YA Scavenger Hunt: START HERE!

Hello! I'm McCall Hoyle, your hostess for this leg of the YA Scavenger Hunt!

I'm so glad that you're here! In order to celebrate, I'm giving away a signed ARC of my second book, MEET THE SKY, which releases in September. All you have to do is leave a comment at the bottom of the post to be entered. For a second entry, RT the post pinned at the top of my Twitter feed. Most importantly, have tons of fun, and win all the books!

---

You are currently hunting on TEAM PINK. 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 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 120 hours!

---

Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are SIX 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, a gold team, a green team, a purple team, and a blue team for a chance to win a whole different set of 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.

SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE

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!). 

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 16 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 April 8, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

Now, meet the lovely Kristy Centeno and learn more about her books! 

---

SCAVENGER HUNT POST

Today, I am hosting Kristy Centeno on my website for the YA Scavenger Hunt! Kristy Centeno is the author of the Secrets of the Moon saga and Keeper Witches series.

She has always had a passion for books, and after years of being an avid reader, she decided to transform her desire to write into a reality and thus, her first novel was born. When she’s not busy taking care of her five children or holding down the fort, she finds time to sit and do what she loves the most: writing.

Find out more on Kristy's website! Even better, purchase a personal copy. 

---

Kristy's Website

Purchase DELIVERANCE

​About DELIVERANCE: He’s been locked away his entire life.

He dreams of freedom.

The only way he can accomplish his goal is by breaking free of the chains tying him to a dark past and gloomy existence. But there’s one catch. He’s not human.
​
And he’s never set foot outside his jail.
 
Devoted to saving his peers as well as his own life, he sets out to find the one person that can help him achieve his objectives. He knows where she will be and what she will look like, but what he doesn’t anticipate is the fact he finds himself caring for the girl whose life he’s put at risk, more and more each day.
 
He has no name.
He has only known hatred and violence before her.
However, she will teach him to have faith in humanity, even if she can’t trust him.
Together they will embark on a journey to bring down a corrupt system responsible for the loss of many innocent lives. But when he finds his feelings compromised, can he still move on knowing that doing so will put an end to the life she once knew? How far is he willing to go to be free?

KRISTY'S BONUS MATERIAL:

Crafting Deliverance: Some Planning Required

The art of crafting a novel is a process all in itself for me. Normally, I don’t outline my story nor do I plan what direction the manuscript is going to take ahead of time. I find that outlining makes it that much more difficult for me to focus on the project in hand. I’m the kind of author that goes with the flow. As soon as an idea pops into my head, I take it from there. Pretty soon the first chapter is complete and I let it guide me the rest of the way. It’s worked well for me from the beginning and I tend not to deviate from this system.

When coming up with a new book, I like to think of the title first. It has to have meaning and make sense, which might take a day or so for me to brainstorm through. I follow with a detailed description of the main characters as well as their names and backgrounds. This is very important to me. Without this information I can’t move on. Once I have these secured and I’m satisfied with what I’ve decided upon, I start bringing my story to life.

With Deliverance, however, I differed from the norm. Because the idea for Deliverance came in the form of a dream, I wrote down an outline of sorts as well as basic information for future reference instead of picking out a title or names for the characters to begin with.

Why did I stray away from my comfort zone, you ask?

Well, I was pregnant at the time and ill, so my writing took a serious hit. I couldn’t concentrate and didn’t feel as if I could create something good while absolutely miserable so I left it at that. I didn’t go through the notes until the following year. I started working on Deliverance a few months after my daughter was born, and would go back every now and again to get another chapter going.

I continued developing the plot on paper more and more as I found myself too occupied to sit and type so I carried a notepad and pen with me at all times. I’d write down my ideas and go from there. The title for the book as well as some character’s names and traits came in last. I couldn’t decide on a befitting title so I put it on the backburner until the end—as with many other things.

After months of scheming, plotting, and writing during my spare time I finished the first draft. Did it stay that way for long? Not at all. I changed scenes here and there while going through the manuscript, and made some more adjustments as I was editing as well.

I filled the gaps later, and didn’t panic over working in reverse. I learned how to do things differently from how I usually did, and appreciated the fact that I could get back in the saddle once and for all. In the end, it really didn’t matter how I got things done so long as completed each chapter.

The end result was a novel I’m proud of and enjoyed writing.

REMINDER:
Don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of books by me, Kristy Centeno, and more! To enter, you need to know that my favorite number is THREE. Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the pink team and you'll have the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

---

CONTINUE THE HUNT:

To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author--Lucinda Stein! 

Note: If you want to be entered to win a signed, advance copy of MEET THE SKY, leave a comment below. Retweet the post pinned at the top of my Twitter feed for a second entry. Have fun! Win all the books!