Tag Archives: Maureen McGowan

Maureen McGowan – Compliance Promo – Guest Post and Giveaway

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Maureen McGowan – Compliance Promo – Guest Post

 

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An Ode to YA by Maureen McGowan

 If you talked to me five years ago, I’d have said, not only did I not read young adult fiction, I certainly had no plans to write it. I knew that publishers had started to acquire and publish more YA fiction, based on the success of Harry Potter, but I didn’t think that it was for me. I figured I’d have to tone down my voice, tame my storytelling style, reign in my ideas. No way did I want to write for “kids”.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The first (modern) YA novel I read was The Hunger Games and I was pretty much hooked after that. And I’m not the only adult who feels this way. Respected author, Nick Hornby (About a Boy, High Fidelity, etc.) said,

“I see now that dismissing YA books because you’re not a young adult is a little bit like refusing to watch thrillers on the grounds that you’re not a policeman or a dangerous criminal, and as a consequence, I’ve discovered a previously ignored room at the back of the bookstore that’s filled with masterpieces I’ve never heard of.”

And more recently, author and media guru, Chuck Wendig said in his blog article, 25 Things You Should Know About Young Adult Fiction,

“…some of the bravest, strangest, coolest stories right now are being told in the young adult space.”

And these two quotes encapsulate my own awakening. YA books are about teens, but they aren’t just for teen readers.

YA books are no longer juvenile. They’re no longer just for kids. And they sure aren’t like the books shelved in the teen section when I was a teen.

In fact, I realized my thinking about writing YA Fiction was backwards. Adult fiction was forcing me to reign in my voice and color inside genre lines. By writing YA fiction I could write whatever I wanted. I could blend genres. I could be sweet or passionate or brutal. I could be sweet and passionate and brutal within the same book!

I love how daring, challenging and well-written many YA titles are, but I think it’s the genre blending I love the most about today’s YA Fiction. My series, The Dust Chronicles, (Deviants, October, 2012, Compliance, June, 2013, Glory, June 2014) blends sci-fi, fantasy, dystopian, paranormal, spy-thriller, adventure, romance and even a dash of horror. But ultimately the books are (I hope) exciting fast-paced reads that raise both heart rates and interesting questions, without being heavy-handed or pedantic.

If I’d tried to publish these books as adult fiction, editors would have told me that there wasn’t enough focus on the romance to shelve it there, there isn’t enough science for the sci-fi aisle, not enough fantasy for that aisle, and they’re not nearly gory enough to be horror. Editors would have told me that I couldn’t write about a heroine, who’s done the things my 16-year-old heroine has done…

But in YA, none of those things were a problem. At all.

And based on my reader reviews on Amazon, the majority of my readers so far are adults, and many of them male. (The reviews from the men, often start with, “I thought I was going to hate this, but…”) Yes, I would love to capture more of the teen girl reader market, because they are so passionate about books, but I’m thrilled that adults are reading and loving my work.

So, my message to you, gentle readers, is: If you haven’t yet read any YA Fiction, you should give it a try. You don’t know what you’re missing!

A variety of suggestions from my favorites: The Hunger Games, Blood Red Road, Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Fault in Our Stars, Code Name Verity, Angelfall and, oh, perhaps one of my books. 🙂

Compliance, that just came out, is the second book in a trilogy, but also works as a standalone title.

 

 

 Compliance
Book 2 of the Dust Chronicles series
Release Date: June 4, 2013

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Links to order Compliance: Amazon / Barnes & Noble /  The Book Depository

NOTE: Deviants, the 1st book in The Dust Chronicles series, is on sale at Amazon Kindle for $1.99 during the month of June. 

Haven Equals Safety. This slogan is emblazoned on the minds of every Haven employee. But for Glory, life inside Haven is anything but safe. She must hide her Deviant gift–the ability to kill with her eyes–or face death. Training to be a Compliance Officer, expected to hunt her own kind, she secretly works undercover to save fellow Deviants, but when people she trusts turn against her and a powerful member of Management takes her under her wing, Glory questions everything she believes and can no longer tell her allies from her enemies.

