First Novels Club

Kid Lit Drink Night!! SCBWI Winter NYC!!

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

What are all of you doing this weekend?

If you live near anywhere near New York City (and you're 21 or over), you should definitely be going to this:

(Image used from the official Kid Lit announcement, found here.)

Kid Lit Drink Night: SCBWI Edition!

When: Friday, January 27th, 8pm.

Where: Public House (www.publichousenyc.com) on East 41st Street between Lexington and Third Avenue.

Who: All the cool people! Seriously, this is the one night only hot spot for editors, agents, authors, SCBWI-goers, and generally interesting book people.

Plus, the FNC will be there! We'll make sure we have on super-cool name tags. And maybe we'll break out our FNC tote bags for the occasion.

Here's a recap of our Kid Lit experience two years ago. And the year before that, before this blog even existed, Frankie and I went with the sole intent of stalking Cheryl Klein. And we did. For twenty minutes. Until we realized that we were actually stalking a random blonde woman who was NOT Cheryl Klein, or even involved in the book world in any way. (We did, however, eventually find Cheryl and had a great conversation with her.)

And then, if you're around, you might just be going to SCBWI New York this weekend. I am! I'll be there on the front lines representing the FNC this year, listening to some awesome authors like Cassandra Clare, plus tons of super-cool editors and agents.

So, anyone else venturing to NYC this weekend?

Blog Tour: FRACTURE by Megan Miranda

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

A funny story about this book. When I was asked to be on the blog tour, I requested a digital galley of Miranda's debut novel. Less than a week later, I was cleaning up my office and FINALLY putting away all the awesome books I got at BEA (I'll get to you all one day, I promise!) and what did I come across? A copy of FRACTURE! Clearly I was meant to be on this blog tour, since all the way back in May I was already excited to read this book.

FRACTURE starts out with our main character, Delaney Maxwell, falling through the ice of a frozen pond in the middle of winter in Maine. And staying under...for 11 minutes. Her best friend Decker pulls her out, but by all accounts she should be dead. Even the scans of her brain show massive damage. But somehow she's alive, and appears to be totally normal. Except for one little thing...she can sense death.

Pretty awesome set-up, right? I was pulled into the story of FRACTURE from page one. Miranda doesn't waste any time getting right into the action, or the consequences that come after and forever change your life. Delaney isn't able to go back to the ways things were, in more ways than one. Besides her new ability to sense death (it's an itch in her brain), Delaney has to deal with where she fits into the world, now that she's spent a week in a coma. Her doctor thinks she should be dead, her friends have started to move on without her, and her parents walk on eggshells around her. Even though I've thankfully never experienced something huge and scary like this, Delaney's experience was very relatable. For me, it reminded me of the reverse culture shock I experienced after coming home while studying abroad in college. For me, it seemed like no time had passed, but everything around me had kept moving, and it's a disorienting thing to go through, to say the least.

Not that Delaney takes this all lying down--she's a take charge girl that made some awesome choices (and had me cheering her on) and some questionable ones (that made me cringe and go "Why Delaney, why?!" out loud once or twice)--which all boils down to the fact that she read like a real teenager, and a fully fleshed out one at that. Miranda had a knack for doing that with all her characters, really--even the friends that are only on the page for a scene or two felt so much like real people to me, it made it easy to fall into Delaney's life.

And of course, there's a bit of mystery and boy drama thrown in--both of which I loved. Delaney's BFF is Decker, a boy. And then she meets Tony, a slightly older (19) guy who had survived a coma after a car wreck, and who Delaney feels oddly drawn to. But there's no love triangle in sight in this book--just real relationships that are complicated, and changing, and heartbreaking to read. Tony and Decker, while standing on their own as characters, also acted as excellent foils to showcase different parts of Delaney's life--most noticeable, pre- and post-coma--which helped add depth and heart to the story.

FRACTURE reminded me both of THE BODY FINDER and IF I STAY in parts--the lingering sense of death and Delaney's ability gave me chills more than once. Watching her try to figure out her life post-coma made me tear up more than once. And even though it reminded me of both books, FRACTURE certainly stands on its own as a unique story.

If you want complicated characters who make real choices, awesome writing and super tight pacing, then FRACTURE just may be the book for you! (Sidenote: This is also one of the few books I think has a totally awesome, and appropriate, use of tag line going on. It's, "A lot can happen in eleven minutes." So chilling!)

And it just may be your lucky day...I loved this book, so I'm definitely going out and getting a finished copy of it, which means my shelves just don't have room for another ARC!

All you need to do to enter is fill out the form below...good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saving the school that inspired my love of YA lit.

2012-01-23T18:00:00.000-05:00

To put it simply: high school was home to me, and now that school is set to close.

I'm madly in love with YA novels because of my high school experience. By senior year, I was a ridiculously active member of about seven extracurriculars. I spent so much time at school that I joked that I should have a cot there to stay overnight. I found two lifelong best friends there, and my junior year, I sat in the English class of the best teacher I've ever had.

Earlier this month, my alma mater, St. Hubert Catholic High School for Girls -- a mouthful of a name better known as "Huberts" -- was selected as one of four high schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia recommended to close this June.

I knew I'd be upset. I didn't know I'd be heartbroken.

Huberts' super adorable mascot.

St. Hubert's is a one-of-a-kind school. Many of the teachers have been there for 10 years. Some have been there for 30 years. They all know your name, and they remember it, whether you graduated last year or eight years ago. The school has the largest women's athletic program in Philadelphia, over 35 extracurricular activities to join, and seven Advanced Placement courses. It keeps the local neighborhood vibrant, safe, and prosperous. It's been around for 70 years, a landmark in Northeast Philadelphia.

These are just the facts. The heart of the school is its students and alums. Generations of Bambies (yes, our school mascot is a cartoon deer) love the school and are fighting to keep it alive.

Within a couple days of the announcement of the closure, the students and alums held rallies and press conferences. Hundreds of students crowded the steps to the school multiple mornings at 6:30am to protest the decision. Seriously, when teenagers are shouting and chanting and waving posters and singing the school song at SIX THIRTY in the morning, you know the school is something special.

The school's Board of Advisors and Alumnae Association are appealing the decision this week, and they're fighting facts with facts. The closure was based on declining enrollment and a financial deficit, so the appeals committee has to prove that our school is a viable entity for the future.

We raised nearly half a million dollars in ten days. Ten days.

I've never been so proud.

The appeals committee is fighting losing odds, but they're fighting, and I can't help but fight with them. As a writer with a goal of publication, I know more than a little bit about crappy odds, but that hasn't stopped me, and it's not stopping St. Hubert's.

I'm writing about this here because high school is the center of the YA experience, and I want to honor my high school for giving me an incredible four years that have impacted my life in the best way possible.

If you want to learn more about the inspiring ways St. Hubert's is fighting to stay open, check out SaveHuberts.com. If you're able and willing, you can make a PayPal donation today to help the cause. If you aren't, thank you for reading this post and sharing in the St. Hubert legacy.

The best part of all this? If the appeal is denied, all funds donated will be used for scholarships to assist current students as they transfer to new schools. That's the St. Hubert spirit, and why I'm so proud to have been a part of such an amazing school.

The appeal hearing is Wednesday. I hope Huberts beats the odds.

Janine's BIG NEWS!!!

2012-01-21T08:50:00.009-05:00

It's snowing.

But that's not the news I want to tell you of today.

It's just what's setting a lovely, cozy scene as I sit at my kitchen table, coffee in hand, prepping to tell you this news.

The flakes are getting bigger, and I wonder if it will end soon. Sometimes big flakes mean that.

So, the news... I'm thrilled to announce this, but, as you can see, I can't figure out the right lead in, so I'm just gonna shout it at you:

I HAVE AN AGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My heart just did that weird flip-flop thing it was doing all day yesterday.

Anyway, that's right. Yesterday morning, at right about this same time, I signed an agreement with an agent--with my agent.

I can't begin to tell you how excited--even giddy--I have been the last couple days. I expect this marks the beginning of a wonderful working relationship as well as the continuation of what has been to this point a fabulous journey, even with all its ups and downs.

I am thorougly pleased to now be working with:

Erzsi Deak
HEN & Ink Literary Studio

This step has been a long time in coming, and it couldn't have happened without the support of fellow FNCers Frankie, Donna, and Sara whom I cannot thank enough for their encouragement, support, kicks-in-the-pants, and friendship. Ladies, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

It seems the snow has stopped for now, but the work is only just beginning--the revision work of course, not the shoveling--so I'm going to sign off.

Have a wonderful weekend wherever you are!

PS: (i have an agent!) Oh, forget the parenthesis. I have an agent!

PPS: Can you tell I'm excited? I hope so. Thanks for reading!

PPPS: Have I mentioned that we keep chickens? Not at our condo, of course, but 5 minutes down the road at my mother's, we keep seven hens. They lay beautiful eggs for us. Can you believe it?--It's Hen&ink, and we keep chickens! Could this be any more perfect?!?!

Blog Tour: IN DARKNESS by Nick Lake

2012-01-12T11:41:00.008-05:00

When I picked up Nick Lake's soon-to-be-released In Darkness last week, I figured I'd enjoy it. That's why I agreed to participate in the blog tour, after all. The description from the publisher had caught my attention months ago--

Bloomsbury is proud to be the global publisher of In Darkness, a stunning tour-de-force set in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. "Shorty" is a Haitian boy trapped in the ruins of a hospital when the earth explodes around him. Surrounded by lifeless bodies and growing desperately weak from lack of food and water, death seems imminent. Yet as Shorty waits in darkness for a rescue that may never come, he becomes aware of another presence, one reaching out to him across two hundred years of history. It is the presence of slave and revolutionary leader Toussaint L'Ouverture, whose life was marred by violence, and whose own end came in darkness. What unites a child of the slums with the man who would shake a troubled country out of slavery? Is it the darkness they share . . . or is it hope?

Raw, harrowing, and peopled with vibrant characters, In Darkness is an extraordinary book about the cruelties of man and nature, and the valiant, ongoing struggle for a country's very survival.

--and I assumed it would be some blend of inspirational, informative and important, even if a little sentimental.

I was so very wrong.

In Darkness, while it is inspirational, informative and important, it is the furthest thing from sentimental. It is raw, and it is gripping. The harrowing circumstances of Haiti past and Haiti present are not sugar-coated, nor are they sensationalized. They are simply the reality of the story (and of history) and a part of the fabric of the characters' lives.

The characters, by the way, are so alive on the page that I developed an attachment to them within the first few chapters. Both Shorty and Toussaint, the two main characters, are complicated. Both have blood on their hands, but both also have stories that evoke sympathy and force us to question what we would do if we were in similar circumstances.

The storyline itself is riveting. Once I got a few chapters into the book and got situated in the point-of-view, which shifts each chapter from Haiti past with Toussaint to Haiti present with Shorty, I did not want to put the book down. I was fully vested in the characters and their circumstances, and I needed to know what would happen next.

In Darkness is an eye-opener. I really had no idea of Haiti's blood-stained past, though considering her present, I should have realized. But the real take-home for me, I think, is that I hadn't thought about it. Haiti is one of our nearest neighbors, and I am largely unaware of what is happening there. This book is a work of fiction, but much in it is true, and, without being didactic, it has opened my eyes to a not-so-far-away place where great atrocities have and still happen.

In Darkness is a good read. It's heavy, but the reading itself is light. It's fast, and even with the shifts in point-of-view, it's easy to track along. In spite of its serious topic, it is entertaining. But along with capturing our imaginations, it has the capacity to make us better-informed global citizens as well.

In Darkness will be released on January 17, 2012. I hope you'll read it.

The FNC Grows by One!

2012-01-11T10:23:00.002-05:00

The FNC has been together now for five years. (Hard to believe, right?! And we didn't even do anything to celebrate our anniversary! We're such an old married couple.) And it's always been the four of us.

Well, the FNC is about to gain its newest, youngest member...

Release date July 2012! Let's just hope it knows not to eat our manuscripts :)

(No, I don't know it's a boy or a girl--we're going to be surprised! Yes, I totally pushed for the girl name Katniss. Also, I may or may not have had a dream in which John Green was my doctor.)

The CRACKED launch party recap you should be reading...

2012-01-09T07:50:00.001-05:00

Is over at Frankie's personal blog, Frankie Writes!

She chronicled the highlights of KM Walton's CRACKED launch party, where about three hundred (!!!) people gathered to hear Kate read from CRACKED, speak about the novel, and sign lots and lots (and lots) of books.

Check out Frankie's pics and funny videos of Philly bloggers and writers celebrating our friend's awesome debut!

Congrats, Kate!

A CRACKED Book Adventure!

2012-01-03T00:00:00.001-05:00

Epic News Today! Our good friend, K.M Walton's debut novel CRACKED is in stores today! And it is awesome! So awesome in fact that last night, Donna and I ran into CRACKED at the bookstore and what follows is a short adventure.

Once Upon a Time, in a Barnes and Noble not too far away....

Donna and I were sneaking up on CRACKED! We wanted to surprise him.

Oh no! CRACKED spotted Donna! Busted!

But it was okay because CRACKED and its twin brother CRACKED were so happy to see her!

AAAAAAHHHH! TWINSIES!!!!

So then CRACKED was like, "Frankie! Donna! Calm down! I'm going to meet EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS in the cafe for some coffee and have a chat."

After coffee, CRACKED decided to go chill with his favorite local books.

Then CRACKED decided to go read some magazines and catch up on current events since he'd been living in his
shipping box for awhile.

But I had to stop that, so I could read CRACKED myself.

Donna read CRACKED too.

And after much chagrin, CRACKED agreed to let Edward look in his pages.

And Jacob...

CRACKED went over to the Nook and had one question for him. "How on earth do I fit in there?" Nook would not reply.

CRACKED tried to hang out with some bananagrams. But they were making him hungry.

And after all that excitement, CRACKED lounged on a couch for a bit.

His coffee caught up with him and he raced to the bathroom.

But there was one little problem...No Merchandise allowed inside. Luckily in that moment CRACKED remembered he was a book and he didn't have bodily functions.

Instead, CRACKED read a bedtime story.

And went to sleep.

The End!

HAPPY RELEASE DAY to CRACKED and K.M. WALTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And if you're in the eastern PA area this Saturday at 7pm, be sure to come hang out with us (and our fave indie bookseller friend, Joanne!) at the official CRACKED release party at Chester County Books and Music in West Chester, PA.

3rd Annual No Kiss Blogfest! Scene from Kristin Cashore's FIRE

2012-01-02T14:15:00.000-05:00

Today, Frankie's hosting the The 3rd Annual No Kiss Blogfest over at her personal blog, Frankie Writes. Why? We're honoring the almost kiss --- the swooniest, most torturous scenes in literature!

Earlier today, Sara posted an awesome no-kiss scene she wrote for the blogfest, and here's my contribution of one of my favorite no-kiss scenes, from Kristin Cashore's oh-so-intense-and-incredible FIRE.

The need-to-know details:

Fire is a Monster, the last of her kind -- she is a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can communicate with and control the minds of everyone around her -- a dangerous skill, one that makes her the target of many. She's using her ability for good, though, to assist King Nash and Prince Brigan in a war against rebel armies.

Brigan mistrusts her entirely at first, but they eventually become friends, and then they fall in love -- but war doesn't leave time for romance, and all too often, Brigan has to go into battle.

Here, Brigan is trying to see a grieving and seriously-injured Fire before he leaves, but she can't bear to see him. Normally, Fire is heroically brave and in control, a force to be reckoned with, so to witness her at her most vulnerable makes it a powerful scene.

There was a noise in the doorway and a man's harsh voice. "Commander, we're ready."

"I'm coming," Brigan said over his shoulder. "Wait for me outside."

The man left.

Go, Fire thought to Brigan. Don't keep them waiting.

I will not leave you like this, he thought.

I won't look at you, she thought, pressing at the wall clumsily with her bandaged hands. I don't want to see your new battle scars.

He came to her in the corner, the stubborn, steady feeling of him unchanged. He touched his hand to her right shoulder and bent his face to her left ear, his stubble rough and his face cold against hers and the feel of him achingly familiar, and suddenly she was leaning back against him, her arms awkwardly embracing his left arm, stiff with leathered armor, and pulling it around her.

"You're the one with new scars," he said very quietly, so that only she could hear.

"Don't go," she said. "Please don't go."

"I desperately want not to go. But you know that I must."

"I don't want to love you if you're only going to die," she cried, burying her face in his arm. "I don't love you."

"Fire," he said, "Will you do something for me? Will you send me word on the northern front, so I know how you're faring?"

"I don't love you."

"Does that mean you won't send word?"

"No," she said confusedly. "Yes. I'll send word. But--"

"Fire," he said gently, beginning to untangle himself from her. "You must feel what you feel. I--"

Another voice, sharp with impatience, interrupted from the doorway. "Commander! The horses are standing."

Brigan spun around to face the man, swearing with as much exasperation and fury as Fire had ever heard anyone swear. The man scuttled away in alarm.

"I love you," Brigan said very calmly to Fire's back. "I hope in the coming days it may comfort you to know that. And all I ask of you is that you try to eat, Fire, and sleep, no matter how you feel. Eat and sleep. And send me word, so I know how you are. Tell me if there's anyone, or anything, I can send to you."

Go safely. Go safely, she thought to him as he left the building and his convoy pounded through the gates.

The intensity gets me every time, just picturing him holding her from behind, their hurried confessions of love before he has to go back into battle, when everything's falling apart. Awesome!

No Kiss Blogfest! Sara's Scene

2012-01-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

The oh-so productive FNC member Frankie is hosting The 3rd Annual No Kiss Blogfest today over at her personal blog, Frankie Writes. I've always enjoyed reading the posts, but haven't ever participated before. I actually wasn't planning on participating this year, until the inspiration bug bit me last night and a scene popped into my head. So here you are--my contribution to the 3rd Annual No Kiss Blogfest! Stay tuned later today for Donna's contribution -- a swoony no-kiss scene from Kristin Cashore's Fire!

Ariel stared at him. The training kit chafed under her arms and weighed on her shoulders. It was a men's small, the smallest the program had to offer, but it was still two sizes too large on her petite frame. It had been too long since a female knight had walked these halls.

“I thought you had time to finish the program," Anthony said. "And a year to tour before the wedding.”

Ariel shrugged, adjusting the shoulder pads again. “That was before the war broke out,” she said. “With my family's holdings, and your family's land right on the border...” she trailed off. She knew she didn't need to finish the thought--Anthony had heard the rest, more than once. “They need the allegiance to be formalized now.” She ran her finger along a crack in the leather of the wrist guard. The jagged edge reminded her of the scar she knew ran down the side of Anthony's face, drawing a bending red river that clipped the lobe of his left ear before burrowing under his hair line. It reminded her of how she'd almost died that day, eight months ago. How he'd saved her, and how things had been so different between them afterwards.

“Why did it have to be Marc?” Ariel heard the real question in his voice: Why wasn't it me? But she'd known, as had he, that he was his father's mistake with another woman, and a poor choice to secure a political ally.

“Your brother is a fine enough man,” Ariel said, though she knew the question hadn't been meant for her.

Anthony scoffed. “Man. Barely a man. He's just 18. The paint on his shield isn't even dry yet.”

“And I'm only 16,” she pointed out. “And I won't ever have a shield. Not now,” she said softly.

“Just a dress.”

She looked up at him. How similar he looked to his younger brother--same strong jaw line, same tight curls hugging his head. But his eyes held a depth his brother's lacked--a wisdom, a compassion. A deep-seated pain she wished she could pull from him. “It's not a wedding dress I want,” she whispered.

“It's not Marc I want you to marry.” The pain expanded, swallowing the color in his eyes. She turned away before it took her as well.

“Ariel,' he reached for her hand. She pulled away but he caught the wrist guard. Only his little finger rested on her skin, curling around the edge of her arm. She yearned to feel the heat of his whole hand on her skin. He tugged her towards him and she let her body flow forward until her training pads pressed against his chest.

“How silly you look in this kit,” he said, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

She glanced down. “Marc says I look like a child playing dress up.” She swallowed the sting of the words.

“My brother is a fool,” he said. “But this thing is rather absurd.” In a single motion, he'd undone the ties along the back and Ariel felt the heavy padding fall from her body. Now there was nothing between them but inches. Anthony let his hand linger at the small of her back.

“Choose me instead,” he whispered, pressing his mouth next to her ear. “We would make the greatest knight team.”

Ariel drew in a sharp breath. “I can't.” She fought the urge to cry. “It's not my choice.”

He pulled away to look at her. His face hovered inches from hers. She could see the shadow of stubble along his chin. She ran her thumb along it, shivering as the rough texture pulled at her skin.

“Run away with me. Tonight. I have friends in the southern border towns. We could be out of the country in less than a week's time.” His hands cupped the sides of her face, tangling in her hair.

