Megan Kelley Hall

On Fox News Boston Talking About Dear Bully

2011-11-04T08:49:00.002-04:00

A reminder

2011-09-16T11:46:00.002-04:00

There are a lot of these going around online right now, but I wanted to put together my own video. This is a reminder to myself (and to others) why we created DEAR BULLY. This is not affiliated with the book nor is it being used to promote anything-- it's just a way to reflect on the increasingly damaging effects on bullying and why it has to stop NOW.

This is a cool example of how a book cover is made

2011-09-16T11:40:00.001-04:00

Boston Globe article!

2011-08-24T15:34:00.002-04:00

Click here for the full article on Scribd!

GCC Tours Jennifer Echols and LOVE STORY

2011-07-25T12:20:00.005-04:00

Love Story

By Jennifer Echols

From Jennifer Echols, the award-winning author of Going Too Far and Forget You, comes LOVE STORY(Gallery Books; July 19, 2011; $11.00), a provocative and powerful story of teen romance, set against the bustling world of a New York City university.

She’s writing about him. He’s writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines.

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions – it’s her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family’s racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin’s college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a local coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter… so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she’s sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He’s joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin’s heart with longing. Now she’s not just imagining what might have been. She’s writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter… except this story could come true.

“A tremendously talented writer with a real gift for developing relationships.”

– Romantic Times Magazine

Jennifer Echols is the author of teen romantic dramas for MTV Books and teen romantic comedies for Simon Pulse. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her family. Please visit her online at www.jennifer-echols.com.

Because of the upcoming release of the anthology I co-edited, DEAR BULLY (HarperTeen, Sept. 6, 2011), I've asked all the members of the GCC to share a personal bullying story here during their blog tour. Jenn was kind enough to stop by and share hers with us. Check it out:

Thank you Megan!

I have known my husband for a long time. In fifth grade, when he moved to my hometown in Alabama, population 15,000, he was the only Asian in my school. He seemed to get along great with everybody. It was only after we started dating when we were in high school that he told me how mean some kids had always been to him because of his race. Today he is a salesman, and he is served well by his knack for making a connection with strangers. Now I understand that knack is partly natural, but partly cultivated out of necessity.

We still live in Alabama, and our biracial white and Asian child is pretty unusual around here. So far, he seems to share my husband’s social prowess, but I am always on high alert for signs that he is having trouble. I guess that’s why some of my books feature people of color who are having trouble fitting in. My latest book, LOVE STORY, goes in the opposite direction. The hero and heroine are both white, and they grew up on the same Kentucky farm. But they find it impossible to get along with each other or make a real connection, whereas their friendships with characters very different from them, with very different backgrounds, are never questioned. So sometimes I’m interested in addressing the problem head-on, and sometimes I like to create a little utopia, with the kind of unjudgmental friends I hope my son will have growing up.

LOVE STORY

By Jennifer Echols

Publisher: Gallery Books

Publication date: July 19, 2011

Price: $11.00

ISBN: 9781439178324

Gallery Books is an imprint dedicated to publishing a wide variety of must-read books on a wide array of topics. The imprint was designed to showcase established voices and to introduce emerging new ones—in both fiction and nonfiction, and across a variety of genres. Some of Gallery Books’ bestselling titles include Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler, Still Alice by Lisa Genova, sTori Telling by Tori Spelling, and Oh My Dog by Beth Stern. Upcoming titles include I Know I Am, But What Are You? by Samantha Bee, Gunn’s Golden Rules by Tim Gunn, I Remember You by Harriet Evans, and Lisa Genova’s new novel, Left Neglected.

Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website athttp://www.simonandschuster.com.

GCC Tours Melissa Walker and Small Town Sinners

2011-07-20T23:21:00.005-04:00

MELISSA WALKER is one of our DEAR BULLY contributors, and before I tour her new book, SMALL TOWN SINNERS, Melissa is here to talk about her essay that she contributed to DEAR BULLY:

"Because of the essay I wrote for Dear Bully, I've had some old friends on my mind. There was a group of four of us in 8th grade, one of whom was sort of the ringleader of meanness. One day, the other three of us turned on her. But instead of saying, "Stop being mean," we ostracized her and cut her off completely. Not real mature.

In chronicling this episode for the anthology, another friend on the periphery of our circle, Beth, popped into my head. I remember that just after the showdown happened with my friends, she would ask me how this ostracized friend was doing, tell me she worried about her, hoped she was okay. It made me think about the "mean friend"'s side of things in a way I hadn't done before.

I reconnected with Beth on Facebook and told her about how much her 8th grade poise and wisdom impressed and stayed with me. She, naturally, coudn't remember the incident--it was just in her nature to be that kind. I can't wait to read the rest of the Dear Bully stories and hope that there are more full-circle moments for the authors who contributed and the readers who check it out. "

