So here's my dilemma. I received a Kindle for Christmas from my husband, totally unprompted. The reason I didn't ask for one? Not sure if I've warmed up to the whole e-reader, kindle, non-book thing.
I love books.
I've tried reading on my iPod Touch and the feeling just isn't the same. I don't get as invested in a book, I forget what I've read, I lose my place. I don't get "lost" in a story in the same way as when I have a book in hand.
Hmmm....
I was thinking that I would return the Kindle for a netbook. If I could have something that could fit easily into my totebag to use as a laptop, then I could turn waiting around time into writing time. I have a laptop already, but it's so big and cumbersome.
But I don't want to miss out on the whole world of downloadable books either. Isn't there something that combines both? This was my question.
Then I got an answer. Sort of.
The iSlate or Apple's new tablet computer. There are just rumors of itkickingaround on the internet right now. I've heard rumblings that the announcement is going to be made at the end of January. But no one knows what it's going to be like, how much it's going to cost, if it's going to be a cross between a netbook and an e-reader. It's been confirmed that Steve Jobs is "happy" with the new product and that they've rented out a place on January 26th to make some big announcement.
Will it be way expensive? Will it run on MacOSX? Will it have a hard drive? Will it make good on it's promises to be the next *big* thing to hit the marketplace, the way that the iPod changed the face of MP3 players?
Here's a link that I came across that shows the new way that Sports Illustrated is going to be read, and the general consensus is that it is being displayed on Apple's new iSlate. If this is what's coming, then I'm totally on board. I'll be returning my Kindle and putting the money towards the iSlate or iTablet or whatever it's going to be called. Or not. If it's close to $1000 (insiders are saying it could be 600 or 800 or 1000 dollars), then I might not be able to jump on the Apple bandwagon right away. Remember the whole iPhone price drop from 600 to 300 within months?
Anyway, here's the link. I'd love to hear everyone's opinion. Keep the Kindle? Or wait and invest in Apple's new gadget to end all gadgets. I'm in no way a techy person, so I have no idea.
This year, I asked for what I always ask for in terms of Holiday Gifts (and in one week- birthday gifts).
Writer-related stuff.
Now, when I first married my husband, he bought me a box of No.2 pencils and a pack of Bic pens. This is what he thought I meant when I asked for "writer-ey" stuff. Over the years, he's learned and has been guided by me and my very bookish family on what constitutes great writer gifts.
This year, I was pleasantly surprised by the following gifts.
1. A typewriter key bookmark.
These can be found in many Etsy shops. I also received a typewriter key necklace and in the past have been given a typewriter key watch. All are very cool.
2. A shirt for my daughter that says, My Mommy is a Writer.
Love it so much. She's already worn it twice. I think my mom got it at cafepress.com
3. Boxes of Crane note cards.
There's something about the quality and the feel of Crane card stock that makes writing Thank You notes so appealing. Really, any nice paper from Papyrus, Crane, The Paper Store can be a great gift.
4. Anything from the Levenger Store. (I wish I could move into the store and make it my office.)
They have a catalog and website that I highly recommend. It's called Levenger -TOOLS FOR SERIOUS READERS).
5. A coffee mug that says "writer. definition: Someone who gets paid to sit around all day drinking coffee and making stuff up. I love my job."
6. Several notebooks that have funny writer quotes on them. (My sister got one that had the top ten annoying grammatical errors. I got one that said Careful, you may end up in my novel.) As well as leather, moleskin or any other nice designer journals.
7. The Writer's Desk Calendar by Jill Krementz. I didn't get one this year, because I think they do them every other year. I love them when I get them. It shows the desks of famous writers along with little quotes about writing from these authors. I pour over these pictures because I'm obsessed with other writer's writing environments. (Probably because mine is so chaotic and haphazard.)
8. Kate Spade day planners or desktop calendars (LOVE!)
9. This year I got the Barnes & Noble 2010 Desk Diary. I'm kind of loving it because it is leather bound and has illustrations and caricatures of authors by the artist David Levine (who illustrated literary luminaries for the New York Review of Books. There are some nice quotes and book and author trivia sprinkled throughout.
(fun fact: my seven year old daughter asked for and received from my parents a Swarovski Crystal Membership. She's seven.)