Ariel could the plan forming in his mind. They'd share a horse, two packs strapped to the back. He'd give her the reins. They would ride hard through the night, his hands wandering from her waist to stroke her hair back from her face. His mouth would leave constellations of kisses on her neck.

His mouth. It was a dangerous thing. His lips were fuller than his brother's. She knew his kiss would be softer too, more practiced than Marc's frantic pecking. She drew her body tight against his, allowing him to tilt her face upwards. The soft puffs of air from his nose tickled her face.

“Anthony,” she breathed. She closed her eyes, almost feeling the shadow of his mouth on hers.

The door reverberated with three loud knocks. A voice called her name from the other side--it was Marc, and she could tell he was angry about something.

She took a step back. “I can't.” She turned towards the door. She couldn't keep her future husband waiting.

Dear diary: Deep thoughts from 14-year-old me.

2011-12-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

Inspired by Alvina Ling's tweets from her childhood diary, I decided to dive back into my own diaries for some light reading. I chose my freshman year of high school, since it finally got a little variety in the entries, which had previously chronicled the first five years of a seven-year crush (obsession) with a certain boy named John.

Apparently, I was going to write a novel! (Or a "quirky novel-thing.")

I started this quirky novel-thing and I'm so excited cuz I think I'll actually get through this one! Yeah, I know, ha ha ha. But what majorly sux is that I don't have the time to really work on it! (I don't!) Well, wish me luck over Christmas vacay (if it ever gets here). Feliz Navidad.

Yeah, that "majorly sux." And did I think I'd write a whole novel in a one-week Christmas break?

This one, in which I worry about my future life plans, made me smile:

I'm so upset about my future. I wanna be a writer or artist, but what if I'm not good enough? What am I gonna do? You'd say "journalist" but I don't wanna sit behind a desk. I'd be so unhappy. And photography, too. God, an artist/writer/photographer would be great. I'd mainly be a successful writer, with the other two on the side. I'd have enough money to build a house with a lot of windows and my own studio. My job -- I can work at home, so I'd work and be there for my kids. I'll have a good husband. And a dog. Can't forget the dog. Some people think that that isn't possible, my dreams aren't possible. I don't think so. I will prove them wrong. Go, stubborn me.

14-year-old me certainly knew what she wanted! I especially love the specifics -- a lot of windows and a dog.

And this gem, always thinking about religion and my beliefs:

Okay, so I'm questioning my religion again. I'm thinking Buddhism or Wicca. Or a mix. I don't know! Religion stinks. I'll have Donna-ism. What I wanna do. Oh well.

Wicca? Blame my obsession with The Craft.

And I can thank my psychologist father for my tendency to psychoanalyze myself:

I'm such a perfectionist. According to psychology, that's a sign of low self-esteem. I feel like I can't fail. Like I'd disappoint everyone if I didn't get above a 95. Well, everyone has issues.

I wonder how much I've progressed on the internal pressure front...

Then I found a folded-up note from the second half of freshman year that was passed between me and my friend April about something she overheard:

April: This girl was like, OMG do you know that girl Donna who's ranked #1? Well on the weekends, she goes to keggers and drinks!
Me: I'm so proud. My first official high school rumor. I actually kinda missed them. Tear.

I was valedictorian of my high school, and people liked to pretend my life was way more exciting than it was.

Last but not least, from my freshman dance recap, in which I got my braces off the week prior (finally!) and felt pretty for the first time ever:

Everyone was saying how great everyone else looked, but Anthony's first reaction (to me) was, "Wow, Donna, you look really beautiful." That is the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me. By the time you read this you'll look at a picture and be like, Oh my God what were you thinking?! cuz my dress will be out of style next year, but I looked awesome.

Side note -- Anthony was a friend, but he wasn't my date. My date didn't appreciate me. Ah, well. And my dress? Black spaghetti straps with diagonal lines of pink sparkles running down it, and the sheer top layer came down below the straight hem in four V-shaped triangles to the front and sides. Yep, classic style.

Anthony and I, because the date wasn't worthy of the scanning effort.
(And oh, frosted tips. You bring back memories.)

----

I had way too much fun reading through that diary. I may have to continue, considering I have a stack of fourteen of them!

And please tell me I'm not the only one who kept meticulous (and now, hilarious) diary entries all through adolescence! I wrote consistently in mine from age 8 through age 20, I'd say. That's dedication!

What books did you get for Christmukkah?

2011-12-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

And who's already started reading?

I asked for and received The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Rae Carson) and The Scorpio Races (Maggie Stiefvater), because I was addicted to the ARCs and just had to own them, plus Revolution (Jennifer Donnelly) because I read so many amazing blogger reviews and wanted to read it myself (finally)!

Plus... I will soon be getting my B&N online order of The Fault in Our Stars (John Green), along with Lola and the Boy Next Door (Stephanie Perkins), which I've been waiting for since I ordered them in September! (Thankfully, I read an ARC of Lola, but I can't wait til she's on the shelf next to Anna!)

Last but not least, I made a library run (since I have a week off work), and I picked up Let It Snow (John Green, Lauren Myracle, Maureen Johnson), The Space Between (Brenna Yovanoff), The Probability of Miracles (Wendy Wunder), Sisters Red (Jackson Pearce), Sloppy Firsts (Megan McCafferty), and Jane (April Lindner).

One problem: What do I read first?

Merry Christmas to All!

2011-12-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

and to all a good night. Hope your Christmas Day is filled with fun, food, family, and presents! (And cats shooting laser beams from their eyes, like my cat decided to.)

No writing, no guilt.

2011-12-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

I had quite the stunning revelation earlier this month.

I didn't enjoy writing.

Somewhere along the way, putting my fingers to the keyboard to work on my WIP went from being a fun sort of challenge to a bout of near-misery.

With the exception of three months for my wedding/honeymoon, I hadn't stopped writing seriously since September 2007 -- over four years of considering every spare moment a writing opportunity.

And eventually, my self-induced pressure to create! and create more! and create better! and create faster! turned my life's passion into something I dreaded. (And it made me a crappy writer.)

I lost the fun. I lost the spark, and I didn't even have external pressures (like, oh, agent or editor deadlines) bearing down on me!

I was crushed.

Writing, whether it was short stories or terrible poetry or diary entries or novels, had been my escape for almost twenty years, and I had somehow ruined it for myself.

It was time to take drastic action.

I decided to go on a cleansing diet of sorts. No more writing. And I wouldn't begin again until I wanted to. There was no impending date of return, no ticking clock. And I scaled back on social media -- bye bye Blogger, ta-ta, Twitter.

I needed to fall in love with writing again.

I needed inspiration.

Going back to the things that made me love inventing stories in the first place was the key. Reading great novels and planning trips to new places (Montreal, Australia, and the Blue Ridge Mountains), watching addictive TV shows, spending time with friends, and just enjoying life was more refreshing than I could've imagined.

I didn't miss the guilt.

For months now, if I chose to use my spare time to do anything other than writing my novel or a blog post, I felt like a failure. Like I wasn't dedicated enough. Like I would never get published. Because writing takes HARD WORK, so if you aren't ALWAYS WORKING HARD, you won't succeed.

(Did I ever tell you guys how intense I can get?)

Lifelong overachievers like myself are quite awesome at building up soul-sucking levels of internal pressure. To a degree, that motivation is a positive thing. Too much, and you turn your life's passion into torment.

The good news? My de-torment-ify-ing experiment worked. It's been a handful of weeks, and though I never really stopped thinking about my novel (I'm a writer through and through, after all), my fingers are starting to itch for the keyboard. (Hence this blog post.)

So if you find yourself in a black hole of writing despair: It's ok to take a break. It's ok to walk away from the computer for days at a time. Life is not about absolutes. It's not all-or-nothing. There's nothing wrong with taking a step back every once in awhile. Remembering why you started writing in the first place. Reviving your motivation.

For the first time in too long, I'm anticipating that feeling you get when you can't sleep because words are buzzing around in your mind, in your dreams even, begging to be written down.

When you count down to the next time you can sit at the computer and type type type until your foot falls asleep and your back is stiff and you're so in the zone that Pandora has to ask you if you're still listening.

When you stare at an unmoving cursor for an hour until you finally have a breakthrough and discover that you've fixed the previously unfixable.

I miss that.

I'm almost ready to begin again.

Five Girls Jacob Black Should Have Imprinted On

2011-12-20T00:00:00.001-05:00

This holiday season, all over the world people will be unwrapping gifts. Some of those people will be us, hoping that hardcover book for which we didn't have the money to spare will be underneath.

But some of those people just might be vampires.

And some of them might secretly be wolves...

So forlorn. If only he had an awesome new girl to crush on...

...secretly hoping to find an awesome new girl from YA literature to imprint on.

Sure, the FNC could have brainstormed together and come up with our own list of holiday recommendations. But what would be the fun in that?

What better way to recommend a book than to find out who Jacob would've imprinted on if he wasn't ~~stuck with~~ in love with Renesmee?

Below, check out...

The Five Girls Jacob Black Should Have Imprinted On

(but are definitely too good for him!)

1) Lola Nolan from LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Stephanie Perkins

Listen, Jacob. Sure, you think you want Bella, with her blinking and her almost-dying, but what you really need is a girl like Lola. She's a fashionista to the max--she might even inspire you to start wearing clothes! She'll get you out of your dad's house and into the real world. Maybe she'll even help you realize your secret dream of becoming a rock star. And her friends are cooler than yours.

2) Princess Elisa from GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson

It's time to upgrade. Why waste all your wolf charms on a girl who only sees the sparkly things in life? What you need in your life is a princess. Princess Elisa to be exact! She loves good food--and you need to stop eating rabbits in the forest. Plus she's super smart, and could give you some awesome advice about how to wrest control of a wolf pack from a tyrant leader.

3) Karou from DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor

Maybe you need some more adventure in your life. Sure, turning into a wolf and running your own pack is awesome, but don't you want to see the world? Aren't you feeling a little Belle-at-the-beginning-of-Beauty-and-the-Beast? Isn't there so much more than your provincial Forks life? Then you should definitely start making wolf eyes at Karou. She's a world traveler! She has blue hair! And she could fetch a fair price for those big, shiny molars of yours...

4) Puck Connolly from THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater

Are you growing tired of constantly fighting with the vampires all the time? Do you ever just wish there was something a little more exciting to protect your land from? Then Jacob, it's time to pack your bags and ferry over to the Isle of Thisby. You think vampires are tough? Try the capaill uisce. Yeah, that's a flesh-eating water horse. And if that's not tough enough, try your charms on Puck Connolly. She's a fierce as a water horse and as loyal as a real horse. You thought trying to keep up with Bella-with-a-death-wish was tough? You haven't seen anything yet.

5) Tris Prior from DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth

Jacob, perhaps your issue is you were born in the wrong genre. I mean, sure, you transform into a wolf and you like to rip your shirt off in anger, but maybe paranormal romance just isn't a match for you. Maybe it's time to try something else...dystopia, perhaps? Tris Prior would be happy to help you find your faction. You don't mind jumping off moving trains onto the tops of buildings, right?

But seriously, these were easily some of the best books I read this year, so if you're looking to give some awesome YA books as presents this year, check these out!

So, who do YOU think Jacob Black should've gone for instead?

Friendly Encouragement: Buy From a Local Bookseller Today!

2011-12-17T00:01:00.001-05:00

In the past, we here at the FNC have provided for you a book-buying guide for your holiday shopping, in which we recommend some of our favorites in various categories. While we didn't publish one for you this year, we always encourage purchasing books for holiday gift giving. Books really are great gifts. This year, in addition, consider visiting a bookstore for those books rather than buying them online.

Why this out-of-the-blue public service announcement?

It's in direct response to a promotional that Amazon ran a few days ago. See the details of the promotional below, as they are paraphrased on The ShelfTalker blog:

The promotion: quite simply, to walk into any store, take a picture of the item with the price with your Amazon price checker app, and get $5 off on that item when you order it from Amazon. You’re allowed to do this three times on Saturday.

So, Jeff Bezos has decided or at least approved this scheme that all bricks and mortar stores should be visited, left empty-handed so folks can shop on Amazon while giving them price info from other stores. Wow. The thoughts I’m having about this promotion cannot be printed here. If I weren’t so riled up, I’d be despondent at such a horrible attack on stores. Perhaps folks will go to chain stores, and not arrive at small, independent stores, scan a QR code and leave.

A promotional like this one hurts our bookstores. Not only that, it takes advantage of them. Booksellers keep the shelves stocked with books ready to go home with us, but Amazon would have us go in, browse the shelves, use the booksellers' expertise, then walk out empty-handed.

Now, I am not opposed to shopping online. I do it, too. And I buy from Amazon. It's a good source for many things, especially for niche books and films. Believe me, as I plan the new course I am teaching this spring--Australia in Film and Fiction--I have turned to Amazon more than once to acquire hard-to-find resources.

But I shop at bookstores, especially local bookstores, as often as I can. I love bookstores. The colorful covers, the rooms full of words and ideas and stories, the helpful and friendly staff who also care about words and ideas and stories. These are just a few of the things that make bookstores so special. Bookstores also pay sales tax, employ community members, invite authors to visit, donate to schools, host story-hour, and generally keep reading alive in their communities.

So, I encourage you--buy from a local bookstore this season. Let's help keep our local booksellers around!

Happy Shopping and Happy Reading!

PS: Thanks to Grace Lin, whose recent blog post alerted me to this.

Taking a moment to drool over the epicness of the new Hunger Games movie poster...

2011-12-16T12:30:00.000-05:00

In which I love ALL THE (CHRISTMAS) THINGS!

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

'Tis the season to celebrate...

Candy canes. I mean, they're EDIBLE TREE DECORATIONS. So if I have a hankering for peppermint, it's like, "Oh, look, let me choose from my CANDY TREE." (If only candy grew on trees, but for a couple weeks, I can pretend.)

A real Christmas tree, that makes my living room smell all pine-y, and pine-y is the scent of happiness. (Especially when I remember to water the tree.)

Lights everywhere! But only the white kind that doesn't blink, because I am a purist, and colored lights and blinking lights and LED lights (and God forbid, blinking, colored, LED lights) are sacrilegious.

"Oh Holy Night." Specifically, the Mariah Carey version that makes me tear up every time.

Christmas candles. And the food-scented ones.

Secret Santas. Gifts are fun, but secret gifts are funner.

Appropriately-timed Christmas music. Like when you're decorating the tree. And prepping for holiday guests.

Poinsettias, specifically when they wither in a cold car and then magically re-bloom to full gorgeousness in a warm house. (And they last FOREVER.)

Laughing about the horrendously ugly ornament you made when you were five, plus all the other ornament memories you think of as you hang them.

Sipping hot chocolate while snuggled in a cozy blanket. Ok, that's not Christmas-y all by itself, but oh wait, I'm swirling a candy cane in my hot chocolate. And wearing a Santa hat. So there.

Watching kids go nuts over mall Santas. Either they're super excited to sit on the lap of a sweaty, fat man dressed in a red suit, and you have to smile at the innocence of it.... or they're freaking out about sitting on the lap of a sweaty, fat man dressed in a red suit, and you have to laugh at the poor parents.

Those gigantic tins of multi-flavored popcorn.

When you find strong tree branches for all your heavy ornaments.

That one gorgeously-wrapped present (with, like, a fancy fabric hand-tied bow and a sprig of holly), that's so pretty and perfect, you almost don't want to open it. Almost.

Celebrating other holidays with friends of different faiths. Spin that dreidel!

The house that decorates like it's in competition with the North Pole, complete with all 8 reindeer and a sleigh and accompanying Christmas music.

A full church for Christmas mass, all decked out with poinsettias and wreaths and lights and a giant manger scene.

Generosity. The real thing, the antithesis of Black Friday. Toys for Tots, the radio and TV stations that pay for servicemen and women to fly home to their families, the Christmas dinners donated for those in need, and everyone wishing each other happy holidays.

Finding the absolute perfect present for someone. (Bonus points if it's on sale.)

Classic Christmas movies. Home Alone, Frosty the Snowman, Christmas Vacation, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, A Christmas Story (marathon!), A Charlie Brown Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life...

Special holiday stamps. Thanks, USPS!

Decorating my very own Christmas tree!!!! (The inspiration for this post.)

What are your favorite Christmas things? And that Christmas song you could hear a million times and never get tired of? And your favorite Christmas--or other holiday--tradition? Leave them in the comments!

More Lessons From Failing NaNoWriMo

2011-12-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Last year, I tried to do NaNoWriMo. And I failed. And I wrote this post about the lessons I'd learned from failing.

This year, I decided to do Nano again, and I really had high hopes for what I could accomplish. After all, this time last year my husband and I had just bought our first home, and we were in the midst of getting inspections and picking out paint colors and packing up our entire lives. Now, a year later, we were settled into our home and I would have no other outside distractions...right?

Right.

Sort of.

The first week of November, I managed to stay mostly on pace. And I thought--foolishly--that it would be smooth sailing from then on, and now, in the beginning of December, I'd be sitting here with a finished novel and my editing pen in hand.


Turns out, making a room go from this to "man cave" takes a lot of work.

But of course, then life got busy. We started finishing our basement. Coaching for swimming started. And life just kept getting in the way!

So, now here I am, and how many words did I write in November? About 12,000 altogether. Y'know, just a few thousand shy of 50k...like 38,000 short.

But I did set some other November goals, back in this post.

My two, smaller-than-50,000-words goals were to:

1) Keep writing even if a point came when I knew I wouldn't make it to fifty thousand words.
2) To try my best to write three times a week.

In those goals, I did a little bit better. I didn't always write three times a week, but I definitely devoted more thought & energy to my writing than I had in past months. Which meant even when I knew there was no way I was going to hit 50,000, I kept working and I tried not to get discouraged.

Also, and perhaps most useful of all, I learned a lot about how I work best as a writer. I always prided myself on being a pantser. When I would send a chapter to the other members of the FNC, they'd email back and say, "What happens next?" and I'd go, "Oh, y'know, stuff...something exciting...or something..." because the truth was I didn't really know. I'd always had a beginning, a climactic moment and an ending in my head, but that was pretty much about it. Because it was about the journey! The excitement of figuring out what was happening as I went! Right?

It turns out...those plotters kind of have a point. I plotted out the last portion of my novel for Nano pretty meticulously--scene by scene, all the way from middle to the words The End.

And the crazy thing was that it made writing a lot easier, especially when I was crunched for time. I didn't have to spend nearly as much time re-reading my own work to remember where I was and what was going on when I stopped writing last time. And the fear that I had would come with planning--that the excitement of writing would diminish, that knowing exactly what was going on wouldn't be nearly as much fun--turned out to not be true at all. If anything, knowing what was going to happen made things more exciting because I could see the story growing my mind with more clarity and completeness than before.

So even though I didn't win Nano, or come close, I did learn some valuable lessons about goal-setting and plotting. Which is kind of a win in itself, if you think about it.

What about all of you? Did you win Nano by hitting 50k? Or win it in another way?

Review: BETWEEN THE SEA AND THE SKY by Jaclyn Dolamore

2011-12-01T12:37:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Good Choice Reading Arc Tours, I spent last week reading Jacyln Dolamore's BETWEEN THE SEA AND THE SKY.

Have you guys read it? Even though I was on the arc tour, it's out now. Look! Buyable!

And you should definitely buy it.

Why, you ask?

Let's start with the Goodreads summary, so you know what the book's about:
"For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alander, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alander band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great, it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air."

Y'know what? I kind of don't like that Goodreads summary. Let's get a few things straight here.

First off, when Esmerine's sister Dosinia (who everyone calls Dosia) is found missing and assumed to be on the mainland. Esmerine isn't sent to fetch her, she chooses to go. And that's why Esmerine was awesome. I have this weird thing about mermaids--I love them. I totally wanted to be Ariel the Little Mermaid when I was six years old. And the fact I dyed my hair red in high school definitely didn't have anything to do with her amazing floating 80s bangs...right? But I've had a hard time finding YA mermaid books I like. My issue falls in that I think it's a difficult creature to work with--I've read books where their siren call causes men to die for them, and then they are le sad and so tortured. And I've read books where they don't want to be part of the sea and are le sad and tortured, until a man saves them. It's hard not be a damsel in distress when you're half fish, it seems. Which, back to my original point, is why Esmerine is so awesome. She's quiet and strong and fights for what she believes in. She loves her family but fights for what she believes in, even if it goes against what they think. She was thoroughly capable of taking care of herself and getting what she needed, and she was a joy to spent the book with. That's the other thing this summary got wrong--she doesn't happen upon Alander, she goes searching for him and finds him. Like I said, this is a girl of action! A girl of planning! She doesn't just stumble conveniently from plot point to plot point.

