The Big Love Letter Event: Mindee Arnett

Welcome to week three of The Big Love Letter Event! For those of you who missed the introductory post several weeks ago, this event will run every Friday through March 13th and will consist of love letters written by some truly amazing authors. Danny from Bewitched Bookworms and I will each be hosting different letters every week (hop over there today for a little something special from Anna Banks!), so be sure and check out both blogs for a bigger and better celebration of all things swoon-worthy. We'll also be hosting a fantastic giveaway, so don't forget to check the bottom of the post for all the details, as well as links to all the previous love letters in case you didn't get to them!

I have the great pleasure today to welcome young adult author Mindee Arnett back to the blog to share a letter from Eli to his love interest Dusty, two characters from her hugely entertaining Arkwell Academy series. Book one, The Nightmare Affair, is where I first discovered–and fell madly in love with–Mindee, her sense of humor shining through Dusty and endearing her to me forever. People who love to laugh are my kind of people, and, I say this in the least stalkerish way possible, Mindee is someone I consider my people. If you haven't tried the Arkwell books or her amazing Avalon series, then get on it because Mindee's books are the kind it would be a travesty to miss!

Dear Dusty,

Summers shouldn’t be like this. So long, so slow. Before I met you my summer breaks flew by fast as anything, the days blurring into one another. Then again, this one would be flying by too, if you were here. But you’re not. You’re touring Europe with your mother, although we both know the trip is just an excuse to keep us apart. Your mother believes the dream seer curse is true. But we don’t. We know better.

I think. I hope.

I wish you were here. But I’ve been doing my best to stay busy. Some days are better than others. But the nights are the hardest. You’re in my dreams every night. That sounds incredibly sappy, but we both know that our dreams are different, special. Or at least they were when you were here. But all summer my dreams have been my own. Lonely. Empty. The dream you my self-conscious keeps supplying isn’t good enough. She’s not the real thing, but a shadow. Sometimes when I first arrive in my dream and spot her, I think she’s really you, that you’re really here, and for a few minutes everything is right. Then I realize the truth and it’s worse than ever.

Not only that but my dreams lack the substance of the ones we share together. Is it weird that I miss that, too? I know I shouldn’t. Dreams that aren’t fraught with danger and symbols of impending doom should be welcome, but I’d rather face the danger—with you. And there is still danger out there. We need to be together to fight. Apart we’re blind and vulnerable. Why can’t the Magi Senate see it? Why doesn’t your mother understand? I wish we could make them all see the truth. Then again, it’s just a few weeks, right? In reality it’s no time at all, no matter that it feels like eternity.

Honestly, I’m not sure why I’m even writing this letter. It’s not like I can mail it to you. Where would I send it? I don’t even know where you are exactly. And emailing is out of the question since you’re mom confiscated your phone. I know the coverage rates are crazy expensive over there, but it seems a ready-made excuse to keep us apart. I hate it. I guess this means that you probably won’t ever see this letter. But I’m writing it anyway. What does that mean?

I guess it means that…that…I love you. Wow, writing it feels strange like gravity has suddenly become less somehow, like if I jump in the air I might lose my hold on the earth. I’ve never said it before, never admitted it, not even to myself. But it’s true. I love you. Maybe someday, when you’re back, I’ll finally get to tell you.

Love,
Eli

Dammit Eli! Way to make a girl cry ugly tears. *wanders off to call the husband and berate him for not writing me heartfelt and gloriously sappy love letters*

*Book 3, The Nightmare Charade, releases in August from Tor Teen.

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THE NIGHTMARE AFFAIR
Arkwell Academy #1

Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare.

Literally.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder.

Then Eli’s dream comes true.

Now Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.

Amazon • Goodreads • B&N

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THE NIGHTMARE DILEMMA
Arkwell Academy #2

Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare.

Literally.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder.

Then Eli’s dream comes true.

Now Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.

Amazon • Goodreads • B&N

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MINDEE ARNETT

Mindee Arnett lives on a horse farm in Ohio with her husband, two kids, a couple of dogs, and an inappropriate number of cats. She’s addicted to jumping horses and telling tales of magic, the macabre, and outer space. She has far more dreams than nightmares. 

Website • Facebook • Twitter

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GIVEAWAY

Danny and I have (what we think) is a pretty fabulous giveaway that will run for the entirety of this event with 5 winners in total when all is said and done:

• Winners 1-4: Each will get a book of your choice from one of the participating authors. (Open internationally as long as Book Depository ships to you! )
• Winner 5  : Hardcover copy of LAILAH by Nikki Kelley plus some awesomely cute swag (international ). Prize is provided by author - thank you so much!
  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to check back both here and at Bewitched Bookworms every Friday in February for more letters and a whole lot more love from these fantastic authors:

• Kristen Simmons (The Glass Arrow)
• Mindee Arnett (Polaris, The Nightmare Dilemma)
• Melissa Landers (Invaded)
• Sara Raasch (Snow Like Ashes)
• Emery Lord (The Start of Me and You)
• Liza Palmer (Girl Before a Mirror)
• Anna Banks (Joyride)
• Heather Demetrios (I'll Meet You There)
• Nikki Kelly (The Styclar Saga)
• Paula Stokes (Liars, Inc.)
• & More!