MMGM GIVEAWAY!!! "B" is for MARISSA BURT, AUTHOR of STORYBOUND

Charity Hopping Around the World - Win A $15 Amazon Gift Certificate

MMGM: Giveaway & Interview w/ Anne Nesbet, author of The Cabinet of Earths

Review of The Rock of Ivanore at So Simply Sara & Interview with ME!!!

MMGM: Interview w/ Jenn Reese, author of Above World

Welcome to Marvelous Middle Grade Monday (MMGM), a weekly event hosted by author Shannon Messenger. For a list of other MMGM posts, click HERE.

Also, welcome to "Blogging From A to Z April Challenge."  Today's letter is "B" for "Burt" - Marissa Burt, that is! To access the entire list of participants, go HERE. Also, at the end of the month one follower of this blog will win a $20 Amazon Gift Certificate. Just fill out the rafflecopter form HERE to be eligible for the drawing.

STORYBOUND
Marissa Burt
HarperCollins
Ages 9-12

Today marks the official release of STORYBOUND (HarperCollins), a new middle grade fantasy novel.

Don't miss the chance to WIN AN ARC (advanced reader copy) signed by the author. This is a separate giveaway from the A to Z Challenge. Details are at the end of this post.

Inkheart meets The Neverending Story in this sweeping fantasy about a twelve-year-old girl who falls into a magical world – and discovers that it may be up to her to save it.

In the land of Story, children go to school to learn to be characters: a perfect Hero, a trusty Sidekick, even the most dastardly Villain.  They take classes on Outdoor Experiential Questing and Backstory, while adults search for full-time character work in stories written just for them.

In our world, twelve-year-old Una Fairchild has always felt invisible.  But all that changes when she stumbles upon a mysterious book buried deep in the basement of her school library, opens the cover, and suddenly finds herself transported to the magical land of Story.

But Story is not a perfect fairy tale.  Una’s new friend Peter warns her about the grave danger she could face if anyone discovers her true identity.  The devious Tale Keeper watches her every move.  And there are whispers of a deadly secret that seems to revolve around Una herself…

With the timeless appeal of books like A Wrinkle in Time and the breathtaking action of Inkheart, Storybound has all the makings of a new classic.  Brimming with fantastical creatures, magical adventure, and heart-stopping twists, Storybound will leave readers wishing they too could jump through the pages into this enchanting fairy-tale world.

Kirkus Reviews says: “Readers who love fantasy may see an opportunity to snuggle up with a cup of cocoa and unravel the plot, which twists and turns in on itself, with happy surprises.”

I recently had a chance to ask Marissa Burt about STORYBOUND. Here's what she had to say:

1.  Tell us about STORY BOUND in one sentence:

When Una Fairchild gets transported to the magical land of Story, she must discover who has Written her In and why.

2. What inspired you to write Storybound?

I've always loved to read, and my favorite books have been the ones that invite the reader to participate in the story.  Good books like this always leave me with a bittersweet feeling: I'm satisfied to reach the end of the story, but I'm sad to say goodbye to the characters. So I imagined a land where characters continue on about their business without nosy readers peering over their shoulders, and I wondered what would happen if a girl from our world fell into theirs.  And that idea grew into Una Fairchild's adventures in STORYBOUND.

3.  What books did you enjoy reading as a child?

What a tough question!  When I was about Una's age, my favorite book was probably SOLO'S JOURNEY, by: Joy Smith Aiken.  I used to file my fingernails to be like claws, so I could imagine I was one of the cats in the book.  I also discovered THE LORD OF THE RINGS and ANNE OF GREEN GABLES around this time, books I still reread almost every year.

4.  What books do you enjoy reading now?

I love all sorts of books!  Fantasy and mystery novels are at the top of my list, though I'll try just about anything.

5.  What can we expect from you in the future?

The sequel to STORYBOUND, STORY'S END is due out in early 2013, so keep a lookout for that.

GIVEAWAY!!!

Win an ARC (advanced reader copy) signed by the author. To participate, please leave a comment below. You don't have to be a follower of this blog to participate, but extra entries can be earned by tweeting this post or posting it on facebook. Just be sure to tell me you did. The giveaway will remain open until April 17th.