GCC Tours Carrie Jones: Why I need NEED!

I need to read this book NEED by Carrie Jones. Seriously. Luckily, I have some returns to do at the mall and I can sneak over to Barnes and Noble and get my hands on this book, which I highly recommend that everyone else do as well. Treat yourself on this last day of 2008 to a great new book that will carry you into the New Year.

Carrie Jones took time out of her busy holiday schedule to chat about her latest book, NEED, and answer a few questions, as well as offer up some really interesting information about herself, her likes and dislikes, theories on cowboy hats, coffee, Sarah Silverman, mismatched socks and her cat’s weight problem (which may or may not have something to do with its love of potatoes).

Here's a Sneak Peak at NEED

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.

The audio rights to NEED have been purchased. NEED will be released in Germany in 2010.

It is an IndieBound Next Pick for 2009.

About Carrie Jones

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 *real* lowdown 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

Carrie Answers Some Questions for Me:

Do you (or did you ever) have a writing group? Who are the first people to
read your book once it’s completed?

- I don’t have a writing group.

- My agent or the Emster (my super kid) read my book first.

What writers do you consider your “sisters”? Are there any published writers that you hang out or tour with a lot? Call? Email? IM?

Hm… Sisters? Man. I love Jo Knowles and Sarah Aronson and Tiffany Trent a lot. I love Robin MacCready and Laura Hamor and Tami Wight. Oh darn, I love a lot of people. People are going to start thinking things…

Who do you find yourself being compared to or are often put together with in reading lists or book clubs?

With NEED I’m getting compared to Stephanie Meyer a lot. That is very VERY intimidating.

What writers do you wish would be in your “clique”? (It doesn’t have to be in your genre….doesn’t even have to be living! For example, I’d pick Alice Hoffman, Jodi Picoult, Sarah Dessen, Oscar Wilde, Stephenie Meyer, Meg Cabot, Stephen King and Joan Didion).

Oh… Yay!

I’d pick Sherman Alexie and Stephen Wedel and M.T. Anderson and Meg Cabot and Tim Wynne-Jones and Sharon Darrow and Rita Williams Garcia and Kathi Appelt and Cynthia Leitich Smith. I’d pick those cool NY writers like Maureen Johnson and John Green (although he’s not in NY anymore) and E. Lockhart.

For dead people? I’d pick Arthur Miller and Sappho and Winston Churchill and Oscar Wilde and Hemingway and Anne Sexton.

If someone was going to join your book club, what would be a “must read” in order to join?

Oh, I couldn’t do that to people. I’m not good with mandates, which is probably why I’m not in a book club.

What was your “initiation” to writing?

I wrote poems and newspapers.

When did you first feel that you’d officially joined the “published writers’
club”?

I still don’t feel like I’m in it. I’m sort of in the “Oh my gosh. Did they really give me money for these books?” club.

What was your best/worst memory of high school?

Um………

Possibly the time my best friend was going out with someone for three weeks and DID NOT TELL ME because she knew I didn’t like him. And I yelled at her. And she yelled at me. And then we didn’t talk for a month.

That was a horrible month.

In SISTERS OF MISERY, the last place new members want to go to is Misery Island. But if you had the choice, what island would you go to and what would you take with you?

I would go to the Isle of Margarita and I refuse to write down who I would take with me. I would get in too much trouble.

Finally, what can you tell me about your book? Give me a quick run-down
about why I’d want to pick it for my own book club.

NEED is a contemporary novel with gothic, fantasy, romance and suspense elements. The heroine is really cool and she is no typical damsel in distress.

Praise for Carrie Jones

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

For more info on Carrie Jones, check her website:

http://www.carriejonesbooks.com

Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=667364072

Livejournal

http://carriejones.livejournal.com/

Read More

GCC Tours Laurie Stolarz

I want to bring to everyone's attention the next amazing book by one of my favorite YA writers, Laurie Stolarz. If you haven't read her Blue is For Nightmares series, Bleed, or Project 17, then go right out and buy them---along with her latest book, Deadly Little Secret. Not only is Laurie super-cool (we recently discovered we live one town over from each other and got to hang out and grab a coffee together) but she's a GREAT writer and her stories are very spooky (which is probably why we get along so well!!)