I have a pen addiction. Not like my sister who falls in love with any and every pen she comes across (hotel pens, promotional pens, bank pens--you name it, she has it). My pen collection is much smaller than my sister's. (She keeps hers hidden in a huge box under
her bed.) But it consists of very nice, elegant pens. A few Cross pens, a Mont Blanc (which I received as a high school graduation gift and still use), a Paul Smith Fountain Pen and a Waterman There is something so amazing about writing with a beautiful pen. While most of my real writing is tapped out on a computer, whenever I get stuck or am starting a new project or am suffering some kind of writer's block, having a beautiful pen and paper at the ready always helps me along.
I went into the Mont Blanc store at the Copley Mall in Boston recently and had a "shock and awe" moment when looking at their pens. They were so elegant and distinctive. Even the names of the pens (the Meisterstuck Collection, the Starwalker collection, La Boheme, Etoile de MontBlanc) transported me to another world.
I don't know who can afford pens like La Boheme Royal Black & White, an 18k white gold fountain pen set with 659 white diamonds and 692 black diamonds and a cap inlaid with 19 diamonds. Plus a platinum-plated 18k gold nib for writing. It's something like 15 carats of diamonds in one pen. I have no idea how much it costs, but I'm pretty sure that most writers cannot afford it. Unless, of course, they are J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer or Dan Brown.
Other pens at the Mont Blanc store included the Special Edition Greta Garbo and many Meisterstuck pens all named in honor of great artists (Chopin, Mozart, and the Leonardo Sketch pen). After drooling in the store for a little while, I managed to take home one of their catalogs (which didn't give any prices of the pens--probably to keep people from having heart attacks.) This is how I know the names and descriptions of all of these pens. The catalog is pretty cool. Maybe I'll frame it. :)
11. Designer Tote Bag/Purse - This year I received a gorgeous Kate Spade tote that is the perfect size to fit a laptop, notebook, magazines, dayplanner...whatever!
So, these were some of the things that I received that might be useful for future gifting to the writers in your life. They range from the inexpensive to the outrageously expensive and extravagant. What I received was mostly on the inexpensive end of the spectrum, but I loved them all just the same. (Although a Mont Blanc pen would have been amazing. Oh well, there's always my birthday!) :)
Now for my long, overdue GCC interview with Debbie Rigaud (sorry for the delay...I had a date with Mickey Mouse that I couldn't get out of!) Thanks so much for your patience Debbie and welcome to the Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit. It's great to have you with us!!
First, here's some info about Debbie's book, PERFECT SHOT:
PERFECT SHOT/Simon Pulse
By Debbie Rigaud
Release date: December 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4269-7835-0
281 Pages
ABOUT THE BOOK:
What’s the wackiest thing you’ve ever done after a crush attack?
High school athlete London Abrams is more likely to spike a volleyball than wear spike heels. Yet in one crush-tastic moment, she signs up for a modeling contest as an excuse to meet the photo intern Brent St. John. But instead of getting a call back from Brent, London gets a call back from contest judges! Now she’s in a fierce modeling competition feeling out way of her league, and Brent’s camera is zoomed in to document everything. Suddenly, London’s not feeling so ready for her close up.
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!
Hooray for PERFECT SHOT!
·First book in the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies series to feature an African-American protagonist
·First book in the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies series to be written by an African-American
·Features a multicultural cast of characters in a contemporary setting
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
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, was 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.
Thanks for swinging by my blog to answer some questions, Debbie!!
1. First topic: Revenge. What is your experience with it? Have you ever sought revenge? As the old adage goes, do you think that living well is the best revenge?
I'm a strong believer in karma, so I usually step aside and let it do its thing. But that's not to say I don't relish being on the scene to witness what happens when karma finally comes knocking.
2. Cliques and mean girls are everywhere. At book signings I've had everyone from 12 year old girls to 45 year old women tell me they still encounter them. Do you? How has it changed since you were a teen?
