Archive for March, 2009

March 30, 2009 • Comments

I’m very excited to be touring Torched by April Henry. I love the sound of her book and can’t wait to read it.

About the book:
When Ellie’s parents are busted for growing marijuana, the FBI gives her a choice: infiltrate the Mother Earth Defenders (MED), a radical environmental group, or her parents will go to jail. At first Ellie is more than willing to entrap the MEDics, but the more time she spends undercover—particularly with Coyote, the green-eyed MEDic that she can’t stop thinking about—the more she starts to believe in their cause. When talk turns to murder, Coyote backs out, but Ellie is willing to risk everything to save her family—even if it means losing Coyote and putting her own life on the line.

And now for the interview:

What inspired the plot for your book?
Earth Liberation Front has long been active in the Northwest. The FBI considers them domestic terrorists. I was driving to work one morning, listening to the news, and the broadcaster said, “The FBI says they have been unable to infiltrate ELF.” And I thought, what else are they going to say? Yeah, we have someone who is working there undercover? And then I started thinking that most Elves are young, and FBI agents have to be at least 23, and they might need an informant.

Why did you decide to write in this genre?
I like the fast pace of mysteries and thrillers.

What is your writing process like?
I write 2-5 hours a day, often including weekends. I usually start by re-reading and tweaking what I wrote the day before. I’ll try to move on to the next section of the story, but if I get stuck, I “treat” myself by skipping ahead to a different section.

What are you working on now?
The Girl in the Mini Cooper, about a pizza delivery girl who is kidnapped. Everyone thinks she’s dead, her body dumped into the river. Everyone but two of her coworkers, who team up to find her.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
I run, slowly, five miles four days a week. I love to cook. I like to talk to my teenager, who can always make me laugh. And of course, I love to read.

Who do you like to read?
Susan Beth Pfeffer. I am a complete fan girl. I’m really looking forward to next book in The Hunger Games series. I also love Scott Turow. I And I just read my first Michael Marshall, called The Intruders, and it was so fun!

About the autho:r
April Henry knows how to kill you in a two-dozen different ways. She makes up for a peaceful childhood in an intact home by killing off fictional characters. April had one detour on her path to destruction: when she was 12 she sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to noted children’s author Roald Dahl. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children’s magazine.

By the time she was in her 30s, April had come to terms with her childhood and started writing about hit men, drug dealers, and serial killers. She has published six mysteries and thrillers, with five more under contract. Her books have gotten starred
reviews, been on Booksense (twice!), translated into four languages, short-listed for the Oregon Book Award, and chosen as a Quick Pick by the American Library Association.

April writes for both teens and adults. This month Face of Betrayal will be published. It’s the first in a new series for adult mystery series co-written with FOX legal anaylst Lis Wiehl.

What others are saying:
Kirkus: “Romance and big explosions … the thrills and action will keep readers interested as she navigates her way between terrorists and self-centered Feds.”

Booklist: “The contemporary mix of politics and thrilling action will grab teens, not just environmentalists, as Ellie must decide how to save her parents and save the earth. Romance adds to the conflict as she falls in love with gorgeous MED member Coyote, who is both an activist and an ardent pacifist. Both the MEDs and the FBI have good guys and bad guys, and this suspenseful story will spark discussion about what it means to fight for right “by any means necessary.”

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books:
“Henry keeps a number of slick tricks up her sleeve, and when the plot takes off with a MED tree sit to stop clear cut logging, a cascade of treachery and betrayal is unleashed that should keep the pages flying. This is a far cry from the more whimsical take on environmentalism of Hiaasen’s Hoot, but readers who cut their teeth on that amiable escapade may want to explore the ethical implications of wielding vandalism and violence to achieve a worthy end.”

School Library Journal:
“Educators and environmentalists will appreciate the similarities between Ellie’s adventures and the exploits of Julia Butterfly Hill, as it will allow them to engage in a discussion about endangered species, corporate responsibility, and logging.”

