Blog Tour: Heather Duffy-Stone!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Heather Duffy-Stone, whose book This is What I Want to Tell You debuted on March 1!! I am so eager to pick this one up.

Here’s a blurb about This is What I Want to Tell You:

The stories people tell are always about the things we left behind, and about the things we wish we could do again. The real story isn't about what you know; it's about what you wish you knew then. When my brother and my best friend fell in love—that was the end of everything I knew.

Fraternal twins Nadio and Noelle share a close connection—and as Noelle's best friend since they were five, Keeley Shipley fit perfectly into their world. But everything changes after Keeley spends the summer before junior year at Oxford. When Keeley returns, Nadio falls in love with her. Noelle, ripped apart by resentment, sees her as an ungrateful rich girl. But Keeley has a painful story that she can't tell yet. As Nadio and Keeley hide their romance, Noelle dives into something of her own—a destructive affair with an older boy.

Beautifully presented by dual narrators in a haunting stream of memories, this is the deeply moving story of how secrets can consume a friendship—and how love can heal it.

Aaaaaand, a little about author Heather Duffy-Stone:

Heather Duffy Stone writes stories and essays that are mostly inspired by high school—either her own or someone else’s. This Is What I Want to Tell You is her first novel. She has lived in Vermont, England, Los Angeles, rural New York and Rome, Italy. For now she cooks, sleeps, explores, writes and teaches in Brooklyn, New York. Check her out on the web at http://www.heatherduffystone.com.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

Two things, really. One was this class of students I had a few years ago when I was teaching in Rome. We were reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky and they were doing a lot of their own writing. It was one of the greatest classes I’ve ever taught in some ways, because the book brought out a lot of truth. I wanted to tell a story that could do that. The other inspiration is the character of Parker. He’s an amalgamation of all of the things I’ve fallen for. I wanted to write about how you can fall for something so hard, and it may not be good for you, but it shapes who you are.

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

I went to boarding school so every meal was in the cafeteria. I was a vegetarian too… I loved pizza days. But we also had fresh baked bread and every time the loaves would come out of the oven, all steamy and doughy, fifty girls would descend upon the cutting board. It was so good...

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

Just making things up, all day long. I love when I have a conversation, or see a reflection in a window or watch a couple talking on the street and suddenly I get an idea and a story starts to grow… I just love that feeling, that exhilaration.

Thanks for coming to my blog, Heather--I hope you sell a ton of copies!!!

WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson

Wintergirls is the first Laurie Halse Anderson book I've ever read. I currently have Speak on my TBR pile (which is growing larger every day, LOL). But when I saw this in Target, I couldn't resist snagging a copy and digging in.

In Wintergirls, anorexic teenager Lia learns that her former best friend Cassie died alone in a hotel room, after making 33 desperate calls to Lia's cell...which Lia, still hurt over their friendship breakup, never answered. Now, Lia is haunted by Cassie's death, tortured by Cassie's ghost and her own hyperforcused compulsion/obsession to be thin, thinner, the thinnest she can be.

Every bite Lia eats is measured in calories, every meal carefully planned for minimum calorie intake, which are quickly evaporated by fervent exercising. Yes, Lia has been in and out of the clinic to help with her problem, but it hasn't changed her view of herself as a fat stupid girl. And it hasn't helped her tense relationship with her mom, or with her dad's new wife and daughter.

But things are bubbling over, festering in Lia, and she has to decide quickly how she's going to deal with her messed-up life--before it's too late.

I started reading Wintergirls a few days ago, devouring it in several lengthy stretches. I found the story difficult to read in spots--Lia's obvious unreliability as a narrator in terms of her self-perception was genuine, painful, mesmerizing. I wanted to shake her and hug her at the same time and say, "You're killing yourself! Why can't you see that?" It was chilling to watch her plunge headfirst into her skewed reality, to see how desperate she was to lose just another pound, again and again and again.

Even though I felt uncomfortable in Lia's skin as I read Wintergirls, I kept turning the pages. Even though I feared how it would end, I couldn't stop reading. In a way, Lia's compulsion became my own--how skinny COULD she get? Will she overcome this obsession with being thin, or will it overtake her?

This was my first Laurie Halse Anderson book, and it knocked the air out of my lungs. An amazing, sorrowful, hopeful, painful story. Gritty. Real. Edgy. Lyrical. And one that will linger with me for a long time to come. I am very, very eager to pick up more of her stuff--her power as a writer is awe-inspiring.