Yes. I have encountered mean girls in every stage of my life so far. Not much has changed about them in my opinion. Whether a person is 13 or 30, underneath all that mean-spirited conduct is one brand of fear or another. But it is strange when you encounter them as adults. My own mom dealt with a mean-girl co-worker when she was in her 50s! The situation really disturbed her, and by extension, upset my sisters and me. And recently, my younger sister and all her co-workers had to attend a workshop about "workplace bullies." I'm glad that more schools and workplaces are taking this phenomenon very seriously.
3. I have a "Writing Music" playlist on my iPod. What would be on yours? What one song or artist captures the essence of your book?
I imagine that London has an eclectic taste in music. In one scene, we learn that she's set her ringtone to a Santigold tune. London would probably jam to Santigold's "You'll Find a Way" remix. And of course, this high-energy song would make an awesome soundtrack to one of her volleyball games. Like London, Santigold is an artist who can't be labeled in the traditional sense. As a writer and a music lover, I think that's what attracted me to both of them.
4. What do you tell people is your favorite book/author? Now what is your "real" favorite book/author. (i.e. I tell people Pale Fire by Nabokov is my fave, but right now I'm really into Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea.)
LOL! Well, I usually list Toni Morrison's BELOVED as my favorite. In all honesty, it is one of my faves. But lately, I've really been into Kristin Cashore. I devoured GRACELING and now I'm reading FIRE. I also get into new age books like Eckhart Tolle's A NEW EARTH.
5. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
I'd swap lives with someone born into a much different circumstance than mine; particularly, someone born in a poverty-stricken "third-world" society. Removing the promise of a long, healthy life full of opportunities would be traumatic, yet experiencing deeper connections among people (minus our societal distractions) would be mind--and spirit--opening. Living under those conditions for just one day would make me a more appreciative and productive person, to say the least.
6. Who would be in your dream cast if your book was made into a movie or television series? (And multimillion dollar salaries were no issue--they'd all do it for free!)
I'd go for the entertainers who are recognizable, but aren't as well known. Tristan Wilds of "90210" would be great as Brent, London's love interest. And in my mind, singer Teyana Taylor is London all the way.
7. As a publicist, I know that it's important for every novel to have journalistic hook. For The Lost Sister, it's mean girls, bullies and hazing. What's yours?
This is always challenging for me to think up. You've heard of Word Girl? Well, I'm Wordy Girl. Here's my attempt at being concise: "from the volleyball court to the fashion runway."
8. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?
"The Last Dragon" Best. Movie. Ever.
(MKH Note: Ummm...really? If it wasn't a John Hughes movie, I didn't see it. Maybe I should check it out. Or a movie starring Johnny Depp. Those were my two requirements. :)
9. Why should I choose your book for my book club?
Readers may connect with that fish-out-of-water feeling London experiences when she goes from spiking volleyballs to wearing spike heels. And everyone can relate to doing something wacky or out-of-character just to get the attention of a crush.
10. I'm a huge and fabulously powerful movie producer and you have 30 seconds (an elevator pitch) to sell me on why your book is great and should be made into a movie. Go!
PERFECT SHOT is about a sporty girl who is an ambitious go-getter. There are charged volleyball scenes, eye-popping fashions, and edge-of-your-seat moments that will have viewers laughing and gasping. And amidst it all is a heartthrob to swoon over.
Sounds great! You've sold me! I'm definitely picking up a copy. For more info on Debbie, visit her website or blog.
I've been doing book signings and events with my brand new GCC-BFF Laurie Stolarz. She is such a great writer, so much fun to hang out with and has the MOST amazing reader/fans. We've done a number of signings together (even a spooky one on Friday the 13th!) and I have to say that I am more and more impressed by her writing, by her graciousness and by her total devotion to her fans. So without further ado, here are some of my new and improved GCC questions. Thanks, Laurie!!
My second novel, THE LOST SISTER, deals with revenge and the repercussions of what happens when a hazing incident goes too far.
1. First topic: Revenge. What is your experience with it? Have you ever sought revenge? As the old adage goes, do you think that living well is the best revenge?
I don’t believe in seeking out revenge.I think if you throw negative energy out there, it’ll come back to you.There’s no need for revenge.
2. Cliques and mean girls are everywhere. At book signings I've had everyone from 12 year old girls to 45 year old women tell me they still encounter them. Do you? How has it changed since you were a teen?
