YA – Page 15 – THE COOKIE JAR

Category: YA

11
Jul
2017

Congrats!!! And hey…is that Ansel?

categories: fun, giveaway, Ninja Girl, YA

It’s time to announce the winner of the NINJA GIRL Book Blitz Giveaway :). It’s actually a little past time, but thank you so much to everyone for entering and for your patience and support. Without further ado, big CONGRATS to:

Yadira!

I believe Yadira won the last giveaway as well–which of course means that she is a true ninja ;). And a lucky one apparently! Congrats again, Yadira, your gift will be on the way soon.

Hope you are all having a great week with wonderful people and great books! If anyone is wondering, I will be doing another post about my trip, writing progress, and just general updates in the upcoming weeks.

But for right now, I will tell you…there is a guy on this bus who looks strikingly like a broad shouldered Ansel Elgort! I’m doing my best not to stare; he’s probably 18 or something and looks like he would be great in a YA novel lol. Hmm…maybe this is the muse telling me to write, write, write. 🙂

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman

06
Jul
2017

Top of the Mornin’ to Ya!

categories: Adorkable, doing what you love, Ninja Girl, YA

You guys, I actually had someone say that to me :). It was so cool. ADORKABLE and NINJA GIRL have been doing well, and I haven’t had a chance to post as much because I’m actually traveling–which I hardly ever do! And I am in a beautiful place at the moment; the only drawback is sketchy internet service. So while I have a good connection: Hello from Ireland, readers!!! Here’s a picture of me with my current read (which I got from the library here), gorgeous landscape and of course, the O’Gorman family crest.

I hope you are all well and reading fantastic books (hopefully ones with Irish heroes who say “Top of the mornin’ to ya” in that lovely Irish brogue ;)).

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman

22
Jun
2017

NINJA GIRL Book Playlist

categories: Adorkable, book playlist, doing what you love, Ninja Girl, Romance, YA

First, I want to give a huge thank you to YA Bound Book Tours and to everyone who participated in the NINJA GIRL Book Blitz! You are awesome, and I appreciate you so much for helping me spread the word. I’ve mentioned that one of my biggest fears as a writer is that my books won’t find their audience, and that remains true today. Every recommendation to a friend, every review/post/tweet truly helps. So again, thank you!!!

Second, I wanted to share my book playlist for NINJA GIRL! You may have already seen it, but I wanted it for my website as well lol. Also, on Goodreads, a reader created her own book playlists for both ADORKABLE and NINJA GIRL, and I thought that was so cool!

If you’ve read NINJA GIRL, you’ll see several of the songs mentioned in the book–but others may be a surprise :). The full playlist will be at the end of the post. Alright, let’s get to it:

“Ho Hey” by The Lumineers–or “Snow Hey” if we’re talking about the swoon worthy rendition done by the one and only Ash Stryker–absolutely represents how Ash feels about Snow. *sigh* When he sang to our ninja girl, she definitely got the message. And I mean, seriously, what girl wouldn’t love a guy putting her name into a song like this? <3

“I Am the Best” by 2NE1 represents Snow’s confidence in martial arts, self-defense and just taking on anyone who challenges her. She may be insecure when it comes to boys and her own femininity, but when it comes to kicking butt? Snow is a true badass!

When Nicki Minaj comes in and goes off on this track, it is Snow all day, every day lol! But “My Chick Bad” is the perfect song to express how Ash feels about Snow’s strength. He’s impressed by it, finds it attractive; basically, he’s got it bad for our ninja girl–and even though he’s a country fan, I think Ash would totally agree with this choice (minus the 2nd verse bc Ash is a Southern gentleman :)).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QEDb3xzdec

Ah, that voice <33333. Patsy Cline is timeless and truly one of the greats, and her songs are so so incredibly perfect for this little YA romance. Snow’s tough on the outside. Ash is confident/cocky. But they both have their insecurities, and Patsy exposes them all. The car scene where Ash and Snow have a Patsy Cline battle, speaking to each other through their song choices, too afraid to voice their feelings, is one of my absolute favorite scenes.

Okay, I LOVE this song. It is so innocent and lovely. I think the chorus is like what Ash was trying to convince Snow of all along: I’ll be yours, if you’ll just be mine. Then the part near the end where she sings by herself, and it’s so exposed and real…that’s Snow finally admitting her feelings and how much she cares for him. Snow and Ash, the honesty, the pure loveliness of this is what YA and romance is all about.