 

About the authorMaureen-8068-LR-Color
Maureen McGowan always loved writing fiction, but side-tracked by a persistent practical side, it took her a few years to channel her energy into novels. After leaving a career in finance and accounting, she hasn’t looked back.

Aside from her love of books, she’s passionate about films, fine handcrafted objects and shoes. Maureen grew up in various Canadian cities and her previous career moved her to Palo Alto and Philadelphia, before she settled in Toronto, Canada where she attends the Toronto International Film Festival each year.

You can find her online at her website (www.maureenmcgowan.com).
On Facebook (www.facebook.com/MaureenMcGowanBooks)
On Twitter (www.twitter.com/MaureenMcGowan)
To make sure you catch the latest news, join her newsletter list. (http://eepurl.com/AlgIb)

Giveaway-White and Blue

Maureen has graciously offered one lucky member of The Reading Cafe a signed copy of her new release, Compliance.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Giveaway open to US & Canada Only

4.  Contests runs from June 16 to June 19, 2013

 

 

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Compliance by Maureen McGowan – a Review

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Compliance by Maureen McGowan – a Review

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Links to order Compliance: Amazon / Barnes & Noble /  The Book Depository

Description:
Haven Equals Safety.

The slogan is emblazoned on the minds of every Haven employee. But for Glory, life inside the domed city is anything but safe.

After rescuing her brother, Glory returns to Haven as a double agent to locate and save fellow Deviants. Far from her family and from Burn, Glory faces danger at every turn as she trains to be a Compliance Officer–to track and subdue her own kind–while she works undercover to rescue as many Deviants as she can.

When people she trusts turn against her and a powerful member of Management takes her under her wing, Glory questions everything she believes and can no longer tell her allies from her enemies. A Deviant, a member of the secret police, a double agent–Glory fights to save others, but can she save herself?

Review:

Compliance by Maureen McGowan is her second book in her Dust Chronicles series.  When we last left off in Deviants (first book), Glory was going to be sent back to Haven; this time as a spy for the Freedom Army.  To refresh your memory, Haven is a city under a dome, that protects everyone from the dangerous outside world of Shredders, Deviants, etc. But Haven hides the truth inside that dome.

Compliance picks up about three months later, with Glory back to training with The Comp.  She was accepted back, as they thought she escaped her captor, who had kidnapped her. As described above in the book description, Glory is working undercover, finding and saving Deviants (hidden powers).  When she meets her new contact from the FA, who tells her she is to stop until further notice, since the last one she thought was saved, was killed by shredders.  Despondent, Glory tries to get more information, so that she can convince the FA to allow her to continue.   

Glory is also working with one of Haven’s management leaders to find a mole inside the Comp.  During all of this, she has to be careful not to reveal that she is a Deviant (she can kill just with her eyes), which will cause her to be expunged (sent outside to face the crazed Shredders), and die. Glory is still with her boyfriend Cal, but tries hard to not to allow herself to trust anyone.  Her friends from the first book, Jayma, and Scout are still there, though not as much. 

The story concentrates on Glory finding the deviants inside Haven & saving them, finding the mole; but the major arc in this story is the introduction of a new character, Mrs. Kalin, who is one of Haven’s top management.  She takes a liking to Glory, and Glory finds herself becoming very close to her. Over time they become like mother and daughter, but something isn’t right.  As her friends and Cal fall into danger, Glory must fight her feelings for the woman who claims her as her adopted mother, and control her Deviant powers to rise up to save her friends, as well as herself.  Without giving spoilers, I’ll just throw out some questions we faced heading towards the climatic ending.  Will Glory be able to save her friends? Why is Glory concerned about her feelings for Mrs. Kalin?  Will Glory act on her feelings for Cal, or is Burn still the one?  Will Glory survive?   The last half of this book was extremely exciting, with many twists that McGowan seems to throw at us in this series.  If you have read Deviants, then you must read this book.  If you have not, then start with Deviants.  I love this series, and Maureen McGowan does a fantastic job continuing the flow from Deviants to Compliance flawlessly.  With most things resolved at the end, McGowan does leave it somewhat open for book 3, Glory.  Can’t wait.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Author

 

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An Interview with Maureen McGowan

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An Interview with Maureen McGowan

The Reading Cafe is happy to have the wonderful Maureen McGowan as our guest today. 

