1 of the 52 Reasons to Love Jessica Brody and Her Books

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To promote her new novel, Jessica Brody is touring various blogs and sharing 52 reasons to love her and her books! I'm here to share one of these as well as some other special features!

Being America’s favorite heiress is a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it.
Lexington Larrabee has never to work a day in her life. After all, she’s the heiress to the multi-billion-dollar Larrabee Media empire. And heiresses are not supposed to work. But then again, they’re not supposed to crash brand new Mercedes convertibles into convenience stores on Sunset Blvd either.
Which is why, on Lexi’s eighteenth birthday, her ever-absent, tycoon father decides to take a more proactive approach to her wayward life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. But if there’s anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast-food restaurant employee, it’s dealing with Luke, the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her.
In a hilarious “comedy of heiress” about family, forgiveness, good intentions, and best of all, second chances, Lexi learns that love can be unconditional, money can be immaterial, and, regardless of age, everyone needs a little saving. And although she might have 52 reasons to hate her father, she only needs one reason to love him.

1 of the 52 Reasons to Love Jessica Brody and Her Books….

Jessica can't wait for the fall to see the new seasons of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (her all-time favorite show) and THE VAMPIRE DIARIES.

for 51 other reasons, visit Anna Reads (August 30th) and Books Over Boys (September 1st), and stay tuned for more!

Visit this link to read an excerpt of the fantastic 52 Reasons to Hate My Father and keep your eye on my blog for my own review of the book soon!

Book Trailer 




Making of the Book Trailer

Blog Tour: Julie Kagawa Interview

1. Will Puck get a heroine of his own? Are you planning another Iron Fey novel or is it something new for you now?

You never know with Puck. Puck is a legend, more so than Ash or Meghan or even Grimalkin. I have too much respect for the old legends to start changing their stories to fit my expectations. The image of Puck at the end, wild and carefree, suits Shakespeare’s Robin Goodfellow far better than a Puck who settled down with a girl. But again, who knows with Puck? The only predictable thing about him is his unpredictableness.

After The Iron Knight, I have a new series called Blood of Eden, which is a post-apocalyptic vampire story. And after that, the first book of the second Iron Fey series will be released, this time with Ethan, Meghan’s brother, as the protagonist.

2. What do you think is the difference between a reader and a real Book Lover?

Hmm, is there a difference? I guess a reader is someone who reads and enjoys the story, but a real Book Lover is someone who falls in love with the characters, can’t wait to get home to start reading, thinks of books as treasured possessions, and would rather be engrossed in a story than anything else.

3. What can we expect of The Iron Knight?

Danger, adventure, heartbreak, and sacrifice. And a lot of bickering between Puck and Ash. But you’ll have to read the book to see if Ash gets his happy ending. ;-)

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Thanks so much for stopping by, Julie! I can't wait to read The Iron Knight. Be sure to check out her website for more information.

Leila Sales Top Ten Favorites x 3

I am excited to have the awesome and funny Leila Sales' stopping by for the latest stop on her blog tour. She is sharing three lists of her favorites, many of which I agree with! Also, be sure to stop by next week for my glowing review of Past Perfect!

Top Ten Favorite Historical Figures

I’m not exactly sure who counts as a “historical figure.” I guess anyone who is dead and is famous enough to have a Wikipedia entry. That’s a lot of options.

1. Buddy Holly. My favorite musician ever, who died tragically young.

2. Audrey Hepburn. She’s so stylish!

3. Robert Catesby. I’ve been fascinated by Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot for years. I wrote my high school thesis on the Gunpowder plot, and now I throw a Guy Fawkes Day party every other year.

4. Norman Rockwell. He was a very talented and funny painter. The Norman Rockwell Museum is close to my mother’s summer home in the Berkshires, so I’ve been there many times to look at his work.

5. Isabel Briggs Myers. I was really into by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator when I was in high school. Isabel Briggs Myers was a game-changing social psychologist at a time when not many women were working in the field.

