Archive for the 'Interviews' Category

January 5, 2010 • 2 Comments

I’m really excited for my first tour of 2010 to be Eileen Cook’s GETTING REVENGE ON LAUREN WOOD. I can’t wait to read it, Eileen’s such a funny writer.

About the Book:

Popularity is the best revenge.
In the final weeks of eighth grade, Lauren Wood made a choice. She betrayed her best friend, Helen, in a manner so publicly humiliating that Helen had to move to a new town just to save face. Ditching Helen was worth it, though, because Lauren started high school as one of the It Girls–and now, at the start of her senior year, she’s the cheerleading captain, the quarterback’s girlfriend, and the undisputed queen bee. Lauren has everything she’s ever wanted, and she has forgotten all about her ex-best friend.

But Helen could never forget Lauren. After three years of obsessing, she’s moving back to her old town. She has a new name and a new look, but she hasn’t dropped her old grudges. She has a detailed plan to bring down her former BFF by taking away everything that’s ever been important to Lauren—starting with her boyfriend.

Watch out, Lauren Wood. Things are about to get bitchy.

And now for my usual questions:

What inspired the plot for your book?
The book was inspired in part by rereading The Count of Monte Cristo. It’s such a great revenge tale with secret identities, romance and betrayal between best friends. It made me think how things would play out if the story were to take place in a high school. Right then I was off and running with a story.

Why did you decide to write in this genre?
I love writing for teens! Everything matters so much more at that age that it allows books and characters to have a great intensity. I tend to use humor in my books because I don’t seem capable of writing without it.

What is your writing process like?
There’s a process? Dang, I should get one of those. I don’t have a set routine or system to my writing. I still work part time at my day job and my life seems to teeter towards chaos at times so a set schedule doesn’t work well for me. I do try and write a bit every day so that I can keep the story moving forward and tell myself not to get too bogged down if something is wrong, I can always fix it once I have something on the page.

What are you working on now?
I have two projects on the go. I am doing a middle grade series about a girl who comes from a long line of fairy godmothers. All she wants is to be normal, but that is harder for her than you might imagine. I’ve also just started a YA about a girl caught in a prank gone wrong and her ability to deal with the fall out.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
Reading! I’m a book junkie. I love to snuggle up on the sofa with my dogs and lose myself in a good book. I also love watching movies and knitting.

Who do you like to read?
I read EVERYTHING. I love mysteries, and non-fiction, funny books, serious books, books with dogs, scary books, romance – you name it and I bet I have it on my shelf.

About the Eileen:

Eileen Cook spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer. When she was unable to find any job postings for world famous author, she went to Michigan State University and became a counselor so she could at least afford her book buying habit. But real people have real problems, so she returned to writing because she liked having the ability to control the ending. Which is much harder with humans.

You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at eileencook.com. Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.

www.eileencook.com

Praise for Eileen’s Writing:
“Sassy and sly and sweet all at the same time, this book made me laugh out loud.” –Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries and Airhead
“Not since Judy Blume’s Margaret introduced herself to God has there been such a funny, genuine, conflicted, wanna-be-sorta-good-maybe-later girl as Emma. Cook’s tone as she takes on the big ones—life, love, faith, and friendship—is pitch perfect.”–Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Midnight Twins and The Deep End of the Ocean
“Smart and fun and full of heart.” –Sarah Mlynowski, author of Bras & Broomsticks and How to Be Bad

August 6, 2009 • 3 Comments

I’m very excited to be touring the awesome Stephanie Kuehnert (one of my fellow TFCers) and her latest book Ballads of Suburbia which I can’t wait to read.

In high school, Kara McNaughton helped maintain the “Stories of Suburbia” notebook, which contained newspaper articles about bizarre and often tragic events from suburbs all over, as well as personal vignettes written by her friends,which Kara dubbed “ballads”. Ballads are the kind of songs that Kara likes best.

