Yesterday, Ohio celebrated it’s authors with Ohio Author Day and I was lucky enough to participate in an event at the Hudson, Ohio Library and Historical Center. Hudson’s library is absolutely beautiful. The staff are angels. I love going there for any reason, but Author Day is fast becoming my favorite reason. They spoil us there, readers and writers alike. We had pizza and cookies and coffee galore. I think I drank a commercial vat of it all by myself. The room was packed at many times throughout the day and I met so many fascinating people.  I love to people watch and of course I tweeted live as I went.

I met an author from my hometown and told many about my local writer’s guild. My lovely new friend, Maria V. Ciletti, sat beside me and we had fun people watching. She writes romance and lives in Niles. I met an author who remembered something I said on an Ohioana author panel last May. THAT felt good. Panels matter. People remember you. Who knew! Also….super glad I didn’t say something super stupid, or at least am thankful she forgot that part. I met an author who works with PBS on various shows. We talked about how strongly I feel on the topic of girl power.

I spoke with a number of highly interesting people, but really, what else is expected at a book fair? Readers and writers are the face of diversity, both in the physical and intrinsic senses. There were books there I’m dying to read like Guido Love. I laughed my head off at that. And Eat Your Way Across Ohio….yeah, that sounds right up this girl’s alley. For sure. I had the chance to thank Kathy again for all the work she does on this event each year and donate a copy of my March release to the library as well as tell them a bit about my YA suspense coming in September. Next year I’ll be in the children’s section!

Speaking of the children’s section….There was guy who sat in the empty author chair beside me about half way through the event. He had a bit of a grump face (really super) and he told me, while shaking his head, “The entrance to the children’s area smells like marijuana.” I suppressed the first thing that came to mind: Excuse me. I need to get to the children’s section. Later, I wondered if perhaps he should take a trip back there. He asked if I read crime fiction because he wanted to bounce an idea off me. I told him, I write cozy mysteries and he scoffed. I smiled. When I finally asked him what his book was about — since he’d yet to produce a book for his table beside me. He said: “No. I’m not one of you people. I just sat here for a minute.” To this I nodded, then tweeted and am still kind of cracking up. I wish I’d have gotten his name. He was a little like Grumpy Cat in a blazer.

I said all this to say…writers/authors, get involved. These things are great resources for writers and authors. They connect you with readers, local media, other authors you may be able to joint promo with at local events, book retailers, you name it. If you are bookish, make a point in finding others like you. You won’t regret it.

The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

She’s been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky . . . But now that she’s been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last.

Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do—or see—that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all of the Suits’ rules—and her dad’s silence. If he won’t help, it’s time she got some answers for herself.

But Meg isn’t counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who’s too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that there’s only one rule that really matters—survival.

Review:

I received this as a digital ARC from NetGalley. I admit, I had ulterior motives for choosing this title, or requesting it. I am a hopeless YA addict, but I also write YA and guess what? I have a release coming this fall from Merit Press titled Deceived. I wrote Deceived four years ago and revised it numerous times before meeting the brilliant and beautiful, Jackie Mitchard, who against the odds connected with my revised-revision-reworked-work. I say all this to tell you,my story Deceived is about a young woman in *similar*. So, being fully aware of the whole writer-mind phenomenon, I panicked! Oh no! Her book comes 5 months before mine! I’m going to look like a hack! *insert total freak out here*.  Turns out the similarity I picked up on in the blurb is the only thing they have in common. Mental crisis averted. New crisis ensued: Her book is amazing! OMG I totally suck!

But I’m so glad I read this book!

I fell in love with Elston’s writing style in the opening paragraph. I loved her portayal of a teen in the worst situation ever. Like EVER. She explored raw emotion and touchy subjects with grace, humor and beautiful words. I drifted into her well developed world and floated there for hours on end. I’ve never been to the locations in this book, but I felt immersed. Like I could see everything she described, smell the seafood and salty night air — until my RL called me back and I realized the sun went down while I was at Pearl’s enjoying pizza. Elston’s story is intense every page of the way. She kept me guessing until the end. And since I mentioned the end…I have major questions about that too! I won’t give her away, but I seriously hope there’s a sequel or some other materials coming that will explain a thing that now keeps me up at night wondering. Do you hear me Ashely? I neeeeed to know! *whispers* Call me. *stage wink*

The family dynamic was brutally complicated and heart-wrenchingly real. The high school was argh as high school’s always are. Friendships were tested.  And the romance was completely wonderful. I think I fell in love with this boy a little myself. I won’t rehash the story because the blurb does a wonderful job and I fear I’d give something away. All you need to know, YA lovers, is this needs to be on your TBR list ASAP. It’s fabulous. Wrapped in fun. Iced with WTH!? I may never stop checking my rear view mirror. I’m just saying. Thank you Ashley Elston for an amazing escape, Netgalley and Hyperion for this amazing sneak peek!