood that binds their destiny."

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Email

Youtube (and a note on the song)

The Little Things

This morning started off like any other. I made coffee. Put on a hoodie. Texted friends about how cold I was. Edited. Drank more coffee. Edited. Replied to emails. Edited. But then I saw this:

The lovely and lyrical Victoria Schwab, author of the wonderful THE NEAR WITCH, talks about one small moment that made a giant impact on her life. She talks about how this moment, even though it was so small, impacted her so greatly that there are almost no words to describe it. How she values the small things in life, because those small details are what makes life worth living. How life is made of small moments with big impacts. Or maybe, small moments compared to our very large lives. Either way, she reflects on one moment that changed her, and that made me smile. Made me think of small moments that had affected me lately. And so, it comes to this:

Thank you.

Specifically, thank you book bloggers, fellow authors, and friends, that have been so supportive these past few months. I know this is corny and slightly mushy-mushy, but the kindness you have all shown me has been touching. Every single day I am impressed by the professionalism of you all, and thrilled with your hilarity. Book bloggers especially - You all have blown me away with your supportive attitudes. The magnitude of work you all put into your blogs is incredible.

So, simply - Thank you. 

The Music of LIGHT OF THE MOON

Music.

There are so many songs that proved to be inspiring to me while writing LIGHT OF THE MOON, but I thought it would be cool to share a few of the more important ones. These are songs that really made a difference, helped shaped scenes, improved characters, and helped me write. They got characters out of trouble, and into it. I really enjoy writing moods versus writing characters (I'll be posting about that later) and these songs helped create the world of LIGHT OF THE MOON.

Calum - "All around me the world was changing."

One Republic - "Too Easy"

Calum - "In this nightmare, even the stars were trapped."

Bon Iver - "Woods"

Calum - "You're beautiful."

SafetySuit - "Anywhere But Here"

Calum - "I was afraid to die, and so I couldn't be afraid to live."

The Cab - "Living Louder"

More Cover Info and New Quotes and New Things

A few things.

Did you all see the cover for LIGHT OF THE MOON? It's been on an online prowl the past few days, but if you haven't here it is:

I'm in love with it. Not only because Keary Taylor did an amazing job with the detailing and design, but because the entire thing (THE ENTIRE THING) truly fits the story itself. If you zoom in you'll see that Calum's eyes (yes, that's him on the cover) are a deep, vibrant blue. You'll see the sky is dusted with purple clouds, and that the stars shine just a little brighter over the mountain. You'll see the mist beyond the moon. You'll see the mountain. The gray sweater. The thoughtful, strong look of Calum, and the way his arms are folded around his body in a hug as if something dangerous is just around the corner. This entire cover fits the story perfectly, so I hope you all love it as much as me! What are your thoughts on it? Let me know!

I'll be sharing a few EXTRAS on the blog over the next few weeks, but for today I wanted to share a quote from LIGHT OF THE MOON.

"Sometimes being brave just means falling in love."

LIGHT OF THE MOON

out on

NOVEMBER 6, 2012

(ps- Thank you to all the bloggers and authors who have shown support for both me and my novel these past few weeks. I have loved the writing community for so long, and love even more the fact that you all are so incredible. I am so thankful for you all, and more support to you guys is on the way!)

LIGHT OF THE MOON OFFICIAL COVER

I'm so excited to reveal the cover for my YA novel LIGHT OF THE MOON (out 11/6/12). Both the cover (designed by the lovely Keary Taylor) and the novel have been a long time coming, and I am so thrilled with the way they turned out. 

So, ready? 

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS: 

"One night long ago, a constellation disappeared and fell from the sky in the form of a boy...

Secrets are being kept in the sleepy town of Lakewood Hollow, Colorado. Nothing but pools of blood and dripping words are left where bodies once were, and no one but Calum Wade seems to be worried. Life unfolds in shades of red for Calum, until a mysterious girl named Kate Black enrolls at his school and everything changes. Suddenly a dangerous world of dream demons, elemental enchanters, and blood witches unfurls before Calum. He learns that the stars have forever held his destiny, and that the constellations above are much more than what they seem. As Kate and Calum sink deep into a paranormal war, they realize that an ancient prophecy might hold the answers they seek. But life is not so easy for Calum, and he can feel his heart beat faster whenever Kate is close. Worse, Kate's blood holds a dark secret even more dangerous than the war between the demons and enchanters. Soon the two find that there are worse things than loving someone you shouldn't. For Calum and Kate, even love and the fiery power of stars may not be enough to break a curse as dark as the blood that binds their destiny.

A romantic story of true love and dark curses, LIGHT OF THE MOON will leave you breathless."

I hope you all love the cover as much as I do. What do you guys think? CHECK OUT HIS EYES! THEY ARE SO BLUE and that makes me so happy because they're such a huge part of the book. I am in LOVE with the sky and the stars and the purple - those elements are all so important to the entire story! Make sure you check out the new Facebook page with updated information and follow me on Twitter. Keep an eye on the blog because over the next few weeks I'll be posting a lot of EXTRAS for LIGHT OF THE MOON, so stay tuned. 

Look for LIGHT OF THE MOON out 

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012!

Cover Reveal: After The Fear by Rosanne Rivers

Hey guys! 

Are you suffering from post-HUNGER GAMES blues? The wonderful Rosanne Rivers has a new book called AFTER THE FEAR coming out soon and, let me tell you, the blurb sounds awesome! Already it is getting some really excellent feedback. Check out the full description and the cover below, and make sure you sign up so you're notified when the novel comes out!