Readers should definitely check out SMALL TOWN SINNERS, which recently got this great review in the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/17/books/review/young-adult-small-town-sinners-by-melissa-walker.html

~~~~~~more about Melissa's new book~~~~~~~~~

It's Small Town Sinners' Book Birthday Week!

Does falling in love mean falling out of faith?

“Lacey Anne Byer is a perennial good girl and lifelong member of the House of Enlightenment, the Evangelical church in her small town. With her driver's license in hand and the chance to try out for a lead role in Hell House, her church's annual haunted house of sin, Lacey's junior year is looking promising. But when a cute new stranger comes to town, something begins to stir inside her. Ty Davis doesn't know the sweet, shy Lacey Anne Byer everyone else does. With Ty, Lacey could reinvent herself. As her feelings for Ty make Lacey test her boundaries, events surrounding Hell House make her question her religion."

Read an excerpt.

A few reviews:

"Walker has written a credible and tender evocation of the moment when a young person’s beliefs begin to emerge and potentially diverge from the teachings of a family’s religion... Near the end, Lacey contemplates a verse from the prophet Isaiah: 'Come now and let us reason together.' It’s a good summation of what Walker asks of her characters and, by extension, of her readers." --The New York Times Book Review

"A non-judgmental, nuanced, fascinating look at the teenage religious right... Walker writes an outstanding contemporary novel with a cast of characters who, far from being portrayed as hateful zealots, are relatable for readers of all faiths. The extremism of Hell House is tempered by the perfectly understandable attitudes and intentions of Lacey Anne, who struggles with what it means to grow up, to question and to think for herself." --Romantic Times

"Both tender and provocative... Walker creates an astutely balanced portrait of a conservative congregation's in-your-face response to perennial issues of domestic abuse, teen pregnancy, and suicide, as well as of those who struggle to fit the prescribed Christian mold." --Publishers Weekly

So, it's out this week! The first week of a book's life is VERY important. And you can help me spread the word! Here's how:

1) Buy the book! To purchase your copy, please request it at your local bookstore, or you can get it at Amazon or Barnes & Noble or various other convenient spots.

2) Shout it from the rooftops! Might I be so bold as to ask you to tell everyone you know about it? Tweet it. Facebook it. Goodreads it. Oh my! Look, handy buttons:

3) Come see me read! I’ll be at Books of Wonder in NYC (18 W. 18th Street) on Thursday, July 28th with fellow authors Sarah Porter (Lost Voices) and Aprilynne Pike (Illusions).

4) Like my Author Page on Facebook. We may be friends on Facebook, but I'd also love it if you "Like" me there. Because you already do, right? Oh, and while you're at it, find me on twitter!

xx,

Melissa

melissacwalker.com

twitter.com/melissacwalker

beforeyouwerehot.com

iheartdaily.com
readergirlz.com

GCC Tours Amanda Ashby and Fairy Bad Day

2011-07-20T23:08:00.003-04:00

FAIRY BAD DAY
by Amanda Ashby

It’s going to be a fairy bad day.

First, my rightful designation of dragon slayer is STOLEN right out from under me by Curtis Green. Sure, he’s really cute, but that doesn’t give him an excuse.

On top of that, I am assigned to slay fairies. I know what you’re thinking—how hard could it be, right? Wrong! These menacing beasts with their tiny hipster clothes and mocking sarcasm love taunting me. And they won’t STOP!

But the thing that tops my list of stuff to ruin my day? That would be the GIANT KILLER FAIRY that I have to hunt down and slay because I am the only one who can see it. There is someone who can help me. Unfortunately…it’s Curtis.

What people are saying:

"Teens with a taste for the paranormal school story and a tolerance for raucous humor will be involved with and amused by this romantic fantasy. The exciting plot, humor throughout—often provided by the little fairies—and relatively innocent romance between characters will grab readers and keep them involved. " Kirkus Reviews

"In a fun mashup of the modern and the magical, Ashby (Zombie Queen of Newbury High) creates nicely developed characters and supports them with strong plotting and zippy writing. Laced with humor, danger, and romance, this book will have readers smiling all the way to the last page." Publisher's Weekly

“Great fairy fun from page one! If Buffy and Harry Potter got together and threw a magical slayer party, it would be the world Amanda Ashby created in Fairy Bad Day. With plenty of laugh-out-loud humor, emotional depth, and cute boy romance, reading this book will guarantee your day is fairy awesome.” Tera Lynn Childs, award-winning author of Oh. My. Gods. and Forgive My Fins

"Fairy Bad Day is fairy awesome supernatural slaying fun." Stacey Jay author of You are So Undead to Me and Undead Much

"I really liked that no matter how mad Emma wanted to be at Curtis, she just couldn't stay mad—not with those beautiful brown eyes and that lopsided grin. I loved the cover design, it really drew me in. This was a very good book and I would highly recommend it."— School Library Journal Vanessa, age 12

_____________________________________________________________

As we get closer to the pub date of DEAR BULLY, I'm asking all of our Girlfriend Cyber Circuit members to share an experience or their thoughts on bullying -- a trend that is growing at an alarming rate.

Here's what Amanda had to say:

Unfortunately, not all of our friends are who we think they are. I have two kids at school and the amount of bullying behavior that goes on within their groups is terrifying. Because of it I’m always reminding them that friends don’t make you feel bad.

Unfortunately, it sometimes seems to me that it’s actually harder to walk away from the bully who you know and have shared some good times with than the bully who you don’t like. But, it does bear repeating, friends don’t make you feel bad. So if you have someone in your group who is bullying you, no matter how hard it is to step away (and I really do know how difficult this can be, especially if ‘everyone’ else is still friends with them) a true friend is someone who supports you, not one who teases, or hurts you or tries to sabotage your happiness.

I’m a great believer in friendship and in Fairy Bad Day there is no way that Emma would’ve been able to face her challenges without the help of her friends. I think this is the same in real life as well. Our friends help us when things are going wrong and they laugh and celebrate with us when things are going right.

ABOUT AMANDA

Amanda Ashby was born in Australia, and has spent the last fifteen years dividing her time between England and New Zealand before finally deciding that to move home. When she's not moving country, she likes to write books (okay, she also likes to eat chocolate, watch television and sit around doing not much, but let's just keep that amongst ourselves, shall we?)

She has a degree in English and Journalism from the University of Queensland and is married with two children. As well as writing, she works part-time at the children/teen desk of her local library, which basically means that someone pays her to talk about books. Her debut book, You Had Me at Halo was nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award, and her first young adult book Zombie Queen of Newbury High was listed by the New York Public Library's Stuff for the Teen Age 2010.

http://www.amandaashby.com

http://www.amandaashby.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/#!/amandaashby/

http://www.amandaashby.com/
Fairy Bad Day ~ Puffin June 9th 2011 Sophie's Mixed-Up Magic #1 Wishful Thinking ~ Puffin Summer 2012

Insight Stages: Dear Bully

2011-06-23T10:21:00.003-04:00

Click below for the podcast of the DEAR BULLY panel at BEA

Insight Stages: Dear Bully

GCC Tours Jessica Brody and MY LIFE UNDECIDED

2011-06-20T12:13:00.004-04:00

As I mentioned last week, I'm about two authors behind on my blog tour schedule, so I just may have to double up on author in order to catch up -- especially since it's about one week until my daughter is out of school for summer vacation. There goes the rest of the little time I have! Argh!

Anyway, I'm so super excited to tour Jessica Brody this week. She is one of the contributors to DEAR BULLY and so I'm also going to post her bully story over on the DEAR BULLY website. Take a visit over there if you can (www.dearbully.com).

Before I get to her book, Jessica is going to tell a little about her experience with bullying:

I’m so thrilled to be one of the authors contributing to the forthcoming anthology: Dear Bully. I wrote a song for the book that talks about how I was bullied in middle school. I was constantly teased, harassed, pranked, you name it. And I spent the entire time on the outside, looking in, wishing I could be part of the “popular crowd.” But now, looking back on it, I’m glad I wasn’t. I talk about this a lot now when I do school visits. My experience in middle school shaped who I am today. I honestly don’t think I would be writing young adult novels had I not had these experiences. They stayed with me. Long enough that I’m able to use them in my writing. I think (hope!) these real life experiences I have to pull from make my characters more real and believable.

Jessica has an amazing book out (it came out on June 7th) and here's a little bit about MY LIFE UNDECIDED:

PLEASE READ THIS! MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!

Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment.

Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged. Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure.

But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I’m gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else be the one to decide which book I read for English. Or whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich Maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: Chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated!

Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever.

But don’t take my word for it, read the book and decide for yourself. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream in frustration. Or maybe that’s just me. After all, it’s my life.

Reviews:

"Brooklyn is a sympathetic protagonist with whom teens will identify. Her journey is fun to read, and decision-challenged readers will learn an important lesson about self-acceptance along the way."
--School Library Journal

"Brody taps into a universal human desire...An amusing coming-of-age story with many funny moments...[Brooklyn's] flustered, off-the-cuff narration should keep readers as invested in her actions as her blog followers are."
--Publisher's Weekly

About the Author:

A few fun facts about Jessica Brody’s own life undecided:

Jessica was born in Los Angeles, moved to Colorado when she was twelve, moved back to California after college and now indecisively splits her time between both states.
Jessica graduated from Smith College in Massachusetts with majors in Economics and French because she was convinced she wanted to be an “important business woman.” After a brief stint as a strategic analyst for MGM Studios, she abandoned her business background to become a full-time writer. Now she uses her mad spreadsheet skills to build complicated outlines for her books.
Appropriately, when writing this book, Jessica couldn’t decide on a title. So she polled 50 of her closest friends to finally come up with My Life Undecided.

Visit her online at: www.JessicaBrody.com.

Bestselling Author of:

The Karma Club (young adult)

My Life Undecided (young adult) - Coming June 2011!

The Fidelity Files (commercial fiction)

Love Under Cover (commercial fiction)

www.JessicaBrody.com

And coming soon: www.MyLifeUndecided.com, where you can post your own undecided questions, poll the community, and get some answers.

My Life Undecided

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); First Edition edition (June 7, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0374399050
ISBN-13: 978-0374399054

GCC Tours Elizabeth Scott and BETWEEN HERE AND FOREVER

2011-06-09T11:35:00.005-04:00

I am so overdue with my GCC Blog tours. Please forgive my time away from here. I've been so busy with DEAR BULLY, the anti-bullying anthology that comes out in August, that I've been so neglectful (is that a word?) of my personal blog. So, apologies to everyone!!! I'm actually going to be touring Jessica Brody NEXT week (even though I was supposed to do it THIS week), but right now I'm going to tour Elizabeth Scott, because I was supposed to tour her LAST week.

(Confusing, I know... welcome to my life!)

So, first things first, WELCOME, ELIZABETH SCOTT to my humble web page/blog. Here is a pic of her beautiful book cover for her latest book, BETWEEN HERE AND FOREVER.

Here's a little about the book:

Abby accepted that she can't measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and she knows exactly what she it: Second best. Invisible.

Until the accident.

Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby’s life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it’s nothing compared to living without her.

She’s got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she’d never seen.

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 think it's best to be the better person, as hard as that can be, and
I do think that living your own life the best way you can is super
important!

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?

It's more subtle as you get older, but yes, the mean girls are still
out there! But luckily, there are also loads of amazing and truly
sweet women too.

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?

The Only Exception by Paramore, for sure!

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 can't pick a favorite book or author--I love too many books (and
authors) to ever pick one and every time I'm asked this question I
feel so bad that I can't answer but in a world filled with so many
great books and authors, how can I pick only one?

5. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

I'm pretty happy with my own life, actually.

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!)

If someone wanted to turn Between Here and Forever into a movie, I'd
be so thrilled I wouldn't care who got cast!

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?

Small towns, secrets, and finding love.

8. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?

Oh, I don't know--probably Empire Strikes Back. I wanted to marry Han
Solo for years after that movie!

9. Why should I choose your book for my book club?

If you like stories about sibling relationships--and, of
course--falling in love--then you should check Between Here and
Forever out!

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!

I wish I'd make a pitch, but I'd probably either ask you about your
upcoming movie. Or try and figure out how much work you've had done on
your face. (!!!)

Readergirz Rock the Drop!

2011-04-13T22:11:00.001-04:00

Where I work

2011-04-06T12:00:00.007-04:00

