Win Six Swoony Reads for Summer!

Here at the PLL HQ, we can’t help but worry that you’re not beach-ready yet. Do you have sunblock? Sunglasses? A good book to read? NO?! Well, we can’t in good conscience send you out to the beach unprepared or you’ll come knocking on our door ticked off that you had nothing to read while you were getting sunburnt.

Photo Credit: Steven Errico/Corbis

So how about this: since Lauren Morrill’s MEANT TO BE has been featured on some really awesome lists lately (see end of post), we want to say thanks by giving back to you! Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win these 6 beach-friendly reads!

MEANT TO BE by Lauren Morrill, for those questioning whether the person they’re dating is THE ONE for them.
TRUTH OR DARE by Jacqueline Green, for those seeking some mystery in between kisses.
THE CATASTROPHIC HISTORY OF YOU AND ME by Jess Rothenberg, for those imagining an afterlife with your soul mate.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE by Jennifer E. Smith, for those answering fate’s emails.
THE MOON AND MORE by Sarah Dessen, for those wanting to read a book about a beach town while on the beach… how meta of you!
ALL I NEED by Susane Colasanti, for those enduring long distance relationships with a person they instantly connected with.

HOW TO WIN
Use this Rafflecopter link and enter by doing one (or ALL for more points) of the following.

• Follow Paper Lantern Lit on Twitter
• Like the Paper Lantern Lit Facebook page
• Tweet about the giveaway
• Leave a comment about your favorite couple who you always believed were meant to be together

One Winner Will Rush To The Beach With…
Six books perfect for summer, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a beach tote!

RECENT BLOG LOVE FOR MEANT TO BE

“I absolutely loved Lauren Morrill’s debut novel and while I haven’t had a chance to reread it yet (sadface), I know MEANT TO BE is going to be one of those books that I turn to time and time again when I need a smile.”
-Hobbitsies on MTB as a Top Ten Tuesday: When You Need Something Light and Fun

“This was one of my favorite young adult debuts of 2012, simply because I could totally relate to its type-A heroine who finds romance in a very unexpected place when she is teamed up with the class clown on a school trip to London.”
-YA Book Crush on MTB as a Top Ten TuesdayL When Yoy Need Something Light and Fun

“Everything from the cover of this book to its contents is just SO FREAKING CUTE. I’m pretty sure I would have loved it even if there was no travel aspect, but I loved it all the more for the trip to London!”
-Ella Bee Reads on MTB as a Top Ten Tuesday Featuring Travel in Some Way

“Wonderfully narrated, this book shows a class trip to England, featuring two refreshingly realistic main characters.”
-The Book Barbies on MTB as a Top Ten Tuesday Featuring Travel in Some Way

PLL Wants YOU!

…for our expanded Preferred Bloggers Program!

In the past, the PLL Preferred Bloggers Program was limited to a small handful of reviewers, but now we’re cracking opening the doors a bit to allow some more bloggers in and we’re seeking the best of the best! If you’re a creative reviewer who goes above and beyond for books you love (hosting/participating in blog tours, designing graphics, pushing the book into the hands of everyone you know, etc.), contact Adam Silvera at marketing@paperlanternlit.com with the following:

• a link to your blog
• a link to your twitter profile
• monthly page visits
• genres you gravitate to
• genres you won’t touch
• interest in middle-grade books: yes or no?
• amount of Paper Lantern Lit books you’ve read in the past. Review the PLL bookshop if you’re unsure. (Not having read any PLL titles won’t disqualify you, it’s just something I would personally like to correct. )
• and anything else you think might be useful in setting you apart!

Deadline to submit is Friday, June 21st and the 10 new bloggers will be announced on Monday, June 24th! Not only will the Preferred Bloggers have access to PLL titles when available, but there’s also a special surprise awaiting our new elite reviewers…

Benefits include:

-Free books shipped to your house. (Not only PLL titles.)

-Letters of recommendations for those seeking internships/jobs in children’s publishing.

-Pure satisfaction of self.

GOOD LUCK!!

Tell the Truth: Who’s Your YA Crush?

Team PLL had the honor of attending the YA Author/Blogger Rooftop party last week at BEA and not only are we still recovering from all the fun we had, but we’re super bummed that we have to wait an entire year before we get to see that wonderful view again. (That’s assuming the lovely host Liza Wiemer invites us back next year! Liza has a wonderful recap of the night on her blog.)

