I’m headed to St. Louis for the annual convention of NCTE, the National Council of Teachers of English, later this week. I’ll be there from late Thursday, November 16, through Sunday, November 19. I’d love to connect with you. I’ve posted my schedule below. I’ll also be posting on twitter and instagram about the event with the hashtag #NCTE17.

Hi Bounders fans!

I’m so excited to let you know that the fourth book in the Bounders series, The Forgotten Shrine, releases December 12, 2017. Isn’t the cover amazing!?! You can read all about the Bounders covers in my post on the awesome kidlit blog, I Write for Apples. Also, The Forgotten Shrine is available for preorder, so scoot on over to my Books page for more information!

Stay tuned for details about my book launch party for The Forgotten Shrine in December!

Today is Bounders’ first birthday! On this date, one year ago, Bounders came into the world, and my dream of becoming a published author came true.

In some ways, it feels like the year flew by. But in other ways, a year seems about right. After all, in the past twelve months, I revised the second Bounders book, drafted the third Bounders book and turned it into my editor, and launched The Tundra Trials (Bounders #2). I also reviewed the artwork for the new cover and talked with my publisher about the new episodic title for Bounders. In December, Bounders was released in paperback as Earth Force Rising (Bounders is now the series name). Isn’t the new cover cool?

To celebrate Bounders’ birthday, I’m rolling out a new book recommendations initiative. Those of you who came to the launch party for The Tundra Trials knows this was in the works. As I visited schools over the past year, I realized that there aren’t many formal book recommendations for fans of science fiction, fantasy, and adventure series. Readers find out about books from other readers, which is awesome! But it got me thinking, what if we could broaden the reach of some of those recommendations?

At my launch party, I invited kids to give book recommendations, in the form of “If you like Bounders, you might like ____________,” and a few reasons why. We generated a really great list. I’m including some of those recommendations below. I hope to keep the recommendations coming, and maybe even expand a section of my website for them.

If you’re reading this, and you have a book recommendation for fans of the Bounders series, send me an email!  Soon you may find your recommendation up on my site. If you’d like me to include your name and last initial, let me know.

Also, if you were at my book launch and your recommendation isn’t included below (or doesn’t include your name and initial), let me know! The recommendations were coming so fast, we couldn’t keep up with all of them.

Book Recommendations from Bounders’ Fans:

Books for Upper Elementary and Middle School Readers:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Rick Riordan), recommended by Marin T.

The Unwanteds (Lisa McMann), recommended by Sam O.
The 39 Clues Series (multiple authors), recommended by Grace B.
The Harry Potter Series (J.K. Rowling)
The Five Kingdom Series (Brandon Mull), recommended by Nathan T.

Magnus Chase and the Guards of Asgard (Rick Riordan), recommended by Meredith T.
The 13th Reality (James Dashner), recommended by Cameron F.

Pendragon (MacHale), recommended by Grace B.
Wondla (Diterlizzi)

Books for Older Readers (Young Adult Category):
I Am Princess X (Cherie Priest), recommended by Kate D.
The Maze Runner (James Dashner), recommended by Cameron F.
The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins), recommended by Grace B.
Divergent (Veronica Roth)
Eragon (Christopher Paolini), recommended by Ben R.
Enders Game (Orson Scott Card), recommended by Margot W.
Lorien Legacies (Pittacus Lore), recommended by Sam S.

The Fog Diver Series (Joel Ross), recommended by Theran G.

The Scare Scape Series (Sam Fisher), recommended by Theran G.

The Launch Party for the Tundra Trials is fast approaching! I hope you’ll join me to celebrate the release of the second book in the Bounders series. You’ll also get to see the exciting new cover for the Earth Force Rising (Bounders 1) paperback. There will be sweets, prizes, and special book swag, not to mention a reading and signing.

Make a night of it! There’s lots of great shopping and restaurants at the Derby Street Shoppes in Hingham. Also, all purchases at the store will benefit the Hingham Education Foundation (just make sure to mention at the register that you’re there supporting HEF)!

I hope to see you on Tuesday, December 13 at 7 p.m at the Barnes & Noble in Hingham for The Tundra Trials Launch Party!

On December 13 — just 6 weeks away — the second book in the Bounders series, The Tundra Trials,  releases. On the very same day, the first book in the series releases with a new cover and title, Earth Force Rising.

To celebrate the releases and show my appreciation to all my readers, I’m offering a Preorder Giveaway. If you preorder either The Tundra Trials or Earth Force Rising before November 30 and email me proof of preorder and your mailing address, I will send you a special swag pack. If you’ve already preordered, that is so awesome! Just send me the same information.

Look at the fun stuff you’ll get:

A classic Bounders bookmark

A new bookmark with The Tundra Trials & Earth Force Rising cover art

A signed bookplate

Three Born to Bound stickers!

I’ll mail the swag pack to you during the first week of December, so you should have it by the time you receive your book.

So remember, email me at monica@monicatesler.com by November 30 with your proof of preorder (like an electronic receipt or screenshot of the order) and mailing address, and the swag pack will be heading your way! If you’d prefer to have your actual book signed (and receive the swag pack), place your preorder with my local independent bookstore, Buttonwood Books and Toys, making sure to put your signing/personalization request in the comments section.

Thanks so much!

The BOUNDERS series continues this December!

THE TUNDRA TRIALS is scheduled to release on December 13, 2016. Find out what’s next for Jasper and his friends!

Check back soon for more information or sign up for my newsletter. My first newsletter will be coming out soon. All subscribers will be entered to win an original, signed ARC (Advance Review Copy) of BOUNDERS, not to mention lots of fun book swag!

Celebrating Children’s Book Week, MarcyKate Connolly, Author of Monstrous and Ravenous, and I kick off our Tween Science Fiction & Fantasy Series on Saturday, May 7 at 2:00 pm at Books on the Square in Providence, Rhode Island. We will also be at Barnes & Noble in Hingham, Massachusetts on Saturday, May 14 at 2:00 p.m. and Toadstool Bookshop in Milford, New Hampshire on June 11 at 2:00 p.m. We’ll be talking about our books and publishing journeys, and we’ll be recommending some of our favorite tween science fiction and fantasy novels for you to get a jump on summer reading. We hope to see you at one of our stops!