Elizabeth Scott = YA author genius

So the last two days, I read two extremely different books of Elizabeth Scott's back-to-back: Perfect You, and Living Dead Girl.

My first introduction to Elizabeth Scott was last year, when I read her novel Bloom. I absolutely adored this story: girl has boyfriend, but realizes she wants another guy and struggles with what's right to do, as well as how she feels. The emotions of her characters are tangible, so vivid, and as I read it, I was swept up in the narrative. I'd been meaning to read more of her stuff.

A week or so ago, I decided to pick up two more of her books--the first was Perfect You. Another seemingly simple story: a girl's life changes drastically when her dad quits his job to do his "dream" job (selling vitamins in a booth in the mall); meanwhile, she struggles with her feelings for a guy she should dislike, as well as seeing her best friend slip away and turn into someone else...someone who is just like the people they used to hate.

I read the book in one sitting. LOL. The way her characters are so real, so flawed, but so empathetic and understandable....it's a real talent she has.

The next book, I'd been hesitant to read--Living Dead Girl. I knew it was dark because I'd heard reviews about it and, franky, I wasn't sure I was ready for it. The story in this one is a 15-year-old girl who was kidnapped 5 years ago and, in essence, feels she's a living dead girl, stuck in a nightmare of an existence that has stripped her of her freedom, her humanity.

This one was darker than I could even have imagined, so much darker, but still I kept turning the pages. Heartbreaking, the agony of reading what happens mentally and physically to the narrator who is called Alice (that's what her kidnapper renamed her)--watching her as she desperately tries to escape within herself, and her situation. This one really punched me in the gut.

So far, I've read three novels by Elizabeth Scott, and they have all been stellar and well-crafted. Lucky me, she has more books out, and I plan to run out and get them too. LOL. It's so awesome to find a must-read author, and Elizabeth Scott has written her way onto my list.

What about you? Have you read these novels, or any others by her? What are your thoughts?

Also, do you have any must-read authors? I'm always looking for new suggestions!

First-pass pages, and Forest of Hands and Teeth

I got my first-pass pages for Stupid Cupid on Friday. They're the typeset pages with all the pretty embellishments, and are sized to be the size of my book. This'll be the last time I see the pages before they're bound (EEEH! haha).

So I'm going through them to make sure there aren't any typos, words left out, etc. It's a lot of fun, rereading this story--I forgot a lot of things I'd written in it, and I've found myself giggling at my characters. haha. I guess that's a good thing. :D

And when I wasn't working on first-pass pages, I was reading Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth. It debuted last week. Have you read this YA zombie apocalypse-type book yet? If not, GO GET IT. It's amazing--the writing is lush and tangible. Very concrete. Gritty, but still beautiful. A dark, haunting, harsh story, and I couldn't put it down.

Hope you guys had a great weekend! Read anything good? Let me know!

Blog Tour: Cynthea Liu!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Cynthea Liu, whose book The Great Call of China debuted on February 19!! I love the SASS (Students Across the Seven Seas) books and definitely am running out to grab this one.

Here’s a blurb about The Great Call of China:

Chinese-born Cece was adopted when she was two years old by her American parents. Living in Texas, she's bored of her ho-hum high school and dull job. So when she learns about the S.A.S.S. program to Xi'an, China, she jumps at the chance. She'll be able to learn about her passion—anthropology—and it will give her the opportunity to explore her roots. But when she arrives, she receives quite a culture shock. And the closer she comes to finding out about her birth parents, the more apprehensive she gets. Enter Will, the cute guy she first meets on the plane. He and Cece really connect during the program. But can he help her get accustomed to a culture she should already know about, or will she leave China without the answers she's been looking for?

