Archive for December, 2008

December 29, 2008 • 2 Comments

I’m thrilled to be touring the fabulous, and very talented, Carrie Jones, whose book Need has just been released.

Here’s what it’s about:

Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks. Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out. Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays “safe.” Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal.
Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie—and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he’s trailing Zara.

Check out some awesome reviews:

Jones easily wins readers to Zara’s side, portraying her as a funny, globally conscious teen who also “collect[s} fears like other people collect stamps” (obscure phobias serve as chapter titles). Genre fans will enjoy the sizzle between Nick and Zara as well as the paranormal cast.” Publishers’ Weekly

“It was a fun read, and I can’t wait for more from Carrie Jones…I’m definitely adding Need to my shelves due to the romance, suspense, and monster element. This goes on the list for those who loved Twilight and “Need” more. I have decided that Carrie Jones NEEDS to continue to write about these characters and add more since I already miss them after finishing Need.” Diane Chen, School Library Journal

“I finished Need by Carrie Jones and definitely recommend it! It takes place in Maine (my homestate!) and has pixies and weres. The jacket recommends it for folks who like Stephenie Meyer and Melissa Marr, but I like Jones’ style better than both.” E. Kirsten Anderson, book seller.

“Here is a bright new writer who was going to set the world of young adult letters aflame.” Kathi Appelt, National Book Award finalist

“Carrie Jones is the real thing: a talented author. Her detailing is exquisite, her powers of observation, superb.” Tim Wynne-Jones

Now for the interview:

What inspired the plot for your book?
I was at the Common Ground Fair, which is this huge, cool fair in Maine that’s sponsored by Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association (MOFGA). To get to the main part of the fair you have to walk through this sweet trail that curves through these tall spruce trees.
Right in front of me was this guy. He had a weird vibe. He was wearing all corduroy – blazer, pants. And sticking out from his blazer was this long tail-like appendage that was wrapped in different colored earth-toned cloth. I guess he could tell I was checking him out because he turned his head and looked at me. His eye was this startling silver color. How startling? So startling that I actually gasped and got creeped out.
Then when we were in line to pay we made eye contact again and his eyes were brown.
I know! I know! I probably imagined the silver eye color.
It doesn’t matter. That was one of the main things that got me started. Then, I just had this image of a man standing outside an airport pointing at an airplane this girl was on.
It also creeped me out.
So, I started writing.

Why did you decide to write in this genre?
I’d been writing literary contemporary novels. I wanted to challenge myself and experiment.

What is your writing process like?
I wake up. I pull myself out of bed. I flop on the floor. I crawl across the hardwood, dragging myself to the computer. I open it up. I stare. I stare some more. I will my fingers to move.
I’m not a morning person.

What are you working on now?
Three things:
A super secret project
A sequel to NEED
A nonfiction picture book

What do you do when you’re not writing?
I sleep.
I think about strudel.
I kiss my dog a lot. She is really kissable.

Who do you like to read?
Anyone. I’m a bit easy when it comes to books.

Bio:

Carrie Jones likes Skinny Cow fudgsicles and potatoes. She does not know how to spell fudgsicles. This has not prevented her from writing books. She lives with her cute family in Maine, but she grew up in Bedford, NH where she once had a séance with cool uber-comedian Sarah Silverman.
The Meyers brothers are from Bedford, too, so you’d think it would make Carrie funnier, coming from Bedford N.H. Obviously, something didn’t work.
Carrie has a large, skinny white dog and a fat cat. Both like fudgicles. Only the cat likes potatoes. This may be a reason for the kitty’s weight problem (Shh… don’t tell). Carrie has always liked cowboy hats but has never owned one. This is a very wrong thing. She graduated from Vermont College’s MFA program for writing. She has edited newspapers and poetry journals and has recently won awards from the Maine Press Association and also been awarded the Martin Dibner Fellowship as well as a Maine Literary Award and the Independent Book Publishers Association First Place Award for her debut novel, Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend.

