Two free copies of Disintegrate!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Disintegrate by Christine  Klocek-Lim

Disintegrate

by Christine Klocek-Lim

Giveaway ends May 18, 2013.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

I’m giving away two copies of my bestselling young adult novel Disintegrate. If you’d like to win a free paperback, login to Goodreads and enter the giveaway!

If you don’t succeed this time, never fear… I’ll be doing more giveaways during the summer months. Here’s what people are saying about Disintegrate:

“The relationship between the two main characters, Emily and Jax, is marvellously dynamic and evolving.” — Brigita

“It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book in one sitting. Honestly, this is the only book I can think of that I read in one sitting. Awesome book.  …

1.) Awesome book!
2.) I’ve never actually read a book where the main character can manipulate matter, so that was a fun, new plot to discover.
3.) Holy shuck Jax marry me.” — Madison

“It’s a briskly paced and deftly plotted adventure of two teens with extraordinary powers. Strong characterizations, especially that of the female protagonist, Emily, give the short novel an emotional anchor. I particularly appreciated Emily’s decidedly un-Bella Swan blandness.” — Lyrics

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If you don’t want to wait for the giveaway, you can always buy it! It’s a bargain at $4.99 ebook pricing, and if you like print better, it’s $12.99.

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Where to Buy: 

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Description:

Emily just wanted a normal life: a boyfriend, college, two parents who loved her. Instead, her dad disappeared when she was fourteen and her life at college is anything but ordinary.

When you can manipulate matter like putty and you have no idea why, how do you pretend to be like everyone else? What happens when you meet a guy who has the same powers? Do you trust him to help you find the answers you need?

Emily desperately wants to believe that Jax can help, but the stakes grow higher than she’d ever expected: someone is after them and they’re not afraid to use violence to get what they want.

 

Thank you for reading

disintegrate-banner

 

My first young adult novel has been out for a few weeks and I’ve received some really nice reviews. I just wanted to say Thanks! to all those who have read it and posted their comments on various places (Amazon and Goodreads).

As a writer, I don’t think you can do this as a career unless you truly enjoy fooling around with words. Writing is filled with uncertainty, sporadic pay, and ego-crushing commentary from random people who don’t understand how much effort it takes to write a novel (or a book of poems). So, you really need to enjoy the act of writing in order to keep going. It’s like climbing a mountain, getting to the top, and then realizing you really only made it up the first little hill. The goal isn’t just reaching the top of the ridge so you can see the view. It’s hiking on the trail, too.

When you get a few reviews that specifically mention the characterization you worked so hard on and how the novel kept them turning the pages (or swiping the e-reader screen), it’s truly appreciated. Thanks everyone.

Disintegrate featured in the Standard Speaker

Disintegrate

 

I grew up in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. It’s what I call a small city: not as big as Allentown or Philadelphia, but not as small as Jim Thorpe or as cute as Emmaus. It’s right in the middle of the northeastern PA coal-mining region. I had some good teachers and one or two great ones. It was lovely to have my old hometown newspaper call me up to ask about my young adult novel. Even though I haven’t lived there in a long time, I remember it well. Here is the link to the Community feature in the Standard Speaker:

Disintegrate by Christine Klocek-Lim

Many thanks go to Jill Whalen for calling me up and asking me about my childhood teachers. It was nice to reminisce about the past.

Goodreads Giveaway winners!

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My Goodreads giveaway for Disintegrate has been a huge success! I have two winners: Abby and Tanya. Congratulations! I just got home from the post office. Your paperback copies are now in the mail.

For the giveaway, I had 821 people requesting the book. I had no idea so many people would be interested, but I’m very grateful that Disintegrate seems to have intrigued so many readers.

Disintegrate

Stay tuned… I have more giveaways planned for the future—this time with an ebook copy or two of the book.

Author Appearance – I’m reading in Philly!

 

The Fox Chase Reading Series is sponsoring a Featured Poets/Writers Reading on April 28th. I am one of the featured readers! I will be reading at the Ryerss Museum and Library (7370 Central Ave., Philadelphia, PA) at 2 pm on the second floor gallery of the museum. Le Hinton is the other featured reader. You can find an interview with him here at Fox Chase Review.

 

I will be bringing several paperback copies of Disintegrate as well as my poetry chapbooks. You can purchase copies after the reading.

Disintegrate

Disintegrate:

Emily just wanted a normal life: a boyfriend, college, two parents who loved her. Instead, her dad disappeared when she was fourteen and her life at college is anything but ordinary.

When you can manipulate matter like putty and you have no idea why, how do you pretend to be like everyone else? What happens when you meet a guy who has the same powers? Do you trust him to help you find the answers you need?

Emily desperately wants to believe that Jax can help, but the stakes grow higher than she’d ever expected: someone is after them and they’re not afraid to use violence to get what they want.

Reviews of Disintegrate:

“A wonderfully suspenseful YA novel that tackles not only such topics as special skills, bio engineering, and abuse of science, but also themes close to any reader, adult or young adult, like themes of family, friendship, love, belonging.” — Brigita O.

“Disintegrate by Christine Klocek-Lim was absolutely amazing. I don’t know what I was expecting when I opened the book. I was probably expecting another over-used plot for YA. But I got a fun, original plot that was incredibly interesting to read about.” — Madison

Disintegrate release day!

Today is release day for Disintegrate, my first young adult novel! *\o/*

Disintegrate

editors

To read an excerpt, click here.

  • Young Adult, Paranormal, Suspense, Romance
  • Word Count: 51,000
  • Published By: Evernight Teen

Description:

Emily just wanted a normal life: a boyfriend, college, two parents who loved her. Instead, her dad disappeared when she was fourteen and her life at college is anything but ordinary.

When you can manipulate matter like putty and you have no idea why, how do you pretend to be like everyone else? What happens when you meet a guy who has the same powers? Do you trust him to help you find the answers you need?

Emily desperately wants to believe that Jax can help, but the stakes grow higher than she’d ever expected: someone is after them and they’re not afraid to use violence to get what they want.

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Where to Buy: 

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disintegrate-banner

What are people saying about Disintegrate?

Do the write thing

A wonderfully suspenseful YA novel that tackles not only such topics as special skills, bio engineering, and abuse of science, but also themes close to any reader, adult or young adult, like themes of family, friendship, love, belonging.

This novel is easy to read in one sitting as it pulls you in from the first pages and doesn’t let go to the very last surprise in the Epilogue. The relationship between the two main characters, Emily and Jax, is marvellously dynamic and evolving. Their relationship changes them, changes their view of life. It helps them find the strength to search for the reasons behind their special skills. That secret, in turn, is the basis for the intense, action-packed plot that doesn’t disappoint with twists and turns and surprising revelations.

Emily’s struggle to find her place, to belong, is something many young adult readers will be able to identify with. She is different, but only on the surface, deep down she’s searching for parental love and guidance, for friendship that she finds in her roommate, for love that comes along in the form of Jax, a boy with skills similar to her own and even bigger problems. When they are being mercilessly hunted, attacked, and even kidnapped, they come to realize that friendship can give you strength, and that family is not always who you’re related to.

Disintegrate cover reveal!

Disintegrate

Coming April 19, 2013!

  • Young Adult, Paranormal, Suspense
  • Word Count: 51,000
  • Published By: Evernight Teen

Description:

Emily just wanted a normal life: a boyfriend, college, two parents who loved her. Instead, her dad disappeared when she was fourteen and her life at college is anything but ordinary.

When you can manipulate matter like putty and you have no idea why, how do you pretend to be like everyone else? What happens when you meet a guy who has the same powers? Do you trust him to help you find the answers you need?

Emily desperately wants to believe that Jax can help, but the stakes grow higher than she’d ever expected: someone is after them and they’re not afraid to use violence to get what they want.

editors

Disintegrate releasing April 19, 2013! – read an excerpt

My release date is official: April 19, 2013!

This is a lot sooner than I expected, but I’m thrilled. I’m sure I’ll have a cover reveal coming soon, but in the meantime, would you like to read an excerpt? If so, scroll down…

Teencoming-soon

Disintegrate, releasing April 19, 2013!

  • Young Adult, Paranormal, Suspense
  • Word Count: 51,000
  • Published By: Evernight Teen

Description:

Emily just wanted a normal life: a boyfriend, college, two parents who loved her. Instead, her dad disappeared when she was fourteen and her life at college is anything but ordinary.

When you can manipulate matter like putty and you have no idea why, how do you pretend to be like everyone else? What happens when you meet a guy who has the same powers? Do you trust him to help you find the answers you need?