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman

NINJA GIRL Book Playlist

“Ho Hey” by The Lumineers

“I Am the Best” by 2NE1

“Sparks Fly” by Taylor Swift

“Fans” by Kings of Leon

“My Chick Bad” by Ludacris & Nicki Minaj

“In For The Kill” (Skrillex Remix) by La Roux

“Lies” by BIGBANG

“Someone Like You” by Adele

“Miss Atomic Bomb” by The Killers

“Crazy” by Patsy Cline

“I Fall to Pieces” by Patsy Cline

“Call Your Girlfriend” (live) by Lennon and Maisy Stella

“Marry You” by Bruno Mars

“Come By Fire” by Sara Jackson-Holman

“Little Bit” by Lykke Li

“Emmylou” by First Aid Kit

08
Jun
2017

Bookish Updates

categories: Adorkable, Amazon, Kindle Countdown Deal, Ninja Girl, YA

One of my family members (one of the 5 people who actually reads this blog lol!) always asks how my books are doing. She does this pretty much every time we talk. I love it when she asks because it reminds me: there are books out there that I wrote and love. ADORKABLE and NINJA GIRL are out there in the world, finding readers every day, and that is a wonderful thing.

Several wonderful things are going on, so here’s a quick rundown :).

Wonderful Thing #1: NINJA GIRL will be available for $0.99 next week!!! Yes, it’s time for a Kindle Countdown Deal, and I can’t wait to see how many new readers will find Snow and Ash! The deal will run from June 12-19 on Amazon and Amazon UK. I hope the book ninjas, the Force and the kimchi are with you little book!

Wonderful Thing #2: The NINJA GIRL Book Blitz starts next Monday, and there will be a giveaway. Look out for that, and good luck!

Wonderful Thing #3: A few kind readers have written reviews for either ADORKABLE and/or NINJA GIRL, and I just gotta say: You readers are incredible, and I’m so grateful for you! If karma is for real, you definitely have some good vibes coming your way.

So, how are my books doing?

Answer: They are doing well, and I’m thankful for every page read, book sold, and new reader who finds my stories <3.

I hope you all are having a great summer!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman

31
May
2017

5 Things: I’m reading right now

categories: 5 Things, Adorkable, doing what you love, fun, Ninja Girl, YA

Okay, this is a bit of a cheat because what I’m loving right now is actually a series–but there are 5 books in the series, so it works ;).

About two weeks ago, I finally picked up the first book in The Selection series. I know, I know, I am so behind! One of my students (a girl who is always reading YA :)) recommended it to me…well, she said it was SO good and that I should read it, and she had that look in her eye that I get when I find a book I really love.

So, I got the first book, and Kiera Cass drew me in right away! I sped through book 1 and immediately got the next 3 books!!! I was semi-upset (I was very upset) that they didn’t have the 5th and final book, The Crown. Literally, I stood there for about 5 minutes staring at the bookstore shelf, hoping it would magically appear lol. It didn’t :(. And of course, I read through the next three books like wildfire, and book 4 actually did leave me hanging. Thank goodness the final book was available as an ebook.

The Selection, The Elite, The One, The Heir, & The Crown

It took me about 5 days–5 freaking days!–to read these books. I couldn’t help myself. The endings weren’t really cliffhangers, especially in the first 3 books, but I devoured the pages. It was so addictive! There was some type of magic in there, too, because I did not start out loving the main heroine *gasp*. But she totally grew on me. And I actually loved several of the main guys! My favorite books were 3, 4 and 5; the first trio of books ended just right, and I loved how we got to see what happened to the characters we loved in the next two books as well as meet a whole new, awesome cast.

If I had to give one reason to read, I would say: Maxxon!!!! <333 I totally get it, fellow Selection readers. I really do. A few more would be: America, May, Marlee, Kile (he was my personal favorite!), Henri and Erik.

There are mixed opinions about this series, but for me, it was very enjoyable. Loved it!

If you’re wondering what I have coming up, there will be a book blitz for NINJA GIRL the week of June 12th, which I think will be a ton of fun! ADORKABLE hit #1 several times in the last few weeks, huzzah!!! Also, I’m editing the book I think will be my next release and working hard on the rough draft of another YA book :). I hope your week is going well!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman

20
May
2017

Oh My Ash! <3

categories: Adorkable, doing what you love, fun, Ninja Girl, Romance, YA

It’s a fact: Readers love book boyfriends.

Actually, a lot of us collect book boyfriends. No really, it’s a thing! And I know for a fact that I’m not the only one because I’ve seen other blog posts, discussions and articles about this. Different readers look for different things in their favorite male leads, but the common trait that all of them share is this.