Here’s the low down about Carrie…
1. Carrie can not drink coffee. It makes her insane. Do not give her caffeine.
2. Carrie is very responsive to loving strokes on the hair, kind of like a puppy. However, do not do this without asking first unless you are a ridiculously handsome man or an editor who is about to offer her a trillion dollars for the first draft of her novel.
3. Carrie is secretly really, really shy even though she’s pathetically outgoing in person. She has a very hard time calling people. So, if you want to talk to her, make the first move. And, if you’re her in-Maine female best friend, Jennifer, do NOT get mad at her because she is so bad at returning emails.
4. Carrie sometimes wears mismatched socks, if you do not think this is cool, do not tell her. You will hurt her feelings.
5. Carrie really, really wants you to like her books. Please like her books. PLEEEAASSSEEEE. She’ll be your best friend forever. That is, if you want a friend who is shy about calling and emailing and who wears mismatched socks and can’t drink caffeine and likes being pet on the head. Hhmmm….
6. Carrie is not above begging.
7. Carrie, like Belle in TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (ex) BOYFRIEND drinks Postum. It’s for the same reason, too.
8. Carrie loves Great Pyrenees dogs. They are huge and white, and furry and it looks like they have white eyeliner and mascara on, which is way too cute. Do you have one? Send a picture!
9. Carrie lives in Maine. She has a hard time with this in the winter. It is bleak in Maine in the winter. Imagine everything shades of gray and brown and no green anywhere except for in people’s noses. This is Maine in Winter. Maine in summer is the best place in the world, so it’s a trade-off. Feel free to invite Carrie to your house in the winter, but not if it’s in Greenland, Canada, or anywhere north of Florida.
10. Forget that. She’d still probably come

This is Carrie’s web address:
http://www.carriejonesbooks.com

She’s also on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=667364072

And Livejournal
http://carriejones.livejournal.com/

December 28, 2008 • 3 Comments

MySpace Glitters

I hope you’re all having fun. I’ve had a great time so far (not counting being in the motel means we’re working every day of the holiday… make that every day of the year!!!).

My brother came for a few days, he’s living in Auckland (rest of the family are in the UK). On Boxing Day Amanda and her family came over for a bbq. I’ve eaten more chocolate biscuit cake, fruit cake, sweets and biscuits than you can shake a stick at. And for some inexplicable reason my skirt now won’t fasten… how weird is that!!!!

New Year is going to be very quiet. That’s ok… I’m happy to sit in and watch Sound of Music (one of my all time favs).

I’m pleased to say I actually did some writing today…. no excuses now as guests have gone and kids have both gone away for New Year.

Anyway, Happy New Year to all of you. May 2009 bring you everything you wish for!!!!

December 23, 2008 • Comments

It gives me great pleasure to tour Laurie Faria Stolarz and her new book:

DEADLY LITTLE SECRET (A TOUCH NOVEL)

Some secrets shouldn’t be kept…
Until three months ago, everything about sixteen-year-old Camelia’s life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades; an okay relationship with her parents; and a pretty cool part-time job at an art studio downtown. But when Ben, the mysterious new guy, starts junior year at her high school, Camelia’s life becomes far from ordinary.

Rumored to be somehow responsible for his ex-girlfriend’s accidental death, Ben is immediately ostracized by everyone on campus. Except for Camelia. She’s reluctant to believe he’s trouble, even when her friends try to convince her otherwise. Instead she’s inexplicably drawn to Ben…and to his touch. But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she is in danger, and that he can help – but can he be trusted? She knows he’s hiding something…but he’s not the only one with a secret.

What inspired the plot for your book?
I wanted to write a story where the main character has to struggle with the idea of falling in love with someone who could potentially kill her (and who’s already allegedly killed someone in the past). I also wanted to continue experimenting with the supernatural – showing how people can work to make their own intuition stronger.

Why did you decide to write in this genre?
The only novel I’ve written that isn’t in this genre is BLEED. All my books are suspenseful with

What is your writing process like?
When I’m on deadline, I write ten pages per week, revising as I go along.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the edits of DEADLY LITTLE LIES, the second book in the TOUCH series. I’m also working on the edits and graphics of BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS, the fifth book in the BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES series.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
I have two kids, 5 and 2, that keep me pretty busy. I also do yoga and dance/aerobics, enjoy cooking, power-walk, love to shop, spend time with family and friends.

Who do you like to read?
There are way too many to name, but here’s just a sampling: Stephen King, Raymond Carver, Alice Sebold, Robert Cormier, Donna Tartt, Gail Giles, Carolyn Mackler, R.A. Nelson, and any YA novel that captures my interest with a great voice and high concept. I also read lots of tabloid magazines.

