Hi! 
I'm Angela Myron, your hostess 
for this leg of the PINK TEAM for YA Scavenger Hunt!

You are currently hunting on TEAM PINK.

Looking for my exclusive bonus content? You’ll have to keep searching.
Somewhere on this blog hop, I’ve hidden Pinterest inspiration boards for Ennara and the Book of Shadows! Before you go looking for it, check out the amazing author I’m hosting.
But, first, a few rules.

Directions: Below, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the pink team, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). 
HINT: THE SECRET NUMBER IS HIGHLIGHTED IN PINK!

Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by Sunday, April 3rd, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

On this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!

There are NINE contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the PINK TEAM, but there is also a RED TEAM,  GOLD TEAM, ORANGE TEAM, BLUE TEAM, PURPLE TEAM, TEAL TEAM,  & GREEN TEAM! Check out each team for a chance to win eight different sets of signed books!

If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.

Now that all the technical stuff is out of the way, I’ll introduce the author I am hosting on this hunt.

Find out more information by checking out the author website or find more about the author's book here! http://www.amazon.com/Tick-Tock-Seven-Tales-Time-ebook/dp/B01AC1H2E8

Hello YA Scavenger Hunters! I’ve been doing the hunt for several years now, and it’s always a blast. This year, I’m excited to announce the official release of a science fiction/speculative fiction anthology featuring 7 sci-fi and fantasy authors, including yours truly. 

TICK TOCK: 7 Tales of Time is based on the premise that it only takes a second...a minute...an hour for everything to change. Our stories have twisted time into very different tales of adventure, horror, mystery, romance, and ghosts. The book officially released yesterday, 3/28, so you’re some of the first people to see it!

All it takes is a second . . . a minute . . . an hour . . . for everything to change.

A serial killer returns years later to finish what was started.
A coffee shop offers a respite for the cursed.
A hangover masks the horrors of the previous night.
A princess’s wedding gift comes with a price.
A locked apartment door hides a chilling secret.
A girl wakes up in an asylum and must survive and escape.
A young woman must protect the past to thwart a thief from the future.

An interesting fact about us is that all 7 of us are Denver-based authors, so we love to find excuses to get together for brunch. You can find out more about all the authors at Wicked Ink Books. If you like sci-fi/fantasy, please check out the anthology and let us know what theme you'd like to see us do next time! Happy hunting!

Don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books by me, Angela Myron, and more! To enter, you need to know my favorite number, which is hidden in this post. (HINT: It is PINK, BOLD, and accompanied by an interesting graphic.) Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the pink team and you'll have all the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

Below, please leave a comment, say hi to Kristi, and if you'd like to enter my coloring contest for bonus prizes, you can check out this post here. (This contest is not associated with YASH and closes on July 31, 2016.) Thanks for stopping by!

To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author! EMILY SKRUTSKI

Today I'm helping friends over at Patchwork Press celebrate their new anthology and the super-secret announcement of an upcoming anthology! 

But, here's the catch: we're not going to just tell you what it is, we're gonna make you hunt down the letters of the upcoming anthology's theme. And guess.

But first, more about this cool locket:

Forged with magic, the locket's mission is to find it's family. The anthology follows the locket from 1630s India to Spiritualist 1890s America, then to the roaring 20s in New York. Ever seeking it's roots--the family of the old jewelcrafter who forged it--the locket resurfaces in 1945 Manila, present day, then the 2020s.

Released this week by Patchwork Press, the Lost Locket of Lahari features authors Erica Crouch, Terra Harmony, Janna Jennings, Ruth Silver, and Kellie Sheridan. Pick up a copy here!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks


Without further ado, the authors of the locket:

Erica's novella The Empath in the Lost Locket anthology surrounds the spiritualist movement of the 1890s in America. Seances, ghost hunts, and more!

What did you enjoy most about writing this story?
Some of my favorite scenes to write of The Empath were the creepy scenes. I did a lot of research into spiritualism — looking into both the skeptics and those claiming to have supernatural abilities. I learned how to read palms, which is really cool, and I also learned a lot about tarot. I really enjoyed writing the scenes where Odessa reads someone’s fates, either in the cards or on their palm, and of course the séance scenes were fun to write. Anything that’s a bit dark is right up my alley.

