Vlog Post with Kristen Simmons

Photo Content from Kristen Simmons

Kristen Simmons is the author of the ARTICLE 5 series, THE GLASS ARROW, and METALTOWN. She has worked with survivors of abuse and trauma as a mental health therapist, taught Jazzercise in five states, and is forever in search of the next best cupcake. Currently she lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, where she spends her days supporting the caffeine industry and chasing her delightfully rambunctious son.

        

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Tor Teen (February 10, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0765336618
ISBN-13: 978-0765336613

Praise for THE GLASS ARROW

“The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons plunges readers into a heart-wrenching and wholly startling new world. Aya's story is terrifying in the best possible way, and left me shuddering over the painful awareness of humanity's darkest capability, and yet not losing sight of its greatest potential. Simmons portrays a stunning heroine of strength and resilience that captivated me until the very last page.” ―Christina Farley, author of the YA bestseller Gilded

“Fully imagined and richly written, The Glass Arrow seamlessly blends the best of adventure and romance with characters you will root for. I was transported.... A dark tale shot through with hope and the idea that sacrifice and love can conquer all. I couldn't put it down.” ―Amy Christine Parker, author of Gated and Astray

“The Glass Arrow is an intense and disturbing read that is impossible to put down. From the rush of the first chase scene to the emotional conclusion, Aya is a fearless heroine that you can't help falling in love with. I stayed up way too late completely enthralled, chilled and ultimately satisfied by the frightening world Simmons created. Now where is book 2? I Need it right now!” ―Ellen Oh, author of Prophecy

“There's much of Katniss Everdeen in Aya--a familiar strength and determination. Aya is an independent thinker, strong and self-reliant…. Fans of dystopian and postapocalyptic YA fiction will thoroughly enjoy this read.” ―School Library Journal

“Romance readers will find plenty to swoon over, while fans of dystopian futures will find this a compelling… read. Aya's fierce determination and ability to think quickly and creatively in crises make her a great role model, and her nature-based faith lends an interesting balance to the action-driven tale of social justice. Simmons creates sympathetic yet intriguingly flawed characters, and tweaks familiar dystopian elements to excellent effect.” ―Booklist

“This grim cautionary tale opens taut and suspenseful, with its heroine being hunted down like an animal, her adopted family slaughtered and scattered…. A world where girls and women are commodities to be sold and resold is frightening enough; more chilling are the girls who embrace their fate or the women who participate in the system for profit and status.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Article 5 is a gripping, atmospheric story of survival. Alongside a fierce depiction of oppressive government, Simmons has created a bleak portrait of an America lost. I could hardly put it down.” ―Kendare Blake, author of Anna Dressed in Blood

“The realistic underbelly of Article 5 is what makes this dystopian tale a haunting read and incredibly engaging. A true dystopian force.” ―The CW

“This action-packed novel is a dystopian unlike any other I have read.” ―The Huffington Post on Article 5

“An adrenaline-pumping ride into a terrifying future. I have no nails left.” ―Anne Greenwood Brown, author of Lies Beneath, on Breaking Point

“The action never stops.” ―Booklist

“Paints a picture of a world that could easily be our future. [Simmons's] fluid writing creates an easy-to-read story that opens the eyes of readers to what the loss of civil liberties could entail. This book is a must have for all young adult collections.” ―VOYA

TEN RANDOM THINGS ABOUT YOUR COLLEGE YEARS

Oh, college. Sweet, sweet college.

1. I bounced around a lot. As in, I started out in Oregon, and ended up in Nevada, by way of West Virginia.
2. My first college was “clothing optional.” People literally did not have to wear clothes. And some of them didn’t.
3. That same school also had co-ed dorms with co-ed dorm rooms and co-ed bathrooms. It was a teensy bit of a shock coming out of high school.
4. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
5. I went on to get a master’s degree in social work.
6. I tried out for the dance team at one school with no dance experience, and HAHA, I MADE IT! It was super fun.
7. My junior year roommate did not spend one night in our room. She stayed with her boyfriend, and let me use her fridge, microwave, and TV. She was awesome. (We are still friends.)
8. I wrote a book for my comprehensive master’s project (about a boy who took an elevator through various levels of a building, each representing a different layer of society), and then I wrote a thesis on that book, dissecting social justice principles in my writing. I’m still writing about social issues.
9. I dissected a human brain.
10. I used cinder blocks to build bookshelves. :)

TEN CHARACTERISTICS OF A GREAT FRIEND

Hi there! There are so many things that make a person a good friend. I recently read something that said that good friends help you up when you fall down, but best friends push you back down and laugh until they fall down beside you. I loved that.