Advanced Praise:
“A boy to admire from afar, a girl you want to befriend, a novel to keep you turning the pages because you won’t know who to trust. Laurie Faria Stolarz’s DEADLY LITTLE SECRET is a blend of mystery, chills, and forbidden touches–one captivating story you have to experience.” – Kelly Parra, author of INVISIBLE TOUCH.
“The book was full of shocking surprises and revelations, earning the book five stars. This is a must-read for fans of romance, suspense, and mystery because it won’t disappoint.” – Teens Read Too
“…lively first-person narrative…. CW-worthy dialogue, quirky secondary characters, romance and suspense: a winning combination” – Kirkus Reviews
“An engaging, eerie tale about the darker side of relationships – when it becomes a matter of life and death to know who your friends are.” – KLIATT

A DEADLY LITTLE CONTEST – In celebration of the release of DEADLY LITTLE SECRET, the first book in the TOUCH SERIES, Laurie is launching a very exciting contest, the winner of which will have a minor character in DEADLY LITTLE LIES, the second book in the TOUCH SERIES, named after him or her. There are other prizes, too. Please see the official rules in the NEWS section of her website: www.lauriestolarz.com/news.html
Laurie Faria Stolarz is the bestselling author of the BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES series, which has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. The series comprises Blue is for Nightmares, White is for Magic, Silver is for Secrets, Red is for Remembrance, and the forthcoming Black is for Beginnings. Stolarz’s titles have been part of the Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers list, the Top Ten Teen Pick list, and YALSA’s Popular Paperback list, all through the American Library Association. Also the author of Bleed and Project 17, her most current work, Deadly Little Secret, the first book in the TOUCH series, is due out in December 2008. Born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts, Stolarz attended Merrimack College and received an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College in Boston. For more information, visit Laurie’s website at www.lauriestolarz.com.

December 16, 2008 • 4 Comments

I’m thrilled to welcome Greg Logsted to my blog. The premise for Greg’s first YA book SOMETHING HAPPENED is awesome and I can’t wait to read it.

What inspired the plot for your book?
First of all, let me say thank you for having me on your site. Well, let’s see, my first book SOMETHING HAPPENED was just inspired by reading the newspaper and watching the evening news. For quite a while all you ever saw was one story after another about how some hot teacher had been ‘dating’ a thirteen-year-old boy. It was always reported with a bit of the old nod-nod, wink-wink.
It got me thinking about how something like this gets started. What happened in the lives of these people before they met?

SOMETHING HAPPENED is about a poetry-writing thirteen-year-old boy, Billy Romero, who’s still grieving from the loss of his father. He falls prey to a beautiful young teacher who shows him the attention and understanding he craves. Unfortunately the relationship becomes more than Billy expected it to be.

Why did you decide to write in this genre?
I think the whole genre gives you more opportunities to express raw emotions and philosophical insights. You can look at something with fresh eyes and just write about how messed up it is in a way you can’t always do in other genres.
Plus, it’s just plain fun being in the head of a teenager again

What is your writing process like?
I do have a day job so the process isn’t as extensive as I’d like it to be. But I normally write for an hour in the morning before work and then a couple hours at the end of the day. If there’s noise in the house I’ll slip on a pair of headphones and listen to some music BUT nothing with lyrics, maybe Miles Davis or something like that. I also love to read a poem before I start to work. For me it gets my mind thinking about the importance of finding the right words.

What are you working on now?
This summer my second book comes out, ALIBI JUNIOR HIGH. It’s more action packed than my first. It’s about a thirteen-year-old boy, Cody Saron, accustomed to living a globetrotting James Bond lifestyle with his mysterious dad. Cody must suddenly learn to cope with regular school life for the first time after he’s forced into hiding when a secret mission turns bad. He thinks after everything he’s done that going to a small Connecticut junior high school will be easy, a piece of cake…boy, is he ever wrong.

Right now I’m working on a very Twin Peaks-ish type of book. It has me by the throat and it’s not letting go. I’m about two thirds of the way through. It’s going to be called THE STUTTERING TATTOO. This one’s a lot of fun!

What do you do when you’re not writing?
I spend time with my wife and daughter. In the winter I like to ski, in the summer I’ll do a little surf fishing. There are always books to be read and shows to be watched. I’m fairly quiet. I don’t bother the neighbors…much.

