Even death can’t break a father & son’s bond….Dead Heat the latest by Lisa Nowak

I’m really excited for Lisa’s latest. I saw her cover and SQUEEEEED! Lisa and I are a part of The Pacific Northwest YA Authors group and met last year at Wordstock in Portland, OR. I’ve already got my copy of Dead Heat. Hurry up and get yours!

A man who longs for a son and a boy who can’t escape his father’s violence. Even death can’t break their bond.

Alex is a machine whisperer. He can tell what’s wrong with a broken-down car with a touch. But his gift can’t save him from the brutality of his meth-addict father. For two years, Alex experienced kindness through Cole, his mentor. Now Cole’s dead, and the violence in Alex’s life is escalating.

When Cole reappears as a ghost, Alex clings to the tenuous link. Then he learns Cole might’ve sacrificed his chance to cross over. Jade, the first girl to look beyond Alex’s past, assures him Cole can reach the Other Side-if Alex escapes from his dad. But a previous terrifying attempt has convinced Alex it’s impossible. Unless he can find the courage to try, his friend may be earthbound forever.

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“Dead Heat blew me away. It’s a gritty ghost story interwoven with all-too-real subject matter that will make you cry for Alex, ache for Cole, and thank God for Jade. I was invested in these characters’ lives and you will be too.”

~ Stacey Wallace Benefiel, author of the Zellie Wells trilogy

• Buy it on Amazon
• Buy it on Barnes and Noble
• Buy it on Smashwords

In addition to being a YA author, Lisa is a retired amateur stock car racer, an accomplished cat whisperer, and a professional smartass. She writes coming-of-age books about kids in hard luck situations who learn to appreciate their own value after finding mentors who love them for who they are.

• Blog: http://lisanowak.wordpress.com/
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/Lisa_Nowak
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LisaNowakAuthor
• Newsletter: http://bit.ly/LisaNowakNewsletter

Voice, Research, Courage & Inspiration what’s your take?

So all of us have got our topics for tomorrow night’s local author showcase at The Oregon City Public Library at 7PM: using an authentic YA voice, life experience as research, finding the courage to write, inspiration & the writing process. I’ll be talking about inspiration.

So authors, what’s the strangest/oddest/funniest thing to inspire your books? Readers, what YA/MG novel inspired you most? I’ll be sure to talk about your books at my talk tomorrow night. I’d like to give as many authors exposure on this tour as possible!

As I type, I’m sitting at my home-away-from-home today, Powell’s Bookstore. Today hubby had an early date with the building department so the cafe of this legendary bookstore is where I’ve landed. It makes meeting my writing goals a little bit easier. My reward for meeting my goals today? I get to check out the children’s book section and swing by books on magic. I love Powells. It’s where I found the very rare book that added so much depth to the research of Winnemucca. It’s where I edited 13 on Halloween. I guess it’s only fitting that I’m editing 14 on Halloween here today. I’m also working on a new project too that I’m really excited about and can’t wait to tell you about! There’s a steady drizzle outside and when we flew in last night, more than one person said they’d just had a few really beautiful sunny days. The crab apples are in bloom and are so gorgeous.

I always pick up a book while I’m here. Today’s find, I’m talking the minute I walked in the door is: MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS by Kelly Link. I can’t wait to dive into this book:)

YA Indie Carnival: My favorite character to write? 13 on Halloween’s Roxie!

Hands down it has to be Roxie a snarky, saavy, hilarious twelve-turning-thirteen-year-old from 13 on Halloween. Her ideas about luck & popularity are seen through the animal kingdom. She uses humor and her own unique language to understand her changing world and her role in it. It’s what I love about her. She is a strong girl who wants two things: to be like Adrianne, the popular girl in school; and to have Hayden, the boy she likes, notice her. Roxie’s 13th birthday wish comes true in hilariously scary ways! Here’s an excerpt.

I got the idea for Roxie when my friends always laughed at the way I talk. I would say things like I hamster. Or, I squirrel. Or, I gopher. I use animals as verbs.

Road Trip Wonders : Living @ The Holiday Inn

I was nineteen when I got my first summer job where I didn’t wait on tables. It was right after my first year of college and I wanted to have a more “serious” job. I think that’s what was on my mind when I applied and was tested to work at Holiday Inn’s Reservation Center in suburban Chicago, very close to my family’s home. It was kind of a dream job for me.

Road Trip Wonders: Free Advice

Hood River, OR

We took to the road over the weekend to explore Portland. A drive along The Columbia River Gorge surprised me with its beauty and amazing waterfalls. We learned about Lewis & Clark. After a few great hikes and a detour in some mineral hot springs we ended up here, in Hood River at Mike’s Ice Cream where kids give free advice. One of the cutest moments of the weekend.