Aaaaaand, a little about author Cynthea Liu:

Cynthea spent her formative years in Oklahoma and Texas where she was a Whiz Quiz member, an Academic Decathloner, and a spelling bee champion. (Yes, she was very popular.) After attending college on the East coast, she worked at a corporate job where she mastered PowerPoint and racked up thousands of frequent flyer miles. Eventually, she traded in her suit for sweats to do the fun stuff–writing for children. In addition to PARIS PAN TAKES THE DARE and THE GREAT CALL OF CHINA, Cynthea's nonfiction book WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS: A CRASH COURSE (how to write, revise, and publish your kid's or teen book with children's book publishers) is available in paperback. Check her out on the web at http://www.cynthealiu.com.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

I actually didn't know I'd be writing about an adopted teen in China until my agent asked if I wanted to write a YA novel set in China. That's when the S.A.S.S. novels were brought to my attention, and I said, why not? After that the concept letter mentioned a possible storyline about a girl tracing her ancestral roots in China. So I turned that into a new plotline for the novel: an adopted teen journeys to China to find answers to questions about her past.

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

We went out to eat all the time in high school. Taco Bell was a common destination. And I remember the 99-cent seven-layer burrito. Oh, man. Those things were so heavy. After eating one, you'd just pass out during afternoon classes because every blood cell in your body drains from your head and goes directly to your stomach to help digest a zillion fatty calories. Ugh.

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

The best part is fan letters. That's when you know you've done good!

Thanks for coming to my blog, Cynthea--and big CONGRATS on your release!!!

Blog Tour: Sarah MacLean!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Sarah MacLean, whose book The Season debuted on February 1!! I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this novel--I loved it it so much!!

Here’s a blurb about The Season:

Seventeen-year-old Lady Alexandra Stafford doesn't fit into the world of Regency London — she's strong-willed, sharp-tongued, and she absolutely loathes dress fittings. Unfortunately, her mother has been waiting for years for Alex to be old enough to take part in the social whirlwind of a London Season so she can be married off to someone safe, respectable, wealthy, and almost certainly boring. But Alex is much more interested in adventure than romance.

Between sumptuous balls, lavish dinner parties and country weekends, Alex, along with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, manages to get entangled in her biggest scrape yet. When the Earl of Blackmoor is killed in a puzzling accident, Alex decides to help his son, the brooding and devilishly handsome Gavin, uncover the truth. It's a mystery brimming with espionage, murder, and suspicion. As she and Gavin grow closer, will Alex's heart be stolen in the process?

Romance and danger fill the air, as this year's Season begins!

Aaaaaand, a little about author Sarah MacLean:

Sarah MacLean is the author of THE SEASON, a YA novel coming in February 2009 from Scholastic. She grew up in Rhode Island, where she spent much of her free time bemoaning the fact that she was more than a century too late for own Season. Her unabashed addiction to historical fiction helped to earn her a degree in European History from Smith College before she moved to New York City to pursue a career in publishing. After receiving a Masters in Education from Harvard University, Sarah returned to New York, where she lives with her husband, their dog, and a ridiculously large collection of romance novels. She is currently working on a series of regency-set romances to be released in 2010 from Avon/HarperCollins. Check her out on the web at http://www.macleanspace.com.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE or IndieBound HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

Alex, my main character, came first. She was standing on a dressmakers platform, being fitted for her first ball--the first time she'd be presented to London society. After that, it was just a matter of learning more about her--which wasn't hard, because she spent a whole lot of time nagging me until I wrote her out of my head.

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

I was a PB&J girl. It was the safest choice from my cafeteria. It came out of a jar...how much could the cafeteria workers screw it up?

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

Gloria Steinem once said, "I do not like to write. I like to have written." That's so perfectly true. The best part of writing is going back and realizing that you've written something that makes sense, and that isn't half bad. The writing part is torture. :)

Thanks for coming to my blog, Sarah--and huuuge CONGRATS on the release!!!

Man uses Twitter while house being broken into

Yanno, I'm pretty darn new to Twitter. In case you don't know what that is, it's a site where you can type real-time updates on what you're doing, using 140 characters or less--by the way, you can follow me HERE if you like!

I have to say, I love it so far. It's fun to see what other people are doing and "tweeting" about (or whatever it's called, LOL). I can totally see why so many folks are doing it.

However, it was a jarring surprise to read an unusual article on Media Bistro this morning. Apparently, a web exec was tweeting while his house was being broken into. You can read the article HERE, which includes some of the Twitter updates he posted (in fact, at one point, he started to live stream the intruder).

If it were me? I'd be waaaay too busy to tweet, because I'd be doing one or more of the following actions, and probably in this order:

--CALLING. THE. POLICE!!