I've shown you pictures of my dream office. Now I'll show you pics of me in my real office. It's pretty awful. Actually, you can't see most of the mess, because it is on the floor (which is a good thing -- not for me, but so you don't have to be subjected to it). Anyway, I've gotten some emails from readers asking me to show where I work, and this is it. Very exciting! And now you'll see why I'm dreaming of a new office, because this one really stinks.Enjoy!

Update: Here is me at the end of a long day spent in my crazy, messy

office. This is my day: morning to night (with an occasional errand to run). The glamorous life of a writer, don't you think? All in a day's work. Time for bed!

Another update: This is to show all those people who have commented and emailed me that I look miserable in my office, that it is actually possible for me to smile and look relatively happy in my workspace. Any other organization or decorating tips are greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

The new cover (almost there)

2011-03-25T09:19:00.003-04:00

Here is a sneak peek at the new cover for DEAR BULLY. Not sure if it's going to be the final version, but it's the latest one I've seen.

It's kind of cool and yet a little creepy at the same time.

What do you think?

By the way, here's the link to DEAR BULLY on the HarperCollins catalog.

My dream story book gown

2011-03-24T11:48:00.004-04:00

The Quintessential Storybook Gown.

A gown made entirely out of Golden Story Books.

How amazing!

Dear Bully in Glamour Magazine (Feb. 2011 issue)!

2011-03-07T17:07:00.001-05:00

The Bullying Stops Here

Check out my latest post at Teen Fiction Cafe!

2011-03-07T09:47:00.003-05:00

...where I talk about who I'd like to be for just one day. I give some details on my trip to Australia with OPRAH!!! (Actually, it was my mom and sister who won the trip, but we had fun tagging along.)

Check out my latest post here.

Coca-cola's secret recipe?

2011-02-15T18:06:00.001-05:00

Have a Coke and a smile!

The recipe:

Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP
Citric acid: 3 oz
Caffeine: 1 oz
Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity)
Water: 2.5 gal
Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart
Vanilla: 1 oz
Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color

The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):
Alcohol: 8 oz
Orange oil: 20 drops
Lemon oil: 30 drops
Nutmeg oil: 10 drops
Coriander: 5 drops
Neroli: 10 drops
Cinnamon: 10 drops

More workspace ideas

2011-02-08T16:02:00.006-05:00

An office of a favorite writer of mine...

A dream office....

A library that both frightens and intrigues me...

A wonderful place online (and a magazine) that helps inspire me to create the office of my dreams (where women create)

Dream Work Spaces

2011-02-08T15:35:00.003-05:00

My office is just one big huge mess.

It is where clutter comes to die.

So....

I'm on the quest to find the perfect work environment. This could also be seen as a form of procrastination. But, I beg to differ. If your workspace is any reflection of your state of mind, then my mind is an explosive landfill. I will rattle off the first few things in my office that I see.

My daughter's bed frame, her Disney princess vanity. soy tri-wheat healthy hair leave-in conditioner, two vacuums, a ridiculous amount of dust (obviously the 2 vacuums are untouched), stacks of books, papers, folders, files everywhere, random printouts of articles I will never read, beaded jewelry made by my daughter, stuffed animals (giraffes), boxes and boxes and boxes of all shapes and sizes, webkinz codes, at least 5 different calendars - none for this year; bags, baskets, stacks of clothes... you get the picture. (And I haven't even turned around all the way...this is just in my peripheral vision).

Anyway, I'll be posting inspiring work spaces here once in awhile, not only for your enjoyment, but to motivate myself. Maybe this will work as my "vision" board. Instead, it will be my *vision* blog. Once I post it, it will be one step closer to making it a reality.

Enjoy...

Actually, how can this person actually be doing any work? You need some clutter to be productive, no?

Newest Teen Fiction Cafe Blogger!

2011-02-04T13:02:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone, I just did my first blog post over at the Teen Fiction Cafe. I'm over there with fellow YA authors :

Come over and check it out!!

GCC Tours (my friend!) Laurie Stolarz

2011-01-09T22:27:00.010-05:00

This week I get to tour one of my closest writer friends, Laurie Stolarz. Laurie and I live super close to each other and when we first met through the GCC, we discovered this fun fact. So we've done a bunch of signings and school visits together and we always have a blast. We are kind of the yin and yang of the writing community, or for those of you who are familiar with the old Highlights comic strip, Goofus and Gallant. I am most definitely Goofus and Laurie is Gallant. We typically discuss our different methods of writing and working during our store and school visits. Laurie explains her writing process, her detailed outlining, strict word/page count deadlines each week and how she organizes and streamlines the entire process. Then I go on to say how I procrastinate, am totally disorganized, never outline, and go on binge writing sessions after struggling with major writer's block. This may be why Laurie has a thousand books out (or on their way out) and I have two (almost three).

Go figure.

Anyway, I love Laurie to death and I think she's an awesome writer and she's so completely dedicated to her readers and fans. I'm so blown away by how far people come to meet her, and if they have been to more than one of her signings, she almost always remembers them.

Here we are at one of our super fun and spooky signings (I think it was on a Friday the 13th).

So without further ado, here's my interview with Laurie and the information on her latest book in her Touch series, Deadly Little Games.

DEADLY LITTLE GAMES

ISBN-13: 9781423131601

Disney/Hyperion Books for Children

Synopsis: High school juniors Camelia and Ben have discovered a powerful bond: they both possess the power of psychometry, the ability to see the future through touch. For Ben, the gift is a frightening liability. When he senses a strong threat or betrayal, he risks losing control. Camelia’s gift is more mysterious. When she works with clay, her hands sculpt messages her mind doesn’t yet comprehend. Before either one has a chance to fully grasp their abilities, a new danger surfaces, but this time, Camelia is not the target. Adam, a familiar face from Ben’s past, is drawn into a puzzle he can’t solve. . . and his life is on the line. As the clues pile up, Camelia must decide whether to help him and risk losing Ben or do nothing and suffer the consequences. But in these games,who can be trusted?

From DEADLY LITTLE GAMES:

With only a few minutes of class remaining, I close my eyes again, still picturing Adam’s mouth. I try to imagine what he would say if he knew what I was doing. Would he suspect that I was interested in him? Would he think it was weird that I remember so much detail about the moment that night inside his car? Would he tell Ben what I was up to? I take a deep breath and try my best to focus on the answers. But the only words that flash across my mind, the ones I can’t seem to shake, don’t even address the questions at all. “You deserve to die,” I whisper, suddenly realizing that I’ve said the words aloud.

Check out the book trailers:

DEADLY LITTLE SECRET: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fzMpVMy2fQ

DEADLY LITTLE LIES: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9Qk0VG2Nz0

TOUCH SERIES CONTEST

From the author: “In celebration of the release of DEADLY LITTLE GAMES, I’ve launched a very exciting contest. You will need to read a copy of DEADLY LITTLE GAMES to enter. Prizes include having a minor character in DEADLY LITTLE VOICES, the fourth book in the TOUCH series, named after him or her, or a phone call from me. OFFICIAL RULES for this contest are on my website, under NEWS. ALL ENTRANTS MUST SIGN A RELEASE FORM, DOWNLOADABLE FROM WWW.LAURIESTOLARZ.COM/NEWS.html. Sign up for my e-Newsletter for updates on contest, book, and appearance info: http://www.lauriestolarz.com/newsletter.html.”

Praise for the TOUCH series:

DEADLY LITTLE SECRET
Texas Tayshas List, 2010

Reluctant Reader Quick Pick Nominee, 2010, American Library Association

Teens@Random, Favorite Book of 2009

"...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

“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

DEADLY LITTLE LIES
Reluctant Reader Quick Pick Nominee, 2011, American Library Association

Gold Star Award, TeensReadToo.com, 2009

Children’s Book Council’s 2010 Teen Choice Book of the Year Nominee

"Laurie Faria Stolarz is a master creator of suspense and romance. Her words cause the heart to pound, the palms to sweat, the spine to shiver, and the stomach to flutter. The trepidation born from the anonymous threats will make the pages fly, and the palpable tension between Camelia and Ben as they attempt to ignore their hearts causes the fire to burn hotter. Stolarz brings back the colorful characters who provided the mood-lightening bits of humor in DEADLY LITTLE SECRET...She also emphasizes the importance of solid friendships to help teens deal with the gut-wrenching experience of witnessing parents fight and tear their lives apart." - TeenReads.com

"...the perfect book for readers who enjoy series, who like a mystery with a splash of romance, and who live for books that send a shiver down their spines. Stolarz does an excellent job of creating likeable and multifaceted characters: Camelia has a girl-next-door quality and her friends are vibrant. The elements of psychometry will most likely drive readers to investigate more on this unusual ability." - ALAN's Picks

Author Bio: Laurie Faria Stolarz is the author of Deadly Little Secret, Deadly Little Lies, Deadly Little Games, Deadly Little Voices, Project 17, and Bleed, as well as the bestselling Blue is for Nightmares series, which has sold nearly 750,000 copies worldwide. 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, please visit her Web site at www.lauriestolarz.com.

Laurie’s Guilty Pleasures

Favorite snack: Popcorn with soy butter, salt, and garlic powder.
Touristy Trip: Paris (lived there), the south of France (been there), Stockholm (almost went there and want to go), Maui (really want to go).
Fashion addiction (at the moment): Gap Long & Lean jeans, Ugg crochet boots (not Cardy, just the regular knit), Michael Stars tops.

Dessert: Dark chocolate in almost any form - the darker the better.
Fast food: French fries at least once every couple of months (even better when dipped in vegan tartar sauce).
Beauty Binge: Aveda haircare products, which includes indulging in high-and/or-low-lights every eight weeks. Also, Caudalie skincare, Ineke perfume (Field Notes from Paris), Revitalash mascara, and Buxom Lips from Bare Escentuals.
Late-Night TV: The Hills (so sad it's over), The City, Real Housewives of (wherever), and The Real World.
Chick Flick: Never Been Kissed, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Juno, Green Card, Once, The Devil Wears Prada, Bridget Jones Diary, Thelma & Louise, Mean Girls, Moonstruck, Clueless, Under the Tuscan Sun, and anything with John Cusack.
Nightlife: Pilates in front of the TV (a regular occurrence), answering e-mail (also regular), and dinner and/or a movie out with friends (happens far too rarely).
Cheap Thrill: Window-shopping, tabloid magazines, buying a new lip gloss, a tall cup of coffee from Peet's or Starbucks.
Ultimate Splurge: Giuliano’s Day Spa for a massage and soft-pack wrap treatment, oxygen facials, and spray-tanning (in summer only).

Other Random Info

Favorite Quote: Perseverance is key.
Favorite cuisine: Indian food – onion chutney, curried vegetables, and kashmir bread. I also love cheeseless pizza from Bertucci's.
Interests: Vegetarian cooking, holistic nutrition, aromatherapy.
Favorite Music: Fergie, James Blunt, Gavin Rossdale, Tori Amos, Sting, Sarah MacLachlin, Gwen Stefani, Black-eyed Peas.
Hobbies: Walking, napping, cooking, shopping, interior decorating.

My interview with Ms. Laurie Stolarz:

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 prey 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 had a contest going last year that involved this very question. You can see the winning playlists here:

DEADLY LITTLE SECRET and DEADLY LITTLE LIES: http://www.lauriestolarz.com/novels/the_touch_series.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 tell people it’s The Awakening by Kate Chopin, but I just finished Still Missing by Chevy Stevens and loved it.

5. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why? Someone who just spent an obscene amount of money on a fully loaded spa day at Canyon Ranch.

6. 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? Forbidden love, supernatural powers, and the fine line between sanity and insanity.

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.

8. Why should I choose your book for my book club? Because it’s 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!

Camelia and Ben both possess the power of psychometry, the ability to sense the future through touch. For Ben, the gift is a liability. When he senses a threat, he risks losing control and hurting people. Camelia's gift is more mysterious. When she works with clay, her hands sculpt messages her mind doesn't comprehend. Before either teen has a chance to grasp these abilities, Camelia’s drawn into a puzzle that she can’t solve. And in games like these, who can be trusted?

GCC Tours Eileen Cook

2011-01-03T11:55:00.004-05:00

Happy Holidays! Happy New Year!! Happy, Happy!!

Now that I'm back from an EXHAUSTING holiday season, I'm kicking off the new year with a GCC Tour of Eileen Cook's new book,

The Education of Hailey Kendrick

Here's some info about the book:

Hailey Kendrick always does exactly what's expected of her. She has the right friends, dates the perfect boy, gets good grades, and follows all the rules. But one night, Hailey risks everything by breaking a very big rule in a very public way...and with a very unexpected partner in crime. Hailey gets caught, but her accomplice does not, and Hailey takes the fall for both of them.

Suddenly, Hailey's perfect life--and her reputation--are blowing up in her face. Her friends are all avoiding her. Her teachers don't trust her. Her boyfriend won't even speak to her for long enough to tell her that she's been dumped.

They say honesty is the best policy--but some secrets are worth keeping, no matter the cost. Or are they?

Reviews:

"Hailey may be an A student headed to the Ivy League, but when it comes to taking a chance on life, she’s clueless. She’s also enormously appealing and great company throughout this breezy read. Yes, it’s chick lit, but of the highest quality—like a gourmet truffle. Cook has whipped up a real treat.” --Kirkus starred review

"Cook effectively builds both Hailey's (justified) feelings of rebellion and the social dynamics of her ostracism, especially in her growing friendship with a challenging townie, Drew, who supervises her punishment working with the janitorial staff....Cook coaxes considerable empathy for the otherwise privileged Hailey as she abandons the achievement treadmill to explore her independence." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author:

Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in six different languages. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer.

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

Now, for my interview with Eileen. Here goes:

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’ve certainly spent time plotting all sorts of evil revenge plans, but I’ve never put them into action. I do believe the adage the best revenge is living well and not letting your energy get focused on someone else.

I think that unfortunately mean girls will always exist. There are people who measure their value by comparing themselves to everyone else. I think where it has become worse since I was a teen is with the focus on social media. It is much easier to say something cruel on the internet than it is to say it to someone’s face. Not to mention it has a life of it’s own and can be spread everywhere with a click of a button.

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?

Defying Gravity from the musical Wicked.

How do you ever pick a favorite? John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany has been a long term favorite, but recently I loved the quirky mystery- Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie.

5. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

I wouldn’t mind being my dogs. They have a pretty good life. They sleep in, they have dinner delivered, they run around in the backyard, lay in the sun, take a nap and have their bellies rubbed. They seem very low stress.

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’m terrible about picking a cast. This is why I’ll never be a director. I have such a clear vision in my mind of the characters that they never tend to match with the real world. If I had to pick I would find a way to give Nathan Fillion a role just so I could meet him.

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?

How much will you risk to get what you really want?

8. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?

I love 80’s movies. Breakfast Club, 16 Candles, Pretty in Pink and the ever famous Red Dawn.

9. Why should I choose your book for my book club?

I suppose saying because I asked nicely isn’t a good answer. I think readers will have fun debating what they think Hailey should do in order to get her life back on track- and if it was ever on track to start with.

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!

This is where I would stare vacantly at you in the elevator and try not to swallow my own tongue. It is perhaps a good thing that I don’t bump into powerful movie producers very often (or at all.) If I managed to spit anything out I would tell you it has humor, a love triangle (complete with a bad boy), popularity, pranks and the ultimate question of how do you define yourself.

Thanks for stopping by, Eileen. Now everyone, make a New Year's Resolution to go out and buy and read some books from the Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit writers this year. Thanks!! And Happy 2011!!

DEAR BULLY has a cover!

2010-11-20T01:37:00.003-05:00

Yay, we have a cover! Let me know your thoughts on our new cover for our anthology on bullying. The book doesn't come out until next fall, so we have some time to play around with it.

Also, our anthology finally made news in Publisher's Weekly! Check out the story here. Also, Publisher's Marketplace ran the news of our deal this week:

PUBLISHERS MARKETPLACE DEALS for November 16, 2010

Children's:Young Adult

NYT bestselling author of Need and Captivate Carrie Jones and author of Sisters of Misery Megan Kelley Hall's DEAR BULLY: Writers Tell Their Stories, an anthology featuring more than 70 essays between the print version and the online component, to Tara Weikum and Sarah Barley at Harper, by Edward Necarsulmer IV of McIntosh & Otis for Jones, and Elisabeth Weed of Weed Literary, for Hall, with proceeds being donated to an anti-bullying charity.

Stop the bullying!

2010-10-20T09:37:00.006-04:00

Stop the Madness!
When you get a chance, check out the Facebook pages/groups I created to put a stop to bullying. I have a lot of news, as well as what you can do to end the cycle of bullying, but this is a great place to start. Much more to come!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=105581906147904

http://www.facebook.com/DearBully

GCC Tours Linda Gerber and TRANCE

2010-10-15T11:18:00.005-04:00

I'm very excited to tour Linda Gerber and her exciting new novel, TRANCE. I cannot wait to read this one! Linda is the author of the very popular "DEATH BY" series. She was nice enough to stop by here and give us a little peek at her new book.

Almost everyone has wished that they could take a glimpse into the future—but what if such visions came unbidden, and they only foretold danger? Linda Gerber weaves this idea into a chilling and satisfying young adult novel with TRANCE (Speak; 9780142414156; October 14, 2010; Ages 12 up; $7.99). Perfect for fans of Wake, Gerber’s latest paranormal thriller is a dark but addictive tale of one girl’s curse to unwillingly foresee future tragedies, and the debilitating toll that it takes on her present life—until she realizes that her unwanted power may be more of a gift than a curse.

Ashlyn Greenfield has always known when bad things are going to happen. Each time that familiar tingling at the back of her neck begins, she knows what’s to come—a trance. She’s pulled in, blindsided, an unwilling witness to a horrible upcoming event. But she’s never been able to stop the event from actually occurring—not even when the vision was of her mother’s fatal car accident. When soulful Jake enters Ashlyn’s life, she begins having trances about another car accident. And as her trances escalate, one thing becomes clear: it’s up to her to save Jake from a near-certain death.

Combining romance and suspense, Linda Gerber delivers a paranormal thriller that is unique in its ability to appeal to sci-fi and chick lit fans alike.

About the Author

Linda Gerber (www.lindagerber.com) is the author of the popular Death by Bikini, Death by Latte, and Death by Denim as well as two books in the S.A.S.S. series. She lives with her family in Dublin, Ohio.

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?

I haven’t tried to get revenge on anyone that I remember. I'm sure I thought about it before, but it isn’t worth the negative energy.

As the old adage goes, do you think that living well is the best revenge?

Probably. As long as you don’t mar the living well with worrying about whether the hated party is noticing or not.

I haven’t encountered it myself, but my daughter has had some experience with girls who act superior and pick on others they think will be easy prey.

When I was a teen, we didn’t have the electronic media to make this kind of ostracism public they way they do now. If one of these mean girls humiliated you, it might be in front of a group of friends, but the moment would pass and people would forget about it. Now these girls post pictures and write nasty things on their victims’ walls. The online stuff is there forever. I think the whole mean girl/revenge thing is more vicious now than it was when I was in high school.

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 can't write with music. What ends up happening is I sing along and get lost in the lyrics and stop writing. So I don't have a writing playlist. Yes, I'm boring.

Ha. No. I tell them I couldn’t possibly choose a favorite (especially since so many of my friends are authors). I will tell them about the best books I’ve read recently, but my favorites are legion and always changing, so I avoid that one altogether.

5. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

I dunno. Someone rich and pampered who wouldn't make me thing too much.

Seriously, I would start naming some of the authors I admire because it would be fascinating to get inside their heads for a day, but if we’re swapping, that would mean they’d get inside my head, too, and… it’s a mess in there.

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 probably want to go with relative unknowns because I’d want them to be relatable, “regular” teens.

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?

Trust in the face of hardship, prescription drug abuse, and the grieving process.

8. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?

That’s hard. There were some really good movies in that decade. But if I have to choose, I’ll go with the one my kids and I quote from the most: The Princess Bride.

Thoughts on Bullying by Kate Harding

2010-10-09T14:39:00.003-04:00

'Nuff said.

http://kateharding.info/2010/10/06/on-good-kids-and-total-fucking-assholes /

GCC Tours new member Lauren Strasnick and Her and Me and You.

2010-10-05T12:28:00.005-04:00

Welcome back, GCC-ers. It's that time again! Let's welcome Lauren Strasnick, author of Her and Me and You

About the Book:

Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster, October 2010

First love, broken friendships, and heartache all play a part in this evocative, voice-driven novel about Alex, a girl whose world is ripped apart when her father’s affair splits her family in two.

Alex moves with her mess of a mother to a new town, where she is befriended by hot, enigmatic Fred–and alternately flirted with and cold-shouldered by Fred’s twin sister, Adina. Others warn Alex to steer clear of the twins, whose sibling relationship is considered abnormal at best, but there’s just something about Fred–and something about Adina–that draws Alex to them and makes her want to be part of their crazy world, no matter the consequences.

“Strasnick’s slim second offering packs a lot into its short chapters: divorce, broken friendships, crushes, the lines between love and sex and more. Characterization, scenes, dialogue and setting are seamlessly distilled into so few sharp, image-rich phrases that the novel reads almost as if it were written in verse. Less is definitely more here, and readers are plunged into Alex’s physical and emotional world within three to four words. Although the plot moves swiftly, the author’s ability to capture Alex’s inner world in so few words give the novel depth and balance. Complex and thought-provoking.” –Kirkus

Now, I'm going to take time away from my TOP SECRET project (which is almost ready to announce - phew!) and post my GCC interview with Lauren:

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?

Oh, gosh! I don’t think I’m really all that vengeful. Not that I don’t ever get pissy or mad – but my head never really goes to that place of wanting to enact revenge… And if I’ve ever been on the receiving end of some vengeful scheme (!) – I’m oblivious.

I don’t know if I’ve ever been victim to any serious mean girl activity. There was a girl a girl at my high school who would occasionally threaten to beat me up (yikes!), but otherwise, I’ve been really fortunate -- I know a ton of spectacular women.

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 am a huge music person and make playlists for all my projects, but for some reason this book went without! I’m not sure why! It was a hard book to write – so perhaps that has something to with it?! Poor, neglected book.

Some favorites: The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon, The Basic Eight by Daniel Handler, The Secret History by Donna Tartt (MKH Note: The Secret History is my all-time FAVORITE book too!!)– these really are my true favorites. I could play this game better with TV: I adore Mad Men, Friday Night Lights, 30 Rock – but I’m also a massive Real Housewives fan and will watch any incarnation of the series.

5. 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!)

Such a tough question, because I’m not totally up on young Hollywood – but I like Kat Dennings a lot, and there’s this actress from the Brit series SKINS that I think is adorable – Hannah Murray.

6. As a publicist, I know that it's important for every novel to have a journalistic hook. For The Lost Sister, it's mean girls, bullies and hazing. What's yours?

Um. Twincest? No, no. ah… co-dependant, claustrophobic relationships? I think I’m bad with journalistic hooks.

7. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?

Too many! Just a few: St. Elmo’s Fire, Sixteen Candles, Heathers.

8. Why should I choose your book for my book club?

Creepy twins! Who doesn’t like a good ol’ fashioned story about rich, unsupervised, teen twins who may or may not be in love with each other?! Kidding! Kind of.

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!

H&M&Y has infidelity! Divorce! Anorexia! Binge-drinking! A crazy, possessive twin! Girl-on-girl kissing! Boy-on-girl kissing! Ta-da! Make my book a movie, please. J

For more about Lauren, visit her website & blog: www.laurenstrasnick.com

GCC Tours Lucienne Diver and ReVamped!

2010-09-06T12:26:00.002-04:00

Please forgive me! I've been working on a top secret project (not that top-secret, as most of you probably know already, but I haven't officially announced it yet) and on top of that, trying to wind down the summer and endure the whole "Back-To-School" craziness. (Piper is in second grade!?!? Can you believe it?) Plus, Sisters of Misery and The Lost Sister have both been rereleased back to back in mass market paperback. Whoohoo!

Anyway, our Girlfriend Cyber Circuit has been pretty quiet this summer. Lots of things happening. Lots of people coming and going. (I will officially announce our new members and say a sad goodbye to our Girlfriends that are leaving us).

In any case, in honor of this new school year, Labor Day weekend, official end of the summer, I give you the first GCC tour of the school season. While you are cracking the books this fall, make sure to save some room for the awesome stories from the members of the GCC. First off, Lucienne Diver and Revamped (sequel to the incredibly successful, Vamped):

ReVamped…because fangs are always in fashion!

In Vamped, Gina and her minions defeated a vampire vixen, a psycho-psychic and the vampire council of Mozulla, Ohio. Gina was all ready to expose vampires to the world in all their fanged fabulosity…until the Feds arrived to sweep everything under the rug and make them an offer they couldn’t refuse.

In ReVamped, Gina and her boyfriend Bobby are sent undercover to infiltrate a New York high school where some seriously weird stuff is going down. Worse than that, Gina’s new super-secret identity is as goth-girl Geneva Belfry. No color palette to speak of. More chains than a bike rack. And don't even get her started on the shoes. At least she won’t be too worried about blood spatter when kicking the butt of her newest nemesis, who’s decided that the high school makes a perfect playground.

Rave Reviews:

“This is a witty vampire romance/adventure with plenty of heart and action. Diver has written a supernatural sequel to Vamped (Flux, 2009/VOYA August 2009) that will attract even reluctant readers. It is filled with wry twists, such as the difficulties of trying to apply mascara when, as vampire, you don’t have any reflection in the mirror, as well as the typical agonies of being young and trying to fit in.” —VOYA