This Tuesday, Maureen is releasing Deviants, her first book in her new YA series, The Dust Chronicles. Our review of Deviants is the post below this Intervew.

Maureen is here today to discuss her new book, as well as to tell us a little bit about herself.

Let’s meet Maureen.

 

Hi  Maureen.  Welcome to The Reading Café. We appreciate you coming by to answer our questions. We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book.

TRC:   Please tell us something about yourself?

MAUREEN: I have a Masters of Accounting degree and my previous career moved me from my home in Canada to California and Philadelphia for a decade. I’m now settled in Toronto, where I love the vibrant arts scene, the ethnic diversity and attending the Toronto International Film Festival. (Toronto tourism should pay me for advertising!)

TRC: Have you always had an interest in writing?  When did you first start writing?

MAUREEN: I always enjoyed writing and painting and acting, and wanted to pursue something creative for as long as I can remember, but since I was a good student, my parents and teachers counseled me away from the Arts. For better or worse, I listened—and somehow ended up in accounting!—but I never stopped writing. I became more serious about my writing after taking a break from my previous career and signing up for some classes. I soon found a fabulous group of critique partners, (who’ve become close friends), and I haven’t looked back. Better late than never, right?

TRC: What is the name of the first novel you ever published?  Please tell us how you felt, when your first book was accepted by a publisher.

MAUREEN: The first novel I had published was CINDERELLA: NINJA WARRIOR. The news that it was going to be published came with an almost impossible deadline to finish it, so I didn’t have a lot of time to celebrate! But once it finally sunk in, I was thrilled. I got chills the first time I saw it in a book store!

TRC: What did you find to be the biggest challenge in writing your novels, not to mention publishing them.

MAUREEN: In writing, the biggest challenge for me is working through the times when I don’t think the story is working, the days when I lose confidence. In contrast, the days when the words are flowing and my fingers are flying are magical. I have to remember those on the bad days.

Publishing is a whole other story. It’s not for the faint of heart. 🙂 Let’s just say that the life of an author and the publishing process bear little resemblance to how they’re portrayed in movies. But doing interviews like this and meeting readers makes up for all the frustrations and disappointments that come with publishing.

TRC: You have written two series in different genres.  You have one that is a fairytale adventure romance, and the other is a post-apocalyptic thriller.  The fairytale is intended for middle school, and the new Dust Chronicles looks to be YA.  Which genre do you find most difficult to write and which genre are you the most comfortable writing?

MAUREEN: I absolutely love young adult fiction. I love the fast pacing, the tight storytelling and the wide-ranging types of stories being published these days for the YA market. I also love that YA books blur genre lines. For example, it’s very common to mix, say, sci-fi, suspense, romance and fantasy all in a single novel. That’s less possible in the adult world where publishers want to understand where to shelve your work before you even write it. For an author, it’s fabulous to let your imagination run free—and that’s possible in YA.

The recent batch of YA novels might be about teens, but they certainly aren’t written exclusively for teens. In fact, the majority of YA novels these days are being purchased by adults—for themselves.

I really wish more books like the ones out today had existed when I was younger—books that have big ideas and aren’t afraid explore dark subjects—books that have young protagonists, but aren’t juvenile. I enjoyed writing books for younger teens too, and have a few adult novels in my back pocket, but right now, my heart is in writing (and reading) YA. Two of my favorite books over the past year were Blood Red Road, by Moira Young and For Darkness Shows the Stars, by Diana Peterfreund.

TRC:  Deviants is the first book in your Dust Chronicles series.  Can you please tell us something about the premise of this book? 

MAUREEN: The Dust Chronicles series is set in a post-apocalyptic world where our planet has been ravaged by multiple asteroid strikes that triggered volcanoes and earthquakes and left the earth’s surface covered by a coarse dust that’s lethal to most humans and changes the DNA of others. The DNA mutation gives some people new abilities and turns others into monsters called Shredders.

In Deviants, Glory is a sixteen-year old girl who can kill with her eyes. She lives in a domed city whose authorities fear anyone with special “deviant” abilities. When discovered, Deviants are kicked outside the dome to be tortured by the Shredders. When the boy Glory’s always loved joins the secret police and betrays her, she must leave the only world she’s ever known to save her paraplegic younger brother, and herself. Plus, there’s a hot hunky guy and some kissing.

TRC: Can you tell us a little bit of your fairytale adventure series..Twisted Tales, which currently has two books out.  Cinderella: Ninja Warrior & Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer. How did you come up with the idea of doing a different take on fairytales? Do you plan to continue this series?

MAUREEN: The publisher actually came to me with the idea of adventurous fairly tales with a choose your own adventure element—and they wanted me to start with Cinderella. Before writing the proposal that earned me the publishing contract, I wanted to test how much freedom I’d have in writing the stories. So, I asked the editor, “Can there be ninjas?”

I was joking—mostly—but when she answered yes, I immediately saw an image of ninjas dropping out of trees to surround Cinderella. Soon after, the title for Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer came to mind. I loved that title and so did the publisher—all I had to do was figure out how to tell a vampire story, adapted from a fairy tale in which the heroine is traditionally asleep! 🙂

Right now, there are no definite plans for more in that series, but I hope it continues. I’ve got several ideas up my sleeve, and kids often write me to suggest titles and ideas. Some of their suggestions are hilarious.

TRC: Do you plan to continue to write YA, or would you consider writing an adult series?

MAUREEN: I actually wrote adult books first, but none of those have found the right publisher—yet. The editor who offered me the chance to write the Twisted Tales books actually approached me, because she’d read my manuscript for a dark and sexy urban fantasy. The timing wasn’t right for that particular novel, but based on reading it, she knew I could do world-building and action.

TRC: What are you working on today?  Do you have any thoughts of a different series?

MAUREEN: Right now, I’m doing my final edits for Compliance, the second book in The Dust Chronicles series and also writing the third book that will tie up Glory’s story. Compliance, The Dust Chronicles #2, will be released in May 2013, and the third book, tentatively titled Glory will come out in either the fall of 2013 or early in 2014.

After that, I’m not sure, but I do have several new YA series ideas, including other stories set in The Dust Chronicles world, and an unrelated series I can’t talk about yet. I’ll keep you posted!

TRC: Please do.  🙂

TRC: Many authors and artists have spouses/partners who offer advice, ideas or
criticism.  Who is your muse when you are looking for ideas?

MAUREEN: I have a fabulous group of critique partners who are also very talented authors. I don’t know what I’d do without them.

TRC: Do you have a favorite place, or a favorite time (day or night) to write? 

MAUREEN: I am not a morning person. Never have been. Likely never will be. I like to write in coffee shops—I’m in one right now—and usually write in the afternoon and into the evening.

TRC: Is there anything you would like to add?

MAUREEN:  I’m so excited about this new series. While Deviants isn’t my official debut, it feels like my debut… It’s my first hardcover and my first novel that I conceived from start to finish. While it took me years to get to this place, I can hardly believe Deviants going to be out in the world soon!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: turkey dinner

Favorite Movie: just one??? Short Cuts, The Hunger Games, Clueless

Favorite TV Show: just one??? The Vampire Diaries, The Wire, Friday Night Lights, Homeland

Favorite Dessert : anything with lemon

Dark or Milk Chocolate: milk

Last Book that you read: The Hunt, by Andrew Fukada

Favorite Author: just one??? Robertson Davies, Moira Young, Carrie Ryan, Suzanne Collins

Favorite Fictional Character (not your own): Anne of Green Gables—or Zsadist from J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. How’s that for contrast? 🙂

Thank you Maureen for answering our questions.  We wish you good luck with your wonderful books now out and those soon to be released. We look forward to having you come back again.

MAUREEN: Thank you! This was really fun and I hope your readers enjoy Deviants.

If you would like to learn more about Maureen, you can find her at the following links:

Website: www.maureenmcgowan.com
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:

Maureen has graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win a copy of Deviants.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Please post a comment and say hi to Maureen.

4.  Giveaway open to U.S. or Canada only

5.  Contest runs from October 28th – October 31st.

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Deviants by Maureen McGowan – a Review

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Deviants by Maureen McGowan – a Review

Deviants is Maureen McGowan’s first book in her The Dust Chronicles series, which is a YA dystopian novel.  I read this book in one day, as I could not put it down. Here is a description from her website:

Description:
In a post-apocalyptic world, where the earth is buried by asteroid dust that’s mutated the DNA of some humans, orphaned, sixteen-year-old Glory must hide and protect her younger brother. If their Deviant abilities are discovered, they’ll be expunged—kicked out of the dome to be tortured and killed by the Shredders. Glory would give anything to get rid of her unique ability to kill with her emotions, especially when Cal, the boy she’s always liked, becomes a spy for the authorities. But when her brother is discovered, and she learns their father, who was expunged for killing their mother, is still alive, she must escape the domed city that’s been her entire world.

Outside in the ruins, they’re pursued by the authorities and by sadistic, scab-covered Shredders who are addicted to the lethal-to-humans dust now covering the planet. Glory’s quests to transport herself and her brother to safety make up the thrilling and fascinating first volume of The Dust Chronicles.

Review:

Deviants immediately introduces our heroine, Glory, as she is scrounging prohibited places for rats.  Why rats?  Because she is starving, and she needs to feed her younger brother, so when you are desperate, rats are food.  This is a dystopian story, and the world as we know it has been destroyed, and those survivors live inside a dome called Haven.  No one is allowed outside, where the dust will kill you, unless the evil Shredders get to you first.  The conditions for the majority are poor, as they live in close encounters. The Comp rule the Haven. 

Glory hunts, with her friends, Jayma, Cal and Scout.  We find out early, that Glory has a secret power, which she is trying to learn to control.  No one, other then her brother Drake, knows about this power.  Glory can kill with her eyes, which she uses only to kill the rats.  Glory and her brother are Deviants, people who have various powers, and they are also hunted by the Comp.  When Deviants are found, they are expunged to the outside world, where the Shredders will kill them. 

Glory hides her brother, as he is crippled, due to a horrible accident three years ago. Her mother was murdered by her father, and her brother was crippled.  Glory knows her father was expunged and is now dead.  But she hid her brother, since he too came into his Deviant power, but being crippled, he cannot do much on his own.  If he is found, he will be killed.

Glory has a crush on Cal, and just when they start to date, she becomes concerned when he tells her he knows about her brother.  Around that time, Glory meets a stranger, who tells her that her father wants to talk to her.  She doesn’t believe the stranger and runs away. A short time later, when she goes home, she finds the stranger taking her brother with him. He tells her they are in danger, and he must take them to safety.  At that time, she hears the Comps searching her area, and she panics and goes with the stranger.  From here on is a very exciting adventure, which takes them outside the Haven, which puts them in constant danger against the Shredders, the elements, and other survivors who are very much interested in Glory.  At first she did not trust Burn (the stranger), but he treats her and her brother with kindness, and helps fight off the enemy.  Along the way, Glory begins to see that life at Haven, and the outside world was not what they were led to believe.  However, when Glory meets her father, she realizes he is alive and all that she believed was a lie. 

There are so many twists and turns along the way.  So many truths to discover, and betrayals. Glory does get to know Burn, and his Deviant and dangerous ability. They both become close, and she realizes that she has begun to care about him. They go through so much, in helping each other save their lives.

They will eventually meet their destination, a settlement which is run by the Freedom Army. But there are so many surprises & twists during the last ¼ of the book, and they will change the game drastically.  McGowan takes a surprising turn, that was very unexpected, and it leads to a cliff hanger, that will put Glory in more danger then she has has ever been before.  I for one cannot wait, as Maureen McGowan has created a wonderful new dystopian adventure that should not be missed.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by publisher

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