6. Oscar Wilde. He was an enormously a talented writer and humorist, yet he faced such difficulties in his personal life.

7. Eleanor Roosevelt. A strong, influential woman in politics.

8. William Shakespeare. With so many conflicting stories about his identity and so many movies and books that have re-imagined his character, and with his impact on literature being so expansive, it’s hard not to be a little fascinated by Shakespeare, or at least the idea of him.

9. John Lennon. One of the greatest songwriters of all time.

10. Dorothy Parker. One of my writing role models.

Top Ten Favorite YA Characters

In the interest of space, I’m going to have to leave out some characters whom I love. I hope they don’t mind…

1. Michael Moscovitz from The Princess Diaries, by Meg Cabot. Michael Moscovitz is my boyfriend.

2. Prince Charmont, from Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine. Char is my other boyfriend.

3. Briony from Chime, by Frannie Billingsley. Briony is so complex. I wish more YA characters had her depth.

4. Billy Bloom from Freak Show, by James St. James. Billy’s very funny, and he is unabashedly and inimitably himself.

5. Lyra from Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials trilogy. I mean, obviously. Lyra is badass.

6. Colin Singleton from An Abundance of Katherines, by John Green. I have a soft spot for precocious children.

7. Charles Wallace from A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle. See previous note regarding precocious children.

8. Liam Geller from King of the Screwups, by K. L. Going. How could you not love someone so cool, so well-intentioned, and yet so misunderstood?

9. Liv Weiss-Longo from For Keeps, by Natasha Friend. She is a true original, and a loyal friend.

10. Frankie Landau-Banks, from The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, by E. Lockhart. This girl is a modern-day YA feminist.

Top Ten Favorite Films

I should preface this list by mentioning that I have terrible, trashy taste in movies, and also that I haven’t updated my “favorite movies” list since roughly 2001. Basically I like any movies about teenagers falling in love and/or listening to music.

1. Clueless

2. Bring It On!

3. Wet Hot American Summer

4. Waking Life

5. 10 Things I Hate About You

6. Empire Records

7. Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion

8. American Graffiti

9. Bottle Rocket

10. Cruel Intentions

Blog Tour: Stasia Ward Kehoe Interview

I'm excited to have Stasia Ward Kehoe, author of the fabulous AUDITION (see my review here) which releases on Thursday. Read on to find out more about her own ballet experiences and how AUDITION came to be written in verse.

1. What was your publishing experience like?

My publishing experience was both eternal and super-fast. I’ve actually worked in publishing for years, although always on the educational marketing side. All along, I wrote but I never had the guts to submit stuff in any systematic way. Occasionally, I’d get some interest from an editor or something but it never panned out, largely, I think, because I was kind of a chicken-heart. When I finally got down to it and started submitting Audition, I got an agent and a book deal quite quickly. And here I am. Although this is my novel-writing debut, I’ve been a dancer, actress, playwright, and choreographer. I see a lot of similarities in that I’ve kind of spent my life putting my creative self out there for judgment. Hmmm….

2. In what ways do you relate to your main character Sara? Did you ever dance ballet?

I started dancing ballet when I was four years old. I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t dancing. And, I grew up in the country. So, in those ways I am like Sara. Happily (as I’ve been stressing to my dad!), I did not get involved in complicated relationships with choreographers! As a teen, I didn’t drink or stay out late or do anything very interesting. Well, I mean, I started a theater company and did some interesting things creatively but I was the absolute opposite of a party animal.

3. High school is a tough time for many teenagers. What advice would you give to your sixteen year old self if you could go back in time?

If you can believe it, I think I would have told my teenage self to take more risks. For me, “I have to dance” was kind of an excuse not to learn to ski (which I now, as an adult, love) or participate in many school activities—things like that. So, I think if I could go back in time and advise my teenage self, I’d tell her to live a little!

4. Why did you decide to write AUDITION in verse? Was it harder or easier than you expected?

Writing Audition in verse wasn’t really a decision as much as an evolution. Sara began as the character for a monologue assignment in a playwriting class. From there, I wrote a short prose story called Audition, which got some interest and I decided to explore more about Sara’s life. For quite a while, I wasn’t happy with the way the novel was going. Luckily, I had the great fortune to hear Ellen Hopkins speak at a writing conference. After taking her workshop, and reading a LOT of verse novels, it slowly became clear that Audition needed to be written in verse. It was challenging, but I wanted to try to capture the fluidity of ballet through the lyrical use of words.

5. What's next for you writing wise?

I have a really hard time talking about works-in-progress (you should ask my critique group members about this!) because I never really feel sure about how something is going until I write “the end” on the last page of a manuscript. And I am very superstitious! So, I guess I’ll just say that I love writing about the arts and will continue to explore ideas about character, performance, and creativity in my novels.

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Thanks so much, Stasia, for stopping by! Everyone, be sure to check out her newest release on Thursday. It's definitely not a book to be missed!

Blog Tour: The Beginning of After

Before and After: Moving Across the Country

I was a year out of college and all my plans had changed. Instead of going into an MFA graduate fiction writing program, I wanted to stay in the real, non-school world and write for film and TV. Rather than continue living with my parents, I thought it might be more fun to stay sane.

“Go West,” said that 1800’s political guy Horace Greeley, and so I did. I bought a shiny new red car and named it Tiger, packed it full of stuff, then drove until I hit the ocean in Los Angeles. My dad came with me, and it was a fantastic trip. I’d traveled with my family throughout Europe but had never seen most of the U.S. I remember seeing the skyline of Toledo and thinking, “There are people who consider themselves the most influential in Toledo,” and it blew my mind as an example of how big the country really is.

On the road, I did lots of California Dreamin’. To me, it was sports drink commercials and sunsets and every teen movie I’d ever loved. I was going to be sharing an apartment on the beach with a friend’s girlfriend, and it was going be 90210-tastic.

Once I got there, and my dad flew home, reality set in. I was 3,000 miles away from home in a place where there are no seasons, and I knew all of two people. Everything looked and felt different, from the air to the trees to the asphalt. I didn’t find the glamorous job. I didn’t hook up with the perfectly perfect circle of friends. But it was an adventure, and slowly, I built a life there.

Before California, I had never gone outside my comfort zone. I’d never known what it was like to truly be without all the things I’d grown up with: family, friends, a sense of place and history.

After, I understood how you can make someplace your own, and how you can forge a virtual family out of friends, neighbors, and co-workers. You create new traditions and just through the process of living, new history. There’s a lot of that in “The Beginning of After,” and there’s a lot of that in my life now that I’ve done the cross-country move in reverse, coming back to the East Coast to start again in a new town. I’ve learned that the definition of “home” changes constantly, depending on what part of it you need at any particular moment in time.

About the tour concept:

"Anyone who’s had something truly crappy happen to them will tell you: it’s all about Before and After. What I’m talking about here is the ka-pow, shake-you-to-your-core-and-turn-your-bones-to-plastic kind of crappy. One part of your life unyokes from the other."

About the book:

Laurel’s world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. Now, Laurel must navigate a new world in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all, there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel’s life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss, a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways.

About the author:

Jennifer Castle graduated from Brown University and worked as a celebrity publicist's assistant, an advertising copywriter, and a struggling screenwriter (yes, that's an actual job) before falling into a niche producing websites for kids and teens. The Beginning of After is her first novel. She lives with her husband and two young daughters in New York's Hudson Valley. Visit her at http://www.jennifercastle.com

Blog Tour: Jessica Lee Anderson Cover Interview and Giveaway!

1. Did you have any input in the cover design? Was it what you had imagined it looking like?

I have so much respect for designers! My editor asked if I had any ideas, and to be honest, my ideas were all over the place, especially since my editor and I were still in the process of discussing other title possibilities. When I opened the file for the cover design, I was impressed even though it looked different than what I had imagined.