I’m not sure it has changed.Mean girls are still out there and thriving.They play on people’s insecurities, including their own, and, yes, I agree they come in all ages.
3. I have a "Writing Music" playlist on my iPod. What would be on yours? What one song or artist captures the essence of your book?
I actually have a contest going on that involves this very question.In celebration of the release of DEADLY LITTLE LIES, the second book in the TOUCH SERIES, I’m launching a very exciting contest, the winner of which will have a minor character in DEADLY LITTLE GAME, the third book in the TOUCH SERIES, named after him or her.Please see the official rules here:http://www.lauriestolarz.com/news.html.I had a similar contest for the release ofBLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS.See the winning entry here:http://www.lauriestolarz.com/novels/black_is_for_beginnings.html
4. What do you tell people is your favorite book/author? Now what is your "real" favorite book/author. (i.e. I tell people Pale Fire by Nabokov is my fave, but right now I'm really into Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea.)
I love The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.I also just read Burned by Ellen Hopkins…amazing.
5. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
Your sister Jocelyn when she’s doing her book spotlight on Oprah.
6. As a publicist, I know that it's important for every novel to have journalistic hook. ForThe Lost Sister, it's mean girls, bullies and hazing. What's yours?
Definitely premonitions and supernatural powers.
7. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?
Pretty in Pink.Seriously, that last scene where Ducky shows up at the prom…it still gets me every time. (MKH Note: I love that scene too!! It pisses me off that she ends up with Andrew McCarthy. That ending was totally wrong.)
8. Why should I choose your books for my book club?
Because they've got it all:suspense, drama, forbidden love, character growth, and humor.
9. I'm a huge and fabulously powerful movie producer and you have 30 seconds (an elevator pitch) to sell me on why your book is great and should be made into a movie. Go!
For Deadly Little Lies: Last fall, Camelia, 16, fell for Ben, a mysterious bad boy with a special gift – psychometry: the ability to sense things through touch.Brokenhearted, she moves on and starts dating someone else.Meanwhile, she begins to experience premonitions of her own.A chilling sequence of events reveals secrets from the past.Someone is lying, and it’s up to Camelia to figure out who before it’s too late.
For Black is for Beginnings: Prophetic dreams. Near-brushes with death. Killers pursuing her and her friends. Stacey knows that being a hereditary witch isn't all it's cracked up to be, and now her nightmares are back. All she wants to do is go to Colorado and work things out with Jacob. But before Stacey and Jacob can have a future, they must face their pasts—and the secrets they've kept from each other.
Great Publishers Weekly Review for THE LOST SISTER!
The Lost Sister Megan Kelley Hall. Kensington, $9.95 paper (288p) ISBN 978-0-7582-2680-8 Picking up where Sisters of Misery left off, Hall’s sequel finds half-sisters Maddie and Cordelia coming into their psychic powers. With the night of torturous hazing by the Sisters of Misery behind her, Cordelia runs away to Maine with the intention of murdering their philandering father, though her plans change when she discovers his young son (“She couldn’t take away this little boy’s father. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t stick around long enough to make Malcolm Crane wish he was dead”). Meanwhile, Cordelia’s mother has been committed to Ravenswood Asylum following a suicide attempt, and Maddie’s mother is diagnosed with cancer. When a mysterious fire is ignited in the asylum and one of the Sisters of Misery is murdered, Cordelia returns, working with Maddie to find the killer and rescue their loved ones. This suspenseful saga sits between fairy tale and thriller, though readers need not be a diehard fan of either genre in order to appreciate Hall’s intricate story of family history, witchcraft, teenage romance and sisterhood. Ages 12–up. (Aug.)
Yes, you read it right. Both Dan Brown and I have our highly anticipated novels coming out at the same time. His is called THE LOST SYMBOL. My book is THE LOST SISTER. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Quite the coincidence, is it not? Some may even call it FATE.
But the similarities do not stop there. Dan Brown and I both live in Massachusetts. Another coincidence, he's from Andover, and so is my father in law. One more freaky fact? His last name is Brown. My mother in law's maiden name is Brown. Can it BE more of a coincidence? I think not.
Let's dig deeper, shall we?