A great book boyfriend will make fangirl bookworms everywhere swoon and fall hard for him.

This post will focus on Ash Stryker, one of my personal favorites, first introduced in ADORKABLE and most recently featured in NINJA GIRL. 🙂

Here is what I think makes Ash book boyfriend material:

He kisses back. If you’ve read NINJA GIRL, you know what I mean. If not, I’ll just say Ash goes with the flow and gives Snow an amazing/unforgettable first kiss (…and second…and third…).
He knows what he wants and goes after it.
He’s protective (but not in an overbearing a-hole kind of way). Yeah, he’s got a hero complex, but he makes it look good. Just picture a young Chris Evans/Captain America with a bit of a pottymouth, and you basically have our Ash.
He likes smart girls who can kick his ass. He’s encouraging and loves Snow’s strength and intelligence.
He tells it like it is and never gives up—especially when it matters.
He listens to country and K-Pop.
He’s multi-lingual—which means he can sweet talk you in a whole bunch of languages.
He’s athletic, talented and yes, fit. Soccer is his passion, and he’s darn good at it. The green eyes, dirty blond hair and lean body don’t hurt either ;).
He’s swoonworthy. In NINJA GIRL, Ash is willing to make a fool of himself for his girl (aka the singing), and he’s also thoughtful (the Bruce Lee marathon with Snow). *Sigh*
He’s smart, confident, a little cocky and a lot comfortable-in-his-own-skin. He’s a straightforward smooth-talker with charm to spare. He can also be jealous, incorrigible and a smartass. All in all, Ash is imperfect and real—which may be what I like best about him.

For all these reasons and more, I love my main man from NINJA GIRL.

Oh my Ash! <3

Btw huge thanks to Tija for inventing the phrase “Oh my Ash;” I love it lol! Basically, as Koi says in the book, Ash Stryker is a BAMF. He’s also a great book boyfriend imo. Feel free to add him and NINJA GIRL to your shelf if you’re looking for a sweet YA romance with a kickass heroine and a swoonworthy hero. 🙂

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman

17
May
2017

Yay!

categories: giveaway, Ninja Girl, YA, YA Bound Book Tours

The NINJA GIRL Blog Tour Giveaway has officially concluded, yay! Thank you so much to everyone who entered and helped spread the word about Ash and Snow’s book. You’re awesome. A winner was randomly chosen to receive the $25 Amazon gift card, and that person is…

Yadira!!!

Congratulations, Yadira, and thank you so much for entering! Your gift card will be on the way shortly :).

Again, thank you to everyone for your support of NINJA GIRL. It means so much. I’ve been a little under the weather recently, but I’m still planning to do that post about Ash *sigh.* It may just be a little later in the week. I hope you are all doing well and that you have a great day!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman

11
May
2017

Snow’s Top 10 Ninja Tips

categories: Amazon, Be Yourself, doing what you love, fun, Ninja Girl, Romance, YA, YA Bound Book Tours

The idea for this post was inspired by Snow from my YA romance NINJA GIRL (of course!) and Tressa over at Wishful Endings. (You can read the original here.)

One of my favorite things about writing is really getting into the heads of my characters. My MCs are people that I admire, that I could see myself being friends with, and Snow is a ninja girl after my own heart. 🙂 She’s tough yet vulnerable, strong yet soft on the inside, smart and incredibly loyal. In short, she is one tough cookie, and I love her for it. So without further ado…

Snow’s Top 10 Ninja Tips:

Embrace your inner ninja (aka love yourself and everything that makes you YOU).

Watch out for mean girls. Even ninjas have feelings, and mean girls always go for the weak spots.

Be stealth–especially when it comes to stealing a kiss from a stranger in a theater. Who said you have to wait for that first kiss?

Adhere to the ninja way, and always stick up for your friends (even when they keep secrets and drag you to Girls Night…ugh).

Say “no” to karaoke. Just because you kick ass does not mean you have ninja singing skills.

Work out every day–especially if you’ve eaten marshmallow fluff the night before.

Keep it professional (aka stop accidentally kissing the guy whose body you’re supposed to be guarding).

Some ninjas like chick flicks…or have a collection of every romantic comedy ever.

Be fearless if you can. If you’re scared, be brave and do it anyway.

If someone loves you for the ninja that you are, don’t be afraid to love them right back <3.

