All UNDER THE NEVER SKY - All Week!

Happy New Year, everyone! We're kicking it off this week with an amazing book birthday. Our very own Veronica Rossi is celebrating the release of the hotly anticipated UNDER THE NEVER SKY on Tuesday and we couldn't be prouder. Even though the book is officially released tomorrow, I am an eye witness to the fact you may already be able to find it on shelves.

Here's proof! Look what I found at the Barnes and Noble's in Fort Collins, Colorado --------------->

To join in the festivities, snap your own picture of UNDER THE NEVER SKY in the wild and post to win your very own signed copy. Click on the button above for all the details.

This week the Muses are going to share first memories of UNDER THE NEVER SKY and the point when each of us realized this book was incredibly special.

I first read the opening words to UNDER THE NEVER SKY two years ago when I met Veronica, and the other Muses, in a small critique group led by Ellen Hopkins at the Big Sur Writing Conference. As Veronica began to read aloud her opening chapter, my preconceived notions about the kinds of books I liked and didn't immediately surfaced. I'm not usually drawn to futuristic stories. Even so, I was impressed by the writing skill evident in those first few pages and wanted to hear more. It was six months later when that finally happened and I had the opportunity to read the completed first draft of UNDER THE NEVER SKY before meeting Veronica again in person at the SCBWI annual conference in LA. We met at the airport and shared a cab to the hotel. Neither of us knew that weekend was going to change Veronica's life and lead to the whole world's opportunity to read UNDER THE NEVER SKY, but I remember telling her on the ride to the hotel how much I enjoyed the book and how special it was.

So when did the book's magic happen for me? I can recall the exact moment in the text. It was the scene in the cave when Peregrine and Aria are together for the first time. At that point, the two story lines merge and the chemistry is absolutely magical. No other word for it. Aria walks outside to face a deadly new world and sees Perry sitting with his back to her... and the tattoo on his back looks like it moves...

You'll just have to read it for yourself.

You'll see.

Magic.