The Epic Giving Thanks Scavenger Hunt - The Author I Am Most Thankful For

When the incomparable Megan from Book Brats came up with the idea for a scavenger hunt based upon the books and authors that we are most thankful for, I was very excited to participate.  I knew just who I wanted to write about and I simply couldn't pass up an opportunity to spread the word about a truly wonderful book.

Last year when I started my blogging career here at Starting the Next Chapter, I read some really great books.  However, one particular book stands out even now due to the impact it had upon me as I read it.  Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys kept me up all night reading and, even though I went through much tissue while doing so, I felt in awe upon finishing.  Little did I know that I would meet the woman behind the book mere months after reading it.

I first met Ruta at the Nashville stop of the Ash2Nash tour in August 2011.  Upon striking up a conversation, it was revealed that we didn't live too far from each other.  We had a lovely conversation and I walked away from it even more impressed than I already had been.

Ash2Nash in Nashville, August 2011

Being a Nashville area blogger, I would meet Ruta again at numerous other events and, eventually, strike up an on-going email correspondence with her.  Then, I was approached by a blogger whom I now count amongst my dearest friends, Hannah.  She, too, had been impacted by Between Shades of Gray and wanted to do something special to get the word out.  It started with a blog tour in celebration of the paperback release this past April.  From there, my friendship with Hannah grew and before we knew it, plans for a fan site were in the works.  I am now one of the admins for RutaFans along with Hannah and am happy to be so.  The more people that know about this book, the better.

The RutaFans Lunch, July 2012

Ruta has come to mean so much to both Hannah and myself for an entirely different reason.  When she asked both Hannah and I if we were writers and found out that we are, she made it a point to encourage us to go for it and to not stop.  She also made sure that we attended the latest SCBWI Midsouth conference, something that I am now very grateful  to her for making happen.  I am so full of gratitude for everything she contributes to the writing world.

To Ruta, I must say thank you from the bottom of my heart.  You have been an inspiration, a great influence, and a valued confidant.  My writing and my life is all the better from having met you.  Here's to the continued success of Between Shades of Gray, as well as success for your next work, Out of the Easy.  You already know how much I loved it and I look forward to sharing it with everyone.

In honor of Ruta and the book that started it all, I will be giving away a paperback copy of Between Shades of Gray.  All you have to do is collect the scavenger hunt words from this and all other participating blogs for a chance to win.  Good luck, and to the future winner of Between Shades of Gray, I truly hope you enjoy!

Get In On the Scavenger Hunt!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Continue With the Hunt!

Nov 12 - Book Brats
Nov 13 – Making The Grade
Nov 14 – Writing My Own Fairytale
Nov 15 – Book Addicts Guide
Nov 16 – Bumbles and Fairy-Tales
Nov 17 – Beauty and the Bookshelf AND JC Emery
Nov 18 – Dizneeee’s World of Books 
Nov 19 – Book Babes AND Gypsy Book Reviews
Nov 20 – Starting the Next Chapter
Nov 21 – I Love Books Club
Nov 22 – WRAP UP!
Nov 25 – Contest Ends, Twitter Party

Cover Alert! Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

You all probably know what a huge fan I am of Ruta Sepetys, so when I found out that the cover to her next book, Out of the Easy, would be released on Entertainment Weekly's Shelf Life today, I was very excited.  It was as beautiful as I expected it would be.  Just take a look for yourself after the jump!

New Blog Announcement!

I am very pleased to announce that I have teamed up with the lovely Hannah from The Book Vortex to bring all of you Ruta Sepetys fans something special.  After Hannah invited me to take place in the Between Shades of Gray Online Book Tour, we got to know each other and realized that we have a lot in common, thus leading to lots of discussion and brainstorming.  Thanks to a particularly brilliant idea, Hannah approached Ruta with the idea of a fan site.  Ruta agreed, I came on board, and the Ruta Sepetys Official Fan Website was born!

Today marks not only the release of the Between Shades of Gray paperback, but also the official launch of the site.  Hannah and I hope you will stop by, check out what the site has to offer, and participate.  As family history played such a huge part in Ruta's inspiration for Between Shades of Gray, we have a special project called "Your Story," where you will be able to post your own stories about your families' histories.  You will also be able to keep up with news about Ruta and her works, tour dates, and even photos!  We really hope to see you there.  We welcome comments and interaction.  Come and tell us what you think, and don't forget to check out all of the stops of the blog tour for interviews, special content, and some awesome giveaways.  Come celebrate with us! 

Between Shades of Gray Online Book Tour - Interview with Ruta Sepetys

When I was approached by Hannah at The Book Vortex with the request to participate in her blog tour for the paperback release of Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, I was very excited and, naturally, answered with a resounding yes!  Today, I have the pleasure of hosting the release day tour stop.  Between Shades of Gray is an intense look at the impact of a tragic time in eastern European history that too few people know about today.  We are all most fortunate that Ruta has given us the opportunity to learn about the persecution of the Lithuanian people at the hands of the Soviets during World War II.  Ruta is a great lady and a fellow TN resident, so I am very excited to have had the chance to interview her.  I hope you all will join me in welcoming Ruta to Starting the Next Chapter!