Laurie Stolarz's newest novel, DEADLY LITTLE SECRET (A TOUCH NOVEL) will be in stores December 23!

Here's a sneak peak...

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.

Praise for Laurie's latest:

"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

Cool Stuff to Check Out!

To listen to a recording of Laurie reading the first chapter, click here:

CHECK OUT THE BOOK TRAILERS!

This one was made by the students at the University of Texas:

And this one was made by the fabulous and talented M2 Productions:

Here's some info about the contest from Ms. Stolarz herself:

"A DEADLY LITTLE CONTEST – In celebration of the release of DEADLY LITTLE SECRET, the first book in the TOUCH SERIES, I’m 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 my website: www.lauriestolarz.com/news.html"

About Laurie
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.

I've been delayed in posting this interview due to the Christmas holidays, but now that my blog is back up and running, here is my long overdue interview with my friend Laurie, whose book I'm DYING to read:


Do you (or did you ever) have a writing group? Who are the first people to read your book once it’s completed?
I used to have a writers group, but we all moved away from one another (geographically), and some stopped writing along the way, and it got harder and harder to keep up with each other. The first person to read my work is my husband, then I’ll give it to some select writer-friends (for Deadly Little Lies it was Stacy DeKeyser). (MKH: Um, hello? Share the love, Laurie!) Then, it goes to my agent and editor.

What writers do you consider your “sisters”? Are there any published writers that you hang out or tour with a lot? Call? Email? IM?
I e-mail back and forth with Stacey DeKeyser – she’s so cool, down-to-earth, and supportive, not to mention a very talented author. I also keep in touch with many authors (too many to list here) via listservs and chat sites. I periodically keep in touch with some of the members from my original writers group: Tea Benduhn, Lara Zeises, Kim Ablon Whitney, and Steven Goldman.

Who do you find yourself being compared to or are often put together with in reading lists or book clubs?
I’ve been compared to Lois Duncan a few times. (MKH: A great comparison!)

What writers do you wish would be in your “clique”? (It doesn’t have to be in your genre….doesn’t even have to be living! For example, I’d pick Alice Hoffman, Jodi Picoult, Sarah Dessen, Oscar Wilde, Stephenie Meyer, Meg Cabot, Stephen King and Joan Didion).

I’d love to hang with Cecily Von Zeigesar, R.A. Nelson, Carolyn Mackler, Gail Giles, Aimee Friedman, Stephen King, Alice Sebold, Donna Tartt, Meg Cabot, Robert Cormier, Raymond Carver, Francesca Lia Block, Judy Blume, and Megan Kelley Hall. (Awww, so sweet! Anytime, Laurie!)

If someone was going to join your book club, what would be a “must read” in order to join?
Good question. I really love The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I also love The Secret History by Donna Tartt.

What was your “initiation” to writing?
I’ve been writing since I was a child. Before I could even put pen to paper, I was making up stories and telling them to whomever would listen.

When did you first feel that you’d officially joined the “published writers’ club”?
I don’t really think of it as a club. And, if this were high school, I’m not exactly sure where I’d fit in. I’d hope to be included.

What was your best/worst memory of high school?
I was a cheerleader in high school (don’t laugh, it was militant). Junior year, during a competition at Boston College, one of my co-cheerleaders peed on my head during a stunt. She said she couldn’t hold it. I still had to hold/support her in place and smile the whole time like nothing happened. The entire spectacle was caught on tape and the following few weeks were miserable at school.

In SISTERS OF MISERY, the last place new members want to go to is Misery Island. But if you had the choice, what island would you go to and what would you take with you?
Honestly, if I had my choice, I’d be a participant on the show On the Road Again with Mario Batali and Gwenyth Paltrow.

Finally, what can you tell me about your book? Give me a quick run-down about why I’d want to pick it for my own book club.
When else are you going to have the opportunity to read a suspense thriller about a girl on the fringe of developing her own supernatural powers, who falls in love with someone who’s trying to control his, all the while being stalked by a mysterious someone, whilst trying not to get herself killed by the one she loves (the one who’s already allegedly killed someone in the past)?

Read More

Give a book for the holidays!

Read More