-more-

Not the clichéd ones but the truly genuine, gut-wrenching songs that convey love, loss and an individual’s story. Those “stories of Suburbia” were heartbreakingly honest tales of the moments when life changes and a kid is forced to grow up too soon. But Kara never wrote her own ballad. Before she could figure out what her song was about, she was leaving town after a series of disastrous events at the end of her junior year of high school.

Four years later, Kara returns to face the music, and tells the tale of her first three years of high school with her friends’ “ballads” interspersed throughout. Among them are her best friend Stacey, who dates guy after guy trying to find the one who will take care of her the way her parents never did; Cass, who copes with her mother’s mental illness and her older brother’s abandonment by doing copious amounts of acid; Adrian the creator of the “Stories of Suburbia”, who has “Thrown Away” tattooed on his forearms to express how he feels about his
adoptive parents and his birth parents; Christian, who seems like the nice guy type that Kara belongs with, but has a violent streak; Kara’s little brother Liam, who idolized Johnny Cash as a preschooler and has idolized Kara all his life though she lets him down again and again; and Maya, an eccentric but beautiful redhead who refuses to talk about her mother’s suicide.

Then of course, there’s Kara. She begins high school as a loner, who copes with her lack of friends and her rapidly unraveling home life by going to concerts with Liam, smoking the occasional joint, and cutting herself when things get really bad. She’s reluctant at first when she tags along with Maya to Scoville Park, where the “misfit” kids hang out, but she really wants “a life.” The summer after junior year that life nearly ends with a heroin overdose, the event that triggers Kara’s exit from Oak Park.

All the things that happen in between make up the ballads of suburbia.

And now for my usual set of questions:

What inspired the plot for your book?
I have a list of early inspirations of the book and its characters that I will share:
-Chicagoland, particularly the little corner of it I am so familiar with being the near western suburbs
-The epic fall and rise out of the ashes that makes you a person (Mythology)
-Suburbia (the place and the 80s movie)
-Punk Rock
-Family (the one you are born into and the one you chose, which often mirrors the problems of the original family but also fills the void)
-”Fitting in”/Jenga/house of cards

The main characters and the influences for them are:
Adrian is imagery of the worn cuff of your jeans slowly being worn away as you walk without you even knowing it.
Maya is scarlet lipstick stains on a cigarette butt.
Liam sang Johnny Cash as a little kid not the Beatles like everyone else.
Kara is the bastard child of a PJ Harvey song and a Mark Lanegan song.

Some of that may seem rather vague and I came up with that list when I was in first draft phase which is why I thought it would be particularly fun to share. But ultimately, the plot was inspired by my own experience in suburbia. It’s not autobiographical by any means, but I saw that a lot of things were not as happy and safe as they seemed and wanted to bring that out into the light.

Why did you decide to write in this genre?
I write the kinds of books I wanted to read as a teenager. As a teen, I read adult books, so I didn’t necessarily set out to write YA. I wanted to write books that both teens and adults would love and honestly as an adult, the genre I love most right now is YA! It’s the most honest and real and interesting. I’m glad to be a part of it!

What is your writing process like?
Well, it really depends on the book. Each times I start a new project I learn to write over again. For the most part though, I start with an idea and I toy with it forever. Then I finally start to write in fits and spurts. Then I binge. I go away for a week and just write like 10, 12 hour days. Then the first draft is finished and that is the part I hate most, the first draft. Revising is the fun part. Perfecting, shaping.

What are you working on now?
I’m in the fits and spurts phase. I have a few different ideas I’m toying with, but right this very second I’m toying with a book about a girl who has been moved around by her mother her whole life, so she goes on this road trip to find her “real home”. She’s on the road with a boy who is like a brother to her who is dealing with bipolar disorder and off his meds. But um, I could end up putting out a very different book next. Who knows really!

What do you do when you’re not writing?
I love to listen to music and go to concerts. I also love to read and just veg out in front of the TV with my fiancé.