Ten qualities that I think are important in a friend: loyalty, sense of humor, trustworthiness, empathy, someone who, you know, cares about you, someone who respects you, and likes you how you are, someone who’s there when you need them (and when you don’t), who supports you enough to say when you’ve been an idiot but also can compliment you when you kick butt, and who forgives you for that time you puked all over their favorite shirt.

The Handmaid’s Tale meets Blood Red Road in Glass Arrow, the story of Aya, who lives with a small group of women on the run from the men who hunt them, men who want to auction off breeding rights to the highest bidder.

In a world where females are scarce and are hunted, then bought and sold at market for their breeding rights, 15-year old Aya has learned how to hide. With a ragtag bunch of other women and girls, she has successfully avoided capture and eked out a nomadic but free existence in the mountains. But when Aya’s luck runs out and she’s caught by a group of businessmen on a hunting expedition, fighting to survive takes on a whole new meaning.

THE GLASS ARROW BY KRISTEN SIMMONS EXCERPT

The night before market is the first time I dream of Kiran. 

Maybe this is because since I’ve met him, we’ve never been so far apart. Only two hundred more paces really, not that far, but it might as well be half the country on account of the fences and sliding doors and walls and security systems. It’s the first night I can’t sense his presence. Even in my sleep I feel alone. 

In my dream I’m on the auction stage. The wood is rough with splinters that jab into my bare feet. The sun is beating down from a clear, haze- free sky. Instead of buildings and factories, the stage is surrounded by trees. The ground below is dusted with pine needles. The air smells fresh. 

The Governess is standing before me beneath a silk- draped awning. Beside her is a Pip who is manning a fl at, black machine that’s tallying my votes. Only there’s no one around to vote on me. 

And then Kiran appears. He’s wearing his daytime Driver gear, but it’s clean now, and his golden hair is slicked back with oil— just like a Magnate. With his hands in his pockets, he stares at me, judgment in his bright eyes. He walks to the left, then to the right. He looks me up and down. Up and down again. His expression switches between impressed and disappointed. I want to see what parts of me he approves of, but I’m afraid to look down and see what I’m wearing. It feels too light to be a dress. It feels like I might be wearing nothing. 

Kiran walks to the Governess, and they exchange words that I cannot hear. She hands him an electronic board, and he writes something on it. A look of relief lifts her features as she shakes his hand, and I’m fi lled with a staggering sense of betrayal. Suddenly there are chains around my neck and my wrists. Heavy, black chains. They are weighing me down, and though I force myself to stand up as tall as I can, I stumble to my knees. 

And then I wake up.

You can purchase The Glass Arrow at the following Retailers:

        

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you KRISTEN SIMMONS AND TOR for making this giveaway possible.

5 Copies of Glass Arrow and Bookmarks by Kristen Simmons.
1 Winner will receive a Signed Copy of The Glass Arrow and Bookmark.

WEEK ONE

FEBRUARY 10th TUESDAY JeanBookNerd VLOGPOST & RANDOM THINGS

FEBRUARY 10th TUESDAY Beauty and the Bookshelf FILL IN THE BLANKS
FEBRUARY 11th WEDNESDAY Fiction Fare REVIEW & GUEST POST
FEBRUARY 12th THURSDAY Bookish INTERVIEW
FEBRUARY 13th FRIDAY Carina’s Books REVIEW & FILL IN THE BLANKS
FEBRUARY 14th SATURDAY Storybook Slayers REVIEW & THIS OR THAT
FEBRUARY 15th SUNDAY Library of a Book Witch REVIEW & MUSIC PLAYLIST
FEBRUARY 16th MONDAY Spiced Latte Reads REVIEW

WEEK TWO
FEBRUARY 17th TUESDAY Swoony Boys Podcast REVIEW & INTERVIEW
FEBRUARY 18th WEDNESDAY Girl Meets Books DREAM CAST
FEBRUARY 19th THURSDAY Her Book Thoughts! REVIEW & GUEST POST
FEBRUARY 20th FRIDAY A Dream Within a Dream REVIEW & TENS LIST
FEBRUARY 21st SATURDAY Teen Readers’ Diary FAVORITE AUTHORS
FEBRUARY 22nd SUNDAY TTC Books and More REVIEW

FEBRUARY 23rd MONDAY Book Lovers Life REVIEW & RANDOM THINGS

FEBRUARY 24th TUESDAY Bookiemoji REVIEW & INTERVIEW

FEBRUARY 25th WEDNESDAY Chapter by Chapter REVIEW & TENS LIST

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