WHAT THE SPELL is coming to GLEE

by Brittany Geragotelis

I have some really exciting news to share! A little birdie over at the New Directions told me that my book, WHAT THE SPELL?, is going to make an appearance on an upcoming episode of "Glee"! This is especially awesome, since I've been a huge fan of the show since day one. It's smartly written, the characters are amazing, it's hilarious, they have whole storylines set around cheerleading, incredible music....and it's all about the underdog.

Which is much what my own story is like! For about 8 years, I was knocked down, told I wasn't good enough, that my books weren't worth publishing....and now, well, my book's going to be on "GLEE!" I was the ultimate underdog and am so psyched to be proving everyone wrong! Glee is the place where the unwanted and misunderstood people (like me) can go to shine, and I for one feel honored to have my book affiliated with the show.

Now, I can't give you all the details yet....gotta keep you coming back for more, some way, right? But if you stay tuned, I'll let you know the details in the upcoming weeks.

5x5,
B.

Book Launch PARTY!!!

by Brittany Geragotelis

Help Me Celebrate My Book Launch!

Hey all! Just a quick note to let you know that the release day for my book, WHAT THE SPELL? is almost upon us (Jan 29th!). And I want you to help me celebrate the release by joining me at my launch party! Here are the deets...ALL are welcome!

Hope to see you there!

5x5, 

B.

What a Difference a Year Makes...

by Brittany Geragotelis

A friend of mine just reminded me that it was a year ago TODAY that I threw my book launch party to celebrate self-publishing my first novel, Life's a Witch. Now, a year ago exactly, my biggest dreams have come true and I'm writing books full-time. My first traditionally published novel, What the Spell?, will be available in bookstores across the country on Jan 29th. (Pre-order your copy here!)

What a difference a year makes. Seriously.

So, to show you JUST how things have changed, I decided to do a comparison from 2011 to 2012. Enjoy.

CAREER
2011: Working as Managing Editor at a magazine, reporting for a 8-6 job where the possibility of a raise was nowhere in the future. My co-workers were some of the hardest working, passionate, underpaid and under-appreciated people I've ever known. At the same time, I was writing Young Adult fiction in my spare time (from about 11pm-1am every night) and had just completed my sixth novel.
2012: Toward the end of Jan this year, I was on vacation when I found out the magazine I'd worked at for 10 years had been sold and all of its employees had lost their jobs. Including me. Monday we arrived home. Tuesday I cleaned out my desk. Thursday we went into an auction for the rights to my Life's a Witch series. By the end of the day Friday, I'd decided to go with Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in a 6-figure, 3-book deal. Today I am a full-time fiction writer and get to wake up every morning excited to do what I love: write books!!! Not only do I set my own schedule and get to work from home (in my pajamas!), I get so much respect from my publishers and my peers that I can't help but feel loved and appreciated every day. It's a pretty amazing feeling.

PERSONAL
2011: Living with my boyfriend and enjoying life. Matt and I celebrated our anniversary in December of last year, and after four fabulous years together, we were beginning to talk about spending the rest of our lives together. Of course, this was all still talk at this point, but we were excited to be entering a new part of our relationship.
2012: About a month ago, Matt took me to Paris. He said that the job he'd recently started working at was sending him there to meet with investors and asked if I wanted to tag along. I said, "Duh!" and we planned a trip about a week before we were to go. When we got there, I quickly found out that he'd orchestrated the whole thing. There was no business trip. And he gave me a ring! Now, we're furiously planning a wedding that's going to take place on April Fools Day in Disney World. And we'll live happily ever after.

So, that's what's been going on in my life this year....how has your life changed from 2011 to 2012? What do you hope happens in the year to come? Leave your comments below and let me know!

5x5,
B.

Exclusive Excerpt of What the Spell?!

by Brittany Geragotelis

There's nothing I love more than a good book. Well, except maybe a freebie. So, I decided to put the two together and give you all an exclusive excerpt of my upcoming debut novel, What the Spell? over on Wattpad! I'm beyond excited for you all to read it and want to hear what you think!

And don't forget...if you like what you read, be sure to PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY today!

5x5,
B.

My book cover makeover!

by Brittany Geragotelis

Have I got something cool to share with you! At the beginning of my book, What the Spell?, my main character Brooklyn feels like nobody notices her. So, to remedy her "plainness", the twitch (teen witch) gives herself a magical makeover.

Well, in an example of life imitating art, we decided to do the same thing with What the Spell?! The truth is, the original cover we had was beautiful. The model was gorgeous and I loved the simplicity of it. BUT we knew we could kick things up a notch and make WTS? something truly magical.

