Three 2014 Novels I'm Excited About by Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

One of the exciting things about being a writer and a blogger is making connections with others. I am privileged to say that I "know" all three of these great writers--one of them in real life! Here's a bit about them, and a bit about their books:

HOPE IS A FERRIS WHEEL by my good friend and critique group member, Robin Herrera (March 11, 2014, Amulet Books). (I have the immense good fortune of being in a critique group with Robin and seven other amazing writers--for a total of 9, kinda like the Muses--which meets every couple of weeks in Portland. Robin joined the group just as her novel was being accepted for publication, so I never actually got to read it and sprinkle my pearls of wisdom on its pages. But having read her new work, I can vouch that she is incredibly funny and an amazing craftsperson.) Here's a summary of Hope is a Ferris Wheel--all blurbs are from Goodreads:

Ten-year-old Star Mackie lives in a trailer park with her flaky mom and her melancholy older sister, Winter, whom Star idolizes. Moving to a new town has made it difficult for Star to make friends, when her classmates tease her because of where she lives and because of her layered blue hair. But when Star starts a poetry club, she develops a love of Emily Dickinson and, through Dickinson’s poetry, learns some important lessons about herself and comes to terms with her hopes for the future.With an unforgettable voice with a lot of heart, Hope Is a Ferris Wheel is the story of a young girl who learns to accept her family and herself while trying to make sense of the world around her.

ALL FOUR STARS by Tara Dairman (July 10, 2014 Putman). Tara and I connected when we were both selected to take part in the 2011 Baker's Dozen agent auction at Miss Snark's First Victim. I immediately loved the voice in her opening paragraphs and knew that this novel would go on to great things. Tara and I are Facebook and Twitter pals. Here's what All Four Stars  is about:

Gladys Gatsby has dreamed of becoming a restaurant critic for New York's biggest newspaper--she just didn’t expect to be assigned her first review at age 11. Now, if she wants to meet her deadline and hang on to her dream job, she’ll have to defy her fast-food-loving parents, cook her way into the heart of her sixth-grade archenemy, and battle Manhattan’s meanest maitre d’.

THE EIGHTH DAY (April 22, 2014 HarperCollins) by Project Mayhem's very own Dianne Salerni. Dianne is an amazing writer, as well as being a 5th and 6th grade teacher. I am thrilled she is a part of Project Mayhem. I am equally thrilled that I got to read an ARC of this fast-paced novel--and could not put it down!!! Here's the blurb from Goodreads:

When Jax wakes up to a world without any people in it, he assumes it's the zombie apocalypse. But when he runs into his eighteen-year-old guardian, Riley Pendare, he learns that he's really in the eighth day—an extra day sandwiched between Wednesday and Thursday. Some people—like Jax and Riley—are Transitioners, able to live in all eight days, while others, including Evangeline, the elusive teenage girl who's been hiding in the house next door, exist only on this special day.

And there's a reason Evangeline's hiding. She is a descendant of the powerful wizard Merlin, and there is a group of people who wish to use her in order to destroy the normal seven-day world and all who live in it. Torn between protecting his new friend and saving the entire human race from complete destruction, Jax is faced with an impossible choice. Even with an eighth day, time is running out.

One of the things I've read about supporting authors is to pre-order their novels from your local indie bookseller. You can bet I'll be letting my fingers do the walking for all three of these delicious novels, as I call Annie Bloom's, my local in Portland, and make a huge deal about my desire to own all three of these.

In the meantime, I'm giving away my ARC of THE EIGHTH DAY. Leave a comment and cross your fingers! (Extra credit for Tweeting, sharing on Facebook, and the like.)