2. It looks like the scene on the cover may be a specific scene from the book. Is it? And does the girl look like Calli?

The colors and the scene match the Louisiana setting perfectly! The model captures my protagonist’s attitude quite well, but she definitely isn’t the Calli I had envisioned as the model is quite thin whereas Calli has more meat on her bones.

3. What is your favorite aspect of the cover? If you could change one thing about it, what would it be?

I especially love the title treatment and the bead overlay! If I could change one thing about the cover, though, I would somehow extract my mental image of Calli and place it on the cover.

4. Were photographs taken for the cover or did they use stock images?

Stock images, I believe. This was the case with my novel, BORDER CROSSING, and it was really interesting to see how other designers used the image of the male model (such as in a church bulletin).

5. What are your favorite young adult covers?

My dear friend, PJ HOOVER, has such a beautiful cover for SOLSTICE! The colors are so vibrant and the cover fits the dystopia/mythology aspects nicely. The cover (hardcover version) for THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX by Mary Pearson caught my eye immediately, and I found it even lovelier after finishing the book.. Lastly, I think the cover for THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by Jay Asher is very memorable and intriguing.

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Thanks so much, Jessica, for stopping by! Be sure to visit her website for more information.

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GIVEAWAY!

I also have two copies of CALLI to giveaway to two lucky winners!

Fill out THIS FORM to enter.

US Only. Ends September 25. Two winners.

Blog Tour: Character Interview with Lissa from Shut Out

I'm thrilled to be kicking off the Shut Out Blog Tour with an interview with Lissa, the main character in Shut Out. Take it away, Lissa!

1. What is one piece of advice you would give to other teenage girls?

My best advice would just be to stay true to yourself. Okay, okay. That's cliche, I know. But I think that sometimes in the chaos of friends and boyfriends we get so caught up in doing what makes everyone else happy instead of what we want. So maybe it's cliche advice for a reason, you know?

2. When you came up with the idea of having a sex strike did you ever imagine everything that would come as a result?

Not. At. All. Honestly, I thought the strike would only last two weeks! I thought the boys would just cave in. I had no idea it would become this crazy boys versus girls thing. And I definitely didn't predict what happened with Randy and Cash and I . . . But I think things turned out pretty good in the end. Though, there were plenty of bumps along the way, that's for sure.

3. Do you ever wish there was one thing you could change about yourself?

Yes. All the time. I wish I weren't so neurotic. My constant need for control can really get in the way sometimes, and my family never misses a chance to make fun of me for it. I know they don't mean to upset me, but I really can't help it. I feel panicked when I don't think I'min control, when things don't go the way I plan. It terrifies me. I wish I could just let go sometimes. I know it won't happen over night or anything, but i'm working on it.

4. In ten years where do you see yourself?

Recently, someone told me I'd make a good copyeditor. I think he was kidding, but it stuck with me. I think I'd like fixing other people's grammar and punctation for a living. Maybe it sounds boring, but the perfectionist in me loves the idea. I mean, I already highlight and circle typos in books as it is. I'd just be getting paid for it that way. So I hope I'm copyeditor in ten years. Maybe married? I don't know, though. For once, I'm going to try and just let life surprise me.

5. If you could travel anywhere in the world with any person (living or dead), who would it be?

I'd go to Paris, I think. It just seems so romantic and classic. Plus, so many great books take place there. And I think I'd go with my Mom. She died a few years ago, and I miss her a lot. Heck, I'd just go to the 7/11 if it meant I could go with her.

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Thanks so much Lissa (and Kody!) for stopping by. Be sure to check out Kody's website for more info on Shut Out and also visit The Teen Book Scene website for links to the rest of the tour stops!

Blog Tour: Amy Reed Interview

1. Your covers are very bold and eye catching, yet, in a way, simple. What were your thoughts on seeing them for the first time? Were they what you had expected?