Teens Read Too:
5 stars
“Torched is an edge-of-your-seat thriller. The book starts with a prologue that puts readers in the thick of the action, and things don’t slow down from there.”

Links:
April’s Website

March 24, 2009 • 4 Comments

What’s happened to the summer????? I’m in trackpants, tee shirt and fleece. And it’s only the start of autumn. I’m freezing my wotsits off here….. and I’m trying to keep my sun tan until I go to UK in May so people can say ‘wow, aren’t you brown’ – sad, I know!!!!!

This time last year i was looking forward to going to the RWA conference in San Fran. I wish I was going this year to Washington. I was on msn today with my very good friend Wendy Toliver talking about next year when it’s in Nashville. I did mention it to my partner to see if he fancied a holiday there and he declined. Still there’s always New York in 2011. That’s a definite.

Ok, I’m off to sew the Nashville seed in Amanda’s mind…… you never know….. we could be there…. stranger things have happened!

March 19, 2009 • 18 Comments

Today I’m interviewing Liz Funk about her book SUPERGIRLS SPEAK OUT, which is an investigative look at a generation of over-achieving “Supergirls”—and the dangerous consequences that stem from their need to succeed.

What inspired the idea for your book?
All through high school and college, I witnessed the Supergirls around me really struggling to try to be perfect: there were girls in my high school who would get up at the crack of dawn to blow dry and curl the ends of their hair, assemble perfect outfits with color-coordinated pieces from Abercrombie and American Eagle, and maybe even finish up extra homework for AP classes that they couldn’t finish the night before. These girls worked so hard to always look perfect, to be popular, and to be nice and sweet and never get angry, but they were really missing out on developing their personalities and individuality. Every now and then, girls in my high school who seemed perfect would end up having major mental breakdowns, and I knew there was a story there—that all wasn’t perfect in the land of perfect girls. And that’s basically how “Supergirls Speak Out” was born!

Why did you decide to write in this genre?
I’ve honestly always loved non-fiction books, especially journalistic non-fiction and especially journalistic non-fiction about young people and young women. I’ve always loved Alexandra Robbins’ books (the Overachievers: the Secret Lives of Driven Kids and Pledged: the Secret Lives of Sororities) and have always wanted to model my career after hers; I was also really inspired by books like Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture by Ariel Levy and Unhooked: How Young Women Pursue Sex, Delay Love, and Lose at Both by Laura Sessions Stepp. Although I don’t believe my book will be shelved with women’s studies: it think it’s going to be in cultural studies. Although, honestly, I hope it lands on the front tables in bookstores rather than in a section! Wink wink…

What is your writing process like?
I like to drink a cup of coffee or a Red Bull, listen to some really loud music for five minutes, and then sit down and write at my dining room table in complete silence. Sadly, I can’t think when there is any kind of noise around me, so I’ll never be one of those pensive writers with her laptop in Starbucks or Barnes and Noble. Whenever I get writer’s block, I like to read books by my favorite authors—Jonathan Franzen, Curtis Sittenfeld, and Nick McDonell—to jump-start my creative engines, if you will.

What are you working on now?
I’m actually writing a novel! It’s a social novel—I’m making an argument against sexism and the limiting roles for young women, similar to “Supergirls Speak Out.” I had wanted to write a novel forever and had a vague idea of what I wanted to write about last year, and then the topic really clicked for me over this past summer. Writing fiction is so much harder for me than writing non-fiction. To be honest, journalism comes really easily to me, but creative writing doesn’t at all! It took me seven months to write “Supergirls,” but this novel will probably take me at least two years.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
I’ve honestly always been somewhat of workaholic (and a Supergirl!) so I made my New Year’s resolution this year to get some hobbies. So lately, I’ve been cooking a lot, playing the oboe, painting, walking my dog, reading plays, and watching lots and lots of television. I just got hooked on 30 Rock—I absolutely love Tina Fey’s character Liz Lemon, who is very much a Supergirl. I’m also in the early stages of planning a month-long vacation in France this summer, which I’m really excited about.

