Archive for the 'Interviews' Category

January 5, 2010 • 3 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

December 4, 2009 • Comments

I’m thrilled to be touring Debbie Rigaud and her book PERFECT SHOT.

London Abram’s first love is volleyball, so why does she enter an online modeling competition? Answer: superhottie Brent St. John. London spots Brent signing in contestants at a store, and she gets in line simply to say hi. But she never dreams she’ll make it into the competition!

London’s now up against fourteen hungry fashionistas willing to do whatever it takes to win. All she wants to win is Brent’s heart…but the money prize couldn’t hurt. If London plays this right, she can win the contest, the boy, and the cash. GAME ON!

And now for my usual questions:

What inspired the plot for your book?
I’ve always been inspired by fish-out-of-water experiences, because
however awkward, these situations are also character-building. In
PERFECT SHOT, the main character, volleyballer London Abrams, kills on the court yet feels way out of her league when she is (unexpectedly!) recruited for a modeling contest. Among the fab fashionistas in the competition, London, who is confident on the court, begins feeling like the “token jock” instead. It was fun building on this scenario and exploring what may unfold.

Why did you decide to write in this genre?
Writing YA comes so natural to me—it always has. Plus I adore my YA
fam. My first full-time magazine staff position was at Seventeen, and
that’s where I bonded with teen readers. I haven’t looked back since!

What is your writing process like?
My writing process isn’t as disciplined as I’d like it to be. I work
from home and the distractions there come fast and furious. But
however tempted I get to alphabetize my books by author, I make sure I stick to a basic schedule. I’m in front of my laptop by 10am and I plug away until 5pm. I’m at my most productive when there’s a deadline looming. I suddenly gain the ability to work extended hours, cranking out an impressive amount of pages in the process.

What are you working on now?
Another romantic comedy is in the works, as well as a paranormal
story. Fingers crossed, I’ll be able to share more details about this
early in the new year.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
In Bermuda where the hubby and I live, most people get around on
scooters. Even though I was a big chicken when learning to ride, I
still love riding…as a passenger. I enjoy going around exploring the
island with the hubby on his scooter. And because I live a plane ride
away from family, you wouldn’t believe how much time I spend chatting on the phone with my sisters. On weekends, we skype each other so that I can see my nieces and nephews.

Who do you like to read?
I normally choose books based on its storyline, not its author. But
there are some authors (like Edwidge Danticat) who totally have my
loyalty, whatever book they release. Recently, I’ve added a few more
authors to that list—namely, MG author Nadia Aguiar, Sherman Alexie,
Kristen Cashore and adult fiction author Carleen Brice.

Bio

Debbie Rigaud began her writing career covering news and entertainment for magazines. She’s interviewed celebs, politicians, social figures and “real” girls. Her wide-ranging articles have appeared in YSB, Entertainment Weekly, Seventeen, The Source, Trace, Twist, Essence, J-14, Heart & Soul, Inside TV, CosmoGIRL!, and Vibe Vixen. Her first work of YA fiction, a novella titled “Double Act,” was featured in the anthology HALLWAY DIARIES/Kimani Tru. PERFECT SHOT/Simon & Schuster, her first standalone book, will be released December 1, 2009.

Debbie’s extensive experience with young readers has led her to staff editor positions at Seventeen and Twist and to freelance editing/writing work for seventeen.com, CosmoGIRL!, American Eagle Outfitters and publishing company Just Us Books. She’s written advice columns, inspiring real-life stories, entertainment reports and countless personality quizzes for this audience. Beyond YA, Debbie recently became a finalist in Bermuda Dramatist Society’s annual playwright contest. “All in the Same Boat,” her short play, was selected by professional New York playwrights and produced on stage in Bermuda.

November 13, 2009 • 1 Comment

I’m very excited to be touring Laurie Faria Stolarz with BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS and DEADLY LITTLE LIES.

Here’s what Laurie has to say about them:

BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS is a companion book to the BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES series. When my editor approached me with the idea of writing a graphic novel, I was very intrigued because it gave me the opportunity to not only try something new, but to really picture the book as a movie.  I have a background in screenwriting and wrote BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS in screenplay format, adding in ideas for illustrations and sidebars.  It was an absolute thrill to write – to have the opportunity to work with an illustrator, and to see my work come to life in this way.  BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS does not take the place of a regular prose novel in the series.  It is a companion piece, complimenting the entire series as a whole.  It picks up where RED IS FOR REMEMBRANCE left off, and also shows some fan-favorite scenes from the entire series.

DEADLY LITTLE LIES is the sequel to DEADLY LITTLE SECRET, (the first book in the TOUCH series).  I’m really excited about it, because I think it has even more suspense, romance, and twists than the first book.  It starts up a few months after Ben’s departure at the end of DEADLY LITTLE SECRET.  Camelia’s spent those months researching everything she can find on psychometry (the ability to sense things through touch).  See the full description below.