Who do you like to read?
A wide variety of authors from the classics like John Steinbeck to gritty
contemporary adult like Irvine Welsh, to Urban Fantasy like Jeri Smith-Ready and
then mostly YA, in which my favorites are Melissa Marr, Francesca Lia Block, Cecil Castellucci, Laura Wiess…. Oh I could go on…

Here’s what people are saying about BALLADS OF SUBURBIA:

“….an intensely real and painfully honest novel of high-school anxiety.” and “….Kuehnert nails the raw vulnerability of teendom and delivers a hard-hitting and mesmerizing read.” – Booklist

“Like an American Beauty for the teen set.” – NewCity

“With her first two novels, Kuehnert has created vivid pictures of teenage lives that lie in that borderland that abuts adulthood. It is a fertile, confusing and intense place, and Kuehnert never holds back. But like a good ballad, she keeps the stories taut and precise, with a touch of heart thrown in for good measure.” – Chicago Sun-Times

“This book is powerful. It’s been haunting me for days. Yes, haunting me.” – The Story Siren, 5 star review, Recipient of the Luminous Pearl Award

“BALLADS OF SUBURBIA is a remarkable achievement that hits you right where it counts (your heart) and lingers where it matters (the brain). I’m truly looking forward to seeing what Stephanie Kuehnert will do next.” – Steph Su Reads, 5 out of 5 rating

“This novel was addicting. It was harsh, raw, cruel, sad, and painful, but the scariest of all is that this is real. In one powerful novel, whole worlds are exposed. I recommend this novel to anyone ready to see the truth.” – Reading Is Bliss

“All that really needs to be said about Ballads of Suburbia is that it’s spectacular, and that I can’t recommend it enough.” – Frenetic Reader

Bio:
Stephanie Kuehnert got her start writing bad poetry about unrequited love and razor blades in eighth grade. In high school, she discovered punk rock and produced several D.I.Y. feminist ‘zines. She received her MFA in creative writing from Columbia College Chicago and lives in Forest Park, Illinois. Her first novel, I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE, was released by MTV Books in July of 2008. BALLADS OF SUBURBIA, also published by MTV Books, is her latest release.

Website: www.stephaniekuehnert.com
Blog: stephaniekuehnert.blogspot.com A cyber launch party for Ballads of Suburbia is running there through August 14 with lots of guest bloggers and daily prizes!

Link to Epilogue (ie the very first chapter of the book) on Stephanie’s site: http://www.stephaniekuehnert.com/ballads/index.html#chap1

July 12, 2009 • Comments

I’m really excited to be touring ALIBI JUNIOR HIGH by Greg Logsted. It’s my kind of book and I can’t wait to read it.

Thirteen-year-old Cody Saron has been home schooled his whole life by his father, an undercover agent for the CIA. Cody has never lived the same life as other kids his age. He never went to a regular school, never lived in one place longer than a few weeks, never had a friend or played on any sports teams. Cody’s a black belt in the arts of Tae Kwon Do and Ju Jitsu. He speaks five languages and has traveled to every corner of the globe. But what Cody isn’t prepared for is . . . junior high.

When the danger surrounding Cody’s dad heats up like never before, Cody is sent to stay with the aunt he’s never known, Jenny Williams, in her small Connecticut suburb. Cody knows how to pick a lock or follow a trail, but he has no idea how to fit in with regular kids, how to handle his first crush, or how to make it through a day of classes. How will he ever fit in?

Reviews:
“Funny and fast paced, this fits right in with the beach-read crowd.”
-Kirkus
“I just finished reading Greg Logsted’s Alibi Junior High in a single sitting. Thankfully the family had other things to do for a while because the author nailed me to the pages with his premise and with the fantastic pacing of this young adult novel. I wasn’t tempted even once to get up and go do something else. Logsted starts his spell on page one, and readers will have to stay with him to see what ultimately happens to Cody Saron, the 13-year-old professional spy.” ~ Mel Odol, INDENVER TIMES

Bio:
Greg Logsted currently lives in Danbury with his wife and fellow author, Lauren Baratz-Logsted and their daughter Jackie. He is the author of Something Happened and coauthor of The Sisters 8 series for young readers. www.greglogsted.com and www.twitter.com/GregLogsted.