The other thing I think this summary is missing is that yeah, there's a love story, but it's not quite with the intensity that it makes it sound. Maybe it's just me, but "igniting emotions" seems like a fancy way of saying "instalove" to me. Which is not what happens in this book. Instead, Dolamore spends her time growing Alander and Esmerine's friendship, both through shared memories of when they were friends during childhood and the new experiences they have in trying to find Esmerine's sister. I feel as though the summary tries to epic-ize this book, and even though it has all the elements--mermaids, winged people, romance, a quest of sorts--it's a much quieter and more subtle narrative than that, which I really enjoyed.

The other great thing about this book was the world-building. This book is only 240 pages, and yet Dolamore manages to create a mermaid world, a human world and a winged-person (called the Fandarsee) world without info-dumping or slowing down the narrative at all. Impressive, right? I think the world-building in this book is so successful because the world is explained through the characters, instead of straight narrative. We learn how the Fandarsee are different as we learn who the mermaids are. By learning what the Fandarsee do, we learn what the mermaids don't do. We see Esmerine trying to figure out the way things work in the human world (like going to the bathroom!) and through that, see how it happens in the mermaid world. It was kind of like a mini-anthropology lesson wrapped up in each chapter.

Finally, what I loved most about this book is that Esmerine loves books. Obviously a challenge for a mermaid, right? But it was such a wonderful subplot that plays out so perfectly...it left a huge smile on my face, that's for sure.

If you're looking for a complete, satisfying, fairy-tale esque story to warm your heart this winter, BETWEEN THE SEA AND THE SKY is definitely worth your time!

Review: ALL THESE THINGS I'VE DONE by Gabrielle Zevin

2011-11-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

I was really excited to be on the blog tour for All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin because it sounded like exactly what I needed to get me out of my dystopia funk. I mean, check out the Goodreads summary:

"In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidentally poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family."

No big brother. No evil government to overthrow. No insta-love. In short, none of the elements that so many dystopias out right now are riddled with and that I was running out of energy for. This book was definitely was I was looking for.

Zevin's 2083 NYC felt more like the past than the future, which I thought was a really cool twist. With so many things becoming illegal, and rations and taxes being placed on ridiculous amounts of things--like water!--it didn't have the high tech feel that so many in-the-not-too-distant-future books have. Plus, there was a healthy dose of things that hadn't changed--kids still going to school, cafeteria food still being disgusting, teachers still not understanding, and the politics of high school--kept this imagined future firmly rooted in reality and made it easy to imagine and relate to. The things that Zevin changes are subtle, like chocolate being illegal, which makes this dysoptian version of New York seem eerily plausible. Even though New York is so iconic and easily recognizable, Zevin didn't skimp on the world-building, which makes this book shine.

Now, enter the Mafia. I have a confession to make: I think that mafia is really cool. Not in a sleeping-with-the-fishes is cool way, but the whole concept of a created family and the internal politics that go along with being crime bosses is something that has fascinated me for a long time, so I was super pleased that it was a big part of this book. The mafia aspect also helped give this futuristic book a neat old-world edge to it, that felt very original and engrossing to read.

Of course, my favorite part of this book was our headstrong MC, Anya Balanchine. Even though she's the middle child, she's really the person in charge--her and her older brother & younger sister live with their grandmother, who's bed-bound and only half-there most of the time. Because of some head trauma he endured as a child, her older brother isn't fit to be in charge of them. So it falls to Anya. Anya handles this with a great combination of nails and grace--which is how she handles pretty much everything in her life--and that's why I loved her. Anya was like a combination of Katsa from Kristin Cashore's GRACELING and Anna from Stephanie Perkin's ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS--half all fire, ready to beat down whoever looks at her (or her family) funny, and half the girl-next-door you secretly want to be.

This book is out now, so hop on down to your local bookstore or favorite website and order it now! And then order one for your friends. Holiday giving season is just around the corner, after all!

Thanks to Smitten with Books Arc Tours for my review copy of this book!

LEGENDary review and two-ARC Thanksgiving giveaway!

2011-11-17T00:00:00.001-05:00

Next week, as you laze about in a post-Thanksgiving food coma*, feeling as though you'll never be hungry again, why not read a book so chock-full of action that you'll feel like you're burning calories via osmosis?

Marie Lu's debut YA novel, LEGEND, is the perfect dystopian novel to pull you out of your tryptophan-induced haze.

Why? The description on Marie Lu's website should be enough to convince you:

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

But just in case you need a little more convincing...

Back in August, I gobbled up LEGEND in about two days.

Oh hey, cheesy Thanksgiving pun!

To be honest, I was a little leery of reading a dystopian with such buzz and so many starred reviews (was I setting myself up for disappointment?), but I wrote this post to tell you why I think it's worth the read! Without a doubt, LEGEND sucked me in, and the post-civil-war Republic that Lu created intrigued me. (For the violence-averse, be forewarned that the Republic's methods are brutal -- this is a truly villainous, sinister government.)

Primarily, though, I enjoyed the contrast between Robin-Hood-esque criminal mastermind Day and drinks-the-Republic's-Kool-Aid military darling June. Two prodigies with two opposing viewpoints and motives made for a unique read, and the teen genius element reminded me of Millicent Min and Jarod from The Pretender. I'm interested in seeing June and Day's relationship progress to a more nuanced level (LEGEND didn't provide much time for that, considering that June's hunting Day for much of it).

Looking forward in the series, I'm personally fascinated with the idea of the U.S. as we know it broken into separate, warring countries (though let's keep that safely in fiction, ok?), so I can't wait to learn even more about the neighboring "enemy" nation in the next book.

Lastly, I want to tip my hat to whoever decided to print June's and Day's narrations in different colors. I'm a fan, and I especially love that it was in my ARC, which made it feel all fancy. Just saying.

Marie, congrats on a great debut!

Are you ready to read LEGEND? It comes out November 29th, but from now through Thanksgiving Day (11:59pm EST) you have a chance to win one of two ARCs in an international giveaway right here! PLUS... each winner gets a SECRET ARC! There's something to be thankful for! (And we're thankful for the lovely Penguin folks at BEA, who provided our ARCs! We <3 Penguin!)

Have you read or reviewed LEGEND? Leave your thoughts and a review link in the comments! (Oh, and this is the first time we're using Rafflecopter instead of Google Docs for a giveaway, so let us know what you prefer!)

* For non-US readers: I know you won't be celebrating Thanksgiving next week, but all you need to do to get that Thanksgiving feeling is by eating more in one day than you ever thought you could eat...and then going back for seconds. Presto! Food coma!

LIESL AND PO + secret ARC giveaway winners!

2011-11-14T15:00:00.000-05:00

The two lucky winners of our LIESL AND PO (and secret ARC) giveaway are...

Allison!

and

Katie!

If you are the Allison! or Katie! who is the winner, you will receive a lovely email informing you of your good fortune! (And if you're not sure why they should be excited about winning, then you totally haven't read my review!)

And if the odds weren't in your favor for this giveaway, here's the awesome Hunger Games movie trailer to assuage your sadness.

Hunger Games movie trailer MONDAY!!! Set your DVR, people!

2011-11-10T12:15:00.001-05:00

Good Morning America is debuting the Hunger Games movie trailer on MONDAY!!!!

CLICK HERE for full article.

My DVR is set!!!

Double your NaNoWriMo productivity by writing blind.

2011-11-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

"Write blind" sounds like a metaphor, but I mean it literally. As someone who's eyesight (or lack thereof) places me perilously close to legal blindness, I know how much blurred vision can change your perspective.

This week, I accidentally discovered how something as simple as taking off my glasses helped me double my productivity. (Never fear, 20/20 vision-ers! I have a solution for you, too!)

The scenario: I tend to procrastinate for about 40 minutes of Butt-In-Chair time before actually writing, and then when I do begin, I putz along, writing a couple sentences here or there, rereading the previous writing session's work, and generally getting distracted. I have the attention span of a goldfish, and it's NOT PRODUCTIVE. I wear much-needed glasses, and I took them off for a second to rub my tired eyes.

How I see the world.
Specifically, how I see this post without my glasses.

That's when the moment of genius (or insanity) occurred.

I left my glasses off, poised my fingers over the keyboard, and kept typing, my words appearing as black, blurred lines on the white page. Within an hour, I had 1,150 words written. I don't know about you, but that's my best possible pace.*

Why in the heck did this work?

Sure, I felt a little wonky in the brain, but thinking about it afterward, it became quite obvious why this method was a success.

I couldn't see the word count at the bottom of my screen, so I didn't stare at it woefully as it increased in teeny, tiny increments (and then decreased drastically as I deleted entire paragraphs).
I couldn't read what I'd written before (unless I squinted and leaned in til my nose nearly touched the screen, aka Insta-Headache), so I had no choice but to barrel forward.
I couldn't obsess and analyze over my writing as it was happening. Once my Constant Internal Critic had nothing to criticize, my writerly instincts took over.
I couldn't see... anything. My little Safari icon didn't tempt me. Twitter, Gmail, Blogger, Tumblr, Pandora, random Google searches, and Facebook stalkerage all ground to a halt because they were basically invisible. The distractions disappeared.

I tricked myself into doubling my productivity. And let me tell you, when I put my glasses back on and saw that new word count, it felt awesome.

Troubleshooting:

Q: But Donna, I have perfect vision! Don't leave me hanging!
A: First of all, I hate you a little bit, especially if you wear non-prescription glasses because they "look cute." Ahem. Envy aside, you can create-your-own-nearsightedness by faux-blurring your page. The key is that your text document is unreadable: Make the font super-small and change the color to a light gray. Voila!

Q: I'm not quite the ASDF-JKL; typing whiz. I need to see the keys while I pick at them with two fingers!
A: Either get super cozy with your keyboard so the letters are visible, or act like a 20/20 vision-er, and follow the advice above!

Q: In a box of Animal Crackers, why does only the monkey get to wear pants?
A: I'm not sure, but the hippo wants to know. He has his hippo dignity, after all. (Bonus point if you can identify the reference.)

Your turn!
What's your quirky (or perhaps normal) method of increasing your productivity? And just how bad is your vision? (Between severe nearsightedness, astigmatism, and a partially-detached retina, I'm an opthamologist's worst nightmare.) Leave it in the comments!

* Aside: Though some of my fellow FNC-ers signed up for NaNo, I haven't, but this month is most definitely DonnaMakesSeriousProgressOnHerNovelMo!

ENTHRALLED giveaway winner!

2011-11-07T10:15:00.000-05:00

The lucky winner of ENTHRALLED: PARANORMAL DIVERSIONS (ed. by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong, signed by Melissa Marr), plus a bonus secret novel, is...

...

CHEYENNE TESKA!

(And check out her book blog, The Hollow Cupboards -- isn't that such a cool name?)

Never fear, if you weren't our lucky winner, you can still win one of two ARCs of Lauren Oliver's LIESL AND PO!

Lauren, Liesl, Po, and "Pandy": Book review, signing recap, and giveaway!

2011-10-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

I'm not a big middle grade reader, but a great book is a great book, and Lauren Oliver's LIESL AND PO is awesome enough to make anyone a middle grade convert. LIESL AND PO is Lauren's first foray into MG novels, after writing BEFORE I FALL and DELIRIUM for the YA crowd.

LIESL AND PO drew me in, charming me entirely. I felt such an emotional connection to the novel -- about an orphan girl locked in an attic by her villainous stepmother; two curious, friendly ghosts (one human, one animal); the abused apprentice of an greedy, egomaniacal alchemist; and the greatest magic in the world.*

On a completely superficial level, the book is gorgeous. Both the inner and outer covers are beautifully intricate (and perfect for the book!), and the drawings inside capture the atmosphere of the story.

It's a novel about hope, and love, and reclaiming sunshine in a world gone gray. It balances perfectly the whimsical and the sad, acknowledges darkness but emphasizes the persistence of joy despite all circumstances. (All this becomes even more meaningful when you read the author's note, in which Lauren shares that she wrote LIESL AND PO while mourning the death of a friend.)

I fell in love with this book, which reminded me a lot of CORALINE in tone and main character (Liesl and Coraline would totally be friends and go on adventures together), and Will from L&P would definitely be friends with "assistant-apprentice" Will Henry from THE MONSTRUMOLOGIST (though the alchemist in L&P makes the monstrumologist seem downright affectionate!).

On Tuesday, Frankie, Sara, and I headed to Children's Book World in Haverford, PA for Lauren's signing there. We've met her a couple times before, and she's always awesome to talk to and very down-to-earth. Of course, many of the Philly book blogger crew was in attendance! (Love those ladies -- Jamie from Perpetual Page Turner (see her recap here), Jenna and Lillie (the greatest pair of sisters who write and blog), and new blogger-pal Vi!)

Lauren talked about her creation process for LIESL AND PO, and how it was different from BEFORE I FALL and DELIRIUM because she wrote the first draft in two months, and the story developed organically as she wrote.

She's also working on an adult novel, which I love, because she basically follows (and writes) the stories that call to her, no matter the tone, plot, or genre. Love the diversity! (And after reading all three of her novels, I'll pretty much follow Lauren's writing wherever it goes. This gal is TALENTED.)

Get ready for Pandy.
It will be fierce.

Next up from Lauren is DELIRIUM's sequel, PANDEMONIUM, which comes out in March. She affectionately refers to it as "PANDY" (because who doesn't love a silly nickname for such a dramatic, epic book?) and thinks it would be hilarious if everyone did the same. So here it goes -- March 2012: PANDY is coming. Pass it on.

But until then, we're giving away our two BEA-gotten ARCs of LIESL AND PO, plus an additional SECRET ARC for each winner! And in order to see the gorgeous complete artwork in the book (the ARCs' drawings are only partially finished), be sure to buy your very own copy!

* Whenever I read about anything that's "the greatest in all the world," I always think of Miracle Max:

"Sonny, true love is the greatest thing, in the world-except for a nice MLT - mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe ... [smacks his lips] They're so perky, I love that."

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SHINE Giveaway Winner!

2011-10-27T15:34:00.001-04:00

Thank you to everyone who entered and showed their support for this book! After going through the many entries, the winner of our copy of SHINE is...

Natalie Aguirre!

If you didn't win, remember we still have our ENTRHRALLED giveaway going on. And please, if you haven't read this book, get yourself to your local bookstore/website/library and grab yourself a copy! You won't be disappointed!

SCORPIO RACES & Secret ARC Giveaway Winner!!

2011-10-26T10:31:00.000-04:00

All of Maggie's books are pretty epic, so it only made sense to have an epic giveaway to celebrate the newest one!

After going through 159 entries, the 5 winners of a signed ARC of THE SCORPIO RACES + another secret ARC are:

Isamlq (Sassyreads)

Joanne Fritz

Jill of the O.W.L.

Kathrine Roid

Mary Preston

Congrats to all of you! If you didn't win, no worries--we still have our ENTHRALLED giveaway to enter, and lots more goodies coming your way this fall!

Winner of DARKFALL giveaway!

2011-10-24T22:00:00.000-04:00

A big congrats to Marcie, the winner of our Darkfall ARC giveaway! (Plus, we'll be sending you a secret book, too!)

Thanks to all who entered, and if you weren't lucky enough to win, please be sure to buy a copy of your own... and check out our giveaways of SHINE (by Lauren Myracle) and ENTHRALLED (ed. Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong)!

Branding in the YA Market

2011-10-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

The other night I was watching one of my one true loves--America's Next Top Model. I don't know if Tyra's gotten even more business-savvy because now she's a YA author but the last episode of ANTM I watched actually brought up some interesting points.

The theme of the show was branding. I was really hoping to find a YouTube clip of the portion of the show, but apparently the only ANTM things on YouTube are a) parodies, and b) fangirls freaking out over the models' antics.

Anywho. Tyra brought in Martin Lindstrom, described by the show as the "branding king." He gave each model one word to be their brand. As in, if their brand is fierce, when we look at their photos, the first thing that should pop into our heads is, "Man, that girl is FIERCE." Or unique. Or free. Or whatever.

This got me thinking about branding in the YA market. Branding is something that happens constantly in the book world--it's our shorthand for marketing a book we've read to other people. How many times have you held a book out to a friend (or posted on your blog), and said something like "This book is a dystopia" or "It's like the Hunger Games, mixed with the Princess Bride" or "It's like an urban fantasy with a sci-fi twist?" (Sidenote: If anyone can actually describe a book as the Hunger Games meets The Princess Bride, please send me that book ASAP.)

But of course, some books exemplify a brand better than others. Here's my list of what I think is the ultimate in some of the most popular YA brands:

Dystopia

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Why: This is the first book that immediately pops into my mind. For me, Katniss is the ultimate. All the elements I like in a dystopia are there: a post-apocolyptic/war-ravaged version of America, the Big Brother evil government, the rumblings of rebellion, and a twisted version of what America is now that shows me how the dystopia happened in the first place. If someone said to me, "Sooo, what's a dystopia, anyway?" the first thing I would tell them to do is read THE HUNGER GAMES.

Honorable Mentions: THE GIVER by Lois Lowry, 1984 by George Orwell, BRAVE NEW WORLD by Aldous Huxley

Paranormal Romance

The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer

Why: While certainly not my favorite paranormal romance by far, I can't argue that these series was the lit fuse to the explosion of paranormal romance over the past 5 years. Who hasn't read Twilight? Or a summary of the books? Or seen the movie? Or listened to their blogger wife rant about it once or twice? I don't know that it would be the book I would recommend if someone was looking to get into the genre, but it's definitely the book I would reference to explain it.

Honorable Mentions: Wolves of Mercy Falls series (SHIVER, LINGER, FOREVER) by Maggie Stiefvater, HUSH HUSH by Becca Fitzpatrick

Contemporary

Sarah Dessen!

Why: Uh, do you even need to ask why? Sarah Dessen is the name on the lips of every teenage girl (or adult) looking for a quality, make-you-laugh-make-you-cry coming of age story that doesn't require anyone to drink blood, shapeshift, save the world, or wield a sword. I mean, she had a book made into a movie that starred Mandy Moore. There is nothing more contemporary than a movie with Mandy Moore.

Honorable Mentions: Stephanie Perkins, Laurie Halse Anderson, Jenny Han, Ellen Hopkins

Urban Fantasy

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Why: I'll admit that urban fantasy is not a genre that I read a whole lot of. I think a lot of people would've put Cassie Clare's MORTAL INSTRUMENTS series in this slot, but I haven't read them, so for it's the VA series by Richelle Mead. Mead has created a full vampi-rific world, but also integrated it fully into the real world, meaning we got lots of great crossover scenes and conflicts.

Honorable Mentions: NIGHTSHADE by Andrea Cremer

Fantasy

The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling

Why: Because it's Harry Potter. Duh. But for serious, because Harry Potter has so many magical elements, world-building, character-building, plotting and twists and turns that this beats even LORD OF THE RINGS for me. Because on top of all the awesome fantastic elements that Harry Potter encompasses, it's also fully relatable to all of us poor folk who didn't go to Hogwarts, which I think is an equally key element to a successful fantasy story as some awesome spells and a fire-breathing dragon.

Honorable Mentions: Tamora Pierce (SONG OF THE LIONESS), Kristin Cashore (GRACELING, FIRE), Robin McKinley, Dianna Wynne Jones

So of course I must have missed some great picks. And I'm sure my top picks are different from your top picks, so let me know! What books do YOU think exemplify these YA genres/brands?

ENTHRALLED: The spooktastic Halloween review and giveaway!

2011-10-22T17:05:00.000-04:00

No title pun intended, but ENTHRALLED: PARANORMAL DIVERSIONS was a welcome diversion from reading novels, especially during the chaotic month of September when I didn't have more than 10 minutes at a time to read.

The anthology includes sixteen short stories and was edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong.

It's well worth the read if you're in the mood for standalone paranormal stories, and as a bonus, in many of them you get to return to the worlds of your favorite YA novels/series (which definitely lets you appreciate the story more, but prior reading isn't necessary).

Here were a few of my favorites, and why I loved them:

Scenic Route by Carrie Ryan
A dark and excellently tense zombie story set in the FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH world, but with new characters and a new setting --- and you didn't have to read the novels to be sucked into the story.

Red Run by Kami Garcia
Creepy, creepy ghost story that had me shivering and wondering who to trust. I soooo pictured this as a horror movie -- totally atmospheric.

Skin Contact by Kimberly Derting
In the world of DESIRES OF THE DEAD, Rafe follows a horrifying vision involving his girlfriend and her unhinged, dangerous father. Heartpounding and heartbreaking.

Leaving by Ally Condie
I love the mix of time travel, grief, and loneliness --- and the connections you make to other people.

At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show by Jessica Verday
Cannibal Girl Scouts, vampires, and the girl who acts as bait for her supernatural hunter family. Love it.

Gargouille by Mary E. Pearson
Gargoyle romance? This haunting story makes you believe it.

Overall, there's a great variety of paranormal elements, and a solid mix of light and dark tones among the stories. This anthology is a lot of fun, and one of the best I've read.

I got my copy at BEA (thanks, HarperCollins!) and had it signed by Melissa Marr --- and now it can be yours! Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win, and if you're not the lucky winner, make sure to buy a copy of your own!