(left to right: Angela Velez, Lauren Oliver, Hayley Wagreich, Lexa Hillyer, Rhoda Belleza, Adam Silvera)

It was awesome buddying-it-up with YA authors and bloggers in between cocktails and raffles and as a bonus we all ANONYMOUSLY shared our favorite YA crushes. (YA crushes was supposed to mean YA characters, but somehow I, Adam Silvera, got a few votes. Whoever you are, call me. ;] ) In the true fashion of TRUTH OR DARE, secrets are never safe, so we’re revealing the most popular crushes here on the blog!

Favorite Male YA Crushes

Roar from UNDER THE NEVER SKY and THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT (MOST POPULAR!!)
Po from GRACELING
Marcus Flutie from the JESSICA DARLING series
Guyver from SEND ME A SIGN by Tiffany Schmidt
Adam from IF I STAY and WHERE SHE WENT
Wes from THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER
Jonah from JELLICOE ROAD
Wes from THE ARCHIVED
Alex from DELIRIUM
Tristan from THE VICIOUS DEEP
Ethan from BEAUTIFUL CREATURES
Etienne St. Claire from ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS
Peeta Mellark from THE HUNGER GAMES
Cricket from LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR
Jace from THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS
Park from ELEANOR AND PARK
Perry from UNDER THE NEVER SKY and THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT
Chaol from THRONE OF GLASS
Daniel from SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY
Dexter from THIS LULLABY
Graham from THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE
Hale from THE HEIST SOCIETY
Ron Weasley from the HARRY POTTER series

Favorite Female YA Crushes

Hermione Granger from the HARRY POTTER series (MOST POPULAR!!)
Luna Lovegood from the HARRY POTTER series
Annabeth Chase from the PERCY JACKSON series
Astrid from GONE
Miranda from FALSE MEMORY
June from LEGEND
Lola from LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR

Thanks to everyone who confessed their crushes so we could share your secrets! And YOU…who’s YOUR YA crush?

Exciting news for The Clone Chronicles!

Last week, we released the cover, title, and summary for the third book in The Clone Chronicles over at Kidsreads! And today we’re excited to announce a fourth book in the series! Thank you so much to all readers, librarians, booksellers, and reviewers who have been making M.E. Castle’s series popular so we can enjoy more adventures with Fisher Bas, his clone Two, and their flying pig.

Book 1: POPULAR CLONE
Book 2: CLONEWARD BOUND

Check out the cover for book 3 and the announcement for book 4 below!

Fisher Bas was able to track down his gone-Hollywood Clone — Two — but only with the help of Amanda Cantrell. Now “Three” and Dr. X remain on the loose. If Fisher is going to stop his secret from coming out, he’ll have to figure out a cover for his brother clone and keep Three from helping Dr. X take over the world.

Easier said than done though — Two’s true identity can no longer be kept secret after a disastrous school dance and when crazy things start happening at Wompalog Middle School. Turns out Three has come to Palo Alto bent on eliminating Fisher and Two. The boys will have to join forces with their friends and an unlikely ally — with hilarious and explosive consequences — to stop Three and his clone army. The future of Fisher and Two’s hometown depends on it.

And the announcement for Book 4, ALIENS VS. CLONES!

Five Friday Development Jam: Love/Hate Dynamics

The editors here at PLL are kicking off a weekly Toolbox series where we’ll share our favorite YouTube clips on a specific topic, ranging from swoon worthy romance to kick butt action sequences. They’re moments we draw inspiration from as we’re developing a project, and we hope you will too!

This Friday’s topic: Love/Hate Dynamics, from PLL co-founder Lexa Hillyer.

One of the sexiest and most oft-used devices in romance is the love-hate dynamic, wherein characters are so busy hating each other that they don’t realize they are perfect for one other. This is a deeply satisfying reversal, in part because the fiery friction that defines hate is also often what leads to heat. After all, it’s far more exciting to watch dynamic relationships that evolve, rather than static emotions—humans are complex, and so too are their relationships. My favorite love/hate clashes range from classic to contemporary:

Lizzy & Darcy

Pride & Prejudice is one of the most famous examples of a story that hinges completely on two people who resist each other, only to fall helplessly in love in spite of themselves. This particular confrontation is, in my opinion, where the entire plot hinges. Up until this point, Lizzy’s anger towards Darcy has been growing and growing, but as soon as the damning phrase is out of Lizzy’s mouth, insisting she could never love him, it’s as though her romantic feelings begin to unfold from there.