July 8, 2009 • 1 Comment

I’m thrilled to be touring Jennifer Banash’s book Simply Irresistible which is the third and last in The Elite book series.

Simply Irresistible (Penguin) brings us a whole new set of adventures now that Casey has had a big city-haute makeover, courtesy of her classmate and neighbor Madison Macallister – part teen icon and part queen diva-bitch. Wearing the right clothes, saying the right things, and meeting the right people, has given Casey the look and the attitude – she’s “in” and loving it! Much to Madison’s dismay, her rival is climbing up the social ladder in a big way and could end up just as popular as Madison now that the two are set to star in their own TV reality show, “De-Luxe.” Yes, showbiz came knocking on two of The Bramford’s most illustrious doors and, as much as Madison thrives on the attention the show brings, she’s not thrilled about having every bit of her life of privilege caught on tape. However, fame comes at a price and Madison is one chick who is willing to pay anything…especially if it means becoming the next reality “it girl.” Casey, on the other hand, is realizing that Reality TV can sometimes beunreal, causing her to wonder if she even knows who she is anymore. With her relationship with Drew, Madison’s ex, currently more off than on, she can’t help wondering if everything i n her life is really just an illusion – and how much longer the illusion can last….

Now for the questions:

What inspired the plot for your book?
Reality TV! I’m absolutely hooked on it (I know, I know), and I knew from the very beginning of the series that I wanted the girls to get their own TV show. In the last novel in the series, IN TOO DEEP, the girls get a call from a MTV-esque music television network, and are offered their own series, a look inside the lives of Manhattan’s REAL Gossip Girls. In SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE, we get to watch the process as the show is filmed and aired!

Why did you decide to write in this genre?
I did some ghostwriting for a popular YA series, and I just fell in love with the genre. I love how excited readers get over these books, and how much fun they are to write. It’s like getting to be 16 again–without having to have bad hair, or be socially awkward

What is your writing process like?
If I’m actively working on a book, I write 5 pages a day, no excuses. I write for around 4 hrs a day, then call it quits, otherwise I’ll be too burned out to write again the next day.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a novel called WHITE LINES, about club kids in NYC in the late 1980’s.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
Read, watch mindless reality TV, pet my beagle and take him to the beach, hug my boyfriend

Who do you like to read?
Megan Kelley Hall–can’t wait for the sequel to SISTERS OF MISERY!, Robin Benway, Melissa Walker, Barry Lyga, Anna Godberson, Sarah Dessen, Meg Cabot.

Reviews
“If you love all the drama, scandal, and high-end fashion of Gossip
Girl…you’ll want to check out…The Elite!”–Seventeen.com

“The Elite is Pretty in Pink for the millennium generation.”–Romance
Reviews Today

“An awesome tale of friendship and betrayal with just the right amount
of humor and heart. Seriously irresistible, and impossible to put
down.”-Alexa Young, author of Frenemies and Faketastic

April 28, 2009 • 3 Comments

I’m very excited to be touring the fabulous Linda Gerber and her new book DEATH BY DENIM.

Here’s what it’s about:
Aphra Connolly is being chased by some very dangerous people. She knows her survival depends upon staying far away from love interest Seth, and listening to her mom’s lectures on the finer points of anonymity and survival. But how is a girl supposed to live under the radar and not think about her boyfriend when she’s in Paris—the most romantic city in the world? When her mom’s contact in Paris is found floating in the Seine with a deadly message stuffed in his mouth, Aphra realizes that she will never be able to stop running unless she confronts the situation head-on. Sneaking away from her mom, Aphra tracks down the criminal mastermind in Italy, only to unwittingly reveal Seth’s location. And her mistake has just put them both in mortal danger. . . .