* The giveaway is now over. Thanks for entering! *

NaNoWriMo: The Ultimate Goal-Setting Exercise

2011-10-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

Last year, I signed up for Nanowrimo. I was really excited about it, even if I worried about having enough time to do it.

Last year, I totally failed.

But I did learn some things. And re-reading those posts today, I learned some other things.

For example, I learned that last November I hoped that by this November I would be finished my current WIP and ready to start something new.

Yeah. That didn't happen. I am considerably further than I was--I finally have over 50k words in my current draft, but I'm not close to finishing.

So, what am I doing? Signing up for NaNoWriMo again this year, of course! This year, I'm going into it with a slightly different perspective.

Nanowrimo is one of those funny experiences when, at the beginning, you feel like this:

I'm going to climb every mountain! Ford every stream! Follow every rainbow! Write ALL the words!!

Even though 50,000 words in a month is a pretty ridiculous goal. But, sometimes ridiculous goals work out...

This statue of a human is soooooo cute! I bet if I sell my voice to the sea witch, I'll become human and wash up on the EXACT shore he's walking on right then and he'll fall in love with me even though I'm mute and smell like fish!

But more often than not, they don't.

So rather than using 50,000 words in the month of November as my goal, I'm using it as one of many goals. My ultimate top-tier goal, if you will. But I'm also setting some smaller, more manageable goals that I think I'll be able to achieve, and I think Nanowrimo will help me do that.

November Goals (that I would really like to meet and think I can):

1) Write! Even when things get busy, keep writing. Don't lose hope!

2) Write at least 3 times a week. Right now I have a consistent period of time blocked out every Thursday when I write. But I'd like to add a block on Monday and a third block during the weekend.

And then, of course, there's the November Goal of my Dreams:

3) Write 50,000 words! Finish my book! Have it edited by Thanksgiving! Query by Christmas! Have an editor by New Year's! Sign a book deal that makes me a BAJILLION dollars by Valentine's Day and I am suddenly a full time writer!

Yeah. That's why it's good to start small. :)

Are any of you doing NaNo this year? Or do you have any new writing goals you're trying to accomplish?

SHINE on, Lauren Myracle! Plus Giveaway!

2011-10-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

So if you've been on Twitter or YA book blogs the past few days, you've seen the explosion caused by the National Book Award asking Lauren Myracle to withdraw her nomination, after they accidentally nominated SHINE for the award.

If you need to catch up, here's an article from the School Library Journal to bring you up to speed.

I'd read an ARC of SHINE from NetGalley back in Februray and loved it. I was so excited to hear that it had been nominated! And then, of course, the debacle began. Needless to say, I have some words for the National Book Award people. And they are not kind. Or family friendly. So I'll just say: this really burns my cookies. But I don't want this to be a negative post, because as hard to read as this book is at times, because it's so intense, this book is a beautiful, positive addition to the YA world, and deserving of all the praise showered upon it. So in honor of the wonderfully classy Lauren Myracle, and this beautiful book, I'm reposting my original review of it.

Make sure you scroll down past the review, because we're also giving away a copy! This is a book that should be on every bookshelf!

Shine by Lauren Myracle

Here's the Goodreads Summary: "When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice. Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author."

Intense, right? I have to say, the first thing that drew me to this book was the cover. It's gorgeous! The theme is kept going inside the book, with a repeated haunting black and white photograph of a dilapidated house and some tree branches of the first page of each new chapter. Score one for the design team!

I wondered if this book was going to feel over-the-top on its "hard" issues--I mean, drugs and hate crimes in the same novel?!--and lose the mystery side that it had. But I was totally wrong, and now know that I should never doubt Lauren Myracle again. This book pulls you in so strongly--it's almost a physical sensation of sinking into Cat's world of Black Creek. Even as a lifelong northerner, I could not only see and understand what it felt like to live in a tiny backwoods town in the South, but I could feel it. Myracle does some of the best world-building I've ever seen in this book--tight and as fully-realized as the most intricate fantasy novel!

Myracle did what is so hard for so many writers to do--she wrote a book about hard issues without trying to directly teach readers a lesson or have the plot feel didactic. Even our protagonist, Cat, has moments of seeing things both ways, which adds another level and deeper thought to the two main issues happening in Black Creek: the hate crime committed against Cat's friend Patrick, and the drug use that runs through the town.

As for the mystery, I felt kept in the dark in a good way. I liked the Cat was smart and a little scrappy--she was resourceful and brave, but realistically so. I liked all the twists and turns Myracle put into her plot. There were few things that felt coincidental or set-up just to move the plot along.

This book gave me chills.

Review and Giveaway: Happy Book Birthday to THE SCORPIO RACES! Plus Secret ARC Giveaway!

2011-10-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

The First Novels Club wants to wish a very happy book birthday to Maggie Stiefvater's THE SCORPIO RACES!

I was super excited to score an advanced copy of this book from BEA. Out of the 90+ books that we picked up during that week, SCORPIO RACES was one of the first 5 that I read. I saved it until I went on vacation in June to Martha's Vineyard. Why save it, you ask? Because if you've ever been to Martha's Vineyard in June, it's still kind of cold, and a little tempestuous, and there are these awesome clay cliffs. After reading all of Maggie's cliff-climbing adventures on her blog and how they related to this book, I figured this was the perfect place to start reading.

Here's the Goodreads summary:
"It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen."

This book is way different from the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. And while I loved Sam & Grace, Cole & Isabel (especially Cole!), I loooooooooved Sean and Puck.

Especially Puck. This girl is tough as nails. And not in that, tough-but-cute way, but more in that be-careful-it-bites way. She's tempestuous, and witty, and stubborn, and pretty much everything I love in a main character. I didn't always like her or agree with her choices, which for me is the sign of a fully fleshed out character. If I can read and go, "Oh girl, no you didn't!" but still love her in the end, then I know she's a character that's become a true friend. Also, her name is Puck. Which is awesome.

Then there's Sean. Sean made me nervous for awhile. As fiery and fierce as Puck was, Sean was cold and closed off. He brooded. He stared. He angsted. I wanted to hug him so badly, but I feared he would just brush me off and give me the kind of death glare I felt sure he had patented. In short, it took me some time to warm up to him. It's so difficult to write a closed-off character, because what on earth is the reader supposed to relate to if the character isn't willing to let them in? And yet somehow Maggie managed to do it. The more Sean pulls away on the page, the more quickly I found myself reading, wanting to know if I ever got to peak through a crack in his tough exterior. And we did! Finally! And it was marvelous and oh-so-satisfying.

So those are the main characters. Sort of. Because the thing is, the more you read, the more the town and the island become a character too. Thisby lived and breathed. It had a strong Irish flair, but it wasn't Ireland--it was a world that sits somewhere between the real and the magical. That's my kind of world!

And oh yeah, there's this other thing. Massive killer water horses that people race for fun and profit. No, for serious. And I'll be the first to say that I'm not a horse story person. I love inspirational sports movies, unless they're about horse racing. And I love animals...but I'm severely allergic to horses. (No, for serious!) But I LOVED the water horses. They were creepy and feral and I may have had a nightmare or two about them while on the Vineyard that caused me to demand that my husband share a twin-size bed with me so I wouldn't get eaten by them in my sleep. BUT, in true Maggie Stiefvater fashion, they were also beautiful and bizarre and interesting, and I kind of wished I could pet one (just real quick, before it bit my hand off.) Again, like with Thisby, they were fantastic, and yet somehow so real. When I finished the book, it seemed strange to think that killer horses DIDN'T come out of the autumn waves.

(BTW, there's kissing in this book too. And adventures. And a cat.)

So have I gushed enough about THE SCORPIO RACES? Are you all dying to read it? You should be!

Lucky for you, it's out today, and you can go to your local bookseller and pick up a copy!

Or, you could be even awesomer and be one of FIVE people to win a SIGNED ARC of the book! Right here! Right now!

And, because autumn is the time for ALL the books, we're throwing in a little extra Halloween treat. A second ARC. Of what, you ask? Ah ha, good question! Here's the answer: it's a secret. But five--count'em, FIVE--lucky winners will get a signed copy of Maggie's wonderful new book, PLUS a secret ARC of our choosing!

What do you have to do to win, you ask?

Why, just fill out this form!

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

What books do you recommend most often to non-YA readers?

2011-10-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

Over the past three years, I've been slowly but surely converting my "adult" friends and family to YA novels, or at least adding them to their reading repertoire. One recommendation at a time, I'm convincing people that young adult literature isn't "just for kids."

Depending on the person's genre preferences, I've found myself going back to the same handful of books that I feel showcase just how awesome YA can be and that also seem most appealing to adults.

(Seriously, I don't think my set of the Hunger Games trilogy has actually been on my bookshelf for more than a month of the past year, I've passed it around so much! I call it "the gateway book.")

Below is some of my go-to list (though it's nowhere near complete), and I love expanding it. What's on yours?

Urban Fantasy

White Cat by Holly Black

Contemporary/Literary

Looking for Alaska by John Green
If I Stay/Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Paranormal Romance

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Dystopian

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Free Verse

Karma by Cathy Ostlere

High Fantasy/Adventure
Fire by Kristin Cashore
The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Contemporary Romance

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Dark Humor

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride
Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Gothic Horror

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Eyes in the Mirror Review!

2011-10-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

So, ever read and book and get like 20 pages in and then something happens that you not only didn't expect, but it actually makes you put the book down and say, "Wait, WHAT?"

Yeah, that happened to me with EYES IN THE MIRROR by Julia Mayer.

Here's the Goodreads summary:
"Every teen girl fantasizes about having a double and best friend rolled into one-an alter ego with whom she can trade places, allowing her to disappear. Samara is a troubled and lonely adolescent, prone to cutting, who desperately craves both intimacy and escape from her unfulfilled life...until she meets her reflection, Dee, the seeming answer to all her problems."

I thought this book was going to be a psychological journey through Samara's world. And it was, but in a way I totally didn't expect. I thought Dee was going to be a mental manifestation of what Samara wanted her life to be. But about 20 pages in, the book took a paranormal turn and it turned out that Dee was not only a mental manifestation, but a physical one too, and the mirror that both girls looked into wasn't just a mirror, but more like a magical looking glass from Alice in Wonderland. The rest of the book follows Dee & Samara in alternating narrative chapters, showing the reader what life is like on both sides of the mirror, and showing Dee and Samara that life is never simple.

What I think I enjoyed most about this book is the unexpected twists and turns that kept coming through the narrative. After finding out about the looking glass twist, I thought the book was going to go in the direction of each girl finding escape in the other's life, and it was going to be a much lighter book than I originally expected. But that wasn't true at all--and I liked that. Mayer didn't shy away from tough issues that are so prevalent in the teen world, because that's what made this book feel authentic.

The other thing that impressed me about this book was to find out that that the author was a teenager when she wrote the first draft of this book! I always find this impressive for two reasons. First of all, I remember all of my attempts as a teenage to write a book-length piece of writing. How I would sit down at the computer and think, "I'm going to write a book about wizards! And princesses! And a magic ring! And it will be 500 pages and AWESOME!" but then I never got past page 30 or so before I got bored and started to do something else. Or, I finished something, thought it was perfect, and then never looked at it or did anything with it again. So to see a writer who, as a teenager, successfully completed a novel, then had the ability to revise it and continue to work on her craft, and see it through as far as it could go (in this case, to publication!) is always awesome for me.

I think Eyes in the Mirror is worth checking out if you like books that don't shy away from hard topics, like Laurie Halse Anderson's, or if you like a paranormal edge to your contemporary novels. It's out from Sourcebooks Fire now! Go check it out!

(Disclosure: Sourcebooks Fire is super nice because they sent me this book for free. And so I reviewed it for free! No chocolate necessary.)

Review and DARKFALL Giveaway! Janice Hardy's THE HEALING WARS: The fantasy trilogy you should be reading.

2011-10-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

Let's face it -- reviewing the final book in a trilogy has its challenges. I mean, at this point, your audience is one of three people:

PERSON 1: Read the first book, or maybe the first two, and wants to know if the last one is awesome.

PERSON 2: Heard about or seen the books, but hasn't picked one up yet. (Maybe even owns an ARC or finished copy, or passes them in the library, or just thinks the cover's pretty and the title's intriguing.)

PERSON 3: Has zero interest in fantasy or upper-middle-grade fiction and isn't sure why they're reading this post.

So here's my 3-part review of Janice Hardy's DARKFALL

(and The Healing Wars trilogy as a whole):

PERSON 1: Heck yes, DARKFALL is worth your time and money! The characters continue to develop, the plot thickens like no one's business, and the ending lives up to your expectations and then some.

PERSON 2: This trilogy is well worth the read (even if, like me, you're not a big middle-grade or fantasy reader).

What's the trilogy about? (Taken from Janice Hardy's website.)

Nya is a Shifter, someone who can heal by shifting pain from person to person.She’s hunted by those eager to exploit her ability for their own purposes, determined to make her a weapon, a killer, even a symbol for the war that’s brewing.
     All Nya wants is to protect her family and regain her people’s freedom, but the more she’s drawn into the plans of others, the more she realizes how key to everyone’s victory she really is.
     And how much she’ll have to sacrifice just to survive.
     A fantasy adventure for ages 10 and up, The Healing Wars trilogy follows Nya, a war orphan with the unique ability to heal—or destroy—with her touch.

And here's five reasons why you should read it!

If you're looking for a strong and smart heroine to root for, Nya's your girl. For years, life has handed her one struggle after another, and she has to make multiple heartbreaking choices throughout the books, but she keeps moving forward.
The stakes are huge, and they're both personal and political. Entire cities are on the brink of destruction, and the lives of Nya's sister and friends are at risk -- with Nya (unintentionally) in the center of it all.
The world of The Healing Wars is fantastically multilayered and realistic, and the concept of using healing and pain for political power makes this fantasy stand out from the rest.
The plot twists and turns throughout the trilogy, with almost constant action, but it never veers into the realm of implausibility.
These books are awesome. Seriously. They're that perfect mix of adventure with heart, intelligence, and depth, and I totally love Nya. Basically, you know it's a fantastic trilogy when my biggest complaint is that I wish there were fewer vowels in the character names. Not kidding. Go read them.

Links: My reviews of The Shifter and Blue Fire.

PERSON 3: Keep an open mind (and see above)!

So... have I convinced you yet? DARKFALL is out now, so go get yourself a copy! (And I'm giving away my ARC to one lucky reader below!!)

A huge thank you to HarperCollins/Balzer&Bray for sending me the ARC!

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

THE PREDICTEDS: Review

2011-10-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

THE PREDICTEDS, by Christine Seifert, looks like a dystopia. I mean, check out this cover:

This pixelated girl screams, "I'm being controlled by the government, get me out of here!!"

It sounds like a dystopia. Look at the Goodreads summary:

"Your future is not your own...

"We wanted to know what makes a good kid good and a bad kid bad. Can you blame us for that? We found an astoundingly, marvelously simple answer: The brain isn't so much a complicated machine as it is a crystal ball. If you look into it, you will see everything you want to know."
-Dr. Mark Miliken, senior researcher at Utopia Laboratories

Who will it be?
Will the head cheerleader get pregnant?
Is the student council president a secret drug addict?

The whole school is freaking out about PROFILE, an experimental program that can predict students' future behavior.

The only question Daphne wants answered is whether Jesse will ask her out...but he's a Predicted, and there's something about his future he's not telling her."

So if it looks like one and sounds like one, is must be one, right?

Not exactly.

THE PREDICTEDS is a little more complicated than that, and that's part of what I enjoyed about this book.

First off, there's Daphne. She's a strong, independent protagonist. I felt like she almost had a Nancy Drew quality to her. She felt sneaky and fierce. And who doesn't enjoy a little romance? Jesse had a lot of qualities that I look for in my book romance interests. He was a little emo--he totally shed a tear or two, if not on page, then definitely off-page. And I could totally see his going all wandering minstrel to get a girl back, carrying around a guitar and serenading her from the street. BUT, he didn't. Which I also appreciated, because as much as I love me some emo boy, it can get old pretty quickly. Instead, Jesse was equal parts tough and broken, which made for an interesting read. Also, I really appreciated Seifert's secondary characters. I felt like many of them had a dimensionality (is that a word? It is now!) to them that often goes by the wayside, especially in dystopian-esque books where there's so much world-building and plot-moving that needs to take place.

Secondly, there's the setting. How clever is it that the town is called Quiet, and it's where the kerfuffle goes down? SUPER clever, is the answer. Also, it made for some unintentionally funny lines, which I appreciated, such as going to the Quiet movie theatre. Ha. Get it? But seriously, Seifert did an excellent job of sculpting this tiny town into a very real place. Even though I grew up just outside of a major city, I recognized pieces of my own high school experience--having the local diner be the place to go on Friday night, the allure of the college kid parties--it all felt real to me. And while setting is always a key element to a quality novel, it felt extra-important to me in THE PREDICTEDS, because I needed to believe that Quiet was a town where this could happen in. And I definitely did.

Finally, I loved the concept of being predicted! Seifert starts her book off with a bang--literally. There's a shooter in Daphne's school (thankfully no one is hurt), which hurtles the reader into a town and a school plagued by fear, doubt, and the need to "fix" the problem. Enter, of course, the testing procedures that had already been done in order to create a list of the predicted students. It was so interesting to me reading how the school deals with this list, and the students, and what the fallout of a situation like that looks like. Working in a school, it made me look around at the middle & upper school kids around me and wonder what would happen if testing like that was done in real life. Seifert did a really great job of showcasing mob mentality, and how hard it can be to stand up for what you believe in, even if your belief isn't popular.

THE PREDICTEDS is out now, so definitely go check it out!

(Sidebar: I received a review copy of this book from Sourcebooks, who are v. nice to do so. Sadly, they do not give me money or even chocolate to write this review.)

Always a Writer

2011-10-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

I am a person who likes to imagine their live in a very compartmentalized way. Here is a picture of how my brain organizes my life:

Note the black-and-whiteness of it, the clear defined lines that keep one part separate from all others.

When these things cross over--for instance, at our housewarming party when we invited lots of different people--or if I'm at work and someone stops by to visit me, it makes me nervous. I wonder if everyone will like each other from the different parts of my life. I worry because in my head, at any given time most people aren't involved in 3/4ths of things that are going on with me. I wouldn't expect the FNC to show up at a swim meet, just like I'd be surprised to see the kids from my team at a book signing.

The few weeks ago I had inservice for the beginning of the school year. One of the meetings I went to was the English Department meeting, which I go to as a lower school representative. We chatted about books at first (I hyped up THE SCORPIO RACES and WONDERSTRUCK as two of my favorite summer reads!) and it turned out that the new middle school English teacher is also a YA writer. The chair of the department, when she found this out, announced, "We have a writer in our midst. We'll certainly have to take advantage of that!"

To which two other teachers--one fourth grade, one kindergarten--replied, "We have two writers," and pointed to me.

Enter point where the boundaries in my life get fuzzy.

This announcement caught me off-guard for two reasons:

1) I wasn't paying full attention to the meeting. (It was the fourth meeting of the day. I have to admit, I was daydreaming about a potential new story idea.)

2) How did they know I was a writer?! In my head, my writing is a private thing. I share it with the FNC--but we've spent years building our friendship and trust in one another. How did these two teachers, who I've only made small talk with a few times before, know that I was a writer?

It weirded me out. I wanted to reach into the room and gather up all the words people had said and shove them in my bag. I hadn't given them permission to announce this private part of my life--this part that, in my mind, was completely closed off from the rest of my life.

I thought about it for awhile for the rest of the day, and on the car ride home. And at some point, it occurred to me:

Writing is all about grey areas and breaking boundaries.

I know, I know. Not exactly the revelation of the century, right? I already knew that was what I was trying to do in my writing. But I didn't realize until now that it doesn't only happen on the page--writing causes grey areas and smudgy boundaries in your life too. That just because I'm at work, or hanging out my parents, or at a swim meet, doesn't mean I'm not a writer right then too.

Again, it's not like I'm explaining rocket science to all of you out there. A lot of you probably figured this out a long time before I did. It still felt important to me, though. Along with realizing that I'm always a writer--that it's infiltrating every part of my supposedly-compartmentalized life--I realized that people care about that part of my identity.

Those two teachers didn't have to point out that I was a writer. They could've stayed silent and let me speak up for myself (and since I thought my writing life didn't connect to my work life, I probably wouldn't have) but they didn't. They cared enough to at least share that knowledge with someone new.

I think, if having grey areas and smudgy boundaries means that people care about a more whole version of you, that I'm okay with it. Even if it still weirds me out a little.

Winners of the 2012 CWIM!

2011-10-05T15:00:00.000-04:00

We have two winners of the 2012 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market giveaway!

Congratulations to Annie and Laurie, and thanks to everyone for entering!