--finding an object that could serve as a shiv or some sort of stabby weapon

--coming up with a plan of attack and/or defense

--trying not to puke all over my shoes

So what do you think about this? What does it say about our society, about us, that someone would stay on Twitter and type real-time updates (and LIVE STREAM images), rather than handle this in real life? Frankly, I find this a little disturbing and HIGHLY odd. Yes, I love the Internet. I love blogging, tweeting, MySpacing, FaceBooking, etc. I've met a lot of cool people and have really enjoyed it so far!

But if it comes down to possible danger in my house? I'm sooooo outtie. haha

Blog Tour: Carrie Ryan!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Carrie Ryan, whose book The Forest of Hands and Teeth debuted on March 10!! I read the first chapter of this story and was INSTANTLY hooked. It's going to explode off the shelves, I can tell.

Here’s a blurb about The Forest of Hands and Teeth:

The Forest of Hands and Teeth is about a young girl named Mary growing up generations after an apocalypse in a village surrounded by fences protecting them from the Unconsecrated, zombie-like creatures inhabiting the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Cut off from the rest of the world and told they are the last survivors of the Return, every part of her life is controlled by the religious order called the Sisterhood. As Mary starts to fall in love with someone she shouldn’t, she learns the extent of the Sisterhood’s power and starts to discover more of their darkest secrets. When the security of the fences is threatened and her world is thrown into chaos, Mary must decide what she’s willing to risk to find out if there’s life beyond the Forest.

Aaaaaand, a little about author Carrie Ryan:

Born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, Carrie Ryan is a graduate of Williams College and Duke University School of Law. A former litigator, she now writes full time. She lives with her writer/lawyer fiancé, two fat cats and one large puppy in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are not at all prepared for the zombie apocalypse. Check her out on the web at http://www.carrieryan.com/.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE or IndieBound HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

I was walking home from work one day after reading an article about overfishing of tuna. I thought about how absurd it would be if my kids or grandkids lived in a world where tuna was a rare treat when right now I have cans of it just sitting on my shelf at home. And then the first line of my book popped into my head ("My mother used to tell me about the ocean.") I wondered what kind of world could have forgotten about the ocean. The main character's voice was so strong that I couldn't let her go! I raced home and wrote the first chapter that night!

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

At my high school we had this tiny tiny little "store" that basically had old hot dogs and those packaged sandwiches of indeterminate age and origin. So my favorite were the days some student groups would bring in pizza for a fundraiser! Otherwise I usually ate a bagel.

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

Other than wearing PJs all day... I love to inhabit these other worlds and create these stories. I love the feeling when it all clicks, when you lose track of time and the words just flow.

Thanks for coming to my blog, Carrie--and huge CONGRATS on the release!!!

Writing and waiting

Writing and waiting: two things that sometimes seem to overwhelm my life. Ever have times like that, where you're either super busy or super free?

I go through spells where I'm swamped with writing...and then move into a spell where it's nothing but waiting. Right now, I'm in a waiting spell. :D

I have a proposal I've been working on for quite a while and just sent to my agent for some feedback. Slow-going, getting it crafted just right. It's one of those stories that is a complete departure for me, but beckons me. I've really enjoyed it so far!

I'm also waiting to hear back on some proposal ideas. There's one in particular I'm frothing at the mouth to write. Hopefully that doesn't scare my editor too much. hahaha

In the meanwhile, I'm keeping myself busy watching new anime. I'm also reading--on my bedside stand is SKINNED by Robin Wasserman. Really enjoying this story so far. It's an unusual futuristic story--a girl who dies from a car accident has her brain copied and uploaded into an artificial being. So she's coping with losing her identity and trying to figure out who she is, in a time where people hate "skinners" like her.

Hope everyone else is doing well! Up to anything good? Or no good? Reading anything awesome? Share!

Blog Tour: Jenny Moss!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Jenny Moss, whose book Winnie's War debuted on February 3!! This novel looks AMAZING.

Here’s a blurb about Winnie's War:

A debut novel set against the backdrop of the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918.

Life in Winnie's sleepy town of Coward Creek, Texas, is just fine for her. Although her troubled mother's distant behavior has always worried Winnie, she's plenty busy caring for her younger sisters, going to school, playing chess with Mr. Levy, and avoiding her testy grandmother. Plus, her sweetheart Nolan is always there to make her smile when she's feeling low. But when the Spanish Influenza claims its first victim, lives are suddenly at stake, and Winnie has never felt so helpless. She must find a way to save the people she loves most, even if doing so means putting her own life at risk.