So, my team at S&S worked their own magic and created the cover you're seeing on my site now! I think there's something so dynamic and energetic about the new cover. I love the colors, LOVE the magic flying off her fingertips and how it still has a bit of playfulness to it. I'd call this a makeover success.

What do you think of the new cover?

5x5,
B.

P.S. IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE, be sure to pre-order your copy of What the Spell? today!

Almost Famous--Who needs sleep?

by Brittany Geragotelis

Just a quick message to let you know that I've released a new author video on my YouTube channel! Yes, I know....you're probably asking yourself, "How does she possibly have time to tape another video when she's in the middle of writing books, keeping up with this blog, planning a book trailer shoot, brainstorming for makeover tutorials, reading Amanda Hocking's book, taking care of my kitties, saving the world from boredom AND being otherwise fabulous?" Okay, maybe the fabulous part is going a little too far, but I'm sure you were thinking the other stuff.

Well, the answer is: you make time for the things that are important to you.

And no sleep....very little sleep. So, do a girl a favor and check out my latest video. I worked hard on it, just for you!

5x5,
B.

Exclusive Worldwide Cover Reveal!!!

Oh, happy day!

 by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey guys!

Today, one of the most exciting things in my publishing journey so far is here: My big cover reveal for What the Spell?! I wish you could see me right now (but because you can't, I'm currently running around my apartment, doing my happy dance, and screaming out, "I'm Queen of the World!"), because you'd be able to see what a joy it is for me to bring this info to you....my fans who have made my whole publishing dreams possible!

As for the cover....I'm beyond-psyched about it! I think the model they chose for Brooklyn is PERFECT. She's just like I pictured her and I love her sparkly top. Also, I want to be clear....the background isn't just white. When the books are printed, it will be an opaque color, which fades into silver, and it will be all foil, so it will be super-dynamic--just like the book!

So, without further ado, check out the cover for What the Spell? and then tell me what you think!

5x5,
B.

Review Time...Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

by Brittany Geragotelis

Review Time: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

The Story: Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn’t seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

Why It's a Must-Read: I'm not one for sappy stories. I tend to gravitate toward strong, kick-ass female characters who don't mope around, but whose lives are totally complicated. The idea of a regular girl dealing with the grief over losing her father wouldn't typically sound like something I'd pick up. BUT, after hearing from several people that Amy & Roger's was a great read, I decided to be open minded and give it a try.

And I'm so glad that I did! First off, the story wasn't sappy at all. Sad at times, sure, but not at all whiny or depressing. Instead, it was more like an adventure--with heart. Since the story takes place on a trip across country, the reader gets all the fun of a road trip, minus the sore butt from sitting in the car for hours and hours. And though a lot of time is spent in the car, the action actually happens mostly when Amy and Roger stop at their intended destinations. In the end, the story's about overcoming adversity and dealing with life on life's terms. Beautifully written and never boring, this book is the perfect summer read!

What a Character: The main character, Amy is broken at the beginning of the book. She's full of fear, guilt and self-loathing over what's happened to her family. There's no one else in her world that could punish her more than she's punishing herself. And then her answer appears: Roger. Roger is such a great character. Cute, total boy next door and a little too nice for his own good. He challenges Amy just enough to make her grow, but is the soft touch she needs to feel safe enough to do so. Together, the two of them deal with their issues and become the perfect traveling companions. I also loved all the other characters Amy and Roger met along the way (Bronwyn, Walcott and Lucien)...they each helped her heal in their own ways, and make the reader wish that all strangers were that cool.

A Little Something Extra: I have a confession to make: I mostly picked up Amy & Roger's because my editor, Alex, edited Morgan's book, too! After reading it, I'm not at all surprised she wanted to work with Morgan and her story! The funny thing? One of the characters in this book shared the same first name as the main character in my book, Life's a Witch. I thought Hadley was a pretty unique name, so I was surprised to see we both chose the same name!

Follow her on Twitter @Morgan_M and then go out and buy her book!

5x5,
B.

Author Photo Finalists

by Brittany Geragotelis

Just wanted to give a big thank you to all of my fans and readers who helped to narrow down the choices for my author photo. Close to 100 people voted and you definitely let me know which ones you liked....and which ones you'd rather me leave behind. Now, we've just got to wait and see which one Simon & Schuster picks for the cover! And for that, you're going to have to wait until the book comes out!

Here's what won out...is your fave in there?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5x5,

B.