Who do you like to read?
A few of my favorites are John Kennedy Toole, David Foster Wallace, Russell Banks, Mary Shelley, Harper Lee, Pablo Neruda, Hunter Thompson, Edger Allan Poe, Ken Grimwood, and T.C. Boyle.

Greg Logsted was born in Amityville, New York, raised in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and attended the University of Arizona for Journalism. He lives in Danbury, CT, with his wife, author Lauren Baratz-Logsted, and their daughter Jackie. The three of them wrote a series together called THE SISTERS EIGHT. Greg’s first YA novel, SOMETHING HAPPENED, was published by Simon Pulse in 2008 and his second, ALIBI JUNIOR HIGH, will follow in mid-2009. His website is still under construction, but interested parties can take an early peek at www.greglogsted.com.

December 11, 2008 • 7 Comments

I am so excited to be interviewing Lauren Baratz-Logsted, one of my fellow TFCers. I’ve been a fan since The Thin Pink Line was published a few years ago. I adore the concept for Lauren’s latest THE SISTERS EIGHT, and it’s so cool that it’s a family affair.

So…. the interview:

What inspired the plot for your books?

The plot of THE SISTERS EIGHT nine-book series for young readers, which launches on Dec 29 with the publication of Annie’s Adventures and Durinda’s Dangers, is as follows: On New Year’s Eve, Mommy goes out to the kitchen for eggnog, Daddy goes out to the shed for firewood…and neither returns. Now the Eights, as they are known, must solve the mystery of what happened to their parents while keeping the wider world from realizing that eight little girls are living home alone. Here’s how it all came about…

In December 2006 we were stranded by a blizzard in Colorado with friends who had neither children nor a TV. We were there for 10 days. By the end, looking for things to do, I figured we could brainstorm a book. So I asked my daughter who was six years old at the time what she’d like; being an only child, she said a book about sisters. Me: How many sisters? Her: eight. Me: What ages? Her: 1-8. Me: What if we made them octuplets, all seven years old, who will be eight on 8/8/08? And we were off and running with my YA novelist husband Greg Logsted providing yet more input, particularly about talking refrigerators and flyting watering cans.

Why did you decide to write in this genre?

Jackie’s always been proud of what I do for a living – she tapes my cover flats to her walls – but she’s never been able to read any of my books because the subject matter’s always too mature. I figured it was high time I rectified that (and we were stranded by that blizzard). It’s turned out to be the greatest joy of my writing career: creating a series with her and Greg.

What is your writing process like?

It differs from book to book so that each time it’s like I’m reinventing my own wheel. Sometimes I don’t plot at all, sometimes I do a bit, sometimes I have a loose outline. For me the best way to get the work done is to treat my writing career like a full-time job, which I do, a job that I love. If there’s any real “process” to my madness, it’s that my first drafts are always for me – writing the story I want to tell as I want to tell it – but then I’m done, it’s time to revise, and that’s when the audience comes into view and I realize someone other than me needs to be happy with it as well.

What are you working on now?

My next non-SISTERS EIGHT book is CRAZY BEAUTIFUL, due sometime around mid-2009 from Houghton Mifflin, who also publishes THE SISTERS EIGHT series. It’s a contemporary Beauty & the Beast YA story about a gorgeous girl and a boy with hooks for hands.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Is there ever a time? I read, I read like a madwoman, I spend as much time with Jackie as I can, see family and friends, I watch “General Hospital” and my political shows, and every now and then I go out and shoot pool.

Who do you like to read?

Everyone. Seriously, I’m an eclectic reader and I love a little bit of it all. Is it too kissy-kissy to say Sara Hantz? So what, I’m saying Sara Hantz. In terms of YA, I think Sarah Dessen, David Levithan, Ellen Hopkins, Markus Zusak, and, of course, all my sisters at Teen Fiction Cafe are all amazing.

Bio

Before becoming a published author, Lauren was an independent bookseller, a Publishers Weekly reviewer, a freelance editor, a sort-of librarian and a window washer. By the end of 2008, Lauren will have had 12 books published in a wide variety of genres for a wide variety of ages from a wide variety of publishers. You can read more about her life and work at www.laurenbaratzlogsted.com.

December 10, 2008 • 2 Comments

My good friend and critique partner Amanda Ashby has a contest running on her blog and the prize is an ARC for her latest book Zombie Queen of Newbury High.

It’s an awesome book, so funny. So head over there and enter. You won’t regret it!!