I’m launching the release of DEADLY LITTLE LIES with a really exciting contest; be sure to check out the details below.  Also below, you’ll find Stacey Brown’s courage sachet spell, Camelia’s favorite psychometry links, and some tips Camelia has to develop your own psychometric powers.  I’m also including some random facts about me.

Lastly, the paperback of DEADLY LITTLE SECRET is out as well.  For a limited time Barnes & Noble is offering an exclusive edition that has bonus excerpts from Ben’s secret blog.

And now for my usual questions:

What inspired the plot for your newest series?  Why did you decide to write in this genre?

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 be dangerous.  I tinkered with this concept in the first three books of my Blue is for Nightmares Series [(Blue is for Nightmares (Llewellyn 2003), White is for Magic (Llewellyn 2004), and Silver is for Secrets (Llewellyn 2005), as well as in Bleed (Hyperion 2006)].  In Bleed, in particular, there’s a young male character who was convicted for the murder of his girlfriend.  His next relationship consists of pen pal letters he exchanges with a young girl while he’s in prison.  Without giving too much away, the relationship is briefly pursued once he is released, but I wanted to bring this concept to another level.

Additionally, I wanted to continue experimenting with the supernatural (which I also use in my Blue is for Nightmares Series as well as in Project 17), showing how we all have our own inner senses and intuition, and how with work we can tap into those senses and make them stronger.

I started researching different types of supernatural powers and discovered the power of psychometry (the ability to sense things through touch).  The concept fascinated me, and so I wanted to bring it out in a character, showing how sometimes even the most extraordinary powers can also be a curse.

Lastly, I wanted to apply these concepts to be part of a series.  I love the idea of growing a main character over the course of several books.
What is your writing process like?

I write at least ten pages per week when I’m on deadline.

What are you working on now?

DEADLY LITTLE GAME, the third book in the TOUCH series.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

I have two kids, 6 and 2, that keep me pretty busy.  I also do yoga and dance/aerobics.  I enjoy cooking, power-walking, shopping, and spending time with family and friends.

Who do you like to read?

I’ve been on an Ellen Hopkins reading spree as of late.  I just finished BURNED.  It was amazing.

REVIEWS:

“The half-million readers of Laurie Faria Stolarz’s paranormal mystery series will be happy with this shift to graphic style, offering as it does the pleasure of putting faces on characters, its visualized eeriness and vibrant displays of emotion…The graphic style allows Stolarz to distill the story while simultaneously dropping hints about Stacey and Jacob’s supernatural talents, luring new readers to the series.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Taking Stolarz’s Blue Is for Nightmares series into the graphic-novel realm is a bold idea, and it pays off in this morbidly entertaining and surprisingly romantic page-turner.” -  Booklist

“This scary and romantic story, with its larger-than-life emotions and darkly twisting plot, lends itself well to the graphic novel format. The teenage characters, their dialogue, and their interactions are well imagined and ably captured.  And when you are not enjoying the great dialogue or fantastic artwork, it is fun to pore over the little details…BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS serves both to draw new teen readers to the series and to supply existing fans with interesting additional background and never-before-seen details. A winning formula!” – TeenReads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laurie Faria Stolarz is the author of several popular young adult novels, including Deadly Little Secret, Deadly Little Lies, Project 17, Bleed, and the bestselling BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES series, which has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide.  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. 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

RANDOM FACTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
1.  I love what I do, and feel very grateful to be able to have this as a career.

2.  I love dark chocolate, Starbucks coffee, Bertucci’s cheeseless pizza, popcorn, and Indian food (though not necessarily in one meal).

3.  I watch an embarrassing amount of reality TV (it’s research after all).

4.  I’m very deadline driven, giving myself weekly deadlines and agendas, so that everything gets done on time.

5.  I have a background in marketing and French.

6.  My first job was as a piano teacher (I was 9).  I’ve also been a waitress, a supermarket cashier, worked in a ceramics studio, worked as a tour guide for international exchange students, been a teacher, a script reader, an editor, and written obituaries for a newspaper.