Now for the questions:

What inspired the plot for your book?
To be honest? The title. With this series, I came up with the first title – DEATH BY BIKINI – myself, but my publisher suggested the next two titles, based on the locations I had proposed. When I said the third book would go international and be set in Europe, I was kind of surprised when the title they came up with was DEATH BY DENIM. Great, I thought. Now I have to figure out how to kill someone with denim without using the methods in the first two books (strangulation would have been so easy, right? Or maybe poison in the fabric that would leech into my victim’s skin…) As I researched the denim in Europe, looking for ideas, I discovered a really cool connection that steered the plot in a whole new direction.

Why did you decide to write in this genre?
I write YA and romantic suspense/mystery because it’s what I love to read.

What is your writing process like?
Sit at desk, stare at screen, ponder, procrastinate…
Seriously, though, my “process” is constantly evolving. For instance, I never used to outline, but I’ve learned to because I sold several books on proposal. I’m also trying harder to resist self-editing before the first draft is done. This is surprisingly hard for me!

What are you working on now?
I’m just getting ready to dig into the revisions for my paranormal YA that will be out next year. At the moment, it’s about two trance-writing sisters who have to learn to trust their gift – and each other. We’ll see what revisions do to that concept!

What do you do when you’re not writing?
At the moment, when I’m not tethered to the desk, I’m outside. The weather is finally getting nice so my favorite afternoon activity is to sit in the shade of our big trees in the backyard with a great book. I might even start to make a dent in my TBR pile!

Who do you like to read?
So many authors! My list of YA and MG faves is pages long… with new names being added all the time. For instance, I just read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (I know, I am seriously behind) and now I’ll have to grab everything else he’s written. I also just discovered Cassie Clare. Again, behind, I know, but I bought her books when she was here signing with Lisa McMann (another favorite) and I’ve enjoyed City of Glass so far. Out of the YA realm, I tend to go with thrillers by Lee Child, Barry Eisler, Brad Meltzer and Lisa Unger. And I’d probably really like Richard Castle if he were real!

Early praise for DEATH BY DENIM:

“Starting with a heart-pounding chase scene… Gerber weaves in some major cultural landmarks as Aphra races through Paris and then Italy on a mission to expose the would-be assassin and rescue her love interest, Seth. Taut suspense… along with interesting tips of the espionage trade, will propel readers to the neat ending.” – Booklist

“Death by Denim, the third book in Linda Gerber’s fun, action-packed, and suspenseful series, is just as riveting as its prequels. Gerber’s style is not only modern and down to earth, but cunning and intelligent as well… Aphra is an engaging and lively narrator whose bravery and smarts readers will admire. Equal parts action, romance, and mystery, Death by Denim is a fun-filled and engrossing read that will appeal to fans of Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girls series.” – The Compulsive Reader

“Gerber does not disappoint with this exciting novel from her Death by… series. Gerber’s strength is by far in creating such a thrilling and fast paced plot that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. …Death by Denim is a wholly enjoyable read, full of action, romance, and international flair. Fans of Death by Bikini and Death by Latte, the earlier installments in this series, won’t want to miss Death by Denim. Teen girls in particular looking for a fast and fun mystery to devour will enjoy Gerber’s Death by… series.” – The Book Muncher

“Nancy Drew meets “Alias” in the latest fast-paced, murder-mystery romance.”
- Paddyfield

*** Top Choice Award – Flamingnet Book Reviews ***

Praise for the series:

“Will capture mystery fans.” – Booklist

“Strong writing and plenty of plot twists.” -The Providence Journal

“Fast-paced, fun, and maybe just a little scary.”-YA New York

Just “the right amount of intrigue, suspense, humor and romance.”-Flamingnet Book Reviews

“Five enchantments.”-Enchanting Reviews

“Refreshing read.”-Simply Books

Bio

Linda Gerber recently returned to life in the Midwest after four years in Japan, where she served as the Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Her books include SASS: NOW AND ZEN, SASS: THE FINNISH LINE and the YA mysteries DEATH BY BIKINI, DEATH BY LATTE and DEATH BY DENIM. She currently lives and writes in Dublin, OH, blissfully ignoring her husband, kids, and one very naughty puppy.

Check out the launch part at Linda’s website 14th 15th and 16th May for the chance to win some fabulous prizes.

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