“Gina, the 17-year-old fashionista of the undead, is back and as sassy as ever (Vamped, 2009). Thoroughly enjoyable, this sequel is a light, fizzy read… listening in on Gina’s thoughts and quick-witted dialogue is what makes this such a treat.” —Kirkus Reviews

Websites:

Publisher: www.fluxnow.com Author: www.luciennediver.com

Author blog: http://varkat.livejournal.com Gina’s blog: http://ginasgems.livejournal.com

ReVamped
by Lucienne Diver
September 2010
Trade Paperback from Flux
ISBN: 9780738721293

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’ve never actively set out to seek revenge. I think that sort of thing consumes a person and tends to backfire. I sort of believe in karma, though, and I’ve seen instances of poetic justice that give me hope that the universe will come through and balance the scales.

Oh yes, the mean girls and guys are everywhere. The only way it’s changed is that it’s become harder to avoid them…with Facebook and other social media, there’s less chance to just escape into your own world, unless you become totally disconnected, and more chance for mean girls to spread their venom. I so wish I had a solution to offer.

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 love music too much to listen to it while I write…I’d find it too distracting, but if I were to make a soundtrack for this book, it would probably feature Pink prominently, since she’s such a strong figure and the basis for Su Surrus, the made-up singer that my heroine idolizes. Of course, Gina does go goth in this book, so that might change the soundtrack significantly.

My favorite author of all-times is probably Mary Stewart, which I admit freely and constantly. I love the old gothic romances, particularly her My Brother Michael, Airs Above Ground, andTouch Not the Cat…. I could go on and on. My favorite book of all time, though, that’s tougher. Probably The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare, since I chose my pseudonym when I first started writing based on her heroine and wanted to name my son after her hero, though my husband begged to differ (and I let him).

5. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

Amazingly, I don’t think I’d swap my life for anything. I really love it. If I had to choose, though, I think I might swap with one of the actresses singing on Glee…Lea Michele or Amber Riley. I love the show, and I’ve always wanted to be able to belt out a song like that.

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!)

Oh, this one I know! I’ve been thinking a lot about this actually, for reasons known only to me. As Gina, I’d probably cast Selena Gomez (with green contacts, since my heroine’s aventurine eyes are pretty important to me). Her boy toy Bobby…originally I’d envisioned Zac Efron, who I continue to love, but since he’s probably beyond playing teenagers, I think Logan Lerman, who played Percy Jackson in the recent film.

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?

A fanged fashionista forced to go undercover as goth girl Geneva Belfry to investigate very strange goings-on at a New York high school. Gina didn’t think anything could be worse than waking up dead in Vamped to face an eternity without tanning options…until her first mission forces her to get ReVamped.

8. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?

Hands down, it’s Real Genius staring Val Kilmer. Just check out these clips! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5qtU-tO3Jk and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvJNpImHIRQ&feature=related . How can you resist?

9. Why should I choose your book for my book club?

Maybe because of something VOYA said in their review, which was probably the greatest compliment I could receive, “This is a witty vampire romance/adventure with plenty of heart and action. Diver has written a supernatural sequel to Vamped (Flux, 2009/VOYA August 2009) that will attract even reluctant readers.” It’s that last part that really gets me. I love the idea that reluctant readers might be attracted to my work. I know it’s popcorn, but, hopefully, it’s the really fun caramel kind!

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!

Um, love your ascot. I’ve got a great young adult series full of fanged fabulosity in which a teen fashionista wakes to her version of true horror as one of the undead. While she likes the eternal youth and beauty, the all-liquid diet leaves something to be desired. And after defeating a vixen vampiress with visions of world domination in book one, my fashionista and her faction are recruited by the Feds to spy for their country…or else.

Thanks so much for stopping by to answer my questions, Lucienne!

And to all the blog readers and fans of the GCC: Happy Beginning of the School Year! (ssshhh...stop boo-ing me. It's not my fault that the summer's over!)

GCC Tours Wendy Toliver

2010-06-15T13:37:00.004-04:00

This week, we are touring Wendy Toliver and her amazing new book, Lifted!

Being Bad Never Felt So Good.

Poppy Browne had never stolen anything in her life before moving to Pleasant Acres, Texas and meeting Mary Jane and Whitney. But when Poppy walks out of the mall with her two new friends and her first pair of stolen jeans, she’s hooked.

Before long, Poppy is lifting whenever she gets the urge—it’s never about the merchandise, it’s always about the thrill. But when her secret gets out, the girls in Poppy’s clique turn on one another. As she watches her life collapse around her, Poppy must decide where her loyalties lie … and how far she’ll go to protect herself.

About Wendy Toliver

Born in Texas, raised in Colorado, and now living in Utah, Wendy Toliver has successfully eliminated “y’all” from her vocabulary. However, she still managed to marry a pickup man. They have three young sons and an assortment of furry, scaly, and slimy pets. She is the author of three novels for teens: The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren, Miss Match, and Lifted.

Online

Web-site: www.wendytoliver.com

Blogs: www.teenfictioncafe.blogspot.com, www.booksboysbuzz.com, www.pulserocom.com

Other: www.facebook.com/wendy.toliver, www.twitter.com/wendytoliver, www.myspace.com/roxytoliver, http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Wendy-Toliver/44777487

Book Trailer Link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX6goy2sAwc

What People Are Saying About Lifted

“Smart, deftly written, and extremely well-observed, Wendy Toliver’s Lifted is so realistic and moving I felt like I was transported right inside Poppy’s world, watching as she struggled to navigate her way through a school where appearances are deceiving and no one is quite what they seem. A hard to put down, compelling read!”
Alyson Noël, #1 New York Times Best Selling author of The Immortals series

"Lifted is the story of an imperfect heroine seeking her place not only in school, but in life. Its exploration of the amount of truth behind social and religious stereotypes escalates into a double-dog dare to believe them. A haunting morality tale that will leave you questioning just what it means to be "good."
Aprilynne Pike, author of the #1 New York Times Best-Selling novel Wings

"Lifted by Wendy Toliver is an amazing, compelling read, filled with all the realness of being in high school, from humor to love to angst. I haven't met a character so well developed as Poppy since reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. At times heartbreaking, at others uplifting, Lifted is a book that I absolutely loved."
James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner and the13th Reality series

VOYA

Poor Poppy Browne! Her mother, an attractive but uptight college professor, has moved her from hip Colorado to bucolic Pleasant Acres, Texas, saying that she is doing it for Poppy's benefit. Even worse, she has to make a go of it in a conservative Baptist school. Calvary High, though, proves to be a much more interesting place than Poppy had imagined. Initially, it is all a bit straight-laced and humdrum, but when she makes friends with popular Mary Jane and Whitney, her life becomes more intriguing. The two girls, top students and role models, prove to be accomplished shoplifters. When they introduce Poppy to their pastime, she is instantly hooked—and it is not the merchandise—it is the thrill of the chase, the charge of getting away with something. Then, one of her friends informs on her, and as her world comes crashing down, Poppy has to figure out what her values really are. The writing and characterization are both decent, with enough contemporary slang and topical references for teens to relate. Plot driven, yes, indeed; but in the category of light read, this rates well on the girl interest scale. A strictly additional purchase, this is excellent beach reading for those seeking mean girl-fare with a soupcon of romance. Reviewer: Ann Welton

Booklist

Especially well drawn is Poppy’s crush, a quirky, sincere minister’s son, who—as Poppy’s world spins out of control—comforts her with unconditional support: “We all make mistakes. It says so in the Bible, so it’s gotta be true.” Will appeal to all teens interested in wayward behavior. Reviewer: Karen Cruze

Contest

Wendy is running a contest on her website, www.wendytoliver.com, the entire month of June. Simply click on the “contact” button and send her a message including the word “contest,” your name, and your U.S. mailing address. (If you’re under the age of 14, please get permission from your parents/guardians first.) She will be giving away gift cards to Border’s, signed copies of Lifted, as well as other fun prizes. One entry per person, please.

My Interview with Wendy:

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 believe in that old adage. I also believe in karma. As for actually seeking revenge on someone, I’m drawing a blank. I’ve done little things, like slap a guy who got too fresh with me—and yes, it felt great.

Yes they are everywhere and it’s so pathetic. I live in a tiny town and it’s amazing how there are certain groups of ladies who are, in essence, “mean girls.” In fact, I think it’s gotten worse since high school because I can’t really remember a particular group of girls being mean to me back then. Of course, as an adult you’re not forced to sit in class or be lab partners with “mean girls” so I just try and stay away from them as much as possible. I think it’s best to surround yourself with people who have your back and pat you on your back, not people who stab you in your back.

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?

“Just Dance” by Lady Gaga, anything by Evanescense, “Call Out” by Kaskade (featuring Mindy Gledhill), and, just for fun, "Got Caught Stealin'" by Jane's Addiction. I think the song that captures the essence of Lifted is “The Fear” by Lily Allen.

Ha! Great question, but tough, too, because honestly, my “real” favorite book changes so often. I’ll give it a shot, though. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens or The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (MKH NOTE: I LOVE OSCAR WILDE TOO!!) are the ones I tell people. Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick and Snitch by Allison Van Diepen are two of my recent (and real) favorites.

5. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

If I could actually go into someone’s body for a day, I’d love to be in some kind of extreme (think X-games) athlete’s body. Maybe BMX freestyle street competitor Benjamin Shenker. (How do those guys DO that?!?)

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!)

Poppy Browne—AnnaSophia Robb

Poppy’s mom—Reece Witherspoon

Mary Jane Portman—Meaghan Jette Martin (Bianca Stratford in the TV series “10 Things I Hate About You”)

Whitney Nickels—Keke Palmer (True Jackson on the “True Jackson, VP” TV series)

Gabe Valdez—Taylor Lautner

David Hillcrest—Logan Lerman (Percy in “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief” movie)

Bridgette Josephs—Skyler Samuels (Amber from the movie “Furry Vengence”)

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?

Shoplifting. Specifically, teens who shoplift.

8. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?

Pretty in Pink.

9. Why should I choose your book for my book club?

Lifted is a great choice for a book club because it brings up all sorts of discussions and debates.

It is full of great discussion and debate issues, including moral perspective (are Poppy, Mary Jane, Whitney, and/or Bridgette “bad”?), the turbulent state of relationships (mother-daughter, friend, society-teen, and romantic), the effect of religion on a person and on a town, the pressures of high school, how one’s past impacts one’s destiny, and, of course, the sticky issue of shoplifting. I’ve already heard about some book clubs ordering Lifted and I am excited to hear how it goes.

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!

Fifteen year-old Poppy Browne isn’t happy about having to move to a Bible belt town in Texas, but it helps when two of the most popular girls at the private Baptist high school take her under their wings. To her surprise, they’re shoplifters, and she soon learns their secret pastime gives her an amazing rush. With her relationship with her mom on the rocks and the rest of her world crumbling around her, she must decide where her loyalties lie and just how far she’ll go to protect those she loves, as well as herself.

LIFTED by Wendy Toliver

Simon Pulse

Release Date: June 8, 2010
ISBN-10: 1-4169-9048-8
ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-9048-2
Ages: 14 and up
Grades: 9 and up

GCC TOURS JENNIFER ECHOLS

2010-05-24T14:59:00.003-04:00

GCC TOURS JENNIFER ECHOLS

Coming May 25: ENDLESS SUMMER by Jennifer Echols

The Boys Next Door and the sequel, Endless Summer, in one volume!

Two irresistible boys. One unforgettable summer.

Lori can't wait for her summer at the lake. She loves wakeboarding and hanging with her friends--including the two hotties next door. With the Vader brothers, she's always been just one of the guys. Now that she's turning sixteen, she wants to be seen as one of the girls, especially in the eyes of Sean, the older brother. But that's not going to happen--not if the younger brother, Adam, can help it.

Lori plans to make Sean jealous by spending time with Adam. Adam has plans of his own for Lori. As the air heats up, so does this love triangle. Will Lori's romantic summer melt into one hot mess?

Published by Simon Pulse, a division of Simon & Schuster. ISBN-10: 1442406593; ISBN-13: 978-1442406599.

About the Author:

Jennifer Echols grew up in a small town on a beautiful lake in Alabama--a setting that has inspired many of her books. Always interested in creative writing, she finished her first (and still unpublished) novel soon after graduating with a degree in English from Auburn University at age 20. She worked as an editor for newspapers, a writer for business publications, and a writing instructor for three major universities, completed a master's degree in English, and finished the coursework for a PhD in genre studies before selling a book. Since then, she has written many young adult novels for Simon & Schuster, including Major Crush, which won the National Reader's Choice Award, and Going Too Far, which is a finalist in the 2010 RITA, the National Reader's Choice Award, and the Book Buyer's Best. Her next novel, Forget You, will be released on July 20. Currently she works as a copyeditor and lives in Birmingham with her husband and son. Please visit her online at jennifer-echols.com.