Dan Brown writes about secret religious societies that are murderous and evil. I write about secret cliques of girls that are murderous and evil. Dan Brown's movie starred Tom Hanks. I met Tom Hanks when he was on his honeymoon with Rita Wilson. It's almost freaky how much the stars are aligned on this one.
THE LOST SISTER and THE LOST SYMBOL -- they even sound the same. Say it quickly, three times fast. Can't even tell the difference can you? Come on, SAY IT!
Both of our titles have the same exact number of letters. It's really uncanny, if you think about it.
There's a slight, little, teeny, tiny difference. Dan Brown's THE LOST SYMBOL is currently #1 on Amazon.com. THE LOST SISTER is trailing only slightly behind at the current position of #494,878. Not TOO much of a difference in sales. I mean, if you think about it, the amount printed versus sold is probably the same--if you use that whole geomet--algebraic theorum--er solutions. (So sue me, I was an English major, not a math major. Whatever.) What I'm trying to say is that Dan had 5 million books printed. I probably had closer to 5000 printed. So the ratio of books printed to sold is probably in my favor. Take that, Dan Brown!
But, no, I don't want to start any ill will between me and Dan. We're both writers from Massachusetts. We have that Bay State bond. And I'm pretty sure that he would want people to buy THE LOST SISTER (when they are buying THE LOST SYMBOL, of course) for their teenagers. (It's a YA suspense novel, Dan. Don't worry. I'm not tapping into your market share.) I'll even wager that he and I both saved our WIP (**that's work-in-progress, you know, bestselling writing lingo*** not that I'm a best selling writer, but you get the picture) as TLS. That's what me, my editor and agent called the manuscript as it was sent back and forth over the past year. Good old TLS, right Danny? Yup, pretty cool.
Even our covers are the practically, almost, kind of, a little the same. It's spooky! Like some kind of psychic connection. We have that same color palette of orangey black (you were going for that Halloween connection too, weren't you, Dan?) I mean, yes, Dan Brown's name is very visible at the top of his book. But my name has that sort of blendy feel to it. Like, you don't even need to know the name of the author, you're just drawn in by the cover of the book. It's practically the same cover. I mean, if I weren't such good friends with Dan, I'd think he was trying to copy me and ride my coattails on this book.
No, my friend. I think you have to go this one alone. I have a feeling you're gonna do just fine.
Anyway, I'm pretty sure that Dan Brown is still teaching at Andover and if I'm not mistaken, I think that he put SISTERS OF MISERY and THE LOST SISTER on his required summer reading list! I mean, that's what they all tell me, so it must be true. So, um....if you're in his class I think you were supposed to go out and buy my books and read them or else you get an automatic F for the year. That's just what I've heard. I have no facts or anything to back that up, but I'm just--I'm just here to help, that's all. I'm a helper.
So, Dan, if you'd like to reach out to me...maybe do some local signings in Boston, give me a ring-a-ding. I know that you want to draw a bigger crowd. Or--oh wow, this would be embarrassing-- just in case people show up at your signings thinking that it's for THE LOST SISTER and not THE LOST SYMBOL. How embarrassing for you! I would hate for that to happen. You know what? Just for you, I'll make myself available for any and all signings just in case that happens---no worries! I'm just thinking about what's in your best interest. I'm a giver. That's what I do. I give, I help, I care.
Anyhoo, Dan have your people call my people (or you know, me, I'm not really a big people person....I don't have lots of "people" per se, but you know what I mean) and we can look into this whole freaky fate, coincidence thing. I mean, I'm looking at your book description and I feel like I'm reading about my own book. Just look at what has been said about both of our books "nail-biting suspense," "thrilling mystery," a "page-turner," plus we both feature secret societies, ancient rituals and a brutal kidnapping. We were on the same wave-length or what?
And for those of you doing your little *Google* searches for THE LOST SYMBOL. Once you get to THE LOST S---- stop---take a minute--- turn that Y into an I and take a peek at THE LOST SISTER. You might just be pleasantly surprised. And, don't worry about taking sales away from Dan. What are a few hundred sales to him? Not even a blip on his radar. (Okay, maybe not hundreds of sales, but tens of sales would be nice...hello? anyone? Anyone still out there?)