Marla: My first question is: What has been the most memorable reaction to Between Shades of Gray?

Ruta: There have been so many memorable moments along the journey of this book. But one that really moved me was walking into a school in Chicago and seeing the following sign made by a student.

 

This sign was created as if one of the main characters, Andrius, was writing a note to his girlfriend, Lina. My book is about a little-known piece of history and sometimes historical facts and statistics can seem sterile. But through stories, suddenly these people from history become human. We cheer for them and we cry for them. We care for people that we’ve never met and become passionate about the history attached. That’s what this sign represented.  And that’s the power of books.

Marla: How did you feel upon initially learning about this part of history for the first time?

Ruta: I was shocked. I had no idea that so many people had experienced the deportations and life in exile. And many people kept their experience a secret for over fifty years. Can you imagine keeping a painful secret for fifty years?

Marla: What was your first trip to Lithuania after the book's release like?

Ruta with the Lithuanian edition of her book

Ruta: Incredibly emotional. I was able to reunite with the people who assisted me in my research and present the book to them. They were so gracious and happy. I was in tears practically the entire time I was back in Lithuania.  Every time I see the cover of the Lithuanian version of the book I get choked up!

Marla: What was your inspiration for writing Between Shades of Gray?

Ruta: While visiting Lithuania, I discovered that after my father fled the country, some of my family members were deported to Siberia. Stories of Soviet occupation and Stalin are rarely discussed. There are so many heroes we’ve never had a chance to meet. They’re nameless and faceless. I wanted to give voice to the many people who were deported to Siberia by Stalin. 

Marla: What are you working on now?  When can we expect your next book?

Ruta:  I just finished a novel that’s set in New Orleans in 1950. It tells the story of a girl who is the daughter of a French Quarter prostitute. Despite her background and society's opinion of her, the girl applies to a prestigious college. It’s a story of the courage and fortitude it takes to fly when you’re born with broken wings. I believe the book is scheduled to be released in Spring of 2013.

Marla: At Southern Festival of Books, you told the audience about an immersion experience that you participated in that took place in a prison. What impression did that experience leave upon you?

Ruta: It left a profound impression. In the prison I learned that showing kindess in an atmosphere of cruelty is true courage. 

Marla: As a writer, how do you deal with issues such as writer's block and distractions?

Ruta: Because I work a full time job I can’t really afford to have writer’s block. Sometimes I only have fifteen minutes to write per day so I have to make the most of it. I force myself to just start typing–something, anything–to get started. I gave up television a few years ago. Since I don’t have much time to write I can’t justify spending thirty minutes watching TV. Distractions are another story. Tumblr, Pinterest, Etsy, oh my! But in terms of productive and fun distractions – I can’t wait to catch up with you and talk books at my favorite coffee shop next time I’m in the Square, Marla!

Thank you so much for having me here at Starting the Next Chapter!

Thank you so much for being here today, Ruta!  Coffee sounds great!

If you haven't already, I highly recommend that you go out and find a copy of Between Shades of Gray.  It is an emotional, beautifully written novel that everyone should read.  I also hope that you will take the time to learn more about Ruta and add her book to your Goodreads shelves.

About the Author

Ruta Sepetys was born and raised in Michigan in a family of artists, readers, and music lovers. BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY is her debut novel and is based on her family’s history. "It's a story of extreme suffering, tremendous hope, and how sometimes love reveals the miraculous nature of the human spirit," says Sepetys. Ruta now lives with her family in Tennessee.  

Visit Ruta'sWebsite / The Book / Like Ruta on Facebook

About the Book

Find it on Goodreads

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously-and at great risk-documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

The Tour Schedule

 March 29: Hannah - Intro

http://www.thebookvortex.com

Interview w/ Ruta

March 30: Jamie/The Hot Author Report

http://www.thehotauthorreport.com

Interview w/ Ruta

March 31: Mundie Moms

http://www.mundiemoms.blogspot.com

Interview w/ Gavin

April 1: Brielle/Awesome Bookworm

http://www.awesomebookworm.blogspot.com

Interview w/ Ruta's editor

April 2: Sara/Through the Looking Glass and Back Again

http://www.throughthelookingglassandbackagain.blogspot.com

Character interview - Lina

Review

April 3: *RELEASE DAY* Marla/Starting the Next Chapter

http://www.startingthenextchapter.com

Interview w/ Ruta

April 4: Hannah/The Book Vortex

Tour wrap-up; Announcement of giveaways on all sites

The Giveaway

As part of this stop on the blog tour, Ruta has two prizes available for giveaway. One winner will receive a signed Between Shades of Gray bookplate, while a second winner will receive a signed Between Shades of Gray bookmark. This giveaway is open to US entrants only. For an international giveaway in which you can win a signed paperback copy of Between Shades of Gray, visit Hannah's giveaway: http://thebookvortex.com/?page_id=23

Ash2Nash: The Nashville Stop

Yesterday was absolutely fantastic! Nikki and I drove to Nashville again for another awesome author event, this time the final stop of the Ash 2 Nash book tour, featuring Victoria Schwab, Myra McEntire, and Beth Revis, with special guests Julie Kagawa, Rachel Hawkins, and Ruta Sepetys. We reached B&N super early with the intention of getting coffee and getting some reading time in. We both had coffee and were also intrigued by a little something called the "blackout" cupcake.