Like I said, I love Snow! I’m really hoping readers will as well. Next week, I’m planning to do a post about Ash…oh Ash, sigh <333. Keep a lookout for that if you’d like to fangirl right along with me lol. Also, if you like winning free stuff, there’s still a few more days to enter the NINJA GIRL Blog Tour Giveaway! I hoped you enjoyed these ninja tips as much as I did, and I hope you have a great day!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman

P.S. NINJA GIRL hit #1 in the U.S. in one of its categories this week!!! Yayyyyy, whoohoo, and hi-yah!

03
May
2017

To Readers, With Love

categories: Adorkable, doing what you love, Ninja Girl, writing, YA, YA Bound Book Tours

Writers shouldn’t read their reviews.

I know, I know…but it’s just so hard to do in reality! If there is a secret to this, please let me know. I actually somewhat agree with the sentiment because if you’re anything like me a bad review can make you question everything. (To be honest, I question everything anyway…ugh.) Here’s the thing though: Sometimes what reviewers write isn’t bad. Sometimes what they write…is wonderful.

And if you don’t read the reviews–or only read the bad ones that stick in your head forever…and ever…and ever and ever and ever–you might miss a kind word that could make your day! 🙂

I’m not even going to lie. I read the reviews. Yes, some of them hurt; that’s something that hasn’t changed since publishing ADORKABLE. Some of the harsher comments cut straight to the bone. But a lot of people had nice things to say, and I wanted to share a bit of that brightness with you!

Here are some of the wonderful things people had to say about NINJA GIRL:

“Ninja Girl is such a great young adult read. I fell in love with Snow and Ash.”–Lissa at Boundless Book Reviews

“I love the characters. Not only is Ash everything I hoped for, but Snow is one of my favorite young adult protagonists. Ever. She’s intimidating and unsure all at once and pulls it off in a thoroughly believable way. I adore her loyalty to her mother, her responsibility to her job, and her very vulnerable heart.”–T.H. Hernandez at Adventures in Writing, author of The Union Series

“Cookie O’Gorman follows up the appropriately titled Adorkable with the delightfully entertaining Ninja Girl, an equally fun read featuring a kick-butt, strong and smart female main character and enjoyable plot.”–Jennifer at Never Too Many To Read

“A cute contemporary with kickass fighting, girl power and diversity.”–Kati at To Be Read

“This novel moves at a stellar pace. Honestly, there was never a dull moment! If you weren’t swooning over Ash and Snow together you were watching Snow kick some serious butt or having these great moments of individual character growth. I loved every page.”–Lauren at SERIESous Book Reviews

“Ninja Girl was funny, entertaining and daring at the gender roles swap, but it worked out so well and naturally that we can’t even imagine it any other way.”–Annelise at The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange

“A really kick ass romance that will have you swooning and cheering.”–Jessica at Writing Pearls

“This was such a brilliantly fun read. The writing was punchy, the plot packed and twisty, and the underlying themes very contemporary and on-point.”–Christina Philippou at Writing Round the Block, author of Lost In Static

“I loved how much I bought into and believed in the characters and the storyline. Cookie O’Gorman is a great writer. I can’t wait to read more books by her. Ninja Girl was a great read for me.”–Michelle at Book Briefs

“I loved the romance between Ash and Snow. The writing was smooth and easy to read and the pace was even throughout the book. I can’t wait to read more by this author!”–Poulami at Daydreaming Books

I am very thankful to YA Bound Book Tours and to everyone who helped with the NINJA GIRL blog tour. I titled this one “To Readers, With Love” because I want you to know how much I truly appreciate every read, review and post. Whether it is for ADORKABLE or NINJA GIRL, if you’re a blogger/reviewer/reader, I wish I could write it across the sky in letters, but I hope you believe me when I say: Thank you so much! You are awesome!!!

I hope you all have a great week!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman

24
Apr
2017

NINJA GIRL Blog Tour

categories: doing what you love, Ninja Girl, Romance, YA, YA Bound Book Tours

Yay, it’s time for the NINJA GIRL Blog Tour!

Excitement and nervousness are battling it out, but I’m looking forward to (and also dreading lol) seeing what readers thought of the book. I can’t believe NINJA GIRL has been out for almost a month! That’s just crazy. I really hope people love Snow and Ash and their story. Oh I so hope that! No matter what though, I am grateful for every blogger who took the time out to review and/or post about book baby #2 :). Thank you to YA Bound Book Tours for working with me again, and thank you to every reader who has helped spread the word about NINJA GIRL! If you’re interested, here is a link to the tour. Several awesome blogs are involved, and there’s also a giveaway! I hope your week is off to a great start!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman