This book is bargain priced from 12/02/2013 until 12/03/2013

Olga Gay Worontzoff thinks her biggest problems are an awful name and not attending prom with Conner, her best friend and secret crush since kindergarten.

Then, Conner is killed in a freak boating accident and Olga feels responsible for his death.

When she downs an entire bottle of pills to deal with the emotional pain, her parents force her into counseling. There, her therapist writes a prescription in the form of a life list titled “18 Things”: eighteen quests to complete the year of her eighteenth birthday.

But there’s more to Olga’s quests than meets the eye and when her therapist reveals a terrifying secret, her world is shaken.

There’s only one thing she knows for certain: her choices won’t just affect her future, but all eternity.

Targeted Age Group: 12+

Book Price: $0.99
Link To Buy Bargain Book

How is Writing In Your Genre Different from Others?
When you’re writing for teens, I think the #1 thing you have to remember is to keep your voice age appropriate–don’t preach and don’t talk down to them. Having a moral message isn’t the same thing. I knew I wanted a faith story that said something unique with 18 Things. I felt like I had an issue that wasn’t dealt with a lot in the YA publishing world . . . death and faith going hand in hand. When someone dies, especially someone young, most people cry out “Why God?” I wanted to write a story in which a teen experienced loss and was consumed with guilt, and how the loss inspired her to live freely. But I didn’t want to tie everything up in a neat bow at the end, so that’s why it’s a trilogy.

What Advice Would You Give Aspiring Writers?
First, make sure your writing is solid. Read a lot of craft books before you ever submit to an agent or editor. Keep in mind that everyone wants the next “high concept” novel . . . you need to have a UNIQUE premise.
Examples:
Jane Austen meets Fight Club
Amish Vampire novels
Football players in the Glee Club
So . . . take what you know and put your own twist on it! Then, enjoy your writing journey, wherever it takes you, and never give up on your dreams! I got rejected 60 times before someone made me an offer to publish my trilogy!

Author Bio:
Jamie Ayres writes young adult paranormal love stories by night and teaches young adults as a public school teacher by day.

When not at home on her laptop or at school, she can often be found at a local book store grabbing random children and reading to them. So far, she has not been arrested for this.

She lives in southwest Florida with her prince charming, two children (sometimes three based on how Mr. Ayres is acting), and a basset hound. She spent her youthful summers in Grand Haven, Michigan and this setting provided the inspiration for her debut novel, 18 Things.

She really does have grandmothers named Olga and Gay but unlike her heroine, she’s thankfully not named after either one of them. She loves lazy pajama days, the first page of a good book, stupid funny movies, and sharing stories with fantastic people like you. Visit her website at www.jamieayres.com

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
My childhood Catholic roots, my obsession with the television show Lost, my need for radical hope even in the face of death, and my belief that we’ll always end up with the person we’re supposed to, became the ultimate catalyst for 18 Things.

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