I loved both covers when I first saw them. My experience with the Beautiful cover was most dramatic because that’s the first time I saw the exciting concepts that both books share--the use of white negative space and the handwritten titles. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I think my biggest fear was that the covers wouldn’t stand out, that they wouldn’t be special. Luckily, my fears were totally unfounded. The covers are striking and haunting and they really embody the characters’ internal states. I love how the model on the cover of CLEAN is basically in a box, which is a perfect metaphor for addiction.

2. What is the biggest thing you hope readers of CLEAN take away with them?

A lot of things. I hope they might think a little about the consequences of certain actions and decisions, that some ideas that may seem exciting in the moment have long-term effects that look very different. For kids who maybe aren’t doing the kinds of things the characters in CLEAN are doing, I hope they find some compassion for the kids who are, some understanding of how deep down we’re all the same even though we have different experiences and different tools for dealing with them. Mostly--and I think this applies to anyone, no matter how much they do or don’t relate to the kids in CLEAN--I hope readers realize that we’re all capable of great change and transformation. There is always hope, no matter what.

3. If you could give teenagers one piece of advice, what would it be?

Follow your heart. Listen to that little voice inside that knows what’s right and wrong for you. Choose right even if no one else does. This is the most revolutionary kind of rebellion.

4. What is one place in the world you would love to travel to? What has been your favorite travel destination so far?

I want to go everywhere, the wilder the better! My perfect vacation would be a combination hiking, camping, kayaking adventure in the jungle and/or ocean, followed by a few days in a secluded cabin on a tropical beach with a couple scuba diving trips thrown in. So far, my favorite vacations have been a road trip through Baja, exploring the rainforest and Mayan ruins in Belize, and scuba diving the islands of Thailand.

5. What's next for you writing wise?

I just finished my third book with Simon Pulse, CRAZY, which will probably come out next summer. This is how my editor recently described it on Twitter: “A raw, unforgettable book about a boy falling in love…with a girl who’s falling over the edge.” It’s a love story told in letters written between the two main characters. I’m currently working on something new that I’m really excited about, but I’m afraid I have to keep it a secret for now ;)

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Thanks so much, Amy, for stopping by! Be sure to visit her website for more info, as well as the Clean tour page for links to the rest of the stops!

Blog Tour: Victoria Schwab Interview

Stopping by today is the fabulous and funny Victoria Schwab- author of the newly released The Near Witch. Read on to find out more about her pets, upcoming projects, and much more!

1. What has your experience as a 2011 debut author been like so far?

Nerve-wracking! Like sitting in a holding cell with a bunch of people, and they get taken out one by one until the group dwindles...most of my friends had books that came out before mine, and I feel like I'm one of the last in the holding cell! I'm ready to be free, but also scared because I don't quite know what's on the other side. I know what it looks like, from glimpses through the door, but not how it FEELS.

2. Is there an old story about your town that frightens people?

I think the problem is that I grew up with a distinct lack of urban legends, of stories to twist my towns into places darker, more fanciful. So I dreamt them up. I concocted tales about the dead singing, and people made of shadow who lurked in spaces between, etc. I grew up looking for ways to make my world more magical. I'm still doing that.

3. In what ways do you relate to Lexi?

She's exceedingly stubborn. And desperate to prove that she can do *anything*.

4. Do you have any pets? If so, can you tell us about them?

Hah, my family has 5 pets. Two cats––one who looks like the godfather and one who looks like the mean redhead in A Christmas Story––and three dogs––a golden who is Eeyore incarnate, a 16-year-old terrier I'm becoming convinced is a robot dog sent from the future, and lastly, a shepherd mutt. The mutt is mine, and he resembles nothing more than a very, very ill-tempered teddy bear.

5. What's next for you writing wise?

Next up is a book called THE ARCHIVED. It holds my soul in a little box, I love it so. It is a bit like Buffy meets The Shining. If THE NEAR WITCH is a poem, or a quirky piece by Mirah, THE ARCHIVED is a rock song.