I do think this. I am a non-confrontational, peace-loving person, and when people treat me badly, I tell them so and then seek better people. But I love to live vicariously through a great revenge story—who doesn’t?

I have said it before and I will say it again: my experience with mean girls when I was 12 was so incredibly mean that I don’t think I will ever be able to write a story like that. I don’t think anything has changed with time, either. But I do think that it’s easier and easier to deal with those people as you get older—so if you’re a reader in this boat, just hang on!

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 do this too—I make a new playlist for each book I write. The playlist for Endless Summer contains “Lights Out” by Santogold and “Light Up the Sky” by Yellowcard (this book includes a lot of fireworks and other explosions). The playlist concludes with a beautiful and dreamy love song, “Endlessly” by Green River Ordinance. Think this song in your head when you’re reading the end!

Are you kidding??? I LOVE Pale Fire and I’ve never run into anyone else who’s read it. (MKH NOTE: I KNEW I LIKED YOU FOR A REASON!!!) A lot of other classics are on my favorites list, like The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner and The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, but my go-to fave is Jane Austen.

5. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

I’d want to walk in President Obama’s shoes for a day. I wouldn’t want the responsibility, but I’m fascinated by the goings-on in the Oval Office. Robert Schlesinger wrote a great (and loooooong) book called White House Ghosts, an in-depth look at the huge influence of Presidential speech writers through the years, and how their words have changed the course of the country. I would love a crack at that job.

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 have said that Jonas Black from the movie version of Friday Night Lights should play Adam, and Ashley Tisdale should play Lori. But a reader tells me they’ve gotten too old! So now I’m not sure.

7. As a publicist, I know that it's important for every novel to have a journalistic hook. For The Lost Sister, it's mean girls, bullies and hazing. What's yours?

A love triangle, a beautiful disaster of a boy who is his own worst enemy, and a long hot summer on the lake.

8. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?

The Empire Strikes Back. In general I’m not a sci-fi fan, but the chemistry between Han and Leia in this movie—wow.

9. Why should I choose your book for my book club?

It is a feel-good book. It will cheer you up, I promise! I start laughing just thinking about it.

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!

Adam is adorable. He is a mess. He is love with Lori and he can’t express his emotions except by setting things on fire. You have got to make this book into a movie so we can watch Adam crash his wakeboard. Did I mention Adam?

Megan, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog!

Thank YOU, Jennifer for swinging by to chat. Now everyone, go out and buy her book ASAP!!

GCC Presents SHADE by Jeri Smith-Ready

2010-05-11T09:07:00.007-04:00

Super excited for my fellow Girlfriend Cyber Circuit author, Jeri Smith-Ready whose latest book SHADE received a starred review in Publisher's Weekly, with this awesome quote, "Smith-Ready changes the world completely by simply changing our ability to see."

Way to go, Jeri!!

About the Book:

Love ties them together.

Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan’s violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura’s new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart…and clues to the secret of the Shift.

About the Author:

Award-winning author Jeri Smith-Ready lives in Maryland with her husband, two cats, and the world’s goofiest greyhound.

Jeri's plans to save the earth were ruined when she realized she was more of a “problem maker” than a problem solver. To stay out of trouble, she keeps her Drama Drive strictly fictional. Her friends and family appreciate that.

When not writing, Jeri she can usually be found—well, thinking about writing, or on Twitter. Like her characters, she loves music, movies, and staying up very, very late.

Jeri loves to hear from readers, so please visit her at www.jerismithready.com, or even better, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jerismithready) or Twitter (http://twitter.com/jsmithready), where she spends way too much time.

Praise for SHADE:

“Shade is a hauntingly good story and an intriguing beginning to a new series. Jeri Smith-Ready proves again why she is one of my very favorite reads! — PC Cast, New York Times-bestselling author of the House of Night series

“The perfect combination of mystery, ghosts and romance, Shade left me breathless.” — Lisa Schroeder, author of I Heart You, You Haunt Me and Chasing Brooklyn

SHADE Book Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0MjKzZTbBE&feature=player_embedded

Simon Pulse Release Date: May 4, 2010

Jeri Smith-Ready, www.jerismithready.com, http://twitter.com/jsmithready,www.facebook.com/jerismithready

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’m a pretty forgetful—I mean, forgiving—person, so I don’t think I’ve ever sought revenge. Then again, it’s possible I did and forgot about that, too.

Living well is definitely the best revenge. But it’s important not to get too smug when things are going great, because the wheel of fortune is always turning, y’know?

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 guess I am pretty lucky, because I haven’t had much recent personal experience with mean girls (in middle and high school, definitely). There are probably tons of them out there on the internet talking stuff about me, but I don’t use Google alerts, so I’m blissfully ignorant. I hope I would choose to ignore it if it happened, or just throw darts at a printout of their faces, rather than lashing out directly.

But I see a lot of mean girls on TV, whether it’s on the campaign trail or in reality shows or even on the news. It almost seems lately like the bigger jerk you are, the more attention you get and the more people throw money at you to see how much bigger of a jerk you can be tomorrow. No one is rewarded for acting like a grownup anymore.

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?

Each novel I write has one band that helps shape the story and mood, a band I consider the musical “patron saint” of that book. For SHADE, it was Snow Patrol. One day when SHADE was just an idea percolating in the back of my head, I heard “Chasing Cars” over the PA system at a local store. I’d heard it dozens of times before, but its notes of longing literally stopped me in my tracks. I knew at that moment that the song would sum up Aura and Logan’s relationship, especially after his death.

So as I finished writing the book, I played Snow Patrol’s last three CDs on infinite repeat. Their music really helped me channel those feelings of hope and love in the face of unimaginable loss, and I think let me tap into emotions that I wouldn't let myself feel before. Plus, their lyrics are so simple yet eloquent, and it made me strive to find words that I hoped would touch readers’ hearts in the same way.

For SHADE’s sequel SHIFT, which I’m writing now, I’m leaning more toward Death Cab for Cutie, which is the favorite band of the “other boy” in the series, Zachary Moore.

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.)

Wow, it never occurred to me to tell people a fake book. I guess sometimes I say ALICE’SADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND if I want to reach for a classic or if I’m asked about childhood books. My all-time favorite, though, is GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

5. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

I just saw on Twitter where author Melissa Mayhue is going to be a judge for a Truffle Contest in Denver this weekend. I want to be her, on that day. Unless it’s for mushroom truffles, not chocolate truffles, in which case I think I’d like to drive a Zamboni for a day.

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 with Selena Gomez for Aura and Zac Efron for Logan. And thank them profusely for their charity!

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?

Girl chooses between first love (who’s a ghost) and new boy in town (who’s very much alive).

8. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?

FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF. Hands down. Ferris was my idol in high school and college. I probably would’ve gotten better grades if he weren’t, but I think I would’ve missed out on a lot of fun. It’s kind of funny, because now I’m a total workaholic. I rarely go out and have a life. But writing and hanging out with readers and other authors online is a lot of fun, too. I mean, what could be a better job than this?

9. Why should I choose your book for my book club?

Because you will definitely want someone to discuss the ending with! What it means, what happened, why it happened and when. All the clues are there, you just have to find them.

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!

OK, there’s this girl Aura, right? She and everyone born after her can see ghosts. Which is really annoying and sometimes even dangerous, so she’s trying to find a way to make them disappear forever. Until her boyfriend dies and becomes a ghost. How can she learn to live without him when he’s with her every single night—and she loves it? And what about that cute Scottish guy in her history class, the one who has his own secrets? And hello, did I mention he was Scottish? Wait, where are you going? It’ll be a huge hit! It has music and passion and international intrigue!

Thanks for interviewing me, Megan!
>>>

Take care,
Jeri

Jessica Brody and The Karma Club

2010-05-03T21:34:00.003-04:00

GCC Tours Jessica Brody and The Karma Club!!

The Karma Club released on April 27th from Farrar, Straus, Giroux Books for Young Readers, so if you haven't gotten your copy yet, go out and buy one today!

Here's a little bit about the book:

When you mess with Karma, Karma messes back...

Madison Kasparkova always thought she understood how Karma works. Do good things and you'll be rewarded, do something bad and Karma will make sure you get what you deserve. But when Maddy’s boyfriend cheats on her, nothing bad comes his way. That’s why Maddy starts the Karma Club, to clean up the messes that the universe has left behind and get back at the people who have wronged them. Sometimes, though, it isn’t wise to meddle with the universe. It turns out Karma often has plans of its own.

Praise for THE KARMA CLUB:

"Written with wit and panache. Readers will have fun with this one, and it might make them think a little, too."
--Booklist

“Fresh, funny and engaging. This is one YA debut you won’t want to miss.”

-Alyson Noël, NYT bestselling author of The Immortals series

"A well-paced comedy, with a nice balance of cinematic physical humor and genuine teen emotions."
--Publisher's Weekly

My Interview with Jessica Brody:

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?

Well, since The Karma Club is about revenge, I think this is a very fitting question! I don’t think I’ve ever actually sought revenge on someone but I’ve definitely had my fair share of vengeful thoughts. But instead of acting upon them, I guess I just wrote them into a book! LOL. I don’t think that living well is the best revenge, I think that living well is the best way to move on…for you. The problem with revenge is that it’s external. It’s about someone else. Your life should only be about you. Don’t give people who hurt you any power by making your life about them.

I definitely had my fair share of this when I was younger. I moved to a new city when I was 11 and did NOT fit in at all. The cliques were mean and ruthless and completely unwelcome to me. It definitely shaped who I am today. But I think in a good way. Because now I can recognize mean girls and cliques from a mile away and steer clear of them. Who needs that drama?! Cliques still exist in adulthood, but I’d like to think I’m now confident enough with who I am to be immune to them.

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?

Actually, there is one song. It’s called Remember When and it captures the essence of my book so well that it’s become The Karma Club Theme Song! My friend Nikki Boyer sings it and my business partner and I have released it through our new record label, Plastic Guitar Records. It’s actually the first song off the Karma Club Original Book Soundtrack (due out this summer). You can listen to the theme song on my website: www.JessicaBrody.com

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.)

My favorite book of all time is Bridget Jones’s Diary…and I’ll tell anyone who asks! J It’s actually the reason I started writing. When I read that book back in college, my life changed. It was the first book I’d read for “pleasure” (rather than for a school assignment) in a long time and I’d forgotten how entertaining and fun books could be. I knew right then and there that I wanted to write to entertain people in the same way. After that I started writing my first novel.

5. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

Ooh…fun question! I’d love to be a boy for a day. Any boy really. As writers we have to write both female and male characters. But let’s be honest here, we’re really just guessing at what it feels like to be the opposite sex. We could never really know for sure. And I’ll admit, some are better guessers than others! But I’d love to walk around in a guy’s shoes for just a day and see what it’s really like!

6. 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 definitely the bigger picture of Karma. In The Karma Club, the characters learn the hard way that spreading “Good Karma” instead of the bad kind, is the key to leading a happy life. So to further that message, I started a non-profit website, www.TheKarmaClub.org that’s dedicated to helping teens find ways to spread Good Karma (and give back) in their communities and around the world. Plus, I’m hosting a huge red carpet fundraiser on May 1 to celebrate the release of the novel. It’s at the Barnes and Noble in Santa Clarita, CA and a portion of the proceeds from the event go to support the local schools. It’s all about spreading the good! You can learn more about the event at: www.JessicaBrody.com.

7. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?

Ack! WAY too many good ones to choose from! Okay, let’s do top three: Can’t Buy me Love, Sixteen Candles and The Princess Bride. Ahhh…Classics!

8. Why should I choose your book for my book club?

Because it rocks! Haha…just kidding. I think it’s a great book club pick because although it’s extremely commercial and fun, there’s also a deeper meaning there. The concept of Karma can strike up a lot of good conversations. The review from Booklist summed it up perfectly: “Readers will have fun with this one and it might make them think a little, too.” I like to keep my books light and fun, but I always make sure there’s something to think about in there as well!

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!

