Transformation Tuesday with author Meradeth Houston & a Smokin' Sci-Fi Boxed Set, Moonbeams and Magic

The YA Reader Appreciation Blog Hop continues with Meradeth Houston talking about Transformation Tuesday. See the week's lineup here, and don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter! (I'm on D.R. Graham's blog today) We also have info on a boxed set of sci-fi reads from four amazing Inkspell authors called Moonbeams and Magic. Meradeth's up first!

Thanks so much for hosting me! It's always so fun to get to visit my favorite places around the web :) Today we're supposed to be talking about the transformation from an unpublished to published author. Or, basically, how we all ended up finding our way into the publishing world. I know I can't wait to read about everyone's journeys!

The ideas behind my novels have come from all over the place. Colors Like Memories, my first published novel, actually first came to me while listening to a song on the radio while driving. I came home, opened a Word file, and got to work! My second novel, The Chemistry of Fate, came to me while writing in my journal (something I do daily--it's almost compulsive for me), and the "what if?" question of someone revealing a life-altering question that was found by a grandchild. Ideas area all around, and I regularly have a hard time limiting myself to just one or two!

So, while putting this post together, I thought about looking back to see how many rejection letters I received on the two books I queried before I got my first offer. Then, I decided that that would probably be incredibly depressing :) Anyhow, as I said, I wrote, edited, and queried two books before the release of Colors Like Memories. While that was definitely not an easy process, it taught me a ton about writing, my writing, and learning how to sell my work. And it definitely made the offer I finally received that much sweeter!

There are so many options for authors these days for how to publish a novel. My choice to go with small houses is one I have really enjoyed: I get the help I want with editing, copyediting, covers, and some promotion, without having to pay the upfront costs that I can't afford. I also have some flexibility with the pricing and that's definitely helpful. Plus, there's such an awesome community with my houses that the people I've met really make all the difference! Hit me up if you have questions! And where do your writing ideas come from?

Meradeth Houston is the author of the Sary Society series: Colors Like Memories, The Chemistry of Fate, and Surrender the Sky. Catch the first two books for just 99 pennies! Soon to be released will be a sci-fi novel with killer aliens: Absence of Light. When she's not writing, she's an anthropology professor who talks a whole lot about dead people's DNA!

Find Meradeth Houston online at: www.MeradethHouston.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and of course her blog!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
And now...

All about the Moonbeams and Magic Boxed Set
Four inventive sci-fi novels for only $1.99 from Inkspell, releasing on Sept 23 but available for preorder now! Preorder yours from Amazon or B&N

Antithesis by Kacey Vanderkarr
My name is Gavyn. Liam doesn’t care that I only have one arm. He actually likes my red hair and freckles. I might forgive him for kidnapping me. My name is Gavyn. I lost my Liam. I’ve lost them all. And now it’s my job to make sure they don’t show up again. My name is Gavyn. I had a life with Liam, but he couldn’t give me what I need. Then I killed his father. I don’t expect he’ll forgive me for that.

Bewitched by Mark Jay Harris
Is it love or is it witchcraft? He’ll never find out if he kills her first.

The first time Darren saw Samantha, she was floating above his high school gymnasium during a basketball game, invisible to everyone but him. Next time he sees her, she's sitting in front of him in class, wowing his friends and causing unexplainable things to happen that only he seems to notice. But things really get strange (and complicated) when his dying grandfather tells him that he is part of an ancient order, the “Pessum Ire,” whose duty is to destroy witches. What does he do now, since he’s almost positive Samantha is a witch…and he’s crushing on her pretty hard?

Colonization by Aubrie Dionne
Finding a new home has never been so dangerous.
Andromeda has spent all seventeen years of her life aboard a deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet. Her safe cocoon is about to break open as Paradise 21 looms only one month away, and she must take the aptitude tests to determine her role on the new world and her computer
assigned lifemate. As a great-granddaughter of the Commander of the ship, she wants to live up to her family name. But, her forbidden love for her childhood friend, Sirius, distracts her and she fails the tests. The results place her in a menial role in the new colony and pair her with Corvus, “the oaf”.

But when Andromeda steps foot on Paradise 21, her predestined future is the least of her worries. Alien ghosts from a failed colonization warn her of a deadly threat to her colony. And when Sirius's ship crashes on the far ridge in an attempt to investigate, she journeys to rescue him with Corvus.
Andromeda now must convince the authorities of the imminent danger to protect her new home. What she didn't expect was a battle of her own feelings for Sirius and Corvus.

The Star Child by Stephanie Keyes
The world is about to be cloaked in darkness. Only one can stop the night.
Kellen St. James has spent his entire life being overlooked as an unwanted, ordinary, slightly geeky kid. When the sudden death of his Gran takes him from the East coast to the rugged cliffs of Western Ireland, all that changes. That is until a beautiful girl, one who has haunted his dreams for the past eleven years of his life, shows up spinning
tales of a prophecy. Not just any old prophecy either, but one in which Kellen plays a key role.

Suddenly, Kellen finds himself on the run through a Celtic underworld of faeries and demons, angels and gods, not to mention a really ticked off pack of hellhounds, all in order to save the world from darkness. But will they make it in time?
             ***
Praise for The Star Child:
"Stephanie Keyes is a wonderful voice for a new generation of YA readers. She has skillfully blended mythology and faerie-tale into an original and enthralling story. Pure magick! I'm looking forward to more. - Helen Hart, author, The Black Banner

Praise for Colonization:
Best of 2013 by Paranormal Sisters “Wow, this dystopian kicks butt. Like action packed nonstop and I was hooked from the very first page.”

Praise for Bewitched:
“This is an amazing story. Full of Magic and twist and turns, full of action, and secrets and many surprises. It sure left me wanting more. It’s very well written too.” Michelle’s Paranormal Vault of Books 

Praise for Antithesis
“I just want to say, I loved this book. It’s nonstop action from page one, Gavyn is awesome and Liam is hotter than a tin roof in august. Nothing got done yesterday, because I had to read this book.” Goodreads Reviewer. 

Are you a sci-fi lover? And what's an aspect of your own transformation you are proud of?