Do you have any strange writing habits?
Too many. For this story in particular, I found myself writing and editing on the ground more than normal. (Is there a normal amount of time to be writing/editing on the ground?) Sometimes sitting at a desk or on the couch just doesn’t do it for me, so I’ll set my laptop on its side, lie down next to it, and start working. I don’t know if it works because it gives me a new perspective of what I’ve written, or if it shakes something loose in my brain, but it works. It looks weird (and is weird), but it works!

Do you have any themes that you return to again and again in your stories? Why?
I hadn’t even thought about it until now, but I think I continue to return to themes about fate and destiny in my writing. Some of my stories and characters assert that there is no such thing as fate and that we write our own path, while others are all about embracing what we are meant to do and become. I’ve always been interested in the idea of fate, and I guess I just like debating it out with myself across multiple books.

Terra's story of the Locket, called The Dreamer, is in the exciting world of 1920s New York. Yet it shows us both extremes of those living at the time--poverty and excess.

What was the hardest part of writing this story?
The hardest part about writing 'The Dreamer' was the time period – the 1920's. I have never written in this era before, and haven't read very many books from this era. To get in the mood, I watched The Great Gatsby (twice – because, well – Leonardo DiCaprio). I also watched plenty of 'Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries' (on Netflix – I highly recommend).
I definitely fell in love with the roaring '20s and look forward to writing more in this era!

What book do you wish you could have written?
My gosh – The Outlander series for sure! What I admire about Diana Gabaldon's books is the research effort that is evident within them. Military history and medical know-how combined with romance, action, and a touch of fantasy – these books are my all time favorites!
 
Three things I learned by writing from character Olivia's point of view.

1. Infatuation with one person can cause you to pass up a better thing. Keep your eyes, your heart, and your mind open.
   
2. Having goals will drive you, hopefully into a better situation – but you have to always consider the consequences of your actions.
   
3. Be true to who you really are, people tend to see through your acts anyway.

In Janna's novella, the locket takes us to 1945 Manilla and into some deep, rich history.

How did you become involved with the subject or theme of your story?
I’ve always had a fascination for the time period that Emma’s story takes place. World War II touched so many peoples lives in so many ways, the stories that come from those years seem endless. So the era of the story was easy. The only other requirement I had was a strong female character. I started looking at what kind of young women would have those characteristics under the circumstances of war, and found a surprising number of woman spies operating in a time where women were barely allowed to wear pants. Emma’s story began to take shape from there. 

What were your goals and intentions in this story, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
I wanted a story that would work well within the structure of the anthology, but with a distinct voice and flavor. A story that illuminate an important but little-known bit of history. I was very excited with how the short story turned out, especially since it was a point of view and genera I hadn’t worked in before.

Are there underrepresented groups or ideas featured if your book?
I think there is a lot written about the extermination of the Jewish people and the Nazi occupation during this time period. And that is how it should be, the atrocities should be brought to light.
Less is known about the war in the Pacific, in particular about the liberation of Manila, and the deplorable conditions the people and POW’s endured during the long years of occupation.
Even less is brought to light about women and their role in world wide conflict, from the Rosie’s that riveted their way through the war to Virginia Hall, the American spy who parachuted behind enemy lines in France to organize the resistance there, all with only one leg.

What book do you wish you could have written?
The Time Traveler’s Wife. I envy Audrey Niffeneger’s ability to not only keep the back and forth of time travel straight, but to write it in a way the reader can follow it too. 

Three things I learned from writing a story set in 1945 Manilla:

1. Chickory was often used as a coffee substitute when the war caused supplies to run low.
   
2. Manila has a strong Spanish heritage.
   
3. Monkey is palatable, but only just.

Ruth's story takes us into a present day adventure where the locket reemerges! Now for some insight into Ruth's writing and dreams:

Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?
Well I’ve never tried standing on my head to write! I do however find myself thinking up new ideas before I fall asleep. I keep a notebook handy and jot them down so I don’t forget it.
 
Where is one place you want to visit that you haven't been before?
I would love to travel to Paris. The closest I’ve been is Paris in Las Vegas and it’s not quite the same thing.
 
What secret talents do you have?
Well, it’s not a huge secret but I used to be a professional photographer. I’d photograph weddings and ran my own business for a few years.

That's it! To find the rest of the clues, meet us at Janna Jennings' blog tomorrow! And if you missed the first three posts, you can find them here:
Lost Locket of Lahari Scavenger Hunt on the PWP Blog
Playlists on Hannah Davies' blog
Moodboards on Erica Crouch's blog