Ah! Pressure! Okay, here it goes. The Karma Club is about three teen girls who decide they’re tired of waiting for Karma to do its job so they decide to take Karma into their own hands and get revenge on those who have wronged them. But they soon discover, the universe often has plans of its own. And when you mess with Karma…Karma messes back... Ding!

ABOUT JESSICA BRODY

Jessica Brody is the author of two books for adults. The Karma Club is her first book for teens. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California where she is working on her next novel. Despite what some people from her high school might claim, she has never sought revenge on an ex-boyfriend. Visit her online at: http://www.jessicabrody.com

http://www.youtube.com/v/jpQK4sLfk1A&hl=en_US&fs=1&">

Free Flip Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of The Karma Club on April 27, Jessica is giving away FOUR Flip Video Cameras (as well as TONS of other cool prizes!) on her site. Visit her website, http://www.jessicabrody.com for all the details and to enter to win!

GCC Presents Kay Cassidy and THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY

2010-04-23T19:02:00.004-04:00

I have fallen totally behind in my blogging while trying to keep up with the YAAAB (Young Adult Authors Against Bullying) facebook group and anthology (which will hopefully be out of the proposal stage and into a publishing house soon!!).

So....my apologies to Kay Cassidy for being behind a week in my blogging. Without further ado, here's some info on THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY. Go out and buy a copy TODAY!!

OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB:

What a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?

Sixteen year old Jess Parker has always been an outsider. So when she receives an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret society of the most popular girls in school, it's like something out of a fairy tale. Swept up by the Cindys' magical world of makeovers, and catching the eye of her Prince Charming, Jess feels like she's finally found her chance to fit in.

Then the Wickeds--led by Jess's arch-enemy--begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers there's more to being a Cindy than reinventing yourself on the outside. She has unknowingly become part of a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and now the Cindys in charge need Jess for a mission that could change everything.

Overwhelmed, Jess wonders if The Cinderella Society made a mistake in choosing her. Is it a coincidence her new boyfriend doesn't want to be seen with her in public? And is this glamorous, secret life even what she wants, or will she risk her own happy ending to live up to the expectations of her new sisters?

BOOK TEASER:

I opened the card, my hands trembling in dread and the faint remnants of what I used to call hope, as a tiny silver high-heel pin bounced into my hand.

I juggled the pin for a second, barely managing to keep it from falling, and flipped open the note with my other hand. The words inside were not a message but an invitation that sent shivers down my spine:

Your presence is requested at The Grind.

Tonight, 7 p.m.

Wear the pin.

Discretion MANDATORY.

Q&A:

My second novel, THE LOST SISTER, deals with revenge and the repercussions of what happens when a hazing incident goes too far.

1. 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 create a playlist for each book. For me, it's a huge help in transitioning from the real world of laundry, ringing phones and domestic crises to the world of the story. The theme song of The Cinderella Society is Soar by Christina Aguilera.

2. What do you tell people is your favorite book/author? Now what is your "real" favorite book/author.

My favorite book/author is the same as I tell people it is. Or the series is, I should say. My favorite books are Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling and Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series.

3. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

I think it would be neat to swap lives with Oprah for a day. There's so much that goes on behind the scenes in her career that I think it would be fascinating to see how she manages to juggle it all.

4. 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?

An outsider gets tapped to join a secret society of good populars dedicated to defeating the mean girls of the world. It's about dealing with bullies, getting comfortable in your own skin, and staying true to who you are.

5. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?

Pretty in Pink is actually referenced in The Cinderella Society, but my favorite 80s movie is probably The Breakfast Club or 16 Candles.

AUTHOR BIO

Kay Cassidy is the author of teen fiction she wishes was based on her real life. She is the founder of the national Great Scavenger Hunt Contest^TM reading program for kids and teens and the host of the inspirational Living Your Five^TM web project. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, movies, music, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. She hopes her debut YA novel, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (April 13, 2010 - Egmont), will help girls embrace their inner Cindy.

Kay Cassidy

THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (In stores now!)

www.kaycassidy.com

Founder, The Great Scavenger Hunt Contest

Young Adult Authors Against Bullying

2010-04-17T01:05:00.001-04:00

Young Adult Authors Against Bullying: "When sixteen-year-old Pheobe Prince hung herself after months relentless bull..."

You are all amazing!

2010-04-02T21:38:00.008-04:00

Oh my!

My hands are numb from all of this typing. I am in a state of amazement and awe at the outpouring of support for the new group, Young Adult Authors Against Bullying (YAAAB). This whole experience has been a whirlwind and I am only now coming up for air. I want to thank the nearly 1000 (yes, you read that right, 1000!) people who have joined the Facebook Page of Young Adult Authors Against Bullying. I cannot believe that I started the FB group last night at 1:30 in the morning (my husband all grumbly because he was trying to sleep and I was pecking away on my laptop. Note to husband: if I had the iPad, you wouldn't hear me typing. I'm just sayin'...)

Anyway, the group is not just for authors. It's for anyone who wants to join the fight against bullying.

So how did this whole thing come about? Oh boy. Well, I have to say it all stems from my anger management issues. I've been seething and stewing over the Phoebe Prince case ever since I heard about it a few months back. I think what drew me in was the similarity to the bullying *mean girls* that I had written about in my books. I really had to dig deep to create those awful characters, and here were a group of girls (and boys) that seemed to have jumped off the pages of my book. I tried to put myself in Phoebe's place (and at certain points in my life, I've been in Phoebe's place), but it was so hard to imagine why she felt that killing herself was the only option. She was in a much darker place than I could ever imagine.

When the ruling came out the other day and the pictures of the "alleged" (I have to say that for legal reasons) bullies were printed in the Boston Herald, I put their pics front and center on my blog and listed their names (just stopping short of tracking down their addresses and phone numbers) and I was about to post when my very level-headed sister, Jocelyn, gently reminded me of my anger issues and that I should not start stoking the fire or become a bully to the *bullies*.

(Darn it, I hate it when she's right.)

So, I took a few deep, cleansing yoga breaths and revised my post to focus on Phoebe and not her tormenters. Then someone emailed me an essay she had written and posted online, and it broke my heart. Here was a girl who was so smart, so wise beyond her years, so self-aware, and yet she allowed these awful people to harass her to the point where she felt she had no way out. That is what breaks my heart. That she felt so alone. I read a Facebook post from Jennifer Sky who posted, RIP Phoebe Prince, who committed suicide after being relentlessly harassed by kids in school. I'm sorry faerie, we would have loved you.

And it's true. The YA world would have opened their arms to this girl. She is who we are writing for. She makes what we do worthwhile. Phoebe and everyone like her, everyone going through the often hellish, never easy task of being a teen in the 21st century-- the age of the Internet and cell phones, IMs, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, etc. -- this is our audience. This is who we care about.

After I posted my Phoebe Prince story, I noticed that my good friend and fellow writer (one of my favorite YA authors who is just as nice as she appears to be), Carrie Jones had posted something on her Facebook that said, I'm thinking of Phoebe Prince today. Then, a lightbulb popped up. I posted on her FB page that I had just blogged about Phoebe and how I wanted to DO something. There must be something we can DO. We're writers. We have a platform. The kids that read our books are the very ones who are bullying or being bullied. Maybe we can make a difference.

Carrie and I decided to make this into a real movement, a real cause. Not just for Phoebe Prince, but for all the hundreds and thousands of kids who are being bullied RIGHT THIS MINUTE. We want to create a *safe haven* where authors and readers can connect so that they don't feel like they are going through this alone. Because the truth is, they are not alone.

All of a sudden, within hours authors (Jay Asher! Ellen Hopkins!!) were generously offering to help out with this project in any capacity. Carrie and I said, "This is great! We have all these incredible authors on board... Ummm... I've never started a movement before, have you? What do we do now?" We were all Norma Rae without the actual plan of attack. But slowly, we started to piece together some ideas of what would be helpful; what would make the most impact.

First of all, the Internet and all it's wonderful applications have been taken over by the bullies. We want to take it back from them. Instead of using things like the "Honesty Box" on Facebook or anonymously texting people mean things, we want to use it to bring people together, not drive a wedge even further between them. In reality, the Internet has totally changed the way that people interact. When I was in high school and someone wanted to bully me or say rude things to me, they would say it to my face (or to ten other girls who would then say it to my face). Now, everyone can hide behind their computers and say that most horrific, degrading, awful things to each other, and they don't even have the guts to say it face to face. It's like the anonymity of the computer has given rise to a whole new level of meanness in the world.

So, Carrie came up with the great idea of creating a "defriend" button on Facebook where you can unfriend bullies. I don't know if that's possible, but if they can create a million of those annoying Blingee postcards and fan pages for artichokes, I suppose they could create a "defriend" button.

The other amazing thing that came out of all of this was the sheer number of YA and MG authors that had their own personal stories of being bullied. Almost every single one. This totally blew us away, and we realized that this was the direction we needed to go in. We are going to tap all the authors who offered their assistance (tap, tap, this means you!) and try to pull together an anthology of bullying stories. That way, if teens can see that there's a light at the end of the tunnel, maybe they will realize that junior high and high school are such tiny blips on the radar of their lives. It may seem all-encompassing now. But with a little distance, you can look at it through different eyes and see that what seemed so insurmountable and impossible to deal with was actually just one tiny stepping stone, one small obstacle on the way to bigger and better things. Do you think J.K. Rowling cared if she was bullied in school? Maybe she did then, but now, look who's got the last laugh. (By the way, J.K., I know you're an avid reader of my blog. Call me if you want to contribute to the anthology.)

Alright so now Carrie and I have gotten ourselves into this project. It all started less than 24 hours ago and it's increasing momentum in leaps and bounds. We have to sit down and hammer all of this stuff out. Don't worry, we don't mind being inside. We're New Englanders, Spring doesn't come here for a few more months anyway.

But I want to take this opportunity to thank all of the people who have shared their personal stories on my blog, Carrie's blog and the YAAAB Facebook page. I'd also like to thank all the authors who are so forthcoming with their help on this project (whatever it turns out to be!) That's when you know you are dealing with amazing people. Carrie and I don't even have anything set in stone yet and all these writers are saying, Whatever you need, let me now and I'll help out. (Hmmmm.... a million dollars might be nice.... again, just kidding) You really have to admire people like that. I know that I do.

Most importantly we want to create a place either on Facebook or a website or a blog where teens and authors can interact and connect on the topic of bullying. Because the last thing we ever want to happen is to have another tragedy like Phoebe Prince. We want to make sure that no one ever, ever, EVER feels so alone that they believe that ending their life is the only answer.

Okay, I'm going to get down off my soap box and rest my weary typing fingers for awhile. I think I might flip through the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog and order one of these hand relaxers.

Hmmm... on second thought, my husband might think I'm a little crazy. Maybe I'll hold off on this purchase.... for now...

Remembering Phoebe Prince

2010-03-31T12:35:00.011-04:00

This story just breaks my heart.

In fact, it makes me sick.

A fifteen year old girl from Ireland, Phoebe Prince, moved to my state of Massachusetts and was relentlessly bullied, picked on, verbally abused, harassed and degraded on a daily basis. She believed that her only option was to end her life; that it was her only escape. No one stood up for her. Not even the teachers.

On January 14th, 2010 she hanged herself in her bedroom closet, after a particularly brutal day of being tormented by her abusers.

When I wrote my books, I had to really dig deep and combine the worst of everyone I've ever known to make my *mean girl* characters. I needed to make Kate Endicott so despicable, that no one could ever possibly like or identify with her. What frightens and angers me is that there are real people out there worse than Kate Endicott; worse than my most evil fictional character. Truth really is scarier than fiction.

I am angry for Phoebe. I blame the teens who bullied her. I blame the parents of the bullies. I blame the educators who knew what was going on and turned a blind eye.