While I know you are all hunting high and low for copies of The Lost Sister (keep the updates coming, so I know where to tell my publisher to send books ASAP!), I did a little tour on The Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit. Some of them are even featuring giveaways. So, here is a list of links to all my interviews on the Girlfriend Cyber Circuit. And I will answer my own questions (because I don't think I ever answered the ones from SISTERS OF MISERY) based on THE LOST SISTER.
Try to contain your excitement. I know that you're all as excited as McSteamy right now. (Shame on you, Eric Dane! I hope Shonda gives you a good talking to).
Anyway, here are the links to my interviews on the FABULOUS Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit.
Okay, so my book has been out for approximately one week. **yippee** and yet no one has been able to spot them in bookstores across the country (we already know from my #1 blogger in Canada, Cat, that spotting a Sisters of Misery book in Canada is as easy as spotting Bigfoot.)
But, I digress...
So...in honor of all the contests that are going on for YA authors, I decided to give it a try. I'll be touring on my GCC blogs next week and hopefully they will all let you know about this supercool contest.
If you come across a copy of THE LOST SISTER in a bookstore, take a picture of it and post it HERE. Use your cell phone, blackberry, polaroid, whatever works... I will pick 5 entries at random and will send a *signed* copy of THE LOST SISTER with a one of a kind bookmark drawn by my very own artist-in-residence/famed bubble blower in MallCop actress/six-year-old Avril Lavigne wannabe, Piper Elizabeth Hall. She takes these pieces of artwork quite seriously and so do I. ;)
If you are one of the rare few to actually come across a copy of THE LOST SISTER and SISTERS OF MISERY together!! (be still my heart), take a pic and post it here and I'll enter you into the drawing for a signed copy of both books. (I'll be picking one entry, because, I don't even have that many of my own books, so I may have to go out and buy them myself. Oh, the glamorous life of an author...)
I'm hoping to see entries from across the country, because, quite frankly, I'm not convinced that my books are being carried in all the places I'm being told they are. This will hopefully prove me wrong.
So, let THE LOST SISTER sightings begin. This contest will run through the end of August. More details to come. Be on the lookout, everyone!
GCC Tours Stephanie Kuehnert's BALLADS OF SUBURBIA.
I'm kicking off my new set of GCC questions with an interview with Stephanie Kuehnert. I was superpsyched to hear all about her new book and the answers to my brand new GCC questions. First off, here's what you need to know about the book, BALLADS OF SUBURBIA. Then read my interview and then GO OUT AND BUY HER BOOK TODAY! What are you waiting for?
There are so many ballads. Achy breaky country songs. Mournful pop songs. Then there’s the rare punk ballad, the ballad of suburbia: louder, faster, angrier . . . till it drowns out the silence.
The critically acclaimed author, Stephanie Kuehnert, returns with another gripping and incisive novel. In BALLADS OF SUBURBIA (MTV/Pocket, July 2009, $13.00) Kara McNaughton reveals the darker side of suburbia.
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 vignetteswritten by her friends,which Kara dubbed “ballads”. Ballads are the kind of songs that Kara likes best.
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 withher 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 ScovillePark, where the "misfit" kids hang out, but she really wants “a life.” The summer after junior year thatlife 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.
Early praise for Ballads of Suburbia:
"....an intensely real and painfully honest novel of high-school anxiety." "....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
Additional praise for Stephanie Kuehnert:
"Acidly incisive and full-out entertaining...Kuehnert’s smart gal, punk rock narrator is irresistible."—Booklist
“Kuehnert’s language is slick.The punk references bite with genuine angst and hunger, and Emily’s tough, sardonic attitude, as revealed through chunky, poetic language, is feverishly tempting.”
—Kirkus Reviews
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Stephanie Kuehnertgot 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.
Here's my GCC interview with Stephanie....ENJOY!!
My second novel, THE LOST SISTER, deals with revenge and the repercussions of what happens when a hazing incident goes too far.
1. First topic: Revenge. What is your experience with it? Have you ever sought revenge? As the old adage goes, do you think that living well is the best revenge?