“You are the last man in the world I could ever be prevailed upon to marry”

Joey & Pacey

Ah, the classic pain-in-the-ass high school boy who loves to pick on the good girl. Why are the immature types so adorable every time? Is it because we secretly sense that they are acting out for our attention? Pacey is definitely the all-time never-do-well boy you have to love, and the scene where he first kisses Joey shows just the right amount of sheer annoyance that leads to attraction:

“Don’t you ever get tired of talking?”

Harry & Sally

They arrive in New York certain enemies, then evolve into reluctant friends, and finally find romance… but not without a few hilarious hiccups. There’s nothing like an all-out war with your friend turned lover turned ex at another person’s wedding, especially when it’s punctuated with an appetizer spear.

“I am the dog?!”

Damon & Elena

Yes, this trick works with vampires, too. ‘Nuff said.

“I’m mad at you because I love you”

The Tenenbaums

This scene perfectly and hilariously illustrates how it’s possible to simultaneously care deeply for and detest one’s ex-husband:

“Ethyl, I’m dying”

Beatrice & Benedick

Shakespeare’s original verbal sparring partners make “much ado about nothing” by constantly harassing and teasing each other over every little thing, claiming they’ll never fall in love. Here’s the point where they finally cave:

“No more than reason”

(NOTE: There won’t be a new development jam next week due to BEA-mania, but we will have news of awesome giveaways where you can win some of our books!)

Five Friday Development Jam: Best Opening Scenes

The editors here at PLL are kicking off a weekly Toolbox series where we’ll share our favorite YouTube clips on a specific topic, ranging from swoon worthy romance to kick butt action sequences. They’re moments we draw inspiration from as we’re developing a project, and we hope you will too!

This Friday’s topic: Best Opening Scenes, from assistant editor Hayley Wagreich.

Up: Grab ‘em by the heartstrings
Apparently watching the opening of UP will make me cry every time. Each little visual anecdote could be the beginning of a story–but instead we get a full arc before the plot even begins. It sets up that grumpy old Carl is actually a loving and caring man–and it’s this secret that the audience carries through with them as we watch him open up again to the world and accept the love of others. Go ahead, watch it and cry.

Breaking Bad: The Ultimate WTF 

 This is literally my favorite pilot opening of all time. You’re crazy if your curiosity isn’t going to kill you to see what happens next! First, the stillness of nature. Then a pair of pants flying through the air and run over by an RV. Cut to a naked man in a gas mask driving the car–it’s obviously a get away. But to where? There are two passed out men in the back of the truck; we have no idea if they are the heroes or if we should focus on the driver. We have no idea where we are in the story. In 30 seconds, they’ve made us ask five million questions. The opening is great because it immediately drops us straight into the action and it doesn’t let you go.

Clueless: Like No Other Teen Movie

 With the opening song playing over the credits: wow, it’s the 90′s, and we’re all Clueless. A white jeep drives down a street full of teens having fun. Life is easy–we’re beautiful, rich and young. Even Cher jokes that her life is like an acne commercial. It’s a great introduction to a character, and she’s so completely loveable, even in her extreme shallowness. We want her life, and we therefore want her story. (And I still can’t believe we don’t all have Cher’s clothing-match app!)

Harold and Maude: Death Becomes Us

 How do you being a story about a young boy and an old woman falling in love? With a fake suicide, of course. The scene opens with no hint at who we’re looking at. Man, woman? Young, old? It’s all a mystery, and slightly ominous. A record goes on, and we have no idea what type of music it is about to play. We’re expecting something intense and operatic–we are not expecting Cat Stevens. Suddenly the mood has entirely shifted. And yet still as the protagonist goes through with very precise actions we have no idea what he’s doing. THEN this kid hangs himself?! WHAT!? The scene continues as his mom walks in, bored at his antics, and says, “I suppose you think this is very funny, Harold.” We’re told that this behavior is something that happens all the time, and we’re drawn in as to why this kid is dying for attention. Plus, what will he think of next?

The Lion King: Circle of YES

 I’ll admit that yes, there are two animated films on my list, but oh-em-gee, who doesn’t get chills when the Lion King song begins? Everyone sings along, everyone appreciates that it’s evocative, beautiful and spine-tingling. Don’t lie, you’re going to watch this on repeat at least twice right now. You’ve held up your cat to the sun and pretended it’s Simba. It’s inspiring, it sets up the characters, and it introduces us to talking animals without being super cheesy–because it believes in itself.

Next Friday, PLL co-founder Lexa Hillyer will be talking about love/hate relationships!