How can we, as a society, let this happen? How can we let people harass each other to the point where they feel there is no other option but to end their own lives? Why do we glorify celebrities who are mean and vindictive--young women like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton -- who make putting each other down into a sport? Popular reality shows like the Real Housewives, The Hills, and Tinsley Mortimer's new show High Society all highlight women and girls at their very worst. On a weekly basis in top shows (even American Idol!), people are getting verbally trashed, mocked, teased and berated, and we wonder why teens think it's okay to do the same.

We are creating a culture of "mean people." The nastier you are, the more you get noticed. The bigger the bully, the bigger the following. The teen and pre-teen years are difficult enough to get through on their own. But when you add Facebook and blogs and MySpace and IMs and YouTube, you are turning one individual's personal battles into a voyeuristic, masochistic nightmare for the world to see. I remember things that embarrassed me in high school: a catty comment from a group of girls, an unrequited crush, being teased by some teen-aged boys. But then, like most high school "nightmares," they would blow over, like they always had in the past.

Now, kids are forced to relive their worst moments again and again on YouTube or pictures that get IM-ed throughout the Web. The rumors about their sexuality or their embarrassing moments are not just fodder for the local bullies, but now their embarrassment is out there for the world to see and to judge. When I was in high school and college, the good days were exhilarating; the bad days were horrendous. But for most of us, the bad stuff stopped at our front door. We could leave the teasing, the rumors, the cattiness at school and regroup and gather our strength at home. Now the bullying has become relentless. With Facebook and blogs and emails, there is no escape from the harassment. It has become all-encompassing.

If I had a larger platform, I would make the bullies wear the scarlet letters. I think they should be the ones humiliated on a daily basis. I would make it *uncool* to hurt other peoples' feelings and for the popular kids to be popular because they are actually nice. It goes without saying that for the most part, popular kids are often the cruelest. The *in-crowd* is powerful because they rule with fear. It's the same today as it was ten, twenty, fifty years ago. But the difference now is that teens feel like they have nowhere left to turn. We are reminded again and again that things posted to the Internet are out there forever for the world to see. How scary is that? Especially for teenagers who just want to get through their awkward stages and begin living their lives. What if they think that their lives will be forever tainted? What if the bullies know this and feed off of it?

I am going to try to get a group of young adult authors together to make a stand against this type of bullying, so that someone like Phoebe Prince never has to feel that she is alone, ever. So that she or he never has to think that suicide is the only option; the only way to escape the incessant bullying and meanness.

I am posting this essay written by Phoebe Prince that someone forwarded to me, because I think that her words are powerful. Her life was one that was cut too short. She was never given the opportunity to be heard.

“Phoebe’s death on Jan. 14 followed a torturous day for her, in which she was subjected to verbal harassment and threatened physical abuse,” District Attorney Scheibel said.

Yesterday, nine teens were hit with charges in connection with the case.

Mind Over Matter, Value Essay

Phoebe Prince
Mr. B-G
Block E
15/10/09
Mind Over Matter
Where have today’s values gone? Everyone is so preoccupied with their electronic gadgets to appreciate simple moments like the first snow fall of winter or hearing the words I love you for the very first time. We live in an impersonal electronic society, is that what our values have gone to? We no longer appreciate simple conversations now that we have twitter and face-book. Personally I can’t believe that reading an email would have the same effect as speaking with someone face to face, making a moment.
I get into my pink fluffy onesie my feet tingle as they rub off the soft cushioned fabric. I head downstairs into the kitchen. The walls our heath green with various paintings of vegetables. I live in an old country house with a barn door and all the furnishings to boot. My fathers sitting at the dining table reading a thriller type novel as per usual with a half glass full of white wine next to him. The fire is roaring and the smell of hydrangea’s wafts through the air. I curl up on a chair adjacent from my father making sure to be cosily tucked in near the fire. He puts down his book and says, “Now what is on your mind tonight my dear?” From there on we start a heated debate about almost anything. Our conversations range from sex, drugs and rock and roll to matters of great importance such as ancient religions, politics and criminal justice. No subject is off limits with me and my father.
I click in my glossy silver i-pod into my speakers. I turn up the volume full blast, the walls vibrate from the sound of System of a Down screaming out “Chop Suey”. I’m sitting in my room on my mattress (I broke my bed one evening whilst jumping on it). My walls are covered with doodles, posters, lyrics and memories. I have the lyrics to “I love college” by Asher Roth printed on my walls. I start off by listening to some Arctic Monkeys, they always get me in a good mood. My mix soon turns into some darker music. My i-pod reflects me inside throughout. Its my constant companion. Soon my boyfriend rings me up, “Phoebe c’mon man lets go for a spin, bring your i-pod.” I get into his Civic and he starts driving. The windows are down and the air is blowing through my hair, I plug my i-pod in and the Alex Kidd starts pumping. Alex Kidd is by far my favourite DJ. The words “ecstasy” are throbbing in my ears. Leem starts speeding up we’re going well over sixty miles an hour. We change the music to some Chemical Brothers and The Avalanches. He drops me outside the farm across the road from my house. I now put on “Sandiego Song” by the Coronas.
I value both my i-pod and my nightly conversations with my daddy for both different yet similar reasons. My i-pod is stimulating to my body as I can’t help but move along to the beat, it is also the soundtrack of my life, I have a song for every moment and mood of my day. Without it I would be lost. Its also therapeutic for me I find it easy to relate to the lyrics in music and let them wash away any emotion I’m feeling. As for my nightly conversations with my daddy I treasure them dearly they stimulate my mind to no end, he has increased my knowledge of different dialects, cultures, religions and politics. I learn about the world around me even though I don’t leave my kitchen table.

Both my i-pod and my conversations with my daddy make me think, one with its thoughtful lyrics that I relate to and helps me deal with my own personal problems. My nightly conversations make me think about other people and the world that I’m in. I become more emotionally and intellectually mature through both these activities. Although I still value such items that don’t have such significant effects on me. Sometimes I love just walking around in my favourite heels and feeling like the most confident girl in the world, but mostly I just like sitting back and discussing politics with my dad.

Elizabeth Scott talks about "the unwritten rule"

2010-03-17T10:26:00.004-04:00

About The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

Everyone knows the unwritten rule: You don't like you best friend's boyfriend.

Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He's easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he's paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna's boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah's best friend.

Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she's thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It's wonderful...and awful.

Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can't stop herself from wanting more...

What others are saying about The Unwritten Rule:

"Sarah and Ryan's relationship, with the visceral thrill of physical attraction, is beautifully captured, but it's the delicate balance between insecure Brianna's need to put Sarah down and Sarah's loyalty to her needy and lonely friend that will stay with the reader. The painfully abrupt ending fits the characters and story, and will leave readers wanting more. Scott's realistic dialogue and empathetic view of symbiotic relationships will have teens thinking she has been eavesdropping on their conversations. Romance readers will pick up this novel and discover fine, accessible writing many notches about the standard love story." -- Booklist

"I read this book in a few hours, all in the same night. It was impossible for me to walk away from, because I wasn't sure what was going to happen to the characters, and I couldn't even decide for myself what I actually wanted to happen. Did I think the best friend should get the guy and lose her best friend? Was the girl currently with the guy being mean? Was I mad at the guy for not going for what he wanted in the first place? I really liked how our main character considered the role of best friends in the media (especially movies). I found what she said to be so very true - best friends in movies are there to be awkward, to listen... not often to have as great a life as the more popular of the best friends. I was very satisfied with the ending, and agreed with the ways things turned out, even though I didn't know that that is what I wanted until it actually happened. Bravo, Elizabeth Scott!" -- Chick Loves Lit

"This is an emotional novel and one that will stick with you. It might sound like it'll be a fluffy chick lit romance, and while there is romance, it's certainly not fluff! If you've read anything by Elizabeth Scott, you know she writes great romances and this one is no exception. It's never an easy or light romance--it's heartwrenching and heartbreaking and real. The Unwritten Rule doesn't take the easy all will be perfect route to this story which I think makes the book even more realistic. This book will have you thinking about your friendships and relationships long after you read the last page." -- Green Bean Teen Queen

Author Bio: Elizabeth Scott

Elizabeth Scott grew up in a town so small it didn't even have a post office, though it did boast an impressive cattle population. She's sold hardware and panty hose and had a memorable three-day stint in the dot-com industry, where she learned that she really didn't want a career burning CDs. She lives just outside Washington, DC, with her husband; firmly believes you can never own too many books; and would love it if you visited her website,http://www.elizabethwrites.com.

THE UNWRITTEN RULE Simon Pulse / March 2010

My Interview with the Fabulously Talented Elizabeth Scott:

Elizabeth wrote one of the scariest books I’ve ever read called LIVING DEAD GIRL. It’s a book that has haunted me ever since I picked it up a year or so ago. So, I was so thrilled to be able to interview her for the Girlfriend’s Cyber Circuit. Here goes:

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've never really sought revenge for anything. And as for living well being the best revenge, I don't know if that's true. I mean, if we're talking in terms of material success, I definitely don't think it matters, because someone who hates you and wants revenge --well, they really aren't going to care how much money you have. But if living well means being the best person you can be, then yeah, I do think that's a good thing.

2. Cliques and mean girls are everywhere. At book signingsI'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?

If you're female, you will never get away from cliques or mean girls. Ever! I do my best to avoid both, but you can't help but run into them from time to tome. I do think mean girls and women are actually meaner now because there are so many more ways to be mean than there were back when I was a teenager, like--well, like the internet.

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 don't listen to music when I write so I have no idea what would be on my writing playlist, and as for what song captures The Unwritten Rulebest--I have no idea about that either, but I'd love to hear from readers about it!

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 can't pick a favorite book or favorite author. I love too many to ever just have one!

5. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

I wouldn't mind being my dog for a day. She's got a pretty sweet life, plus I'd love to know what she's thinking.

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 have no idea!

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?

One of the cardinal unwritten rules of high school: don't like a friend's (much less a best friend's!) boyfriend.

8. Just because it hasn't been asked yet, favorite 1980's movie?

Heathers

9. Why should I choose your book for my book club?

Because it's a story about love, friendship, family, and figuring out who you really are. And I think those are things we all wrestle with.

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!

Actually, to be perfectly honest, I'm just going to ask the producer about his last film--and okay, for gossip about the stars!

Pics and music that inspired writing SISTERS

2010-02-27T23:33:00.001-05:00

New Covers for Mass Market SISTERS OF MISERY and THE LOST SISTER!

2010-02-05T10:21:00.006-05:00

I'm so in love with the new covers that are going to be appearing on the mass market versions of Sisters of Misery and The Lost Sister. They will be released in August and September in 2010 and hopefully readers will be able to find them EVERYWHERE!

Here they are!! (I feel like I'm betraying my first covers for loving these so much, but I really love the new ones!)

Thoughts?

Teen Vogue article - FIGHT CLUB

2010-02-02T11:06:00.004-05:00

Silly me, I totally forgot to add a link to the article in Teen Vogue that I was interviewed for about girl bullies. It was in the Dec/Jan issue of Teen Vogue (the one with a very grown up Dakota Fanning on the cover) and it was a feature article called FIGHT CLUB! I was interviewed as an expert on girl bullies because of my take on VERY mean girls in SISTERS OF MISERY and THE LOST SISTER. If you haven't read the article by Eva Chen, click here to read it. Or go out an buy a copy of Teen Vogue (if they are still on newstands). If not, I'm sure you can get them at your local library.

In any case, ENJOY!

P.S. Just looking at the comments made me so happy to see that Teen Vogue readers were helped out by this article and made to feel like they aren't alone with their "best friend bullies". But one of the comments was a little upsetting. One girl admits to getting pure satisfaction from bullying others and that she did it not because she felt something lacking within herself, but that it was fun and she looked down at others. I think this girl needs to do some serious soul searching, because if making other people feel like crap is your idea of a good time, you need some serious help. (Or maybe a productive hobby? Maybe start volunteering and giving back instead of making people's lives worse? Just a thought.)