Emily desperately wants to believe that Jax can help, but the stakes grow higher than she’d ever expected: someone is after them and they’re not afraid to use violence to get what they want.

Excerpt:

“I … think you’ve got the wrong impression of the two of us,” she mumbled. “We’re just friends.” And that’s all we’ll ever be, Emily told herself.

The woman shook her head. “No. I don’t think I do.” She wiped at the bar, nodding once as though making up her mind. “He’s a good kid.” She moved off, pouring a beer as she made her way down to the other end of the bar.

Emily blinked, confused by the bartender’s confidence. Jax sang on, oblivious to the conversation they were having about him only a few feet away.

And then the wall by the door exploded.

Emily froze for a split second while the bartender looked stupidly at the mess, then rushed for the stage, shoving through the few people beginning to realize something was very, very wrong. Jax hadn’t reacted and her first instinct was to get him to safety. She knew they were there for her, and she also knew they wouldn’t hesitate to destroy anyone near her in an effort to get to her. The best thing to do was get out.

Heart pounding, she grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him down and off the stage. His guitar strap broke and the instrument hit the floor with a harsh twang. She winced, knowing it was his dad’s guitar, and important to Jax, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t afford to do anything about it. Her skin was jumping and buzzing and she yanked—

Jax fell over her, hands raised, and Emily chanced a look back. There were three of them, huge and intent. Their faces were covered. One had a shotgun, oh God…

“Get down!” Jax yelled, shoving her over.

She ignored him, pulling until he had no choice but to follow. It was that or step on her. He still had his hands up. Something went boom—the gun, she thought—and then the staccato crunch of wood splintering around her bled through her panic. She shoved Jax ahead of her, hard. The door behind the stage hung ajar, and she stumbled for it, skin prickling as static arced around her fingers.

“Get back!” she panted, and Jax tripped. She tried to pull him up, but his muscular frame was too much for her thin frame. “Jax, you’ve gotta get up.”

He stared at her from the floor, dazed. A trickle of blood ran from a cut near his eye.

Was he hit? “Jax, get up!” she hissed.

Finally, he shoved off from the floor and staggered to his feet, falling against her. Not shot then, she thought, relieved. He wouldn’t be standing if he’d been seriously injured.

She tugged him down the dark hallway. When she looked back, she couldn’t believe they hadn’t been followed. Or at least not yet. Swallowing hard, she grabbed his hand, ignoring the electric tingle of his skin, and dragged him into the wall. He oofed as his head hit the paneling, but she had no time to worry about it. She pressed her fingers to the dirty surface and pushed, concentrating on dissolving the bonds of matter in her body and his. It wasn’t easy. She had to sort of push her energy into it, harder than she’d ever had to before. It felt a little like juggling upside down. She needed to hang onto him and release everything else, simultaneously. She had to keep his hand solid in hers while phasing their bodies out. For a moment, she thought she would fail or go mad, and then something clicked—

Thank God.

—her hands sank into the wall. She shuddered, hating the sticky feel of molecules sliding into her like this. One finger, one hand, no problem, but her entire body? That was creepy and weird. What she was doing wasn’t natural. Humans weren’t supposed to be able to shove pieces of themselves into pieces of other stuff, and here she was trying to shove her entire body, and Jax’s too, into the filthy inside of a bar wall. She almost sobbed … it was taking too long, they were coming—

—and then Jax’s fingers tightened around hers and it felt like electricity shooting into her bones. He gasped and then they fell into the wall together, their matter pressed into and within the wood and concrete and insulation.

Nausea rose. She fought it down. No time for that, she snarled to herself. No damn space for barfing. She gripped Jax’s hand, trying to keep still and quiet and think while also somehow conveying to him the need for calm. He could freak out later.

And he would, she knew. They were completely hidden, existing half in reality and half in the shadowy space between atoms that she’d been able to manipulate since forever. He would want to know how she did it. He would want do know why she’d dragged him into this.

A short, sharp boom echoed weirdly through her. They’d made it to the hall, though she couldn’t see them. She couldn’t see anything. Her eyes didn’t work inside the wall. Jax’s iron-willed calm filtered slowly through her veins, as if she could feel his emotions. God, this was completely horrible, she thought, willing the men to just go away. She needed to run—

—and then there was silence. She didn’t know how long it had been quiet, but Jax was pulling at her. She forced herself to think move and let go and enough and she stepped forward and out—

—and they fell into the hall, coughing. She stifled a gag, her right hand burning from the rough flooring. She’d just caught herself before her head hit the opposite wall.