I definitely think living well is the best revenge. In fact it's something I say often. I've never really done anything to get revenge on anyone though there was this one girl in high school that I was terrible to because I'd heard she'd spread rumors about me and a friend of mine. Who knows if she actually did spread the rumors. Certainly just talking to her would have been a better way to address the issue. Eventually we did talk things out, but our relationship always was weird because of how things began for us. In high school, I had an emotionally abusive boyfriend. I called him out on all the things he did in a zine I wrote, so maybe that was kind of like revenge, but it was an important part on my path to healing. I used to plot other things I could do to him, like break up his bands or tell his new friends exactly what a creep he was, but this gets back to the living well is the best revenge thing. Ultimately I just focused on myself and my own healing and I started writing from my wounded places. I get way more pleasure thinking about him flipping through a local newspaper and seeing an article about me and my books and realizing that I *survived* him than I probably ever would have by slashing his tires or something.
2. Cliques and mean girls are everywhere. At book signings I've had everyone from 12 year old girls to 45 year old women tell me they still encounter them. Do you? How has it changed since you were a teen?
I dealt with mean girls mainly from age 8 to 15. After that age I made it a point to avoid mean girls and cliquey people and do my best not to let their attitudes get to me. Also because I dealt with it at such a young age, I do my best to be open and accepting of everyone and not be judgmental. But yeah, I still see and hear about women and girls dealing with that mean girl mentality and I wonder when women will finally realize that cutting down another woman will NOT raise them up.
3. I have a "Writing Music" playlist on my iPod. What would be on yours? What one song or artist captures the essence of your book?
I actually create a playlist for each book. You can see all 36 songs that inspired Ballads of Suburbia here: http://www.stephaniekuehnert.com/ballads/soundtrack.html It's really hard to pick just one song or artist to sum up the book. I was listening to a lot of PJ Harvey, Screaming Trees, and Johnny Cash while writing it. I guess if I had to use one song to sum it up though, it would be "The Kids Aren't Alright" by the Offspring.
4. What do you tell people is your favorite book/author? Now what is your "real" favorite book/author. (i.e. I tell people Pale Fire by Nabokov is my fave, but right now I'm really into Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea.)
I tell people that it's Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and that honestly is my all time favorite book. But I read a lot of different stuff, mainly YA like Francesca Lia Block, Melissa Marr, and Cecil Castellucci. And I have enjoyed some "trashy" books. Like Pamela Anderson's books. I gobbled those up when I was living in LA, something about reading them poolside in my apartment complex just seemed right ;)
5. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
Liza Graves from Civet. I'd love to be the front woman of a punk band. Instead I live vicariously through her adventures on her blog: lizagraves.blogspot.com Dude, right now she is on tour with Social Distortion! And she just came back from Europe? Yeah, that would be sweet.
6. Who would be in your dream cast if your book was made into a movie or television series? (And multimillion dollar salaries were no issue--they'd all do it for free!)
What's funny is I can totally cast my first book, I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone, but I really can't cast Ballads. I either don't know enough teen actors or I would just really imagine it as a new, fresh cast. The only thing I can sort of see is Silver from the new 90210 as Maya and maybe Adriana from the new 90210 as my main character, Kara. See the new 90210 is the main teen drama I watch :)
7. As a publicist, I know that it's important for every novel to have journalistic hook. For The Lost Sister, it's mean girls, bullies and hazing. What's yours?
It's teen addiction and self injury. Self injury in particular is an issue close to my heart since it is something I coped with as a teen, so I do hope this book brings light to it.
8. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?
Oh man, this is a really, really hard one because I love 80s movies! I think I'm gonna go with the classic Breakfast Club though.
9. Why should I choose your book for my book club?
Because it's the kind of book that will generate a lot of discussion. It brings to light some hard issues and I really hope it will get more people talking about them. Also there are so many different characters with different experiences that it would be interesting to see which character each person in your book club relates too. You could also do fun activities with my book like write your own ballad.
10. I'm a huge and fabulously powerful movie producer and you have 30 seconds (an elevator pitch) to sell me on why your book is great and should be made into a movie. Go!
It deals with issues real teens deal with like divorce, depression, addiction, and self-injury. It's got all the drama of a show like 90210, but with more realistic every day characters that teens will relate to. I joke that it's Weeds (for the suburbia angle, but with heroin instead of pot) meets 90210. And it's itching for a killer soundtrack!
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!
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