Aaaaaand, a little about author Jenny Moss:

JENNY MOSS is a former NASA engineer. She earned a master's degree in literature and taught writing as an adjunct at University of Houston-Clear Lake. Winnie's War is her first novel. She lives with her two teenagers in Houston, Texas. Check her out on the web at http://www.jenny-moss.com.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

A dozen sparks, I think, resulting in a fascination with disease and with the relationships between people living in small towns (esp as they cope with disease).

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

I most remember the year I was a vegetarian, having to bring my sack lunch

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

The writing, absolutely.

Thanks for coming to my blog, Jenny--and CONGRATS on your release!!!

dummm...Dummm...DUMMM...DA DUMMMMM...

(the title is the music from 2001: A Space Odyssey, in case it didn't make sense. haha)

So as I'm sure some of you heard, I finally can show all three covers of my trilogy. YAY!!! And just because I love admiring my pretties, LOL, I'm going to post them here too:

Stupid Cupid (book 1 of the trilogy)

Flirting With Disaster (book 2 of the trilogy)

Pucker Up (book 3 of the trilogy)

December just can't get here fast enough for me! LOL.

Blog Tour: J.E. MacLeod!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is J.E. MacLeod, whose book Waiting to Score debuted on February 26!! This one looks so awesome--I can't wait to get a copy.

Here’s a blurb about Waiting to Score:

When Zachary Chase was a baby, his dad, an NHL star, died on the road --in a car full of groupies. Now fifteen, Zack struggles with his own hockey skills and the risk of turning out like his Dad. Soon incidents on ice and off force Zack to dig deeper to find out who he really is--and what he wants. Zack discovers things are not always the way they seem. Especially with girls.

Aaaaaand, a little about author J.E. MacLeod:

J.E.'s path to becoming an author was a windy one. After college, she wrote advertising copy for radio and then television and eventually moved on to work in sales and marketing for too many years.

After having a son, J.E. followed her dreams and wrote her first book. Once she started writing YA, she felt like she’d found her home and has been writing it ever since. J.E. lives near the Canadian Rockies with her husband and son and a new puppy named Meeko. She does not live in an Igloo or play hockey, but she does love maple syrup and says “eh” a lot. Check her out on the web at http://www.jemacleod.com/.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

This book is completley character driven. Zack came to me, this cool hockey player boy who seemed to have it all, but had his own struggles to deal with just like everyone else. I think I always thought boys with a talent and a team to belong to had it so much easier when I was a teen, and I wanted to know if that were true.

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

I took a brown bag lunch. Four kids, not a lot of excess income. I do remember these great ice cream treats. White ice cream dipped in chocolate. I didn't eat them often, because I think I dieted from Grade 10 on. Seriously. What a waste.

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

I love that I don't have to get all dressed up and go to an office to write. I love making stuff up.

Thanks for coming to my blog, J.E.--and huge CONGRATS on the release!!!

misc Monday stuff

So I spent the weekend celebrating my book being on Amazon with several fun-filled activities:

1--updated my website (how productive of me! haha)

2--indulging in some brewskies (the manpanion and I adore this beer called Three Philosopher's Brew...so. good. it tastes like a delish mix between beer and wine)

3--shopping like a fiend (the Best Buy near me had anime 50% off...heaven! and I also picked up some novels that I've been wanting)

4--not doing the stuff I was supposed to (like laundry, cleaning, etc)

5--chillin' with some writer friends and yapping about the biz (and doing some brainstorming)

6--reading reading reading (I bought some new books too!)

Right now, I'm in the middle of Unwind, an amazing YA novel by Neal Shusterman. WOW, is it good.

I feel like I've hit the jackpot this year with good books, yanno? Almost every one I've read so far in 2009 have been incredible. I love it!

Anyway, if you haven't read Unwind, you should go fetch it, post-haste! It's in the future, where a family has the right to "unwind" a teenager for whatever reason (which means to donate the teen's entire body/organs)...the protagonists are 3 teens who have been slated for unwinding for various reasons, and they all are on the run, trying to escape their fate.

Heavy stuff--another one I'm going to have my kids read. I'm loving it so far. I can't wait to see how the novel ends!