If you weren't one of our lucky winners, you should definitely invest the $18.45 and purchase a copy of your very own --- CLICK HERE to find out why!

LOLA, won't you be our neighbor?

2011-09-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

Do you want to smile? A big, huge, ear-to-ear, no-holds-barred glorious grin of happiness? Then you need to go read yourself some Stephanie Perkins.

Steph's debut, ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, left us all feeling stupidly giddy and warm and glowy inside, and she hits a feel-good home run again with her second, companion novel, LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR.

Stephanie has this knack for writing spot-on romance, and you totally want to be BFFs with her characters. Her books are delightful and funny and real --- like candy with depth. Like, VITAMIN CANDY, people. They taste good and they're good for you! They're like the Honey Nut Cheerios of books.

And without further ado, I'm reposting Sara's review of LOLA, in which she OMGSQUEEs over her top 5 reasons she j'adores Steph's new book baby!

Sara's Review:

You may remember our quad-review of Anna, in which we deemed Etienne St.Clair the hottest little hobbit that ever went to high school. Well, this time I just couldn't wait until everyone in the FNC had read this book to gush about how much I loved it. So here you go, in no particular orders:

Reasons Why J'Adore Lola and the Boy Next Door!! (spoiler-free, of course!)

I promise Cricket Bell is even cuter than this Disney-fied cricket.

1) Cricket Bell! Okay, right now, right here, I'm patenting the OMGSQUEE. I'm going to make it happen. Because that's exactly what Cricket made me do ALL throughout the book. Obviously I can't give away a lot of details without ruining something in this book, but let me say this about Cricket: A of all, his name is Cricket. B of all, he's really tall. C of all, he's a little emo. D of all, his name is Cricket. Did I mention that part?

Seriously though, Cricket is not Etienne St. Clair in the best of ways. That is to say, he's his own, unique character with his own special OMGSQUEE reasons to love him. Now, I heart St. Clair, but I must admit Cricket was a little more up my fangirl alley--tall, a little awkward, a little emo...mmm, the perfect recipe.

2) Lola's dads! That's right, I said dadS. As in two. Lola has two dads. But it's not a thing--she just has them. And they're totally normal, recognizable real life/YA parents. They're not a plotline or a way to make Lola "alternative and spunky" (she does that fine on her own!) or an underlying message. They're just a set of parents in a YA book.

Growing up with two moms, and in the time before the YA boom, gay parents in the books I read were few and far between. And if they did exist, it was always an issue, or somehow made the MC's life tumultuous/difficult in some way. I don't actually think I realized how much I wanted to see gay parents as just a regular part of a teenager's life in a book until I read Lola, and loved her dads so much.

Plus, like all of Stephanie Perkins' characters, her dads--Andy and Nathan--are hilarious, and heartfelt, and REAL. And adorable. Bonus points? Lola actually likes, and appreciates (as much as a teenage can appreciate) her parents--something else I found ultra-refreshing to read!

3) Lola! Obvi Lola has to be a big part of why I loved this book. She's not Anna Oliphant, just like how Cricket is not St. Clair. Lola felt a little edgier to me, and it took me a little more time (like, an extra paragraph or two) to warm up to her. And I LIKED that. I wasn't worried that I was going to be stuck with some overly-snarky MC because I trust and admire Perkins' writing and characters, but Lola definitely had more of an edge to her than Anna, and a little more angst in her life. But, like Anna, all the things she experienced and went through and felt reminded (sometimes painfully) of my own high school experiences.

I not only sympathized with Lola, I empathized with her. And her fashion sense was amazing without seeming gimmicky at all. Her fashion sense wasn't what gave her a personality--it was just one facet of the character that is Lola.

4) Anna and St. Clair! It was really awesome seeing Anna and St. Clair from an outsider's perspective. Like, kind of more awesome than I even realized it was going to be. I have to admit, it was a little weird at first--like when you hear yourself recorded on audio for the first time, and you think, is that really what my voice sounds like?

At first, I thought, is this really who Anna was in her book? But the more I read, the more I realized that it both was and wasn't--it WAS the Anna, but this is outsider-looking-in Anna, not in-her-head Anna, and the differences were natural and made sense. Plus, I needed my hobbit fix, and St. Clair definitely delivered :) Bonus points include the fact that Anna uses the word "wee" in the book. Hehe. Wee. It still makes me giggle.

5) Cricket Bell. Yeah, again. It's my post, I'll make him worthy of two bullet points if I want to!

So, in conclusion: Lola & the Boy Next Door made me OMGSQUEE! more times than is probably healthy.

(OMGSQUEE! is the next fetch. It's going to happen.)

-----

And today, LOLA is officially released to the world! So go buy her!!!

Vampire Diaries Season 3, Episode 2: The Hybrid

2011-09-23T15:43:00.000-04:00

Opening Credits: Salvatore Mansion

TV Anchor: On last week’s episode, our resident news reporter Andy Star mysteriously died by falling off a catwalk we keep in the newsroom for really no main purpose other than for people to kill themselves by falling off. Which is what we believe happened to Andy, despite the fact that she wasn’t depressed, had a super hot boyfriend, and left no note. Ah well. You know what this means for me. I HAVE HER OFFICE NOW! Wooo spinning chairs!

Elena: Damon! Why haven’t you answered any of my calls? And why didn’t you tell me your girlfriend died/killed herself/was murdered by my recently turned evil boyfriend?

Damon: Because I would have had to sing:

Happy birthday to you,

Stefan killed my fake-girlfriend,

And he might kill you too!

Elena: He wouldn’t do that. He called me last night.

Damon: Did not!

Elena: Did too!

Damon: Stefan’s gone! How do you even know it was him?

Elena: The camera kept switching to his point of view and there was really sad music playing.

Damon: …

Elena: Also, Officer Forbes traced the call to Tennessee.

Alaric's Apartment:

Alaric (rumpled and naked in bed): *hears knocks* Go away, Damon!

Elena: It's me! Why would Damon be here?

Alaric: *hides naked Damon pictures*

Elena: Anyway, tell me what you know about Stefan and Tennessee.

Alaric: Um, why are you asking me?

Elena: Dude! Do you want a story line or not?

Alaric: Fine! We're going mountain climbing! Klaus is making hybrids!

Hybrid Mountains, Tennessee

Klaus: Are you tired, Stefan? Need some water? You've been carrying that Simon Camden backpack ALL morning.

Stefan: Shhhh! Simon Camden's sleeping.

Klaus: Oh look! A wolf pack.

Wolf girl: Who the hell are you and why did you turn Simon Camden into a backpack?

Klaus: My name is Klaus! I'll be your bad guy this season.

Wolf girl: He's a hybrid!

Klaus: Oh, you watched season 2! Fantastic!

Lockwood Mansion:

Mrs. Lockwood: Morning, Tyler! Coffee? I added ~~anti-damon to test if you're a vampire~~ this new cream I got at the store.

Tyler: *takes a sip* Pffft! Mom this cream tastes like crap.

Mrs. Lockwood: Also, don't bring home prostitutes who pull the walk of shame at 3AM.

Tyler: MOM! Stop calling my bff with benefits a prostitute. We only exchange sex for her helping me not kill people once a month on the full moon.

Mrs. Lockwood: ...

Tyler: Bye!

Mrs. Lockwood: *makes phone call* Bill, we have a vampire problem.

The Only Restaurant in Mystic Falls: Employees Only

Jeremy: I saw Vickie again, Matt. Look, here are ghost summoning instructions I binged last night to help us contact her. It says here it works best with a family member, and you were her brother.

Matt: Dude, why don't you ask Bonnie to help you?

Jeremy: Because I can't tell my witch girlfriend that my dead vampire turned ghost girlfriend is talking to me again.

Bonnie: Oh HELL NO! What is going on? Someone write me into this episode quick so I can smack some sense into my boyfriend.

The Writers: ... And then Bonnie stayed for another week at her family reunion in a town far off the set....

Bonnie: FML!

Jeremy: Please Matt! She said "help me" and you're her brother! You can do it.

The Only Restaurant in Mystic Falls: Dining Room

Tyler: Ok Elena, so here's where werewolves hang out, and here's a map that will lead you to wolves.

Elena: Wow, you're not a douche-bag this season at all.

Tyler: It's because I got laid last night. Also, have you seen Caroline?

The Only Restaurant in Mystic Falls: The Bar

Elena: Alaric, we're going to hunt the wolves tonight at the full moon. Good idea?

Alaric: I think I take back what I said last episode about you being responsible.

Hybrid Mountains, Tennessee:

Simon Camden: What's happening to me? Why do I feel so strange?

Stefan: You're transitioning into a vampire. Or...vampwolf. A werepire... anyway you need blood or you'll die. Any humans want to offer Simon Camden some blood to drink?

Reverend Camden: If you're not referring to blessed wine I am going to be SO pissed.

Wolf girl: We'll die before we become hybrids like you.

Klaus: Ok...*bites wrist* Drink up, love! No worries, you're an extra, you'll probably be dead by the end of this episode anyway. Now...who's next?

The Only Restaurant in Mystic Falls

Tyler: Matt, have you seen Caroline?

Matt: NO! Like I'd tell you if I did!

Tyler: Dude, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for things to be awkward between us this season, even though you were my best friend forever and I stole your girlfriend last season right after your sister died and your mom left.

Matt: Does she normally help you tonight? Full moon?

Tyler: Yeah

Matt: Is this the kind of thing you need another person for?

Tyler: Yeah, kind of...basically you sit there and watch me get naked and grow fur and...

Matt: ...

Tyler: EW! This coffee sucks. Did you use the same kind of cream my mom did?

Matt: Probably--it's Anti-Damon... so no vampires buy coffee here anymore. They all go to Starbucks.

Lockwood Mansion:

Mrs. Lockwood: Oh Bill, thank goodness you're here! It's Caroline and she's so sweet and pretty and awesome and I think my son's in love with her, and I don't know what to do.

Bill: She's a vampire. She dies!

Hybrid Mountains, Tennessee

Elena: Alaric, were you a boy-scout? A boy-scout vampire slayer?

Alaric: That was season 1. Now I'm a boy-scout whisky maker.

Elena: Here, take the ring of I Will Live Forever Beyotches. It was yours last season.

Alaric: NO! You keep it.

Elena: I'm the dopplewhatsit and for unknown reasons that were probably explained in the behind the scenes look of season 2 on the exclusive Target DVD, the ring won't work on me. Also, I need to randomly strip now. And AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! *is tossed into lake*

Damon: Hi!

Oh yeah! You and what army?

Klaus: Look at all my transitioning hybrid soldiers.

Stefan: This was your big plan? To reenact a scene from Night of the Living Dead?

Klaus: No, to build an army of comrades to fight for me. And win the war.

Stefan: What war?

Klaus: I don't know. Any war really. I always wanted my own army!

Simon Camden: My eyes are bleeding.

The Lake of Sexual Tension:

Damon: Out of the water, Elena!

Elena: First you throw me in, now you want me out?

Damon: We need to go home. Klaus thinks he killed you and letting him know that he didn't kill you is a really bad life decision. *stomps into the water*

Damon's Shirt: *stays on* :(

Elena: Pleeeeeassse can we stay and find Stefan? We can leave before the full moon. *heaves wet bosoms*

Damon: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alaric: I'm too old to be watching this sh*t. And yet, I'm slightly turned on. No stop! Dead girlfriend's niece. She's my dead girlfriend's niece.

Damon: Ok fine! But we leave before the moon or you'll be kissing me while I die of wolf-rabies again.

Hybrid Training Camp:

Simon Camden: Klaus...*eyes bleed* you said I was supposed to feel better. When does that happen? *wolf jump* *hops away*

Klaus: Bring him back, Stefan, old chap. Would you?

Stefan: Here doggie doggie. Here Simon Camden. OW! You bit me! Crap. *perks ears up* OMG Elena, Alaric and Damon are here....must distract...oh HI KLAUS. Nothing to see here. Oh and I got bit. So you might want to heal me...or you know, lose your army general.

Klaus: Later. Bring me Simon Camden. And if he's gone, I want the one who played his brother next.

Stefan: I don't think he's on this show...

Lockwood Mansion:

Tyler: MOM! Why did you try to vampire-rufie me?

Mrs. Lockwood: Because Caroline's a vampire and I thought you were one too.

Tyler: Mom, come with me. I'm not a vampire. I'm something else...

Hybrid's Don't Make Good Pets When Transitioning on a Tennessee Mountain:

Simon Camden: Raaawwwwrrrr

Damon: RAWR!

***FIGHT***

Alaric: *shoots*

Elena: *tosses explodey thing*

Simon Camden: *rolls over*

Frankie: Awwww, he's really having the worst day ever.

Prop's Department: Vickie's Stuff

Jeremy: I got Helga from props to let me go through all of Vickie's things from season 1 and a couple of items she bought so we could pretend Vickie had a life beyond those 6 episodes we saw.

Matt: This is TOO sad. Jeremy, leave me alone. *puts down a picture of Vickie*

Lights: *dim*

Vickie's Picture: *stands up*

Matt: You have GOT to be kidding me.

Up in the Mountains:

Simon Camden: *is all tied up* Rawr! Rawwr! RAAAWWWWWRRRRR!

Damon: He can't turn into a wolf now. There's no full moon.

Alaric: Elena, you have the worst ideas ever.

Damon: Let's go.

Elena: RUNNNNNNN!

That weird moment when it was daylight before the commercial break but now its nighttime even though only a minute has passed....

Elena: WHAT! Who turned off all the lights on the set. I'm bad at running in the dark. *ooomph* *falls*

Damon: Stay very still.

Elena: Why? OH! Hi puppy. Damon, run!

Alaric: Hurry, we have to help Damon.

Elena: I know! If he gets bit again, I'll have to kiss him when he's all gross and sweaty.

Tyler's Chamber of Um, Mom....this might get awkward:

Tyler: Go into this dungeon, you'll be staying here tonight. Sorry, no bathroom. And hope you didn't have plans for tomorrow.

Mrs. Lockwood: WHAT are you talking about Tyler?

Tyler: You think Caroline's a monster, but look at me. *WOLFS*

Mrs. Lockwood: AAAH! Tyler! Put your pants back on!

Hybrid Woods, Tennessee:

Damon: Noooooooo! Simon Camden! *fight*

Stefan: *heart-snatch*

Simon Camden: *is dead*

Stefan: Remember last episode when I killed your girlfriend and I was like, don't follow me? Did you forget?

Damon: No, but Elena tricked me with wet heaving bosoms...I mean...it was her idea! Stop calling her if you want her to forget you.

Stefan: I didn't call her.

Damon: Dude, we all saw the last episode.

Stefan: Take her home and try and keep her there this time... Or can't you?

Damon: I can!

Stefan: If all else fails...kiss her behind the knee. Works every time.

Boy Scout Truck of Keep the Human Safe:

Elena: Alaric, stop holding me captive in this truck! We have to save Damon and Stefan.

Alaric: No. If I let you out, I lose my story line again. I already shot the one arrow I had. It took me months to wittle that.

Elena: Don't worry! Lots of useless characters on this show got cool story lines. Look at Jeremy, his dead vampire girlfriends are haunting him, plus you have the eternity ring. You'll be all right.

Damon: Let's get out of here.

Elena: *jumps out of the car* DAMON!

Damon: Get in the car now!

Elena: But I'm trying to cock-tease Team Dalena.

Damon: Fine! Do it in the car.

Stefan: *watches from a distance*

Gilbert House:

Matt: So um, it turns out that Helga did not give permission for us to go through the props department and she was chasing me and I just stole all of Vickie's stuff and came here.

Jeremy: Cool!

Vickie: HI!

Jeremy: Vickie! What do you want us to help you with?

Vickie: I want to come back on the show.

Anna: DO NOT RENEW HER CONTRACT!

Jeremy: Ummmmm

Dead Hybrid Mountains, Tennessee:

Klaus: So they all either died, ate each other or got eaten by me. This was not the plan I had. WTF! I was told last season I could make hybrids! I did everything in the ritual. I killed a vampire, a werewolf, and the dopplewhatsit!

Stefan: *wide eyes*

Klaus: I did kill the dopplewhatsit! DIDN'T I?

Stefan: Oh yeah, she's totally dead. Dead, dead, dead!

Klaus: All right, man, here's your wolf-rabies cure.

Elena's Room of Sexual Tension:

Damon: So maybe I was wrong and Stefan can be saved.

Elena: Yay! What made you change your mind?

Damon: Audiences are already bored with evil Stefan. But what about you? Why did you stop looking for him tonight?

Elena: I didn't want you to get hurt.

Damon: Because you like me? Or like like me?

Elena: ....

Damon: Just remember when I bring him back that for three whole episodes you OBVIOUSLY had a crush on me. And I won't kiss you right now because I still have this ridiculous mullet hair cut and I smell like wet dog, but Team Dalena WILL have it's day!

Elena: Ok.

Alaric: Maybe I should go back to my place...

Tyler's Dungeon:

Tyler: Hi mom! I'm a boy again.

Mrs. Lockwood: ...

Meanwhile...

Mrs. Lockwood: Bill! Just kidding about the whole Caroline thing.

Bill: I don't think so. I see a vampire, I kill it. Have a nice day.

Caroline: *wakes up* Hello! HELP! Where am I? The last five minutes of the show? CRAP! These episodes NEVER end well for me. Daddy?

Bill: Hello, Caroline!

FIN!

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2012 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market GIVEAWAY!

2011-09-22T10:00:00.000-04:00

Many of us YA/MG writers say that we will do anything and everything to perfect our work and give ourselves the best chance possible to beat the odds and get our novel published.

We kill our darlings, agonize for hours over plot twists, eavesdrop on other people's conversations (for dialogue research, of course!), and revise and revise (and revise) until our eyes can barely focus on the computer screen and we've developed an acute case of carpal tunnel.

We read every book in our genre (and plenty more beyond it), follow countless industry and advice blogs, keep up with the trends, social network until our brains become one big Twitter feed, and ask for conference registration fees for Christmas and birthday presents.

Does any of this sound familiar?

If you're nodding your head, there's one book on industry and craft that you NEED to buy: The 2012 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market. And we're giving away two copies!!!

This book is a fantastic resource for anyone who wants to get published in the kid lit world, and this year's edition is edited by Chuck Sambuchino, the mastermind of awesomesauce behind the Guide to Literary Agents blog and the editor of the 2012 Guide to Literary Agents.

And you might recognize a couple names in article bylines, because Frankie and I contributed author interviews! Frankie interviewed Becca Fitzpatrick and Maggie Stiefvater, and I interviewed James Dashner and Cheryl Klein. (Yay!)

Additionally, there are other interviews with bestselling authors like Meg Cabot, Ally Carter, and MT Anderson, as well as sample queries and advice from top literary agents.

Kidlit agent extraordinaire Mary Kole contributed two articles, one about making the most of writer's conferences as a newbie or a veteran attendee and one on crafting voice, character, and authority (taming those three most tricky beasts).

Plus, you get over 700 updated listings for agents, publishers, and magazines that take work from children’s writers and illustrators.

Whew!

And did I mention the 60-minute free webinar with Chuck that will teach you how to use the book and see your work in print? And access to an online publisher database?

Pretty much, it's the best $18.05 you can spend this year to help your writing career. And it will offer precious minutes during which you don't have to stare at a computer screen, and you can use fun things like Post-It flags and colored highlighters because dammit they are awesome!

So enter below to win one of two copies we're giving away, but if you don't win, be sure to buy a copy of your own!

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

In which THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS takes over my life for a day.

2011-09-21T12:30:00.000-04:00

You know those books that compel you to keep reading despite everything else you have going on in life?

THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS was like that for me.

I mean, I started reading the NetGalley during lunch at work, and I ended up eating more slowly so that I could read more. And then I went home and pretended to accomplish normal things, like making dinner and doing dishes. And then I sat down at my computer, thinking I'd just read another chapter... and I didn't stop until I was finished, well past my bedtime.

Wow.

So in the interest of not getting all fangirly-incoherent, here's a lovely, five-point list of what makes THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS one of my favorite fantasy books... ever. (And a spectacularly standout debut novel! Woo!)

PROPHECY A-GO-GO

Prophesies are scary things. First of all, there's the whole self-fulfillment idea, and then there's the whole possibility of epic failure. Talk about pressure!

Princess Elisa of Orovalle is the bearer of the Godstone. People start religions about her prophecy, which states that once in a century, God chooses a bearer (basically, a jewel appears in their belly button as an infant (not kidding)), and thus, they're destined to do something great. Vague and intimidating much?

Personally, I love reading about the push-pull of a person wrestling with destiny, and how that struggle changes them. (Is that sadistic?) This prophecy is extra-troublesome because it's so vague that Elisa has absolutely no idea what her great act of service might be -- but it's revered enough that just possessing the Godstone puts her life in danger from people who might want to take it from (read: cut it out of) her. Eek!