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Thanks so much, Victoria! I loved The Near Witch (my review was posted yesterday) and I highly recommend it! Be sure to visit her website for more information! Also, be sure to follow the rest of the stops on the blog tour (hosted by The Teen Book Scene)

Inconvenient Blog Tour: Interview with Flux Editor Brian Farrey

Questions and Answers with Brian Farrey (Flux Editor)

1. What drew you to INCONVENIENT?


The voice. It was so honest and unadorned. By "unadorned," I guess I mean pure. It made an instant connection with me. I think it's because I believed in Alyssa.


2. What was the easiest AND hardest part of editing INC?


I'm going to chicken out and say I can't think of any hard parts. The hardest part of any editing, for me, is being clear in my own thoughts. I fear being vague or unclear. I'd hate for the writer to misinterpret my thoughts and rewrite based on that. The easiest part... This is going to sound strange but the easiest part was identifying what wasn't working. Sometimes, it's not that easy. You read and read and think, "SOMETHING'S not right but I can't put my finger on it...." With INCONVENIENT, the writing was so strong and smooth that it was easy to identify when something wasn't working and why. Thankfully, those occasions were pretty rare.



3. What advice do you have for writers about to embark on the editing journey?


The first, most important rule when embarking on the editing journey is to remember that no one hates you. No one is out to make your book bad. No one is out to hurt your feelings. The suggestions you get are meant to make what your editor already thinks is a great book even better. 


4. What do you like best AND least about your job?

Truthfully, the best thing about my job is the writers I get to work with. They're some of the savviest people out there and it's a joy to collaborate with them on their book. The thing I like least is all the putzy stuff that takes me away from that. I'd much rather edit a 100,000 word manuscript than a touch a 16 page contract.

5. Tips for writers and editors to work best together

Listen to one another. Ask questions, get clarifications. Be flexible. Always allow time to think. The editor's suggestion that you think is poppycock ten seconds after reading it might be brilliant after you let it marinate in your brain a couple days.


Margie Discusses Her Editing Process

1. What drew you to Flux?

Brian really got Alyssa and what I was trying to do with Inconvenient. His enthusiasm for the story and the characters and the direction he wanted to take the novel, really spoke to me. (I mean, how could you NOT want to work with someone who tell you how much he loves your book and your writing?).

2. What was the easiest/hardest part of editing INC?

The easiest part was that I agreed with EVERY revision point Brian made. There were some things I knew weren't working, and I wanted to make better, but didn't know HOW. And he had problems with the same things I did, so that was good. The hardest part was the extent of revisions. I had to cut 20K words, and if you revise you know you can't just cut. You have to add too. So that was a daunting process.

3. What advice do you have for writers embarking on the editing journey?

Go into it trusting that your editor knows what s/he is doing. I hear so many writers say, “This is in really good shape. So if an editor/agent tells me to change a lot, they're not for me.” Nothing is perfect. Even after extensive revisions, there's always more you can do. And, if an editor wants to buy your novel, that means they love it, they believe in it, and they also know how to make it the best version of itself.

4. What tips do you have for writers and editors to work best together?

I said to trust your editor, and that's definitely true. BUT, if you really have a problem with a suggestion, talk it out. See where the other person is coming from. You don't want to hate the end product. Ask lots of questions if something is confusing. I felt bad doing that, but in the end, no one wants you to revise the book in a direction neither you nor the editor was envisioning. Better to ask a billion times (ok maybe not a billion, maybe a hundred) and get it right, than not ask and waste your and your editor's time.

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Thank you so much to Brian and Margie for stopping by! I am anxious to read Inconvenient! For more information on Margie be sure to visit her website and to learn about more Flux titles stop by their website.

Legacy Blog Tour: Cayla Kluver Vlog Interview and iPod Nano Giveaway

As the final stop on her blog tour, Cayla Kluver has stopped by to answer a variety of questions in vlog format! It's a very interesting video and I definitely recommend checking it out whether you have read Legacy or not!

I also have an amazing giveaway to announce! As the final stop on the tour, I am posting the form for the iPod Nano giveaway. The iPod also has a limited edition Legacy-themed skin.

To enter the giveaway fill out THIS FORM.

US Only. Ends August 1.