Original Sin Teaser #7 and YA trends

I've had some interesting conversations with writer friends over the last few weeks. A topic that often comes up when writerly types get together is what projects we're working on. I had this conversation Saturday night with a writer friend I met for the first time, but who I knew through Twitter. It got me thinking about trends. Urban fantasy, specifically paranormal romance, obvioulsy has dominated YA since Twilight, but then came The Hunger Games and dystopian took off. More recently, time travel seems to be trending and science fiction is on the cusp. Every industry professional I've ever seen comment on trends says don't follow them, set them. It sounds great in theory, but with the millions of novels already written, everything has been done, so how do you set a trend? So, my question of the day is: We know what's trending now, but what do you see trending in the future? Will something cycle back? Contemporary, maybe? What do you think?

And, now for the Original Sin teaser!

This is a fun scene from the beginning of the book which basically continues from yesterday's teaser. There is lots of Frannie and Luc hotness...but never fear, Team Gabe. Courtney Moulton (Angelfire/Katherine Tegan) told me Gabe has the hottest scene in the book. ;p Here, Frannie is trying to get Luc all hot and bothered--which has always been his forte. Let's just say he isn't hating the shift in his roll from the pursuer to the pursuee.

#OriginalSin p20 Frannie: I feel myself getting hot all over despite the cool dish suds running down my arms. I loop my soapy hands around Luc's neck and watch him grimace as the cold water drips down his back.

“I don’t think I’m done finding out. It’s an ongoing investigation. You know, like…” I press myself harder into him. “What happens if I do this.”

I feel his body react, muscles tensing, his breathing becoming faster. I smile.

“Or this,” I say, reaching up onto my tiptoes to kiss his Adam’s apple.

“Interesting reaction,” I say when he tips his head back and shudders. “I’ll have to log that in my journal.”

Luc is putty in her hands ;p

Don't forget to enter for an Original Sin ARC and a signed copy of Rachel Hawkins' Demon Glass by Friday at noon PST!

YA query trends--what's hot and what's not

My awesome agent, Suzie Townsend, did a guest blog on query trends in YA. Very insightfull and informative if you are a YA writer. You can check it out here.