"You have not attended a Demonstration this month.

In Sola’s city, everyone obeys the rules. Stay away from the trigger cameras and regularly update your Debtbook, and you just might survive. But having to watch the way criminals are dealt with—murdered by Demonstrators in the Stadium—is a law Sola tries to avoid. When a charming Demonstrator kisses her at a party, however, she’s thrust into the Stadium and forced into the very role she despises.

Armed with only natural resourcefulness and a caring nature, Sola narrowly survives her first bout. Her small success means she’s whisked off to a training camp, where she discovers a world beyond the trigger cameras and monitoring—a world where falling in love with a killer doesn’t seem so terrible.

Yet life as a Demonstrator has no peace. Sola must train her way through twenty-five more Demonstrations before she can return home to her father. At the end of each battle, only one survivor remains.

Sola could face anyone in the Stadium . . . even a loved one."

SIGN UP HERE TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN AFTER THE FEAR IS OUT! YOU MAY JUST GET SOME SPECIAL OFFERS IF YOU DO!

Inspiration Quote

“There is something haunting in the 

light of the moon; 

it has all the dispassionateness 

of a disembodied soul, 

and something of its inconceivable mystery.”

Joseph Conrad

Quote of the Day

From LIGHT OF THE MOON:

___________________________________________

      "In the mountains, where night was a dark void lit by moonlight, Kate's eyes shone like daggers reflecting the burning stars. Once violet, they were now black as night. As death."

___________________________________________

I'm finishing up edits today (round 2789) but just wanted to give a quick quote from LOTM because so many people have been asking about it. There it is! Just a quick teaser. Nothing super big or important to the story, though Kate's eyes are a huge deal once things get moving. I'll post some larger clips as we get closer to the release date (I'm hoping for late October/early November), so stay tuned. In the mean time, please LIKE me on facebook or add me on goodreads. Both are great sources to find out new information about my books! You'll find on goodreads that I've already added the rest of the books in the series - so get excited!

Official Blurb (kind of)

Here's the official blurb for LIGHT OF THE MOON as found on Goodreads.

"Stars. Fire. Blood. Magic.

One night long ago, a constellation disappeared and fell from the sky in the form of a boy.

Secrets are being kept in the sleepy town of Lakewood Hollow, Colorado. Nothing but pools of blood and dripping words are left where bodies once were, and no one but Calum Wade seems to be worried. Life unfolds in shades of red for Calum, until a mysterious girl named Kate Black enrolls at his school and everything changes. Suddenly a dangerous world of dream demons, elemental enchanters, and blood witches unfurls before Calum. He learns that the stars have forever held his destiny, and that the constellations above are much more than what they seem. As Kate and Calum sink deep into a paranormal war, they realize that an ancient prophecy might hold the answers they seek. But life is not so easy for Calum, and he can feel his heart beat faster whenever Kate is close. Worse, Kate's blood holds a dark secret even more dangerous than the war between the demons and enchanters. Soon the two find that there are worse things than loving someone you shouldn't. For Calum and Kate, even love and the fiery power of stars may not be enough to break a curse as dark as the blood that binds their destiny.

A romantic story of true love and dark curses, LIGHT OF THE MOON will leave you breathless."

More to come!

Goodreads and Good Times

Like me on Goodreads if you haven't already! Updated blurb on there!

LIGHT OF THE MOON Deats.

Morning All,

As I'm gearing up to publish my first novel, LIGHT OF THE MOON, I thought I'd do a quick info-bomb to better explain what it's about and the process in which I'll take to get it to you guys. So. Here we go.

1) What is LIGHT OF THE MOON about?

LOTM is about a boy and a girl and a curse. Taking place in the sleepy town of Lakewood Hollow, CO, this is the story of Calum Wade and his journey toward his destiny as, well, THAT part is a secret. I will tell you that there is a lot of magic, blood, curses, romance, witches, and crazy things in this book. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if the constellations were real people? Or what it would be like to have super powers like an X-men? This is that kind of story. Heavy on the romance.

2) So, it's like what? TWILIGHT?

Neg. A. Tive. Although there is a lot of romance in LOTM, it's more along the lines of Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER, or Courtney Allison Moulton's ANGELFIRE. I've described it as a romantic version of X-men, which is true especially near the end. There are no vampires or werewolves in my story, but there is a hefty dose of the paranormal. So, if you did like TWILIGHT, or novels that have a little romance and a little paranormal, LOTM is certainly for you. 

3) Who can read LOTM?

It's a YA (Young Adult) novel geared toward ages 12 and up, but it's a story for the masses. Although it is a fantasy, it reads a lot like a contemporary novel. If you're hesitant about picking up a sci-fi novel, don't worry! LOTM is a fast-paced read with paranormal elements, but can be enjoyed by all.

4) When will LOTM be out?

I'm hoping to have it out by late October/early November. Right now, I'm working with the cover designer to create the best cover possible, and after that it will be a short time before I can publish it. 

5) Anything else?

I have a short story in the same universe as LOTM that will be out early 2013, the sequel to LOTM which will be out Summer/Fall 2013, and a completely different novel that will be out sometime next year. More on that later.

6) Where will I be able to buy LOTM?

It will be available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble to start. More on that later as well.

I'll have a more in depth post about this in the near future. For now, I just want to spread the word!