Who do you like to read?
My favorite authors are Jonathan Franzen, Nick McDonell, Kay Thompson, J.K. Rowling, Alexandra Robbins, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Curtis Sittenfeld, and Dan Brown (earlier this week, I read Angels and Demons in 48 hours flat—I’d never been so enthralled by a book, short of the Da Vinci Code!).
I honestly love to read a really eclectic mix of books. I just got really into reading plays: I love Jonathan Franzen’s translation of Spring Awakening and I also really like Equus, by Peter Shaffer (I’ve seen the play three times; I looove Daniel Radcliffe!). And naturally, I really like young adult fiction; I was a big fan of Meg Cabot, Louise Rennison and Sara Ryan when I was growing up and I try to stay abreast of all the new releases—there are so many excellent young adult books and not enough time to read them all! Probably the best YA book I read recently was I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle. I was laughing hysterically!

Where can readers find you?
Well, at any given time I can probably be found in a Barnes and Noble buying way too many books, but for more reliable way to find me, readers can visit me at my web-site at www.lizfunk.com. I’m pretty good at responding to my e-mails and with updating my blog! And obviously, they can find me on Amazon!

Bio:

Liz Funk is a speaker, journalist, and author writes about Generation Y, focusing especially on young women, education, and social class. Her articles have been published in USA Today, CosmoGIRL!, the Christian Science Monitor, Newsday, New York magazine, the Huffington Post, the New Jersey Record, the Baltimore Sun, the Nation, Tango magazine, Vibe Vixen magazine, the Times Union, and Girls’ Life, among other publications. For two years she wrote a blog about young women’s issues for the Albany, NY newspaper the Times Union; before that, she was a columnist at the Altamont Enterprise when she was in high school. She will graduate from Pace University in May with a degree in English; while on campus, she wrote a popular sex column for the school newspaper. She is a senior fellow of Young People For/People for the American Way Foundation and she is a member of the advisory board for Ypulse.com, where is a frequent contributor. She has also served on the National Organization for Women Young Feminist Task Force. She was born in 1988 and splits her time between upstate New York, Long Island, and New York City. Supergirls Speak Out is Liz’s first book.

March 17, 2009 • 3 Comments

Today I’m touring the fabulous Jennifer Echols and her new book GOING TOO FAR. Check out the awesome cover!

Here’s what it’s about:

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far… and almost doesn’t make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won’t soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won’t be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge—and over…

Taking readers on an unforgettable journey through the lingering effects of loss and the redemptive power of love, Going Too Far will appeal to fans of powerful and poignant teen novels by Deb Caletti and Sarah Dessen.

The Interview:

What inspired the plot for your book?
I was interested in writing a book in which two teenagers would ride along with a cop and find out what happens on the night shift. Then I thought it would be more interesting to involve the cop himself in the romance.

Why did you decide to write in this genre?
I love teen romance. Always have, always will.

What is your writing process like?
I sketch out a plot for the book, then jump in. I don’t write in order. Typically I’ll write chapter 1, then chapter 20, then chapter 10, whatever comes to me. When I’m about halfway along in my word count, it’s gotten too big and unwieldy. I can’t find anything anymore. I have a nervous breakdown and call my critique partner crying. Then I pick myself back up, convince myself the book isn’t as bad as I think, and finish.
I am not kidding. This happens every time.

What are you working on now?
I started a new novel during National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo.org). I won the challenge, writing 50,000 words in one month, but my whole book needs to be twice that length. I’m still working on it.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
I read, and I also have a job as a copyeditor.

Who do you like to read?
Some of my favorite YA authors are Rosemary Clement-Moore, Marley Gibson, R. A. Nelson, and David Levithan. On the adult side, I’m a huge fan of Jennifer Crusie.
Bio:

Jennifer Echols has written two romantic comedies entitled Major Crush and The Boys Next Door. She currently lives in Birmingham, Alabama.