CHARACTER

Lets get the much-talked-about thing out of the way: Elisa is an overweight princess. Though I was happy to see an overweight protag, I did get a little annoyed with her constantly hating on her body in the beginning. I found it very realistic, though, how her self-image affected her arranged marriage to King Alejandro of Joya d'Arena, the event that begins the novel.

On the other hand, when (due to some dangerous adventures) she loses a bit of weight and becomes more fit, I was soooo happy to see that the girl still loved her food. I mean, she's a total foodie and appreciates a well-made meal, whether she's overweight or just delightfully curvy. Heck, yes.

And there's so much more to her than her body type: she's witty, brave, intelligent, and much stronger than she often realizes. Throughout the book, her character transformation into a woman of conviction and action was awesome to read.

Aside from that: I love love love Rae Carson's characters --- whether friend or enemy or frenemy, they're multifaceted and flawed and ever-changing, basically everything you hope and dream for characters to be. Even side characters surprised me delightfully with their depth and angles.

I have to admit, I started reading the book and automatically pegged the characters, "Ok this one's the enemy, this one's the love interest, this one's the surrogate mother figure..." and I was wrong. Or right only for a short time. Halfway through the book, I stopped making assumptions.

And I'll be brief for the last three:

WORLDBUILDING

Loved it, believed it, and could totally picture it. The countries, traditions, religions, food, clothing -- it's my favorite kind of historical fantasy. I want to explore more of it! And the political conflicts felt very authentic and nuanced.

TOUGH STUFF AND GENERAL BADASSERY

Death: There's a solid amount of it. Some of it was expected (there's a war going on, after all), and some was totally shocking. Rae Carson didn't coddle Elisa. The Godstone is a dangerous thing to possess, so bad things happen to Elisa and those around her.

On the upside, she becomes a total badass and a true hero via combating all that danger. It's awesome to witness the development, and it's a totally natural one, because she had a badass inside her from the get-go.

And though the book starts out with things happening to Elisa, she quickly becomes a proactive heroine, which is excellent.

TRILOGOLOGICAL* GOODNESS

THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS could easily be a stand-alone, which I just love. (No big cliffhanger!) But Carson set up the end so that we can see that Elisa will have plenty of trials ahead and that her life as a queen and Godstone-bearer will take many new twists and turns. And because she is made of awesome, I can't wait to see what adventures she embarks on next.

Highly recommended links:

- Liz B's review on A Chair, a Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy (my exact thoughts, except more eloquent and elaborated upon differently)
- Jodi Meadows review on Words and Wardances (a very personal, loving review from one of Rae Carson's crit partners)
- Excellent author interview with Rae Carson on The Compulsive Reader

You can fall in love, too! THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS is available NOW!!! Have any of you already read it? What did you think? Leave a link to your review in the comments!

I received my review copy from HarperCollins via NetGalley!

*Trilogological is a word, right? It totally sounds like a real word.

Dear Cassie, You Are Now The Star of a CW Show: The Secret Circle, Episode 1

2011-09-18T20:59:00.002-04:00

Introduction:

So the show starts with Cassie driving at night and listening to The Naked and the Famous and automatically I like her for this reason and this reason alone! Because you know, I like to drive and listen to The Naked and the Famous...

Anyway, this other car shoots out of nowhere and after some very bad driving, she stops. And has a flat tire! While the dude, who presumably caused the flat, drives off! To her mom's house! Uh-oh.

Meanwhile, Cassie establishes that she is awesome because she can change a flat tire. I can't even change a flat tire. I'm easily impressed with this.

But back at her house, the dude with the car gets out and Witches the house into flames!

Mom: Where did this fire come from?

Dude Outside: *FIRE*

Mom: I'm in the opening credits of a new CW show, aren't I? Crap. *dies*

One Month Later...

Cassie: Well, despite the fact that I've been roughing it on the streets and living on my own for the last month since my mom mysteriously died in an exploding fire while making spaghetti, I'm going to move in with my grandma in Chance Harbor.

Grandma: Are you okay?

Cassie: Dead mom, remember?

Grandma: Oh, right. Well, come inside! I have cookies.

Grandma's House

Grandma: So this is where your mom grew up. Funny how you've never been here before or come to visit. Not like your mom was trying to keep you away from this place, or any secrets, or the reason your dad died here--WHAT. Oh! Look at the time. This is your dead mom's room--it's yours now. I'll make dinner.

Dead Mom's Room of Sexy Windows:

Cassie: Since my mom died and there's no accounting for my well-being the past month as an orphan, I'm starting to get suspicious I'm in a Kevin Williamson production. Which means, I'd better close my curtains before I get naked.

Open Curtains: Look here for hot shirtless man/boy action.

Cassie: :O *closes curtains* *strips*

Closed Curtains: *open*

Cassie: WTF!

Grandma: Night, Cassie! If you can't sleep, count the stars.

Cassie: *looks up at a bajillion glow in the dark stars on her ceiling* Someone had a lot of pent up sexual frustration on their hands...

Yes, I'm the new girl. No, my blood doesn't smell like burger.

Principal Chamberlin: You know, Cassie, back in the day your mom and I were BFFs. She was super duper extra special to me, the way the last french fry on a shared plate is and you want to eat it, but you don't want to be rude and look like a pig, but you know your other friend totally ate more than you and is going to want to go halfsies and dammit you deserve that last fry.

Cassie: ...

Principal Chamberlin: So if you need ANYTHING at all, just let me know! *wink wink* Welcome to high school!

Boy: Look! New girl!

Another boy: WOW! New girl! Let's Witch her locker.

Cassie: WTF, why won't my locker open? It's like someone Witched it shut. It's like I'm the ~~star of the show~~ new girl or something.

Faye: So you're the new girl. But you're like really pretty and stuff.

Cassie: Thanks?

Faye: So you agree, you think you're pretty?

Cassie: Huh? What do you guys want?

Melissa: We want to invite you to sit at our table for the rest of the week! On Wednesdays we wear pink!

Cassie: Um....you just quoted Mean Girls. I'm not Lindsay Lohan.

Melissa: Oh shoot.

Faye: Why don't you come shopping with us after school. We get a five finger discount.

Cassie: Again...no...now you're quoting The Craft. I'm not Robin Tunney.

Faye: Whatever! Come on Rochelle, let's go.

Melissa: I'm Melissa.

Diana: Excuse my friends, Cassie. They just finished watching The Craft 10 times in a row. Also Mean Girls. Come hang out with us after school at a restaurant.

Cassie: Ok. Which one?

The Only Restaurant in Chance Harbor:

Ethan: Cassie! I knew your mom back in the day. She was really super duper important to me. Like when you're at a sample sale and you find a pair of Ferragamos in your size but then someone else tries to grab them even though you totally saw them first and they will completely match your leopard blazer that NOTHING goes with...

Adam (aka random boy from the locker scene who looks like he's wearing a TON of eyeliner but he's actually just disgustingly gifted with thick lashes): Dad! No more drinking before sundown!

Cassie: Everyone in this town is weird!

Ethan: Also, your family and mine are written in the stars!

Adam: Stop foreshadowing our doomed love!

Melissa: Hi Cassie! Sorry we were were weird at school today. BTW, did you know Principal Chamberlin is Faye's mom.

Faye: She is!

Cassie: That's comforting...

Faye: Isn't Adam cute? He's the main heartthrob on this show and since you're the new girl, he's destined to fall in love with you.

Cassie: He's not a vampire, is he?

Melissa: Honey, that's at 8 PM EST. We're the 9 PM time slot.

Cassie: Oh, right. Well, I got to go.

Faye: Let's make her use her powers!

Melissa: I think she doesn't know she's the star of The Secret Circle yet.

Faye: *Car fire*

Cassie: AAAAAH! WTF!

Adam: *witches fire away* *pulls Cassie from car into arms*

Cassie: How did you do that?

Adam: Do what?

Cassie: Save me from that car! It's like you...like...

Adam: Adrenaline rush. You can Bing it.

Diana: Hi! Just came to cock-block and let you know that Adam is MY boyfriend. *kiss-kiss*

Adam: I'll drive you home.

Cassie: Well, thanks for not letting that car turn me into toast.

Adam: No problem. I mean, I love you. I'd take a grenade for you.

Cassie: What?

Adam: I mean, you're the star of the show. You can't die in the pilot. But you're required to have 2.5 close calls.

Cassie: Ok...gotta go. Also totally not thinking about how insane your eyelashes are. Or that your dad said were written in the stars.

Principal C's House

Diana: Faye! Why did you witch Cassie's car into flames?

Faye: I didn't! She did! Well, she helped. But now that she's here this is real! We can do REAL magic now!

Diana: No! She has clearly not had her "You're a wizard, Harry" speech from Hagrid yet. So ixnay on the owerpay talk until I decide she's emotionally stable, or we've had at least enough episodes of weird things to merit a realization-montage in her mind.

Faye: Or we could just tell her after the commercial break.

Diana: FML

Dead Mom's Room:

Glow-in-the-dark-Stars: *wheee shooting stars*

Cassie: Huh?

Your Mama was such a powerful witch, that someone killed her dead!

Charles (It's the dude who fire-sploded Cassie's Mom): Hello, Cassie. I'm so sorry about the fire that killed your mom. What a terrible horrible thing to happen to such a nice woman. No idea at all what could have caused it...Oh HI Diana! She's my kid. Well...must go. Tata!

Diana: Cassie, come with me. I have something to show you that is not at all weird or shocking or anything. Promise.

Cassie: K!

Grandma: Principal Chamberlin, how on earth did my grandkid's car catch on fire last night?

Principal Chamberlin: What? You think the kids are doing magic. They're not. No. Nope. No magic being done here. Cars catch on fire all the time. Bing it.

Welcome to Hogwarts: Chance Harbor Style

Faye: So this scene is meant to establish who the main characters are on this show, now that everyone's had a cameo.

Cassie: What are you talking about.

Diana: We're special. And so are you.

Cassie: ??????

Faye: Cassie, you're the star of a show called The Secret Circle. It's based on a book series by L.J. Smith and being produced by Kevin Williamson and it comes on Thursdays at 9PM on the CW.

Cassie: Noooo, you're totally kidding.

Faye: I'm not! The naked guy in your window is called Nick. You already met Adam--the dude you want to bone. He's dating Diana--so no boning for you until episode 8. I'm Faye, the bad one, and this other one is Melissa. Make sense?

Cassie: No. You guys are so weird. You dragged me up here to tell me we're on a show? I thought you were going to tell me I'm a witch.

Faye: Oh yeah, that too.

Diana: Also, I have a book from my family and that makes me the most powerful witch in the circle. Since you're the star of the show, expect to find your own book before the episode ends. Also don't tell anyone what you are.

Cassie: I'm leaving.

I wanna make magic with you!

Adam: Wait! Cassie, there's something you should know. My mom died too. See? We automatically relate to each other and have so much in common. Also magic was banned because a lot of bad stuff went down the last time our parents used it. Want to do some now?

Cassie: K.

Adam: Close your eyes and feel this leaf full of rain drops.

Rain Drops: Sparkle!

Adam: Let's kiss now.

Cassie: *runs*

Diana: You did MAGIC with her?

Adam: :(

Faye: Now that I have real power, I need to cause some trouble.

The Only Restaurant in Chance Harbor:

Cassie: Ethan, why did my mom leave?

Ethan: Basically, me and her were boning because the glow in the dark stars on her bedroom told us to. But then your dad came around and he sucked and tore us apart so she left. Do not disobey those stars--or yoou end up like a drunk like me in the only restaurant in town, or like your mom and dead! Did you get with my son yet?

Cassie: Wait! So....if you and my mom were meant to be....you should've been my dad and now you're saying I was meant for your son who if you listened to the stars is supposed to be my brother?

Ethan: Huh?

Cassie: I need to go. Again.

Charles: Ethan, you are saying too much. Can't have that. Wouldn't want you to get so drunk you almost drown.

Ethan: *on-land drowns*

Charles: Exactly!

Ethan: *coughs*

But Why did that Wizard want to kill me?

Cassie: I still don't understand. If my mom wanted me to be a witch she would have told me. I don't know why she didn't tell me and you guys did.

Diana: Well what else are we supposed to do in the pilot episode?

Witch-Girl Strut:

Faye: Being a witch is SO awesome! I can be SO bad. *witches off boat lights* I'm bad ass!

Nancy from the Craft: Seriously? You have power and you're using it to turn off lights? Why not fly and kill people and crap?

Faye: Fine! I'll make RAIN!

Nancy: Oooh scary.

Rain: *thunders*

Nancy: Now we're talking!

Diana: Noooo! Faye, stop! My hair is going to frizz.

Faye: *rolls eyes* Stop, rain.

Rain: No!

Faye: I said stop!

Rain: *lightning*

Cassie: STOP!

Rain: Ok....

Diana: See! You are the star of the show and the bestest witch ever.

Cassie: Maybe, but there's still 10 minutes left of the episode, so I'm going to disagree, lest we loose tension.

Grandma's House:

Grandma: Adam's here to visit you. And you two stay downstairs, away from your bedroom where there are glow-in-the-dark stars!

Adam: So, um sorry about trying to kiss you.

Cassie: It's only our first episode. I'm not that kind of girl.

Adam: I mean...because I have a girlfriend. Diana. And I love her? So we can never almost kiss again.

Cassie: It says in our contract that we will kiss in episode 3.

Adam: ...

Principal Chamberlin's House:

Charles: Sup, Principal Chamberlin. Just came from fake-drowning Ethan.

Principal Chamberlin: Good. And nice work bringing Cassie here with the whole mom-sploding thing. Now the circle will take care of everything.

Ominous Music: Is VERY ominous.

A Note From Our Sponsors

Cassie: This was such a weird day. I'm going to sleep.

Glow-in-the-dark-Stars: Wheeeeee!

Cassie: Oh look! My family book hidden behind a loose brick. Sweet. Now I'm the most powerful witch in the circle.

A Letter from your Dead Mother:

Dear Cassie, If you're reading this letter, it means you are the star of your own CW show, produced by Kevin Williamson, adapted from a book series by L.J. Smith. Be forewarned, that though you'll wear endless amounts of awesome shoes, you'll be in constant danger because you are the most powerful witch ever. Even more powerful than Sarah in The Craft. Also, try not to appear in the final moments of an episode after the Pilot episode--it usually means something bad is going to happen. And don't get too attached to Diana. It looks like you and her boyfriend are going to bone.

Love,
Mom

P.S. This also means I'm dead.

Cassie: Oh crap!

FIN!

Soooooo what did you guys think of the first episode? Will you keep watching? As good as Vampire Diaries? Let me know :-)

Vampire Diaries Season 3 Episode 1: The Birthday

2011-09-16T14:22:00.001-04:00

Opening Credits: Tennessee

Girl: Now according to the SCREAM movies, the dumb blonde girl in too little clothing is always running up the stairs when she should be running out the front door. So it should be fine for me to go look for my dog at night in my tiny shorts, on my abandoned street...

Klaus: BOO!

Girl: OMG you scared me.

Klaus: I can haz your phone?

Girl: Um…Ok.

Klaus: I can haz invitation inside your house?

Girl: No. I’ll bring it out.

Klaus: But you’re a pretty female extra, outside, at night, in the opening credits, of the Season 3 Premiere!

Girl: Yeah and I’ve seen seasons 1 + 2. Wait out he—

Klaus: *compels* Looks like I’m coming inside!

Inside….

Klaus: Now you and your roommate are going to tell me where I can find a guy named Ray. P.S. He’s a werewolf. And I'm a vampire.

Girl and Roommate: AAAAAAAAH! *runs*

Klaus: Say hello to my little friend.

Klaus’ Little Friend: *is Stefan*

Klaus: Kill them!

Stefan: *Vampirizes*

Gilbert House:

Elena: Another season of Vampire Diaries. Another season of me waking up in my bed with kinda happy/kinda sad girl music playing. *sigh* Wake up, Jeremy. The show’s starting.

Jeremy: Is it Thursday?

Caroline (on phone): So my mom may have found a clue to where Stefan is. Give her a call.

Elena: Ok, also don’t make my birthday party tonight too big.

Caroline: Uh huh.... *sees Tyler* Hiiiiiiii!

Elena: …

Alaric: *is still on this show*

Elena: Are you sure you’re okay sleeping on the couch?

Alaric: I used to have a plotline. Remember? I also used to have a house. And a girlfriend. So the couch is better than nothing. Btw, Happy Birthday!

Salvatore Mansion:

Damon is in a tub! Damon is in a tub! Damon is in a tub!

And soapy.

Just saying…

Damon: Andy…we’re out of champagne.

Andy: So?

Damon: *stands up*

Candles: *cock blocks*

Damon: *naked walk*

Book shelf: *cock blocks*

Elena: O.M.G.

Damon: *eyebrows*

Elena: Towel! Damon! Now!

The Only Restaurant in Mystic Falls

Jeremy: *lifting boxes in the backroom*

Vickie: Hi!

Jeremy: AAAAH!

Anna: Hi!

Jeremy: I still see dead girlfriends L

Matt: Caroline and Tyler are in my section and I cannot serve them! I have limited screen time this episode.

Caroline: Tyler, why does your mom keep giving me weird looks?

Tyler: Because she thinks we’re K.I.S.S.I.N.G.

Tennessee: Southern Comfort Bar

Klaus: Hi, Ray! I’ve been looking for a werewolf.

Ray: You’re a vampire?

Klaus: I’m the bestest vampire in the world! I’m a vampire AND werewolf, all rolled into one! I even come with my own British accent. Wait a second…aren’t you Simon Camden from 7^th Heaven?

~~Simon Camden~~ Ray: No! I need to go.

Klaus: I used to LOVE that show! Simon Camden, let’s a play a game.

~~Simon Camden~~ Ray: *looks at Klaus and Stefan* FML

Tennessee: House of Dead Roommates

Damon: Alaric, don’t tell Elena I’m tracking Stefan.

Damon and Alaric walk into the house and there is blood everywhere and the two roommates sitting on the couch, looking very stiff and very dead.

Alaric: Did Klaus do this?

Damon: Nope, Stefan. This is why they call him Ripper. He feeds so hard he rips his victims apart. Then he puts them back together. *girl’s head rolls off*

Frankie: EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! Dislike! Dislike! Dislike!

Damon: Time to torch the place.

Salvatore Mansion:

Elena: Damon won’t help me find Stefan. WTF!?!/!?

Tyler: Well you kissed him last episode.

Caroline: TYLER! You weren’t supposed to know that!

Elena: I only kissed him because it was the season finale. Everyone knows that Damon is allowed to kiss me, or Katherine pretending to be me in the season finale. It gives Team Dalena false hope.

Team Dalena: STFU!

Team Stefalena: *fist pumps*

Team Carolyer: Elena, LEAVE! So they can do it!

Tyler: Anyway, I’m going to find my date tonight. I’m horny all the time because I’m a ~~teenage boy~~ werewolf.

Caroline: Really? Me too! But it’s only because I’m a ~~teenage girl~~ vampire.

Tennessee: Abandon Hope All Ye Camdens Who Enter Here

Klaus: Simon Camden, give me your autograph!

~~Simon Camden~~ Ray: No! I’m not famous for that anymore. I’m just an extra on this show! *is a human dart board*

Stefan: *shoots* *scores!*

Klaus: Then tell me where your pack is. And damn that Damon is still following me!

Stefan: I’ll go and make sure he leaves us alone.

Salvatore Mansion:

Elena: I’m all dressed for my party.

Frankie: Elena, honey. Call wardrobe. That is NOT a dress.

Damon: Got you a birthday present! It’s the necklace Stefan gave you to keep you away from me.

Elena: …

Damon: …

Team Dalena: KISS!!!!!!!!!!!

Damon: *cock blocks*

It’s My Party And I Can Cry If I Want To

Salvatore Mansion is rocking like a Cullen house after Bella’s graduation. But this party includes keg stands. Caroline, please throw my birthday party for me every year for life. K, thanx!

Jeremy: Remember that one time last season when I died and came back to life?

Matt: Uh-huh

Jeremy: Joint?

Matt: Hi, Elena! *kiss-cheek*

Caroline: OMG is Matt high? My transformation into a vampire drove him to drugs?

Elena: Drugs? Jeremy! WTF! That was a season 1 plotline!

Alaric: Remember in season 1 I shot crossbows and sh*t? Now…I chaperone parties. Remember that one time I was in Legally Blonde? That was fun.

Damon: Dude…

The News Room: At Least You’ll Be The First To Know…

Andy: Ok….I’m leaving.

Bright Light!

Andy: Hello?

Brighter Light!

Andy: Um, seriously? Who’s there?

Stefan: ME!

Andy: Stefan! We’ve been looking for you all episode.

Stefan: *vampire eyes*

The Best Party Ever

Tyler: *to his date* I never really knew that you could dance like this. You make this wolf want to speak Spanish.

