Teddy bears are cliché, roses die, and too many chocolates? That’s how you spend Valentine’s Day with an upset stomach (hardly conducive for a romantic evening). We’ve got the perfect present for you, though, readers: food for thought.

During the week of Valentine’s Day—February 11–15—our daily essays will be all about sex and love. When you’re a romantic at heart or a jaded curmudgeon or something in between, we’ve got an essay to match your mood. Scroll down to see what’s in store.

Happy reading, and happy Valentine’s! We hope your day is great.

» Continue Reading “We don’t have any candy hearts…but here are some essays!”

Next Tuesday is the official pub date for Shadowhunters and Downworlders, our anthology of YA authors talking about Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series. (Though you can already get a print copy, or pre-order the e-book, online. Or order the audio book!) And while usually this pre-publication book “introduction” feature gives a little extra behind-the-scenes info on the content of our books, I wanted to break from tradition here and talk a little about the design—in particular, the cover.

The cover art is gorgeous, of course; it’s the work of Cliff Nielsen, the man responsible for a lot of my favorite YA covers the last few years (including the Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices covers). But I also love what Cliff did …

» Continue Reading “Behind the Scenes of Shadowhunters and Downworlders”

Does the Clave have a position on the December holidays?

For us, they’re  a time when people are supposed to come together and put aside their differences, and that’s a sentiment with which we think our favorite Shadowhunters and Downworlders would wholeheartedly agree. So we’ve put together a set of gifts for the Mortal Instruments-loving mundane on your list. (Plus, it’s probably pretty hard to find time to shop when you’re busy, you know, saving the world.)

PLEASE NOTE: This gift guide includes official Mortal Instruments merchandise, but also a few endeavors NOT ENDORSED by Cassandra Clare. We’ve marked the official products accordingly, below.

1. DIY Temporary Tattoos. Use this printable tattoo paper to make runes for your favorite Shadowhunter—no stele required!
2. Runes Leather

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» Continue Reading “2012 Holiday Gift Guide: The Mortal Instruments”

Headed to SDCC next month? Hey, us too!

Here’s where to find us at Comic-Con, what we’re up to, and what we’re giving away.

Jump to: Location, Free Stuff, Signings, Giveaways

Location, Location, Location (#4300)

This year, thanks of Friend of Smart Pop Jamie Chambers, we’ll be front and audience-left-of-center in the exhibit hall, at Booth #4300.

We’re excited about this for multiple reasons:

1. The company (we’re sharing space with Jamie’s Signal Fire Studios and Dead Gentleman Productions)
2. We’ll be only twenty feet from Starbucks
3. We’ll be a lot easier for you to find!

We’re listed in two places in the exhibit hall guide, and you’ll still be able to pick up a sampler from our table …

» Continue Reading “San Diego Comic-Con 2012”

It’s my favorite time of year again: time to announce a new season of Smart Pop titles.

I’ve included the book-specific sign-up form for each title below, so if any of these pique your interest and you want to get a head’s up when we post advance excerpts or do giveaways (along with, of course, a reminder email on pub date!), just enter your email and hit the submit button.

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First up, in December 2012, is The Panem Companion:

The Panem Companion is a new unofficial Hunger Games guide that delves into Panem itself: how it could have come to be; it’s culture, socioeconomics, and ideas of race, ethnicity, and gender; and the effects on the characters we know and love. Plus, it …

» Continue Reading “Announcing the Smart Pop Fall 2012 season”