Reviews:

“Naughty in all the best ways, Echols’s Going Too Far is the perfect blend of romance, wit, and rebelliousness. I loved it!” – Niki Burnham, author of Royally Jacked and Sticky Fingers

“Jennifer Echols has crafted a brave and powerful story, searingly romantic and daring, yet also full of hilarious moments. Meg’s voice will stay in your head long after the intense conclusion.” – R. A. Nelson, author of Teach Me and Breathe My Name

“Echols is a tremendously talented writer with a real gift for developing relationships between her characters.” – Romantic Times Magazine

“Jennifer Echols deals with the limits of life and shocking everyone in Going Too Far, a novel readers won’t want to put down.” – Teens Read Too

March 10, 2009 • 22 Comments

This is the one GCC tour I’ve been hanging out to do. I’m SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited to be touring my very good friend, and CP, and neighbor (we live only 20 mins from each other) Amanda Ashby, and her totally fabulous, amazingly funny book ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEWBURY HIGH. And check out the awesome cover.

If you comment on my blog and then send an email to Amanda telling her where you’ve commented, you’ll be entered into her contest to win a copy of the book. How cool is that????

So here’s what it’s about:

Tomorrow is prom, and all Mia wants to do is cast a love spell on her date Rob Ziggerman to keep him away from cheerleading goddess Samantha and save him all to herself. But somehow she ends up inflicting a zombie virus onto her whole class instead. At first Mia loves all the attention her classmates are giving her; treating her like a queen, compliments galore, and all the chocolate a girl could want. But then zombie hunter hottie Chase explains they are actually fattening her up. Why? Because in twenty-four hours, Mia will be the first course in their new diet. That’s what being the ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEWBURY HIGH means. She’s sure she and Chase can figure something out, especially when the alternative means that her classmates and teachers will be feasting on her bones. But in the meantime, she’s suggests that no one wear white to tomorrow night’s prom, because she has a feeling that things could get very messy.

And now for the interview. All comments in italicis are mine!!! Well if you can’t comment on what your CP has to say when can you?????

What inspired the plot for your book?
Actually it was you Sara – though I know you won’t remember (for anyone who isn’t aware – Sara’s memory is like a sieve apart from when it comes to important things like what time her fav TV shows are on or what she wants to have for lunch next week!!!!!) excuse me???? I don’t know what you mean . The thing is that I used to always threaten my cps (aka you being one of them!!) that if all else failed I could always write a book called I Was a Killer Zombie Bride. However, the more I joked about the more I realized that it might actually fun to really write a zombie book. Of course if this logic really works then one day Sara will be writing a book called Space Motel, since that is what she constantly threatens to do!!!

Why did you decide to write in this genre?
Hahaha, again, Sara I totally blame you!! When I was first trying to write chick lit books Sara kept suggesting that I try doing a young adult story but I kept ignoring her and in the end she got so sick of me not listening that she eventually wrote one. Not long after that I got the idea for my debut book YOU HAD ME AT HALO which was about a dead girl getting kicked out of heaven. However, when I tried to write it as chick lit, the heroine was soooo stroppy and annoyed with being dead that I suddenly realized she was only sixteen. From that moment I knew I loved writing young adult books – though in one of those weird twists of fate, Halo ended up being sold on the basis that I made my heroine older and turned it into a women’s fiction novel. I did that but for my next book I knew I wanted to go back to young adult books again because they were just so much fun to write. I’m not the sort of person to say I told you so…. but…….

What is your writing process like?
Can of worms alert coming up because asking me to talk about my process is never a pretty sight!! I can vouch for that. The truth is that no matter how much I try and plan, it just never works out that way and end up rewriting it so many times in order to try and find the ‘real’ story. This in turn tends to turn me slightly insane for long periods of time until suddenly the story all clicks together and I look back on at all and wonder why I made such a fuss. Then I start my next book and the crazy happens all over again!!!

