Saturday, December 5, 2015

Debut Author Bash and Giveaway: Holly Bodger


I am very excited to get to host author Holly Bodger on my blog today.  I was so excited to see that she would be one of the authors we would get to choose, and then to find out I got to host her on my blog was even more exciting.

Author Bio:
A long-time resident of Ottawa, Canada, I have been working in publishing since I graduated with an English degree from the University of Ottawa.

I am represented by Lauren MacLeod of The Strothman Agency, LLC. My debut novel, 5 TO 1, was released on May 12, 2015 from Knopf Books for Young Readers (Penguin Random House).

I am also the author of TEN which was a finalist for the 2013 RWA Golden Heart (YA Category). 


Author links:
Book Info:
In the year 2054, after decades of gender selection, India now has a ratio of five boys for every girl, making women an incredibly valuable commodity. Tired of marrying off their daughters to the highest bidder and determined to finally make marriage fair, the women who form the country of Koyanagar have instituted a series of tests so that every boy has the chance to win a wife.

Sudasa doesn’t want to be a wife, and Contestant Five, a boy forced to compete in the test to become her husband, has other plans as well. Sudasa’s family wants nothing more than for their daughter to do the right thing and pick a husband who will keep her comfortable—and caged. Five’s family wants him to escape by failing the tests. As the tests advance, Sudasa and Five thwart each other at every turn until they slowly realize that they just might want the same thing.

This beautiful, unique novel is told from alternating points of view—Sudasa’s in verse and Contestant Five’s in prose—allowing readers to experience both characters’ pain and their brave struggle for hope. 


Purchase Links:
 

Author's Top Ten Favorite Books:

It’s always hard to list my favorite books, especially when I’m only allowed ten so I’ve decided to focus on those that have inspired me as a writer.  


Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

I’ve read this book, listened to the audiobook (narrated by the late Frank McCourt himself) and seen the movie and I could do so over and over again. It’s a wonderful story that mixes despair and humor in the perfect way. It’s also an excellent example of how to write a memoir.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I like happy-sad books and this is another fabulous example of one. It’s a tiny ray of sunshine in the middle of a horrific setting. The POV is original and well-done (and yes, I watched the movie and loved it too!)

Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

It may not come as a surprise to hear that I’ve read this, listened to it and watched the movie like ten or twenty times (I do tend to overdose on things I love!) This story is one of my go-to feel-goods. It’s hilarious and romantic and a fine example of how to write in diary format.


Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Like the other books on this list, I have read this many times and have seen many of the movies (the one with Helena Bonham Carter is my favorite). This is an amazing book with so many levels to it that I still continue to discover more every time I read it. It is a fantastic example of how to write a complex and sympathetic antagonist.

Gallagher Girls Series by Ally Carter

As per my earlier comment about overdosing on things I love, I’m refusing to pick just one of the books in this series because I love them all. I also love the audiobooks and promise to love the movies if they ever make them. These books feature smart, kickass heroines with awesome friendships and familial relationships. The pace is absolutely perfect and the setting is very well done.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Annie Barrows & Mary Ann Shaffer

This is obviously a recurring theme here, but I have read this and listened to it many times and I always love it just as much as the previous time. This novel is a great example of using multiple POVs to tell a story and handles the letter format very well. It’s also both sad and funny and a little bit romantic.

Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling

And now for the part where I sound a really obsessive. I have read all of these books. I have listened to all of the audiobooks. I have seen all of the movies many many times. I have been to the Harry Potter theme parks in Florida (also many times). I own my own wand, sorting hat, golden snitch, rats, troll (fake of course)… I adore not just these books but this entire world. When I talk about how to create a fabulous setting, these are the books I use as examples. They are unmatched in that area.

Identical by Ellen Hopkins

I adore everything written by Ellen Hopkins, but this one had a twist that blew me away. I actually re-read it immediately afterwards (and then listened to the audiobook) because I was truly awestruck.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

This has always been one of my favorite books of all time. I have read it, listened to it and watched the movies (and let me just say that Colin Firth is the only Darcy I will acknowledge). It’s a wonderful story of love and family strife, and is a great example of how to write quiet, yet powerful romantic conflict.

Wonder by RJ Palacio

This is an absolutely lovely story that made me smile and cry and smilecry. It is told in multiple POVs (I see a theme running here) all of which are done very well. It also features a diverse character without making diversity an issue.

Giveaway: (CORRECTION, INT)
 I couldn't let you leave without a chance to win a copy of this book.  I thought this would be US only as I will be mailing from my home a copy of 5 to 1 by Holly Bodger, and with Christmas I just can't afford to ship internationally myself right now.  However, I found out that the author is going to make available a copy internationally, so there will be two copies up for grabs!  I'll be running the giveaway until the end of the month, and you can do a couple of the entries daily.  Just fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter!
 
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click on the button below to go see the schedule and all the authors and blogs that will be participating!
http://www.yareads.com/announcing-the-2015-debut-authors-bash-schedule/blog-tour-2/14494