Book Review: The List by Siobhan Vivian

by Brittany Geragotelis

Review Time: The List by Siobhan Vivian

The Story: An intense look at the rules of high school attraction--and the price that's paid for them. It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up. This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.
Why It's a Must-Read: The List is a realistic look at how difficult high school can be. For me, high school was torture. I was bullied, I never felt like I fit in and sometimes I think I still haven't gotten over it. The beauty of the story that Siobhan Vivian's created is that she shows that popular or unpopular, high school can be a tough time. Although it brought back memories of my own high school experience, I really felt like Siobhan lived this life...she never once tried to water down how horribly people can treat each other at this age.
What a Character: The interesting thing about The List is that it's told from the perspective of eight different characters. Four girls from the ugly list and four from the pretty list. And with so many personalities, you're bound to connect with one of them. I, myself, really liked Danielle DeMarco, who was also known as Dan the Man. She was such an innocent bystander and really just kept to herself...and that makes you want to root for her. She was also betrayed by the one she loved, and that just made me love her more!

Siobhan Vivian

A Little Something Extra: I had the pleasure of meeting Siobhan Vivian recently at a book reading she did at a Barnes & Noble and was struck by how upbeat and friendly she was. When she talked to me, she acted like we were old friends and like she was genuinely happy to meet me. Her voice in the book is super-fun and pretty reflective of her personality (from what I could tell). She's also co-writing another book series that's coming out in the Fall which starts with Burn for Burn and will being published by my publishers, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers! I'd keep my eye out for this one....it's already getting a lot of buzz as one to put on your reading list!

Follow her on Twitter @SiobhanVivian and then go out and buy her book!

5x5,
B.

Exciting stuff: Interviews and appearances

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hi all!

This is a big week for me: Matt's birthday is today (sadly though, he came down with food poisoning and has been throwing up all night :( All the plans I'd made are now cancelled for the time being.), I'm speaking on a panel at the Digital Hollywood Summit tomorrow (If you're in NYC, be sure to stop by; Adrian Grenier is the keynote speaker that night!) and Friday I'm meeting the whole team at Simon & Schuster! I'm SOOOO excited!

In the meantime, here are a few things I just had to share with you:

Cents-ible Reads, a really cool new website that celebrates books at a deal, was kind enough to do this awesome interview with me. So, if you like books, and you like them at a discount, check them out for suggestions!

I also just found out that Simon & Schuster put me up on their website as one of their authors! Woo hoo! I don't have a pic or anything up there yet, but I exist on the Simon & Schuster website...and that's pretty freaking cool.

Okay, so I've gotta get back to taking care of my beau and getting ready for the rest of the week.

5x5,
B.

Type, type (**sniff**), type

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey everyone!

Great to be back and ready to catch you up on what's been going on. First off, last week was the first week that I was writing full-time on my new book, What the Spell? I'm so excited to tell you all about this project, but for now I can only give you limited info:

1. The book is a prequel/spin-off and will take place one year before Life's a Witch.

2. What the Spell? will include two characters from LAW and neither of them are Hadley (any guesses to who they might be?)

3. There WILL be a love story mixed in for good measure and a TON more spells!


Anyways, so like I said, last week I began writing WTS? and to my dismay, writing was really slow at first. BUT it just so happened that I'd come down with a horrible cold at the same time, so it was making my brain all foggy. I was trying SO hard to write, but I was tired and run-down and my creative juices seemed to be a bit sick too. Still, I managed to write a nice little chunk of the story, in the midst of all the nose blowing (Um, speaking of nose blowing, I've discovered the most amazing invention of all time: Kleenex Cool Touch. Seriously. You pick it up and it feels like it's been in the fridge. But it hasn't. I know this doesn't sound groundbreaking, but next time you're sick, PLEASE get yourself some. I promise, it will blow your mind in a way that's much more enjoyable than blowing your nose).

This week, I'm back to being healthy--and to my extreme relief--back to being a writing machine! I've already written 90 pages of this book, which is great because I only have about a month to write it! Tight deadline, but a challenge I'm willing to take. I'm pretty happy with where things are going in the book, but the truth is, I'm writing so much that I don't have a lot of time to read back over what I've written! Ahhhh, so much to do!

Coming up: Next week is going to be super exciting and super busy! My lovely agent, Kevan Lyon, is going to be in town for business and we'll be going by Simon & Schuster for a big meeting with everyone. I'm finally going to be able to meet the whole team over there and discuss what the game plan will be for the next year or so. SOOO excited! Oh, and speaking of S&S, take a look at this picture of the restaurant my editor at S&S, the totally awesome Alexandra Cooper, took me for lunch last week! It was Bobby Flay's restaurant, Bar Americain, and it was amazing! Lastly, if you're in NYC, come and check me out on the Digital Hollywood panel next Thursday at 10:15AM. There are a bunch of really awesome panelists (besides me), and you will definitely learn a ton of media secrets! Check it out!

5x5,
B.