I just have to say it: that cupcake kicked my butt. I only finished half of it before I had to call it quits. Nikki looked like she felt a little ill after hers. Evil, evil cupcake! It's as menacing as it looks, folks. Beware!

We both got in some much-needed reading time, which was excellent. After a while, though, the chairs became uncomfortable, so we decided to look for empty arm chairs. They were all full, so back to the cafe we went. When we walked back in, I looked up only to notice that Julie Kagawa was sitting 2 tables away. I mentioned this on Twitter while having a "holy crap!" moment, only to notice Victoria Schwab walking across the parking lot outside. Yup. The time was drawing near!

Shortly thereafter, Shannon from Stalking the Bookshelves arrived, and while she was getting a cup of coffee, we had some unexpected visitors drop by our table. I saw someone out of the corner of my eye, then heard, "Marla?" It was Julie Kagawa and Victoria Schwab. (insert shock here) Apparently, my tweet didn't go unnoticed. LOL! I (obviously) couldn't see my own face, but I'm pretty sure it looked something like this when I looked at Nikki:


Introductions were made, my inner voice did much squealing, and then it was time to head back to the event area. Also, I can definitely say that they are both as awesome as their books. It was great talking to them.

Let me preface the next pictures by saying that these ladies are utterly hilarious. The discussion portion of the event was very funny and a good time was had by all. I wish I could have gotten video for you all. Unfortunately, I was seated behind some ladies who were roughly my height, which was both unusual (I'm rather tall) and prevented me from getting any direct shots of the whole panel. I had to make do with ducking and weaving the camera around heads and over shoulders. Thanks goodness for 18X zoom!

After the discussion, chaos ensued. There were people everywhere waiting to get their books signed. Any thought of a queue was out the window. It was a free-for-all! Luckily, there was plenty of time left, so everyone had the chance to get their books signed and chat with the authors for a bit. This was truly awesome, as Nikki and I didn't have to rush off this time and could stay until the end. We even found out that Ruta has a home near us and that she is in our town fairly often! She was very nice and a lot to fun to chat with. We got to talk with most of them for a fair amount of time and snapped several pics in the process.

We also snapped some pics with Shannon. It was really awesome to get to meet another book blogger.

It was a fantastic night and I sincerely hope that they can all make it back to Nashville someday. If you ever get the chance to attend an event with one of these ladies, do it! You won't be sorry and I can guarantee that you'll have a great time.

Be sure to visit my IMM post on Sunday to see all of the books I got signed last week, as well as at Ash 2 Nash. Also, make sure to keep an eye on my blog in the weeks to come. I brought back something special that I will be giving away at a later date. What is it, you ask? Well, you'll just have to wait to find out. ::wink::

Review: Between Shades of Gray

by Ruta Sepetys
publisher: Philomel
date published: March 22, 2011
format: hardcover
pages: 344
source: library
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously - and at great risk - documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

What I Thought

Between Shades of Gray is a beautifully written account of a point in European history that doesn't seem to be discussed enough. I know that I had never heard about the atrocities that the Lithuanian people had been subjected to during WWII at the hands of the Soviets, not in my history classes nor in the history books I've read. Lina is a veritable guide into the past as her journey from Lithuania to the Arctic is detailed and her experience in the Gulag labor camps of Siberia (which models that of those who truly lived it) is painful, harrowing, and poignant all at the same time.

The characters featured with Between Shades of Gray are, as a set, wholly believable and make up a vast array of personalities. From the horribly abrasive "Bald Man" to the wonderfully strong and optimistic Elena (Lina's mother), this book provides a glimpse at the various ways in which a human being can react to tragedy and strife. Lina herself, while succumbing to her more negative emotions from time to time, maintains a steadfast determination to survive that is truly admirable. That she still experiences fear, anger, and defiance serves to emphasize just how strong she really is. This, as well as other character traits, make for an engrossing read that will draw you into the world as this strong group of people experience it.

Lina's art is another aspect of the book that I find to be really appealing. The descriptions Ruta Sepetys uses in depicting Lina's way of viewing the world and the way her art flows from her imagination are almost poetic in their constructs. That Lina uses her gift as a way of communicating with her father is all the more compelling and truly enhances the overall message of the story. Lina pours her heart into her creations. That she uses them as a means of communicating and remembering make for an even more haunting and intriguing narration.
Between Shades of Gray is another historical YA novel that I will be most happy to add to my shelves. The way that the characters engage my attention and the poignancy that the story as a whole is made up of combine to create a truly memorable book that will stay with me for years to come. I give Between Shades of Gray 5 hoots.