What are you working on now?
I’ve just finished another young adult book about a girl who goes to a prestigious slaying school and suddenly starts to see invisible killer fairies that no one has ever heard of before. Unfortunately due to a small incident which totally wasn’t her fault – she’s become the girl who cries wolf’ and so no one believes her about the invisible killer fairies and she is forced to try and fight them on her own. While I’m waiting to get my edits for that one I’m working on a mid grade book which is lots of fun and has a very feisty heroine who gets herself in all sorts of trouble!!! You can say that again!

What do you do when you’re not writing?
When I’m not writing I’m either thinking about writing, reading, watching television, hanging out with my kids and husband or working at my weekend job at the library. And spending hours on the phone to me

Who do you like to read?
Right now I’m all about the House of Night series by PC Cast and Kristin Cast. And who introduced you to it??? Apart from that I read a lot of young adult books, chick lit and also fantasy books. Some of my all time favorite authors are: Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, Jill Mansell, Janet Evanovich, Raymone E Feist, Ursula LeGuin, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Anne McCaffrey.

Bio
Amanda Ashby was born in Australia and has spent the last ten years dividing her time between England and New Zealand. When she’s not moving countries, she likes to write books (okay, she also likes to watch television, eat chocolate and sit around doing not much, but let’s just keep that between ourselves, shall we?). She has a degree in English and Journalism from the University of Queensland and is married with two young children. Her debut adult book You Had Me at Halo has been nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice award. This is her first book for young adults. Visit her on the web at www.amandaashby.com.

Reviews
“Zombie Queen of Newbury High is a delightfully fun, fresh, and funny read! Amanda Ashby creates a highly likeable heroine in Mia Everett, who, despite her best intentions, turns her classmates into zombies. And with prom quickly approaching, she must find a way to undo it before, well before she gets eaten! Never again will you look at prom, your classmates, or even zombies in quite the same way! ~Alyson Noel, New York Times Bestselling author of Evermore
“Zombie Queen of Newbury High is a delicious treat! Who knew zombies could be both fun and funny? It’s Zombilicious!” — Michelle Rowen, author of Bitten & Smitten
“Zombie Queen of Newbury High is where popularity can turn you undead (with an unsettling appetite) and Prom will be a little dangerous this year. Amanda Ashby moves into the YA world with snapping prose and an entertaining high school mix of teen crushes, popularity drama, and a zombie squad. Zombies beware–you’ll love to follow the twists and turns of this fresh and fun novel!” — Kelly Parra, author of Invisible Touch
“Amanda Ashby’s book, Zombie Queen of Newbury High, is filled with twists, turns and humor, sure to totally draw you in. I loved the fact that this read was more than your typical high school teen love story. If you’re like me and can’t get enough of books filled with mystery, suspense, with a dash of relatable relationship and friendship probs on the side, I def recommend picking up your own copy—you won’t regret it!” -Jami Katz GirlsLife.com Book Club

“Amanda Ashby writes a very entertaining and quick read about a teenage protagonist who has to fix the catastrophic problem she created – or else she’ll never be able to enjoy the ball with Prince Charming. Many readers will be able to relate to Mia and her quirky ways, and others will simply fall in love with her witty humor. And if that doesn’t work, there are always hunks Rob and Chase. ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEWBURY HIGH deserves the five stars. This is a very original story that isn’t too far-fetched that teenage readers can’t relate at all – it’s the perfect mix of reality and imagination.” 5 stars teensreadtoo

“…full of humor, romance and suspense, and her characters are well-developed and a joy to get to know. Five Stars.” – Bitten By Books

“Feel-good, fun and utterly lovely – if you’re a Buffy/Angel fan, or a zombie, or both, or neither, don’t miss this one! Highly recommended.” – Chicklish

March 1, 2009 • 4 Comments

I’m going away for a few days, so won’t be blogging…. I know, you probably wouldn’t have even noticed as my blogging isn’t as regular as I’d like

Hope you all have a fab weekend…. I intend to do lots of reading, shopping and eating – not necessarily in that order!