7.  I’m a vegetarian.  If I were to try my hand at a different career, it would be holistic nutritionist.

8.  I love yoga, dance/aerobics classes, cooking, tennis, and power walks.

9.  I often shop online, fill my basket, and then empty it all out.  Does anyone else do this?

10.  My readers mean the world to me.

August 11, 2009 • Comments

I’m thrilled to be touring Megan Kelley Hall’s latest book THE LOST SISTER, which takes a chilling look at what happens when hazing pushes someone too far.,,

Sisters are born, not chosen…
Maddie Crane is grappling with the disappearance of Cordelia LeClaire, and trying to escape the grasp of The Sisters of Misery—an insidious clique of the school’s most powerful girls, whose pranks have set off a chain of horrific events, and who have Maddie in their sights…

Beware the sister betrayed…
Now in a prestigious boarding school far away from her mysterious hometown of Hawthorne, Massachusetts , Maddie feels free from danger. But when an unmarked envelope arrives at her dorm containing a single ominous tarot card, Maddie realizes with terror that some secrets won’t stay buried. Knowing she must return to Hawthorne—a town still scarred by the evil of the Salem witch trials—Maddie prepares to face the fears of her past…and the wrath of the sister she wronged.

And now for my usual questions:

What inspired the plot for your book?
The Lost Sister picks up where Sisters of Misery left off. It shows what happens when someone is pushed too far and when hazing pranks go wrong. It’s a continuation of Sisters of Misery, in that it’s a modern-day retelling of the Salem Witch hunts. It has a sort of fairytale-esque Gothic appeal and it will keep you up at night due the spooky, supernatural events that take place.

Why did you decide to write in this genre?
YA suspense shaped my love of books and writing. And I’ve always had an off-beat take on writing. While other kids were writing about dating and boys and crushes and fairy tales, I was writing about murders, hauntings, anything that scared me.

What is your writing process like?
I can’t write in a linear fashion. I get bored easily and need to jump around. I typically write various scenes and then try to link them all together like a puzzle. I also never like to know how the book is going to end. I figure if I can surprise myself, than the reader will be surprised as well.

What are you working on now?
I just finished my third YA suspense thriller and my agent is shopping it around right now. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

What do you do when you’re not writing?
Hang out with my daughter and husband. Talking to my mom and sister. Reading. Relaxing. Watching good movies and TV shows. Doing puzzles. Looking for sea glass on the beach at the bottom of my hill. Laughing with friends.

Who do you like to read?
Obviously, all the authors in the GCC! But I also love adult thrillers (especially psychological thrillers). Some of my favorite authors include Tana French, Thomas H. Cook, Laura Lippman, Alice Hoffman and Jodi Picoult.

Early praise for THE LOST SISTER
Compelling with its dark gothic twists and frightening intrigue, Megan Kelley Hall’s THE LOST SISTER, combines romance, terror and family with the graceful pen of a master.
–Jennifer Lynn Barnes, author of NEED, GOLDEN and TATTOO

A character driven tale containing a deep Gothic feel and haunting foreboding atmosphere that hooks fans of all ages….With strong ties to the late seventeenth century Salem Witch Trials, THE LOST SISTER is a super thriller. — Harriet Klausner

Hall will have your heart racing and you will not be able to put this book down. With historical allusions to the New England witch trials and a touch of the paranormal, THE LOST SISTER is a thriller in a league of its own.
– TeensReadtoo / Awarded THE LOST SISTER the Hall of Fame Gold Star Award for Excellence

Blown away… The suspense, mystery, intrigue, and drama steadily build up throughout the novel, making it impossible to put the book down. I would recommend it to almost all book lovers. It has made me hungry for more of Ms. Hall’s work! – Mrs. Magoo Reads

AUTHOR BIO:
Megan Kelley Hall, 35, freelance writer and literary publicist living North of Boston, is the author of the SISTERS OF MISERY series. Her first novel, SISTERS OF MISERY, published by Kensington in August 2008 has received rave reviews by reviewers and readers alike. Hall also has an essay about her recent open heart surgery in former CNN anchor Daryn Kagan’s anthology, What’s Possible! (Meredith Books, 2008). She is also a contributor to New York Times bestselling novelist Ellen Hopkins’ anthology, Flirtin’ with the Monster.
Hall has written articles for a variety of local and national magazines, including Elle, Glamour, Boston Magazine, Parenting, American Baby, Working Mother, The Boston Globe, Boston Herald, and several other publications.

She studied creative writing at Skidmore College under the Pulitzer-Prize winning author Steven Millhauser. Megan spends most of her time promoting her clients as a partner and founder of Kelley & Hall Book Publicity and Promotion, which she opened with her mother, Gloria Kelley, and sister, Jocelyn Maeve Kelley, over a few years ago. The company has run successful campaigns for authors, including New York Time’s best-selling authors Jacquelyn Mitchard (Deep End of the Ocean), Michael Palmer (The First Patient and Extreme Measures), Brunonia Barry (The Lace Reader) and Lisa Genova (Still Alice).

You can find Megan online here:
http://www.megankelleyhall.com
http://megankelleyhall.blogspot.com
http://www.sistersofmisery.com
http://twitter.com/megankelleyhall

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.