Caroline: *drink!*

Matt: The writers afforded me approximately seven minutes of screen time. So I thought I’d say hi.

Caroline: You’re talking to me?

Matt: My minute’s up. Bye!

Tyler’s Date: Great party, Caroline!

Caroline: Good. Now leave it!

Tyler: So much for getting lucky…

Upstairs...

Elena: Caroline, I’m going to leave early.

Caroline: NO! You need to blow out your candles and celebrate being a year closer to needing botox because as a vampire, that will never ever be me! Also…stop pining for Stefan. This is Damon’s season.

Elena: I just want to know he’s alive! *looks at closet* OMG! Damon was tracking him and didn’t tell me!

At The Newsroom:

Damon: Andy? Andy? *answers phone* Elena?

Elena: Why did you lie to me about tracking Stefan? I saw your closet.

Damon: Lie? Me? Gotta go! Bye! *steps on Andy’s purse*

Damon: Hello, brother. Missed you this episode.

Stefan: Stop tracking me! You were supposed to let me go.

Damon: Not in the contract. Anyway, I’m noble now and Elena wants to know where you are, so I have to find out.

Stefan: Have it your way. Andy?

Andy: *perched overhead* Damon, he won’t let me move!

Damon: Andy, you can move.

Andy: *can’t move*

Stefan: Andy, move.

Andy: *moves* *falls* *dies*

Salvatore Mansion: Parking Lot

Jeremy: Matt, you're too high to drive. In my car. Now.

Vickie: Hi!

Jeremy: Vickie!

Matt: Dude, why are you yelling my sister's name?

Anna: Peek-a-boo

Jeremy: That's it! We're walking!

Me Love You Long Time

Caroline: All girls OUT!

Tyler: Caroline! WTF! I'm horny!

Caroline: Me too!

Caroline and Tyler: KISS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *leave*

The Closet of Deception:

Elena: Damon, why didn't you tell me you were tracking Klaus' victims?

Damon: They're not Klaus'. They're Stefan's.

Elena: I need to cry again.

Gilbert House:

Matt: So why did you say Vickie?

Jeremy: I thought I saw her.

Matt: Ok, listen. This show is called The Vampire Diaries. Not Ghost Whisperer. There are no ghosts.

Jeremy: But there are werewolves. And witches. And Dopplegangers and...

Matt: No ghosts!

The Power of Reverend Camden Does NOT Compel You

Klaus: Time to make more mini-me's! *wrist slice* Drink, Simon Camden!

Stefan: I'm back. *sad eyes*

Klaus: Aw, you still care about everyone. How quaint.

Stefan: *teary eyes*

Gilbert House:

Alaric: I think the screen writers forgot to give me a purpose. I'm not even sure how I'm on this show right now. So I'm going to go.

Elena: No, my fake step-uncle-guardian!

Tyler's House of Getting It On! AKA The Best Team Carolyer Scene EVER!

Caroline and Tyler are up against the wall!

Caroline: *vampire bed toss*

Tyler: *werewolf bed flip*

The Bed: If you eff me up like that Edward Cullen, I will splinter you!

Elena's House:

Elena: *answers phone from anonymous* Hello? Hello? Stefan?!

Stefan: ~~Elena, I LOVE you, I miss you. I'm scared! Hold me!~~ ...

Elena: Stefan, I love you. You'll be okay. Hold onto that.

Stefan: *nods head* *cries*

Frankie: Well, damn! Right when I was Team Dalena. Well played, Stefan.

Lockwood Mansion:

Tyler: * is NAKED!*

Caroline: *sneaks out*

Mrs. Lockwood: Walk of shame?

Caroline: FML

Mrs. Lockwood: *shoots Anti-Damon darts*

Caroline: Seriously. F.M.L!

FIN!

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5 ways The CW's new TV shows can improve your query letter.

2011-09-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

Let's be honest, here: I love my TV. I love getting addicted to new shows, and my DVR is my bestie. September is shiny with possibilities that begin at 8/7c every weeknight.

(Yeah, I just wrote that. I feel a bit pathetic now. Anyway...)

I'm super excited about two new CW shows this fall --- Ringer (Sarah Michelle Gellar, I'll follow you wherever you go) and The Secret Circle (ditto Kevin Williamson, I heart you!) --- so I went on the CW website to see when they debut and read more about them.

I was a little... disappointed. I'd seen enough previews to know I'll probably love the shows (I mean, SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR and KEVIN FREAKIN' WILLIAMSON), but the summaries ultimately... fail.

And what made them fail is exactly what can make your query letter fail. It proves that a great concept and hook can get lost in a clunky summary.

But you don't have to make the same mistakes the CW did!

Here are three things to avoid:

1) Character soup!
Both summaries listed, at minimum, seven characters. Seven! That amount is both baffling and unnecessary. (Below, I bolded the names the first time they're mentioned. And I included the town name because, really, why do we have to know the name of the town?) It's the surest way to confuse a reader, and it's totally distracting.

2) One long, unbroken paragraph.
No one wants to read sentence after unbroken sentence of text. Our eyes need a space to breathe! It's so easy to lose your place in a giant paragraph, and it's even easier to get discouraged and give up --- especially in an age of 140 characters or less. Punch up your prose by breaking your sentences into natural, short paragraphs.

3) Details, details, everywhere!
Details and subplots add depth to your story, but they weigh down your summary. If it's not absolutely, positively intrinsic to the basic plot, save it for the synopsis. (Specifically, I think Bridget's addiction recovery in Ringer and the friends' parents and townspeople in The Secret Circle don't need to be mentioned.)

However, brief concrete details, when used correctly, keep your summary from being too vague and make it memorable. (In The Secret Circle, I desperately want to know what "strange and frightening" things happen, and what at least one of Cassie's powers is.)

And two things the summaries got right:

4) Length
Both of these are fewer than 250 words. Take out some of the extraneous info mentioned above, and you've got yourself a short, catchy summary.

5) End with a bang.
No matter how clunky the paragraphs get, they both end on a strong hook that makes you want to watch. (The one for Ringer is much stronger, though, because the last sentence of The Secret Circle loses its momentum from the aside, "powers that might be linked to the adults in the town, including Diana's father and Faye's mother." Too many details!)

Read the summaries for yourself, and tell me what you think! (And aren't you totally going to watch these shows too?!) I included possible edits below keeping the basic text the same, but do you have any other suggestions for improvement? (Seriously, my quick edits wouldn't pass muster on Query Shark!)

RINGER

Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as a woman who, after witnessing a murder, goes on the run, hiding out by assuming the life of her wealthy identical twin sister – only to learn that her sister's seemingly idyllic life is just as complicated and dangerous as the one she's trying to leave behind. Bridget is six months sober and starting to turn her life around when she is the sole witness to a professional hit. Despite the assurances of her FBI protector, Agent Victor Machado, Bridget knows her life is on the line. She flees to New York, telling no one, not even her Narcotics Anonymous sponsor, Malcolm. In New York, Bridget reunites with her estranged twin, Siobhan. Wealthy, pampered and married to the strikingly handsome Andrew Martin, Siobhan lives what appears to be a fairy tale life – a life where no one knows that Bridget exists. The sisters seem to be mending their frayed relationship, until Siobhan disappears overboard during a boat trip, and Bridget makes the split decision to take on her sister's identity. She discovers shocking secrets, not only about her sister and her marriage, but also about Siobhan's best friend, Gemma, and Gemma's husband, Henry. And when someone tries to kill Bridget in her sister's penthouse, she realizes she is no safer as Siobhan than she is as herself.

Possible edit (181 words, down from 221):

Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as a woman who, after witnessing a murder, goes on the run, hiding out by assuming the life of her wealthy identical twin sister – only to learn that her sister's seemingly idyllic life is just as complicated and dangerous as the one she's trying to leave behind.

Bridget is the sole witness to a professional hit. Despite the assurances of her FBI protector, she knows her life is on the line. She secretly flees to New Yorkand reunites with her estranged twin, Siobhan. Wealthy, pampered and married to the strikingly handsome Andrew Martin, Siobhan lives what appears to be a fairy tale life – a life where no one knows that Bridget exists.

The sisters seem to be mending their frayed relationship, until Siobhan disappears overboard during a boat trip, and Bridget makes the split decision to take on her sister's identity.

She never expects to discover shocking secrets about her sister's life -- and when someone tries to kill Bridget in her sister's penthouse, she realizes she is no safer as Siobhan than she is as herself.

THE SECRET CIRCLE

Cassie Blake was a happy, normal teenage girl - until her mother Amelia dies in what appears to be a tragic accidental fire. Orphaned and deeply saddened, Cassie moves in with her warm and loving grandmother Jane in the beautiful small town of Chance Harbor, Washington - the town her mother left so many years before - where the residents seem to know more about Cassie than she does about herself. As Cassie gets to know her high school classmates, including sweet-natured Diana and her handsome boyfriend Adam, brooding loner Nick, mean-girl Faye and her sidekick Melissa, strange and frightening things begin to happen. When her new friends explain that they are all descended from powerful witches, and they've been waiting for Cassie to join them and complete a new generation of the Secret Circle, Cassie refuses to believe them - until Adam shows her how to unlock her incredible magical powers. But it's not until Cassie discovers a message from her mother in an old leather-bound book of spells hidden in her mother's childhood bedroom, that she understands her true and dangerous destiny. What Cassie and the others don't yet know is that darker powers are at play, powers that might be linked to the adults in the town, including Diana's father and Faye's mother - and that Cassie's mother's death might not have been an accident.

Possible edit (174 words, down from 228):

Cassie Blake was a happy, normal teenage girl - until her mother dies in what appears to be a tragic accidental fire.

Orphaned, Cassie moves in with her grandmother in the beautiful small town where her mother grew up. As she gets to know some of her high school classmates, strange and frightening things begin to happen. (EXAMPLES TO SHOW, NOT TELL, WOULD BE FABULOUS HERE!)

When her new friends explain that they are all descended from powerful witches, and they've been waiting for Cassie to join them and complete a new generation of the Secret Circle, Cassie refuses to believe them. Then Adam shows her how to unlock her incredible magical powers. (LIKE WHAT?!)

But it's not until Cassie discovers a message from her mother in an old leather-bound book of spells hidden in her mother's childhood bedroom that she understands her true and dangerous destiny.

What Cassie and the others don't yet know is that darker powers are at play - and that Cassie's mother's death might not have been an accident.

Ten years later.

2011-09-11T13:06:00.001-04:00

I was fifteen, sitting in second period health class, when they told us over the PA system. Our teacher turned on the small TV mounted to the wall, and we watched the towers burning on the news.

I've owned David Levithan's LOVE IS THE HIGHER LAW since November 2010, but I couldn't bring myself to read it until today. I was afraid of it, afraid to open myself up to the sadness and fear and incomprehensibility that fills me every time I allow myself to think --- really think --- about 9/11.

I knew that it was about people coming together in New York on and after 9/11. About dealing with the aftermath. About uniting together and continuing to live, despite the tragedy. But for 10 months, I left that book sitting on my shelf.

I read it this morning, all in one sitting, in less than two hours. It was exactly what I needed to read. Exactly how I needed to feel. It was my own quiet reflection time. Thank you, David, for writing it.

And then I skimmed some of the other recent blog posts. Stephanie Perkins' post from yesterday led me to a beautiful one from Meg Cabot that broke my heart, gave me hope, and left me sobbing, quietly, at the computer. People are sharing their 9/11 stories on Rachelle Gardner's blog. Janet Reid reminds us to celebrate life.

I didn't intend to write a post about 9/11. But ten years later, we're all still working through that day, and it's always better to work through difficult things together.

TBR list must-haves: THE NAME OF THE STAR and THE MONSTRUMOLOGIST

2011-09-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

Book Recommendations:
The 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' Edition

I've been reading books in pairs lately. First, two verse novels, and now, two creeptastic ones! The great news is, they've all been superb, and you should totally read them.

First up: Maureen Johnson's THE NAME OF THE STAR

I've only read Johnson's SUITE SCARLETT novels (which I really enjoyed), but this was an experience of its own. Modern-day Jack the Ripper, a Southern girl at a London boarding school, plus a cute boy and secret ghost police? Sign me up!

THE NAME OF THE STAR was entertaining and thoroughly creepy. I love the world that Johnson created, especially how she layered the supernatural elements with the oh-so-normal stuff, and Rory Deveaux is a main character I wouldn't mind reading more of -- which is great news, because this is book one of the Shades of London series.

Can I tell you how creeped out I was with the Ripper-esque murders? A lot. I'm not the horror movie type, but I couldn't say no to some MJ, and her writing gave me the shivers more than once. (I hope this leads to more horror-angled YA paranormals.) The bad guy was a capital-letter-earning, genuine Villain, with all the evilness you want and the complexities you appreciate -- which made the tension-filled moments all the more tense, because PEOPLE COULD DIE, FOR REAL.

An aside about the romance -- supremely cute, and it never outshone the main plot, which I loved. Just enough of the smooches to keep me happy! And I love how Rory coped with new-girl-at-boarding-school syndrome.

Overall, the Jack the Ripper mystery kept me flipping the pages (the pacing is steady and ups the suspense delightfully, which is important for a 300+ page book), but Johnson's trademark humor and nuanced, I-want-to-be-your-friend characters have me hooked for the next installment!

* A huge thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group for providing the ARC at BEA!

And to continue the murder and mayhem: Rick Yancey's THE MONSTRUMOLOGIST

THE MONSTRUMOLOGIST was unlike anything I've read in a very long time. Maybe ever. The voice is brilliant and engaging, and the characters just shine.

I'd seen this one around the blogosphere, but it was Maggie Stiefvater's ridiculously awesome review that convinced me to check out the audiobook. In Maggie's words, "this one is about a rather particular Monstrumologist and his apprentice chasing headless man-eating monsters across Victorian New England." This is not a plot that generally would pique my interest (where iz mah romance?!), but my curiosity got the best of me.

How glad I am that it did.

The book's narrated by the monstrumologist's apprentice, Will Henry, a twelve-year-old orphan. I love him to pieces. And the monstrumologist for whom the book is named, Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, is (as Maggie again put it so perfectly) "high-maintenance and flawed and persnickety." And I love him to pieces. He makes me want to say "Snap to, Will Henry!" at least once a day. And eat scones.

My favorite character by far is Jack Kearns--a fellow monstrumologist with highly questionable morals who finds pretty much everything amusing. His wit and irreverence made me laugh aloud many, many times in the book, despite some of the horrifying things he does. As a writer, I couldn't help but think that Jack Kearns must've been a blast to write, being so entertainingly villainous.

I loved this Kearns quote so much that I scribbled it down at a red light (I listened to the audiobook version, which was excellently narrated, BTW).

Kearns watched, bemused, as Malachi brought the muzzle of his gun a foot from his chest. “Go on,” he urged the enraged orphan, “pull the bloody trigger, you insufferably melodramatic, semi-suicidal, blubbering bugger.”

Guys, that's like, PRINCESS BRIDE QUALITY insulting. (You really should click on that link right there. It will make your day happier.)

Anyway, with every single line of this book, you can see the care and love and attention to detail that Rick Yancey put into it.

The fine print: Be warned, the book can be very gruesome, and the descriptions are lengthy and wholeheartedly detailed. I cringed more than a couple times throughout -- after all, it's about hunting down Anthropophagi (headless people-eating monsters that feed through mouthfuls of teeth in their chests), so it's not sunshine and roses.

Basically, I read this book despite the storyline, which is so not my usual cup of tea. I found the Anthropophagi plot compelling and well-written, but what truly kept me hooked was Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop. I can't wait to follow along on their next monster-hunting adventure. (And I'll keep crossing my fingers for some romance for the good doctor.)

----

Ok, guys! Have you read either of these? (Link to your reviews!) Any other creepy horror-esque novels I should read?

Blog Tour: POPULAZZI by Elise Allen

2011-09-07T00:30:00.000-04:00

Okay, I have a confession to make.

I totally judged a book by its cover. Or, in this case, its title.

When I was asked to be on the blog tour for Elise Allen's POPULAZZI, I thought, "Populazzi? Is that like fetch? Is Harcourt trying to make fetch happen?"

Then, I looked at the cover:

And I thought, "Is that one of those gold name necklaces? That I wanted? In MIDDLE school?"

But the summary for the book made it sound cute and fluffy, and summer was coming up, and I could use some cute & fluffy reading. So I agreed to do the blog tour.

Then, I told Frankie about the tour. And she said, "Oh yeah, isn't Elise Allen the co-writer for Elixir, that Hilary Duff book?"

When she said that, I judged again. The book of the same Hilary Duff I had hidden on my iPod? What kind of blog tour had I just signed up for?!

I stressed that I wouldn't like the book. And the FNC had made a promise when we started blogging that we wouldn't suggest books that we didn't love. What if I didn't love POPULAZZI?

It turns out, the person I should have been judging was myself. Because POPULAZZI by Elise Allen is what I wanted it to be--cute and fluffy--but it's also well-written, smart, funny, and a squirm-in-your-seat honest look at what it's like trying to fit in, and trying to figure out who you might be in high school.

So it's no surprise that when I interviewed Elise Allen for the blog tour that she was also smart, funny and honest! (Though she didn't make me squirm. :) Read on to find out about how she made Cara a likeable character, her writing process, who she thinks is the ultimate Queen Bee, and how she stalked the FNC!

1) When I read the back copy of the book, I worried I wouldn't find Cara likeable because of her social climbing. But I loved her! How did you balance the overall story arc with creating a relatable character?

It was a tough nut to crack, and thanks for the affirmation that it worked! For me, what it really came down to was taking the time to truly get inside Cara’s head so I could be completely honest about what she was thinking and feeling.

From the beginning, I knew it was possible to go on her journey in a way that kept her likable and relatable. I can’t speak for everyone, but I know I’ve been in many situations in life where I felt woefully insecure or out of place, and if someone I knew and trusted (the way Cara knows and trusts Claudia) gave me a crutch like the Ladder to help… I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t at least consider it.

Cara not only considers it, but sticks with it, even when that’s not necessarily the best choice. To keep her likable even when she made bad choices, it was all about constantly checking in with her emotionally, making sure her thought process made sense and rang true, whether or not it was leading her down the right path.

2) Cara plays the chameleon to catch a boy's attention, but maintains a strong, unique personality throughout. How difficult was to not let Cara go full-on chameleon on you?

Great question, and it ties in with my answer above. I concentrated very hard on maintaining the honesty of Cara’s character, and why she was becoming all these different versions of herself. As long as that remained genuine, there was no danger she’d lose her core identity, no matter how many masks she donned.

3) How much of your own high school experience did you draw inspiration from?

A lot… but indirectly. I remember identifying the Popularity Tower (though I called it the Popularity Web at the time), and knowing my place was nowhere near the top (or the center, in the Web version). I have vivid memories of feeling trapped in my own head, too insecure to let my real self show through around people who intimidated me… and a lot of people intimidated me. I drooled over those golden souls who were never tongue tied, always confident, always ready with the perfect thing to say. It was very easy (a little too easy J) to tap back into that.

4) What is your writing process like? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

A little of each. I do like to outline, but with the knowledge that the outline is very rough and going to change. When I look at the original treatment I wrote for Populazzi, it bears only the slightest resemblance to the final book, but I never could have gotten to the finished product without that skeleton.

5) Being a Philly-based blogger, I was tickled to see your novel set in Malvern, a suburb of Philadelphia. Do you have a Philly connection, or what made you pick your setting?

I do! And Sara, when I saw this question, I have to admit I did a little digging online and found out you’re a Friends' Central woman! I went to Westtown School from 6th through 12th grades, which means I visited your alma mater for many a field hockey game!

I was born and raised in the Philly ‘burbs: Downingtown from kindergarten through 6th grade, then Berwyn until I left for college. I worked summers acting at Sesame Place, I’ve gotten completely lost on the bike path through Valley Forge National Park, and I’ve spent waaaaay too many hours at the King of Prussia Court and Plaza.

L.A. has been my home since college graduation. I love it here, it’s where my daughter was born, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else; but I’ll always have a soft spot for Philly. I have a lot of friends and family there, and it feels great when I go back and visit. I’m planning to be there in the fall to do a book event – maybe we can meet in person!

6) Who, in your opinion, is the ultimate Queen Bee? (Regina George is mine!)

Regina George is spectacular, and I’m with you on that one. I also have to give an honorable mention to Caroline Mulford, Jake Ryan’s prom queen girlfriend in Sixteen Candles. She’s somewhat of a caricature in the movie, but that’s okay, because she so embodies how those of us not in the Populazzi see those bright and shiny few from afar: perfect, gorgeous, and untouchable (you know, before she gets completely wasted and feeds Anthony Michael Hall her birth control pills).

Thanks for the interview, and for having me on the blog – I really enjoyed it!

E-A-G-L-E-S-EAGLES!!!!! (See, you got me on the Philly thing and it’s football season…)

Thanks so much for answering our questions, Elise! And Go Eagles!!

