What's with the Twibbon?

People have been asking about the Twibbon on our Twitter account. That multicolored ball shows that Leap Books is a partner on the Children's Book Council (CBC) Diversity Committee. The committee is "dedicated to increasing the diversity of voices and experiences contributing to children’s and young adult literature." Leap Books believes diversity enriches everyone's life experiences, so we strive to publish books that feature a variety of voices in our novels for teens and tweens. We think all children and teens should see themselves and their lives depicted in books.

We are always open to agented submissions portraying multicultural characters and diverse life experiences, so we are actively looking for authors and illustrators who can share their culture through words or art. For more about what Leap Books is looking for, watch for the article on multiculturalism by Sue Ford in WRITER'S GUIDE TO 2013 (The Writer's Institute) for an interview with our publisher.

Here are a few Leap Books with a diversity connection:

Island Sting and Stakeout by Bonnie J. Doerr both have a Cuban American hero.

 Under My Skin and Second Skin, set in Canada, have a First Nations hero.

For the Love Strangers stars teenager Darya, who along with her brother, was adopted from Russia.

Christmas Blogfest... Dozens of Opportunities to Win

Celebrate the holidays with Long and Short Reviews -- and fill your stockings with books and other gifts!

From 12/17/12 - 12/21/12 dozens of authors in all genres will be blogging and you can win!

Every post will be offering a goodie... all you have to do is leave a comment.  One comment will be chosen at random at every blog to win -- it might be you!

Our own Jacqueline Horsfall is one of the exciting lineup of bloggers, and she'll be offering a free copy of her book, For the Love of Strangers. You may select your choice of a paperback or ebook.

To enter, head to the YA Blogfest, and comment on all the blogs to increase your chances of being a winner. And to read Jackie's blog, here's the link.

For another chance to win great prizes, Jackie is also doing a giveaway through MTG Reviews in January. Stay tuned for more details!

No Ordinary Book

Spirited has been selected for the Children's Book Council Winter Seasonal Showcase, No Ordinary Book. The title is also featured on the CBC homepage.

What makes Spirited so special?

First of all, it's filled with stories by talented authors. Contributing authors include Maria V. Snyder, Candace Havens, Shannon Delany, Jill William-son, Linda Joy Singleton, Heather Kenealy, Judith Graves, Kitty Keswick, Dawn Dalton, Carmen Tudor, John W. Otte, Halli Dee Lilburn, and Mark Finnemore.

Second, the anthology benefits charity. All proceeds from the sale of SPIRITED will be donated to 826 National, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting students, ages 6-18, to improve their writing skills.

Third, it contains AR. If you prefer your apparitions 3-D rather than 2-D, slide the AR icons under your webcam to see the augmented reality leap off the page. (Thanks to Karl Gee for the AR.)

What to Buy for the Teens on Your Gift List

Not sure what to give those favorite teens on your gift list? Here are some special holiday treats, they're sure to love. Check out our selection of books for teens and tweens at the Leap Books store. And if you don't know what title(s) to choose, why not give them a gift certificate* (or two) and let them select their own? E-books are also available.**

Happy Holidays from Leap Books!!

* Gift certificates are available at the Leap Books store.
**Ebooks are available through Amazon.

Leap Books can help with all your holiday needs...

Leap Books Accepting Unagented Submissions April 2013

Leap Books is looking for great authors for our new e-novella line. And we're offering a rare, once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity for unagented authors to submit to us. (Agented manuscripts will be accepted as well.)

Do you have a high concept story suitable for YA? One that's too short for book-length fiction?

We want manuscripts of 35,000 to 40,000 words for e-novellas.Stories may be any genre, but must be fast-paced, well-written, and exciting with commercial appeal. Romantic elements are a plus.

Polish your submission until it SHINEs and then send it to:
 submissions@leapbks.com

ONLY during the month of APRIL 2013.

Come SHINE with us.

Win a Free Book!

The Southeast Steuben County Library in Corning, NY, has a challenge for booklovers:

Submit, in 140 words or less, your impression of the front cover of the book For the Love of Strangers. “Who is the woman on the cover, and why does she wear deer antlers?” Email your response to mcconnells@stls.org by December 31, 2012. Please put For the Love of Strangers in the subject line.

Here's a copy of the book cover:

And if you can't wait until Dec. 31 to read this, you can get a copy for 40% OFF from the Leap Bookstore.

Here's what people are saying about For the Love of Strangers:

"For the Love of Strangers instantly drew me into this poignant tale of a Russian adoptee, then continued to intrigue as it masterfully interwove threads of past and present into a haunting, lyrical novel that echoes in the heart and mind long after the pages are closed."

~Patricia Hermes, award-winning author of You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye, Mama, Let's Dance, and Dear America/My America series

"For the Love of Strangers is a thoughtful and exciting read, making for a top pick. Highly Recommended."

~Midwest Book Review

"Darya, powerfully drawn to these animals who communicate with her and see in her the reincarnation of the deer goddess of ancient Siberia, is determined to feed and protect them, in spite of Tee-Tee's insistence that she concentrate on the human victims who need their help instead. The author has worked in social services, so that part of her story is firmly rooted in reality. The addition of a romantic element in a new student, another loner like Darya, is a nice touch."

~Voya

"While the deer's connection to Darya is poetic and the mythological detail is beautifully inserted, it is the safe house and its residents that are the most compelling part of the book. The story moves along at a good pace, and reluctant readers will find this to be a book they can take in. The simple black-and-white illustrations accentuate the magical realism."

~School Library Journal

"Well written, this book is an engrossing read. It kept me reading to find out what happened next and by the last page, which was left open for a sequel, I was interested in finding out what happens after the end." ~Aurora Reviews

Read more about it at Sue McConnell's YA Book Recommendations.

Last Chance to Win!

 Today's the last day of the Crossroads Blog Tour, so hurry and get your entry in for a chance to win a Kindle preloaded with stories from these fabulous authors:

Judith Graves – Leap Books – Under My Skin, Second Skin, Skin of My Teeth, Killer’s Instinct

Joy Preble – Sourcebooks – Dreaming Anastasia, Haunted, Anastasia Forever. Soho Press (forthcoming May 2013) – The Sweet Dead Life

Stacey Kade – Hyperion – The Ghost and the Goth, Queen of the Dead, Body & Soul

Amanda Ashby – Speak – You Had Me at Halo, Zombie Queen of Newbury High, Fairy Bad Day, Demonosity

Lucienne Diver – Flux – Vamped, Revamped, Fangtasic, Fangtabulous

Kiki Hamilton – Teen / Macmillian – The Faerie Ring, The Torn Wing

Jackie Morse Kessler – Harcourt Graphia – Hunger, Rage, Loss

Christine Fonseca – Compass Press – Transcend, Libera Me

Carrie Harris – Delacorte Books for Young Readers -Taste In Boys, Bad Hair Day

Dawn Dalton – Leap Books - SPIRITED Anthology, Killer’s Instinct
Leanna Renee Hieber - Sourcebooks – Darker Still (Magic Most Foul, #1), The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart (Magic Most Foul, #2)
Ty Drago - Sourcebooks – The Undertakers: Rise of the Corpses, The Undertakers: Queen of the Dead
Janet Fox – Speak – Faithful, Forgiven, Sirens


Visit the main Crossroads Blog Tour page for information on how to participate – who wouldn’t want a free Kindle with 13 e-books pre-loaded?