Five Friday Development Jam: First Kisses

The editors here at PLL are kicking off a weekly Toolbox series where we’ll share our favorite YouTube clips on a specific topic, ranging from swoon worthy romance to kick butt action sequences. They’re moments we draw inspiration from as we’re developing a project, and we hope you will too!

This Friday’s topic: First Kisses, from PLL assistant editor Angela Velez.

Joan of Arcadia- How to take the conventional and make it special

The writers wanted viewers to see Adam and Joan as a special, so they took a conventional setting (high school gym, science fair) and elevated it by adding ABSOLUTE MAYHEM.  Exploding fish tanks! Near death experiences! Falling dinosaurs! A snowstorm of feathers!

What should have been the most boring first kiss ever instead became an infamous, memorable moment for the entire high school.

Seriously, how cute is this:

Side note: The science fair mayhem also serves as a mechanism for important characterization:

Friedman (boy with the ‘fro) = self-involved, saves himself

Science teacher + nerdy girl = same person, heading towards similar futures

Grace + Luke (science project owners) = friends after all

Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Kisses: A perfectly imperfect first kiss

You don’t always need catastrophes to make your first kiss scene memorable; sometimes all it takes is a classic humiliation, in the form of a little sister who thinks she’s a cat and a self-tanning disaster.

Nothing about Georgia and Robbie’s first kiss is perfect—for starters, he’s dating Slaggy Lindsay, Georgia’s arch-nemesis. Secondly, his romantic line is “your legs are like giant cheesy puffs.” The great thing about their first kiss is that it doesn’t matter—Robbie and Georgia kiss anyway, and it’s fantastic. Until he remembers about Slaggy Lindsay…

Veronica Mars—Girls can initiate + the first kiss doesn’t have to be important

What makes their first kiss so great is that Veronica, not Logan, takes the leap and initiates the kiss. This is significant—because of her complicated dating history, Veronica needs to decide whether or not she wants to kiss Logan.  You could argue that if Logan had kissed her first (and you know he’s dying to), she would have resisted, and then we would never have had their epic romance—tragic!

It’s also important to note that their first kiss doesn’t matter—it’s confusing and strange and ends too quickly. For Veronica and Logan, the requisite follow up make-out session is way more special, because it confirms that they’re into each other.

Side note: this scene employs my favorite cinematic trick, aka the spinning camera. If only every kiss could happen like this!

Friday Night Lights – When your world collapses, kiss whatever you have left.

As Jason Street’s best friend (Tim) and Jason’s girlfriend (Lyla), Tim and Lyla obviously have no business kissing each other. But Tim and Lyla’s kiss doesn’t happen because of a sudden romantic interest in each other; their kiss is the only way they know how to deal with their grief over Jason Street’s paralysis. In case you need more proof, watch Lyla beat Tim up before their make out: 

.

While their first kiss marks the beginning of the “Tyla” saga, it won’t approach anything close to love until they’ve both settled their feelings (guilt, love, loyalty) towards Jason.

Pretty Little Liars: So wrong, it’s right.

Oh Ezra and Aria.  Everything about their first kiss is scandalous, making it incredibly sexy to watch: Mutual exaggerations of their accomplishments and life goals? Check. Enormously inappropriate age gap? Check. Gross bar bathroom? Check. Pretty Little Liars’ writers demonstrate that true love (read: lust) blooms in the most illicit places.

Next Friday, PLL assistant editor Hayley Wagreich is sharing a special something with us!

Kate Ellison Collectibles!

In THE BUTTERFLY CLUES, Penelope “Lo” Marin has always loved to collect beautiful things, but surely you like beautiful things too! Kate Ellison is not only an author whose writing has been praised as “otherworldly”, but she’s also an artist who has graciously provided four exclusive illustrations for fans of her books.

Original Kate Ellison illustrations!

If you read and reviewed THE BUTTERFLY CLUES or NOTES FROM GHOST TOWN (or both!) and want a chance to win one of these drawings, enter this Rafflecopter:
-4 points if you link to your review(s) in the comments section below.
-3 points for Liking Kate Ellison’s Facebook page
-3 points for following Paper Lantern Lit on Twitter
-3 points for Liking Paper Lantern Lit’s Facebook page

Contest ends on Wednesday, May 15th. One drawing per winner.

Five Friday Development Jam: Assassination Attempts

The editors here at PLL are kicking off a weekly Toolbox series where we’ll share our favorite YouTube clips on a specific topic, ranging from swoon worthy romance to kick butt action sequences. They’re moments we draw inspiration from as we’re developing a project, and we hope you will too!