POPULAZZI by Elise Allen is available now at your favorite bookstore or website. If you're a fan of smart, funny, realistic fiction, this is definitely a book that should be on your shelves!

ELEVENTH PLAGUE Giveaway Winner!

2011-09-04T09:48:00.001-04:00

With 143 entries, there are obviously a whole bunch of you who want to read The Eleventh Plague! Which is exactly as it should be, because the book is seriously awesome.

But our one lucky winner who will get to read this particular copy is...

Ready?

Drumroll...

Kristen H!!!

Congratulations Kristen! Watch your inbox for an email from us.

For the rest of you, thanks for entering! And don't be sad. You can pick up this one up now from your bookstore of choice!

Happy reading!

GIRL WONDER by Alexa Martin

2011-09-01T12:37:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been all about the realistic fiction! Here's a look at a title I got off NetGalley a little while back:

Love this cover!

On the surface, GIRL WONDER by Alexa Martin seems like a pretty light novel. Our MC, Charlotte, has just moved to a new town and she's starting a new school--for her senior year of high school. But not the fancy private school that her younger brother is going to, because she didn't get accepted. Charlotte has discalculia, a learning difference that is described as dyslexia but with numbers rather than letters. Her poor math scores land her in the local public school, the description of which kind of reminded of the kind of school found in inspirational teacher movies--a combination of students who sleep through class and others who are ready to eat their teachers alive, and teachers who little to no control over their class or who just don't care that much anymore. The only bright spot of the entire school is the top floor, which is renovated and dedicated to the gifted student program--just another thing that Charlotte's learning issues has kept out of her reach.

Things look pretty bleak for Charlotte until she's befriended by Amanda, the hot pink-haired rebel from the gifted program. Amanda is like the Cher to Charlotte's Tai (yay, Clueless references!) and suddenly Charlotte finds herself climbing the social ladder higher than she ever imagined.

I figured I knew how this plot would play out. Amanda and Charlotte would be friends, issues would escalate, and then, of course, Charlotte would find herself friend-dumped and have to figure out where her real relationships were. But GIRL WONDER was much more nuanced than that. Martin addresses a lot of real high school issues--friends, boyfriends, college applications, drugs and drinking, home life issues--in a way that often surprised me. I won't lie--some of the scenes kind of shocked me and reminded me just how long it's been since I've been in high school, and how much things have changed and become even more difficult to navigate.

Charlotte was a character who I didn't find likable all the time--I cringed at some of her wrong turns and her naive assumptions--but you know what? I LIKED that I didn't like her all the time. It made her feel that much more human to me. Like how even though you've got that best friend from middle school/high school/college/whatever that you would walk through fire for, sometimes that just annoy you, but in the end you love them anyway? Charlotte was like that for me. Plus, it made her transformation throughout the book that much more satisfying to read.

GIRL WONDER is definitely worth picking up if you already love contemporary/realistic YA--or even if you don't always, like me. It's a little different, a little edgier, and worth your time!

(I got this book for free from NetGalley, and sadly no one is sending me chocolate cake or jewelry for writing this review. I mean, unless you want to. But you all should definitely check out NetGalley!)

Winners of BLOODLINES giveaway!

2011-08-29T12:36:00.001-04:00

After tallying up all 77 entrants and the 243 entries, we officially have two lucky winners of our precious BLOODLINES ARCS!

Ready?

Drumroll!

Congratulations to...

Rebel & Titania86!

You are now the owner of an ARC of Richelle Mead's Bloodlines! Keep an eye on your inboxes for more information!

If you didn't win, don't feel sad! Bloodlines is available in stores now. And we have another contest going on right now to win the totally awesome post-apocalyptic book of the fall, THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE! Go check it out!

THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE: Interview & Giveaway!

2011-08-28T21:00:00.000-04:00

Today we're wishing an early Happy Book Birthday! to Jeff Hirsch and his debut YA, THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE, which comes out September 1st. I picked up a copy at BEA, and it's definitely one of the creepiest, well-written, page-turniest post-apocalypse/dystopians I've read in a long time.

Here's the Goodreads summary:
"The wars that followed The Collapse nearly destroyed civilization. Now, twenty years later, the world is faced with a choice—rebuild what was or make something new.

Stephen Quinn, a quiet and dutiful fifteen-year-old scavenger, travels Post-Collapse America with his Dad and stern ex-Marine Grandfather. They travel light. They keep to themselves. Nothing ever changes. But when his Grandfather passes suddenly and Stephen and his Dad decide to risk it all to save the lives of two strangers, Stephen's life is turned upside down. With his father terribly injured, Stephen is left alone to make his own choices for the first time.

Stephen’s choices lead him to Settler's Landing, a lost slice of the Pre-Collapse world where he encounters a seemingly benign world of barbecues, baseball games and days spent in a one-room schoolhouse. Distrustful of such tranquility, Stephen quickly falls in with Jenny Tan, the beautiful town outcast. As his relationship with Jenny grows it brings him into violent conflict with the leaders of Settler's Landing who are determined to remake the world they grew up in, no matter what the cost."

Jeff was kind enough to answer some questions for us. Read on to hear about his querying process, how he built his post-apocalyptic world, and what happened when he found out Suzanne Collins had blurbed his book! (And don't forget to scroll down for a giveaway, too!)

1) How did you come up with the idea for your novel?

The opening image just kinda popped into my head one day. Two people burying someone late at night above the ruins of an old mall. Putting together the rest of the story was about answering for myself who these people were, what they wanted and what their world was like.

2) Did you consider your book a dystopian as you were writing it? Did you worry about the saturation of the market with similar books?

I didn't actually. I started the book way back in 2006, a couple years before Hunger Games came out and really set off the current rush of dystopian books. I don't even consider it dystopian now to tell you the truth. Since it doesn't involve a functioning society I'd say it's probably more post-apocalyptic than dystopian.

3) Can you describe your agent querying process to us? When did you know you were ready to send it out? What were you looking for in an agent?

Well I wasn't 100% I was ready. I think I got to a point where I had received all the feedback I was going to get from early readers, and done everything I could think of to do to the book on my own. I literally didn't know what else to do other then send it! So I did a bunch of research and send it out to my top 5-10 picks. I was looking for someone who seemed to represent the kind of books I was writing and who also had a strong sales record. Once I got on the phone with a few agents I was hoping to find someone I had a personal connection with and who got what was working and not working with the book.

4) So many dystopians rely on a "Big Brother" or "Evil Government" set-up, but yours is refreshingly different. Can you talk about the world-building process for your novel?

It was a very gradual process. As the book evolved I realized one of the things I wanted to talk about was the idea of wiping the slate clean and starting over. Is that even possible? That idea led to how the general devastation in the book is mixed in with little bits of the old world and this new world poking through. Are we going forward? Are we going back? Are we just doomed to this present? Most of the world building was sitting back and trying to center myself in that changing world and figure what might still exist and might not. However successful it is is because of draft after draft of me asking “Does this make sense? Is this possible?” and “Does this support what I’m trying to say?”

5) What are you reading right now? What are your top 5 reads that we should all have on our shelves?

Right now I'm reading Lev Grossman's The Magician King and really loving it. My top 5of all time? For YA, I'd say Meg Rossoff''s How I Live Now, Geraldine McCaughrean's The White Darkness, The Hunger Games, David Almond's Clay, KL Going's St. Iggy and every book ever written by MT Anderson. Oops. That's more than 5.

6) Society, as we know it, has completely shattered in your book. If the world was going to end, do you think it would happen similar to your book?

I think that a big dramatic “end of the world” is probably the stuff of fiction and movies, at least as a result of anything man made. What I think is more likely is more an “end of the world as we know it.” Societies rise and fall for various reasons. Economics. Politics. Environmental isues. It wouldn’t surprise me that if we looked fifty or a hundred years in the future we’d see a world and an America that, while present wouldn’t be anything we’d recognize as ours.

7) Be honest: How excited were you to find our Suzanne Collins had blurbed your book? :)

After selling the book that was without a doubt the most exciting thing that's happened during this entire process. I found out while at work and luckily I had gotten a few co-workers to read the books so they understood how huge it was for me. I think I was having heart palpitations. When I called my wife I was near incoherent.

8) Finally, can you offer us a little bit of advice? Something you've learned from the writing process, the editing process, the querying process... anything that you learned between writing page one and publication that you think we should hold on to?

Without a doubt it's that no matter how much work I thought went into writing a book the reality was it took more. I can't tell you how many times I thought I was done only to realize that, no, I actually needed to do another draft, or tweak this chapter, or work on this character's arc. For me the key is to make sure you're so interested in your book that you're willing to go back to it again and again and again.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Jeff!

Now, onto the giveaway! We have in our possession one lovely ARC of this book, which you NEED to have in your YA Library if you're like me, and love a) disaster movies, b) Dystopians, c) Awesome books, or d) all of the above!

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Cover cousins?

2011-08-24T09:54:00.000-04:00

These two beautiful and haunting covers totally remind me of one another.

Red-haired gal lying on her side on the ground...
Thick fog...
Air of menace...
Multi-word, mysterious title in caps...

If this is a trend, I like it!

Did anyone else think they were similar when they first saw them?

World premiere of HUNGER GAMES footage!

2011-08-23T11:01:00.000-04:00

In which MTV has guaranteed we'll all be watching the VMAs:
http://www.nextmovie.com/blog/mtv-vmas-hunger-games/

World premiere of footage from the HUNGER GAMES movies at the VMAs this Sunday on MTV at 9pm EST.

OMG so excited. And nervous. I'm totally DVRing so I can watch and rewatch and analyze.

Fingers crossed that it's awesome!!!

(I feel like the biggest loser geeking out like this over a movie, but whatever.)

BLOODLINES by Richelle Mead Review +Giveaway!!!

2011-08-22T15:10:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow, the epic of all epic spin-off series hits bookshelves with Richelle Mead's BLOODLINES!

Check out the summary from Goodreads:

The first book in Richelle Mead's brand-new teen fiction series - set in the same world as Vampire Academy.

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

Now check out what I have to say:

O.M.G! I LOVED this book. Like I loved every book in Vampire Academy.

Let me say right off the bat, if you've never read Vampire Academy (WHAT ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?!?) you can still follow along here pretty easily. Richelle is great at including all the info necessary to understand the world you're in, and makes pretty simple references to events in the other series.

But...if you've read the Vampire Academy series (because you're AWESOME) then Bloodlines is like a really long love letter to all VA fans. All your favorite characters and complications are back in one way or another and the story picks up right where Last Sacrifice left off. And don't worry, everything feels fresh. Mostly thanks to being in Sydney Sage's POV.

Sydney was a fun narrator and I warmed up to her POV right away. She is definitely not the same character as Rose (sassy and kick-butt) but I love her just as much. Rather than rushing in to save the day and break a few necks like Rose would, Sydney is more the type to collect all the necessary clues, solve the mystery and then... find herself in the middle of a scene where necks need to be broken. For any Succubus Blues, Georgina fans out there (HIGH FIVE) Sydney reminded me a lot of Georgina in this way. Only... not nearly as depressed. Also, not a succubus.

We got to see a new perspective on vampires and a new world, and new situation to deal with. And though Bloodlines felt a little lighter in tone at times then Vampire Academy, I was every bit as absorbed.

Remember how I said Bloodlines was like a long love letter for fans of VA? Well, Bloodlines is like the most epic love letter you ever read if you're an Adrian fan. Even if you were Team Dimitri, you will LOVE him in this. Seriously. No, SERIOUSLY.

And the ending...all I can say is I can't wait for book 2! Reading Bloodlines was like getting to see all my friends at school after summer vacation.

Soooo Bloodlines is out this Tuesday, but...we happen to have 2 extra arcs that we need you to take off our shelves.

To enter, fill out the form below! This contest is open internationally.

*** THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER. THANKS FOR ENTERING! THE WINNERS ARE POSTED HERE! ***

The verse novel experiment: KARMA (Cathy Ostlere) and IDENTICAL (Ellen Hopkins)

2011-08-11T00:30:00.090-04:00

Guys, I've been converted.

Somewhere along the way in my YA readership experience, I decided that I "didn't like" verse novels. To be fair, that may have been in high school, after I was assigned to read a really depressing, slow-moving, and semi-boring verse novel, and I decided that ALL verse novels must be depressing, slow-moving, and semi-boring.

Forgive my ignorance.

Way back in April, the delightful Cathy Ostlere wrote an excellent guest post on writing novels in verse, and I read an excerpt from her novel, KARMA ... and loved it.

The imagery! The lyricism! The emotion! The gorgeous, gorgeous details!

I knew I had to break my verse novel embargo. And when I do something, I do it right. So I doubled up on the verse novel awesomesauce with an audiobook of Ellen Hopkins' IDENTICAL.

I loved them both for very different reasons and highly recommend them.

Without further ado...

KARMA by Cathy Ostlere

KARMA just didn't let me go. I was unfamiliar with the backstory -- 1984 India, and the riots and political instability after Indira Gandhi's assassination -- but what drew me in were the characters and the writing.

One of my all-time
favorite covers.

Ostlere's words just flow along the page, and free verse was the perfect choice to highlight the urgency of the story. It's by no means a short book, but I flew through the pages, mesmerized by Maya's journey.

I love Maya. She's multicultural -- of Indian heritage, born and raised in Canada, half-Hindu and half-Sikh -- but she's a multidimensional, fully realized 15-year-old girl whose multiculturalism is just a part of who she is. She has crushes on boys, she's betrayed by her best friend, she wrestles with her parents' expectations, and she struggles to discover who she is in a ridiculously confusing and contradictory world. I connected with her immediately.

Her mother commits suicide, and she must bring her ashes to India with her grieving father. And then riots break out, and she's separated from her father in a foreign, dangerous place. Her traumas have only just begun.

Then we meet Sandeep, the other narrator, who speaks when Maya can't. I love Sandeep. He's impulsive and funny, charming, loyal, and desperate to prove himself. His family dynamics leap off the page, and his parts of the dual narration expose another layer of Indian culture and tradition, giving the reader a nuanced view of life in India during such a bloody, complicated, and divided time in its history.

Ostlere paints a vivid portrait of Maya and Sandeep's struggle to reunite Maya with her father and the development of their tentative love for one another in the midst of turmoil.

Do yourself a favor, and read this gorgeous, epic novel.

IDENTICAL by Ellen Hopkins

Wow. Certain parts of IDENTICAL were so difficult to listen to that I considered switching to the radio in my car, just so I could breathe and escape for a minute. It may have been the most difficult book I've ever read -- even surpassing Elizabeth Scott's harrowing but incredible LIVING DEAD GIRL.

But if you're up for handling the subject matter, then IDENTICAL is an incredibly worthwhile read. (Or listen, as the audio version is excellently narrated -- however, I do think you lose some of the impact and beauty of the printed free verse.) IDENTICAL centers on identical twin sisters, Kaeleigh and Raeanne, who alternate the narration of their supposedly picture-perfect lives.

In reality, their manipulative, controlling, alcoholic and OxyContin-addicted father has been molesting Kaeleigh since she was nine, and Raeanne's chosen to cope with the knowledge and her father's favoritism via drugs, sex, and bulimia. Their mother has abandoned them, emotionally and physically, in favor of her political career, and the girls' lives spiral further and further toward total disintegration.

Hopkins tackles the topic of incest without reservation. Kaeleigh and Rae have suffered so much psychological trauma and dysfunction since childhood that it's unsurprising they turn to cutting, eating disorders, promiscuity, and drug and alcohol abuse to escape. You want to scream at them to TELL SOMEONE, but you're so deep in their minds that you understand why they feel trapped in their world.

IDENTICAL is raw and disturbing, painful and powerful -- but Hopkins leaves you with shreds of hope. It's one of those stark, gripping novels that you'll never forget reading. A book you can't say you enjoyed reading, but you're glad you did, even though it took some time to pull yourself from its depths.

This book is not for everyone, but there are readers out there for whom this book will be a lifeline, and I respect Ellen Hopkins for telling this story -- I can't imagine how difficult it must've been for her to write.

Ok, guys! What do you think? Are you verse novel fans? Which ones do you recommend? Have you reviewed either of these? Leave it in the comments!

Epic 4 Arc Giveaway for Team Kilt!

2011-08-10T14:45:00.001-04:00

Hey Guys! It's Frankie, just wanted to let you all know that I'm holding an international giveaway on my personal blog FRANKIE WRITES where you can win 4 arcs (LEGEND, THE FUTURE OF US, FOREVER, EVE) by voting Team Kilt!

And if Zachary Moore (one of my all time favorite love interests) wins this tourney, I'm giving away personalized copies of Shade and Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready. So do the clicking thing and join TEAM KILT!

CLICK HERE to enter!

Comic-Con Un-Recap: What are YOU Reading?

2011-08-09T00:01:00.000-04:00

Last summer, I went to San Diego at Comic-Con, and did awesome things like go to the Epic Fantasy panel! And find out that Amber Benson, of Buffy fame, is now a writer! And get ARCs of some of the fall's most anticipated titles, like Beautiful Darkness, Matched and The Replacement! And ~~stalk~~ fangirl Heather Brewer and Penguin!

This year? I'm working at a summer camp, while my husband went to San Diego and did awesome things like staring at the unwashed people who had been in line for the Breaking Dawn panel for the past 5 days, and getting the scoop on all the upcoming movies, and enjoying 70-degree-no-humidity weather while I sweltered away in 102 heat index 115.

I had a sad. :(

In his absence, I decided to do what I do best: curl up with a good book. After the craziness of this spring, I'm 6 books behind pace in my goal of finishing 50 books this year. So I put the hammer down on myself, and here are some of the books I've really enjoyed recently:

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, due out 1018/11

I read this while on vacation in Martha's Vineyard, which felt like a perfect setting for me. The weather was cool and a little gloomy, and everything tasted like salt. It made me feel like I was on Thisby, the small island setting of this novel. Sounds like "quiet book", right? Yeah, except add in killer horses, a super-sassy girl protagonist, a little bit of kissing, and a big dose of general creepiness, and it's not so quiet anymore. Even though this book didn't have the immediate, slap-you-in-the-face agency that SHIVER did, I think I enjoyed it more. This book is more complicated, which ultimately made it more satisfying.

Between by Jessica Warman, published 8/2/11

I picked this ARC up from Bloomsbury at BEA without knowing anything about the book. I'll be honest, it was a total "Hey! That's a cool cover!" moment when I grabbed it. But I'm glad I did! This story reminded me of THE LOVELY BONES and IF I STAY, but not in a derivative way. I had fun following the main character Elizabeth as she unraveled mystery after mystery--although this isn't a light book. Warman didn't shy away from putting in some pretty rough stuff in here, and I appreciated that, and felt like it really helped the story along. It's out now, so go pick it up!

Populazzi by Elise Allen, published 8/1/11

I'll only say a little here, because the FNC is also on the blog tour for POPULAZZI, so you'll be getting a full review and an interview with her in the beginning of September, but let me say this: POPULAZZI is one of those "don't judge a book by it's cover" types. On the outside it looked like a fluffy fun read, which is why I agreed to do the blog tour, but inside I found something deeper, a little darker, well-written and still fun to read. Cara is a great protagonist, and Allen does a great job of not making her likeable all the time, but still have you root for her. If you like Mean Girls, check this one out!

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, due out 9/13/11

My husband is a huge graphic novel lover, and really enjoyed THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET, Selznick's first book, which is part of the reason I picked up WONDERSTRUCK at BEA. I love this book for a few reasons: 1) The premise of having dual narrators and telling one story with text and one story with pictures was interesting and fun to read. 2) This is a really fat book--over 600 pages--but because of the pictures, I was able to read it in a few days. I feel like making fat books accessible for kids in this way is awesome, because it takes away the intimidation factor of also tackling full-text fat books. 3) Even though I had guessed the twist at the end before it happened, it didn't lessen my enjoyment of the book at all. If anything, I enjoyed it more, because I was excited to see exactly how the twist would play out. This is a great book for kids & adults alike!

The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch, due out 9/1/11

I admit to being a little skeptical when I first started this book. As much as I love dystopias, I felt like they were all started to blend together a little and I wasn't sure if this one was going to give me anything new. Of course, I was totally wrong. THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE is halfway between dystopia and post-apocalytpic fiction, and simultaneously gives one of the bleakest and most hopeful views of humanity. Also, the narrator is a boy--Stephen--and I enjoyed the change of pace and viewpoint. Plus, it was blurbed by Suzanne Collins, so you know you're in for a good ride. This book is great for the disenchanted lover of dystopias.

So that's what I've been reading. And thankfully, my lovely husband DID bring me back some awesome books, so I guess it's alright he went without me. But what has everyone else been reading and enjoying? And is anyone else like me, and challenging themselves to read a certain number of books this year? (My goal is fifty, and I've read 27 so far. I'm still a little behind, but I'm getting there!)