January Black – Cindy Young-Turner

I’m excited to share another great cover, this time for January Black by Wendy Russo! You will want to check out this YA SF novel (available for pre-order on 11/28)!

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn is the son of The Hill’s commandant. As such, he’s expected to conform to a strict, unspoken code of conduct. Small acts of defiance over years—such as walking on the grass—have earned him a reputation for being unruly. When sarcastic test answers finally get Matty expelled from school, King Hadrian offers him a diploma if he can answer a deceptively simple question, and then dismisses the only answer.

To prove his worth to society, Matty wrestles with the king’s word games, the kingdom’s historical record, and laws that don’t make sense. He meets Iris Locke, a street smart gardener, along the way. After enchanting him at a glance, Iris helps his research, keeps him out of trouble, and finally breaks his heart.

Alone again, Matty finds himself on collision course with a deadly law, one he will have to break to answer the king’s question. Was Hadrian challenging him, or teaching him a lesson? Without Iris, it won’t matter, because Matty won’t stand down for anyone else.

January Black is the 2013 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal winner for YA-Coming of Age.

January Black will be available for pre-order on Amazon 11/28/2014.

About the Illustrator

Liliana Sanches started studying Visual Arts at the age of 16 and soon felt attracted to the Romantic artwork from the 19th century. The Pre-Raphaelites and Friedrich were her biggest inspirations at the time, and she felt compelled to explore this graphic language of desolated landscapes that were the reflection of the painter’s emotions.

After graduating college, specializing Graphic Design, she created her own business under the name of “Princess of Shadows.” Her style had now evolved and had technical knowledge to support it. Intricate concepts with a much better grasp of image composition and visual balance, and also used color and shape psychology to imprint her work on the viewer.

Along the years she has been working with musicians, authors and even other designers who have allowed her to express her creativity, develop visual communication skills and explore different graphic styles to better suit each project.

Nowadays, here personal work has been exploring the human psyche, imbuing it with a dark surreal feeling. Her biggest inspirations are J-Horror movies, dreams/ nightmares and mental health pathologies.

Princess of Shadows on DeviantArt

About the Author

Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she’s majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She’s a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights.

I’m excited to share an excerpt from Wendy Russo’s debut novel, January Black, which released this week. Congrats, Wendy! This looks like a great read. And I love the cover! Wendy is celebrating her release with a blog tour and giveaways! I’m thrilled to be one of her tour stops. Also, somewhere below is a link to a hidden post on Wendy’s blog. (Password = matty). Commenters on this hidden post will be entered into a drawing for a free, signed copy of January Black.

Blurb:

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.

More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.

What was January Black?

It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He’s been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost…or call the king’s bluff.

Excerpt from January Black:

“I looked over your last test today,” the king said, now leading the group.

The Regents’ School expelled Matty that afternoon from its elite King’s Class. The infraction itself was insignificant. However, he had been admitted to the class on a probationary basis, and only because the king arranged his admission on behalf of the commandant. Matty’s latest test answers were the last of a long line of subtle “subversions” that his instructors would tolerate, his father be damned.

After a long pause, the king continued, “I found your answer to question six interesting.”

“Interesting, sir?”

“Very.” The king turned to descend a sweeping staircase. “Unless you would rather have me believe that you were doodling.”

“No, sir.”

“Please explain.”

Matty was already in trouble. There was little use in holding back now. “The instructor is boring and the section is a joke.”

“And?” the king prompted him for more.

“He expects his answers, not correct ones.”

The king spun around at the bottom of the stairs, blocking Matty’s path. He crossed his arms. “You drew the atomic model for magnesium.”

“Yes, sir.” Matty said, meeting the king’s eyes as he stopped on the lowest stair. They were brown.

“It was a civics test,” the king said before walking away. Matty followed. “The question regarded the Assembly.” Downstairs resembled upstairs, except for a burnt orange wall in what Matty assumed was a sitting room. “Explain.”

“Twelve.” Matty looked around for something in the king’s home that would belong in the palace. He found nothing. “Twelve protons, twelve electrons, twelve prime regents.”

“So, the fact that magnesium is sour and highly combustible, that’s just a coincidence?”

While admiring the gleaming steel kitchen, Matty walked right into a wall. “Shit!” he cried out while grabbing his hurt shoulder. His heart stopped and splashed down in his stomach. He wondered if he blurted that as loudly as he thought.

The king’s reply was careless. “I do that all the time.”

“Really?” Matty asked. The desire to hide in a closet grew stronger by the moment as the king’s guardians tried not to laugh.

The king nodded but said, “No.”

Bio:

Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she’s majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She’s a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights.

Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/January-Black-ebook/dp/B00B0I176M/ref=la_B00B0WODCI_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358209826&sr=1-1

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16692299-january-black

Blog: http://wendysrusso.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wendy-S-Russo/134565346603922