This Friday’s topic: Assassination attempts, from PLL associate editor Rhoda Belleza!

I’m talking one-on-one, hand-to-hand combat. What sets this apart from a generic fight scene is context; the target is often surprised and unprepared, and the stakes are higher since it’s life or death. When choreographing, keep in mind:

• Setting and props: Anything and everything nearby is a weapon. A will to live makes your character creative! Thus, everyday items or an unusual apartment layout can be used to her advantage.

• Weapons: It works best if your hero is at a disadvantage with a “lesser” weapon—and the quieter the weapon, the better. Chainsaws are comical and machine guns are overcompensating, but crossbows are rad and knives are a testament to badassness. Furthermore, any weapon that forces her to get closer to her attacker, the bigger the risk and higher the urgency!

1.) Bourne Supremacy. This starts out great, but at 40 seconds in it becomes THE JAM. Jason uses a rolled up magazine in a knife fight, instead of a knife, and chokes the assassin to death with a power chord. And cap it all off with an ingeniously rigged explosion using a toaster! Brilliant stuff. 

2.) Kill Bill. Best knife fight, ever. Set in the house of a suburban living room, there’s just a lot of furniture everywhere—which means a lot of stuff to break. There’s some inventive weapons, tons of shattered glass, and a dining table flip that is too too awesome (it’ll make sense once you watch it). 

3.) Haywire. A fake M16 couple returns to a lush hotel suite and…fight to the death in their evening wear! YES. Many an expensive vase and gilt plated mirror is broken as these two hotties throw each other around. She ends up choking Michael Fassbender between her legs, which sounds cliche, but is amazing to watch. 

4.) Kill Bill (again). I feel like I’m cheating by using this movie again, but this is SUCH great choreography and use of confined space. The whole thing takes place in a trailer, which prevents the assassin from unsheathing her katana! There’s use of a TV antenna as a shank and they literally bust through a wall during their struggle. 

5.) Gross Pointe Blank. This takes place in an empty high school hallway, so not many props—thus the creative weaponry (a car dealership pen). BONUS points for irony, because some annoying guy played by Jeremy Piven gives him that pen earlier in the night. An intense fight and lots of being thrown against lockers. 

Next Friday, PLL assistant editor Angela Velez will share her favorite first kisses in pop culture!

And the winner of Swoon Madness is… *drum roll*

Congratulations to Alex from DELIRIUM for winning the title “Most Swoonworthy Boy in YA” from this year’s Swoon Madness!

Here’s all of the praise he received from PLL Trendsetters:

PLL Trendsetter Maddie: Alex is so incredibly sweet, smart and strong character, yet not in an unrealistic manner. He is honestly one of my top favorite characters of all time.

PLL Trendsetter Tori: Alex is the one to sweep you off your feet. In a world that doesn’t believe in love, he sure is one passionate boy. He sets up picnics in gardens under the stars, reads books and listens to music; he does all the forbidden things for love. He will run away with you and protect you the best he can. He will love you and take care of you.

PLL Trendsetter Caitlin: I chose Alex as one of my “dream boys” because he taught Lena about love and romance. He helped Lena to overcome her fears of love and to go against the social norm, in order to be happy and to live a good life. The secret relationship between Lena and Alex is, all in all, highly romantic, and something that I would love to have for myself.

PLL Trendsetter Corinne: Alex is selflessness. He wants Lena from the start, and even though loving her puts both their lives at risk, he would do anything for her. He puts everything on the line to show her how beautiful she is. And he has made me cry. A lot.

PLL Trendsetter Katherine: Right when Lena first met and talked to him, I really fell for what Alex stood for and his personality (not to mention he’s quite attractive). His love for Lena and hers for him was so amazing and beautiful and I am torn to pieces about how they’ve broken up and now Lena is stuck in some love chain (Julian loves Lena who loves Julian AND Alex who loves Coral) but I, for one, still love Alex ^_^

PLL Trendsetter Nicole: He showed Lena what the real meaning of love was. He gave her a way out of becoming
a loveless zombie. When they were caught he gave up his freedom just so she could be free.

To celebrate Alex’s win, we’re offering up one signed book from the DELIRIUM series of your choice! (DELIRIUM or PANDEMONIUM or REQUIEM or DELIRIUM STORIES.) Enter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway Giveaway ends on April 3rd.

Many thanks to the PLL Trendsetters who submitted their favorite YA boys to this tournament and to everyone who voted! We’ll see you next year!