“Jesus, what—” Jax choked, turning to her. He wouldn’t let go of her hand.

“We need to see if they’re gone,” she managed, rubbing her face on her shoulder. Her knees hurt. She felt filthy, as if she’d ingested the dirt that penetrated every portion of the wall.

Jax leaned down and put his free hand flat on the floor. He closed his eyes.

Emily stared. What was he doing?

A second later he shook his head. “Everyone is gone.” He grimaced. “Or dead.”

“How—” she began to ask, but then the skin on her hand prickled, the one he still held. Jax looked at her arm. She looked at his palm. Tiny sparks arced between them, silver stars that made no sense.

Disintegrate – coming May 2013 from Evernight Teen

I can finally announce the fabulous news I’ve been sitting on for more than a week: I’ve signed a contract with Evernight Teen to publish my young adult novel, Disintegrate! It will be coming out in May 2013 in both print and e-book format.

Teencoming-soon

Disintegrate, releasing May 2013!

  • Young Adult, Paranormal, Suspense
  • Word Count: 51,000
  • Published By: Evernight Teen

Description:

Emily just wanted a normal life: a boyfriend, college, two parents who loved her. Instead, her dad disappeared when she was fourteen and her life at college is anything but ordinary.

When you can manipulate matter like putty and you have no idea why, how do you pretend to be like everyone else? What happens when you meet a guy who has the same powers? Do you trust him to help you find the answers you need?

Emily desperately wants to believe that Jax can help, but the stakes grow higher than she’d ever expected: someone is after them and they’re not afraid to use violence to get what they want.

Page two, page two, oh I love you so

Earlier this month I wrote about trying to get one of my unpublished manuscripts out in the world. One agent gave me a nibble, but I must have jerked on the line too hard: she swam away. I am still hopeful because clearly, I’m still on page one of my novel writing career. Despite years of scribbling, page one is difficult to move past. Page two weighs about ten thousand pounds and I keep losing my grip, my hands are sweaty and weak. . . (and I am mixing my metaphors, whatever, sue me).

I want to move on to page two. I’m nearly desperate to move on to that golden, shining page, but really, what does it matter? I’m not going to stop writing. I could make it to age 99 and still have my sci-fi novels unpublished and I’ll be tapping away at my keyboard. Or maybe I’ll just be thinking the words directly into my computer, courtesy of the neuro-implant we’re all going to have eventually that connects us to the digital world forever, at all times.

Ahem.

Okay, that’s one of my ideas for yet another novel. I seem to be overflowing with ideas these days, which is a welcome change from my twenties where I had nothing, NOTHING in my head except a vain hope for a full night’s sleep.

And with that, I’ll leave you with page two of my unpublished, in dire need of an agent, sci-fi novel, The Quantum Archives. (Psst, Brigita? I posted this for you.)

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Quantum imager on display through December
By Thomas Miles, Associated Planet Press Writer
September 8, 2099 4:35 PM EDT
NEW YORK (APP) — Scientist Sarah Metis invented the quantum neuro-imager with the help of her sister, Eve Metis, a neuro-linguist. Though the imager only worked for a short time, the experiments and data from the recorded vocal fragments, catalogued by Eve, changed the face of human society, both religious and scientific. Advances in the fields of neuroscience, quantum physics, psychology, and many others were made possible, though the rise of the Post-Charasmatic religious group, Daestar, was also spurred by the invention of the imager. Nonetheless, most people agree that the benefits to humanity outweigh the negatives. Advances made in the medical field were especially welcome as research into the brain and genetics became more accurate. Most people alive today enjoy an extended life expectancy that would not have been possible without the new imaging technology invented by scientists studying Sarah Metis’s quantum imager.
The device, catalogued archives, and media of the Metis sisters and their work are on display through December 2099 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Sarah Metis’ death. Because security is heightened for the duration of the exhibit, all visitors must submit to a search before entering. All visitors are accompanied by a guide and no one will be allowed to stay longer than the one-hour limit. No unauthorized representatives of Daestar will be admitted. For further information, please visit the Newton Society Museum’s website.