Find Out Friday: Shari Maurer and Giveaway!

1. In what ways do you relate to Emmi?

I think that Emmi is the athlete I always wanted to be. And I love that she isn't a perfect, sweet, happy patient. She gets cranky and frustrated and I have a feeling I might act the same way in that situation (as much as I'd love to think I'd be perfect and sweet...)

2. Did you have to do any research on heart transplants before writing Change of Heart?

I did a lot of research. My husband is a cardiologist who takes care of patients waiting for heart transplants, so luckily must of the medical information was as easy as asking questions at the dinner table. But I also spoke to many transplant recipients to make sure I made Emmi's experience authentic.

3. What was your reaction to seeing your cover for the first time? Did you have any ideas of what you'd like it to look like before hand?

I had no idea what the cover was going to be like. And I'm pretty bad at that type of visualization. I was trying to figure out what a photo cover might look like, but I think they did a nice job.

4. If you only had 24 hours to live, what are five things you would just have to do?

Okay, assuming I could have superpowers and/or unlimited money to get me around the world, I would:

1. Visit the Great Wall of China
2. Sit on the beach and read a book
3. Have a slice of White Chocolate Mousse Pie
4. Bike along a beautiful, flat river and then kayak a bit, too.
5. Hug and kiss my kids and my husband again and again and again.

5. Name five of your favorite books!

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
2. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
3. Cheaper by the Dozen by Ernestine Gilbreth Carey and Frank Gilbreth, Jr.
4. Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
5. Absolutely anything by Sarah Dessen

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GIVEAWAY!

I have a copy of Change of Heart to giveaway to one lucky winner!

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Ends December 24

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Find Out Friday: Michele Bell and Giveaway!

1. Did you put parts of your own life into Summer in Paris?

I have to say that with all of my books I do put a lot of myself into them. People who know me and read my books tell me that they can totally see me in the books. Most of the time its an unconscious thing, but sometimes I will actually put events or experiences in my stories. Summer in Paris reflects a lot of the angst I remember having as a teen and the feeling of wanting to fit but not wanting to give up my personal standards or change who I was to fit in. That's what I love about writing, I can make my characters do and say things that I would never dare do or say.

2. In what ways do you relate to your main character Kenzie?

Kenzie and I aren't very much alike except for the fact that we are both driven when it comes to making our dreams come true. I loved how she became determined to not let anything get in her way. That's how I am and that's the only way I was able to get published. I can say that part of Kenzie is based upon my daughter who is studying dance in New York City. She had a dream of dancing at the School of American Ballet, and I just have to say, she worked hard and made it happen. She will start her second year there in the fall, as a Senior in High School. So never be afraid of dreaming big because dreams do come true.

3. When did you decide you wanted to write? Was there a certain idea that inspired you to write Summer in Paris?

Ever since I was in third grade, I have loved books and reading. I've also always loved writing in my journal and expressing my thoughts and feelings on paper. But it wasn't until I was 26, with two young children that I actually decided to try writing. I checked out some "how to" books at the library and read them and started messing around with it. Then I took a creative writing class through the community education program and had a teacher who really encouraged me. I loved it so much I decided I wanted to get serious about it and get published. It took me ten years but I did it.

4. If you could befriend Kenzie with any other character (movie or book) who would it be and why?

Definitely Jacob Black because he is so hot and he would protect her and take care of her and she could help him forget about that loser, Bella. They would be really good together.

5. What is one time period you would love to be able to travel back to?

If I could travel in time I would totally go forward and hopefully get to live in space. But your question was about going back in time, so I would say the 50's. I have a thing for the clothes back then and am obsessed with Doris Day movies and Audrey Hepburn movies. I think it would be fun to visit the Victorian Era too.

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Thanks so much, Michele!

For more info on Michele and her books visit her website, here.

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GIVEAWAY!

I have a copy of Michele's newest release, Summer in Paris, to giveaway to one lucky winner!

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Find Out Friday: Jennifer Solow + Giveaway!

1. Your debut, THE BOOSTER, was an adult novel. How hard was it to switch from writing for adults to writing for kids/teenagers?

I don’t really see writing for teenagers and writing for adults as much different. I think about the character and what’s true to that character’s experience and that’s what I write about. But I guess when I write for teens (young teens) I think a little bit more about the reader’s mom – maybe because I’m a mom. I’m pretty strict about media for my kids and keep a pretty tight rein on what I think is appropriate for their age group – so I want to write for teens in a way that a parent would find not just acceptable, but inspiring for their kids to read. So, I guess it’s some balance between being a truthful writer and a responsible mom.

2. Which of the Aristobrats are you most like? Did you put parts of yourself or people you know into your characters?

I’m most like Parker – naturally. She’s the protagonist, the “eyes” through whom the story is told; so she is me to some extent. She’s outwardly confident but has a lot of deep insecurities that may not seem evident on the surface. She can have a sense of loneliness, even surrounded by her closest friends. She’s also informed by my own experiences. For instance, one day I found myself staring at my Facebook status box thinking “What is my status, really? Who am I?” It doesn’t come as a surprise that Parker did that the very next day – on the pages of our manuscript. I think Parker and I are both complicated that way: confident yet insecure, together but frazzled, on top of things yet overwhelmed, excited but nervous. Like me, all my main characters are probably Gemini!

3. If you could befriend Parker, Plum, Ikea, and Kiki with any other characters (book or movie) who would it be and why?

I think of Parker, Plum, Ikea and Kiki as teen versions of the Sex and the City characters. So I’d probably send these four and those four out on a shopping spree in Manhattan. Maybe they could go to Serendipity and have frozen hot chocolates together before a quick stop at Dylan’s Candy Bar and then top it off at Henri Bendel’s.

4. What is one song you think best suits you and your life?

Okay – so I’m truly, honestly, way cooler than this, but this is what immediately comes to mind: Let’s Go Fly a Kite: Mary Poppins.

With tuppence for paper and strings
You can have your own set of wings
With your feet on the ground
You're a bird in a flight
With your fist holding tight
To the string of your kite

I think if there’s one thing I’ve always felt it’s that I am capable of doing anything (I even believe this in the midst of great failure). Anyone, I believe, is capable of anything. I think the song is hopeful – a little reality plus a little magic plus a little hard work and all things are possible.

5. What is one place in the world you would love to travel to?

I met my husband in the ashes of the World Trade Center on 9/11. One of the promises we made to each other was that we’d help each other do all the things we’d always dreamt of doing but never had the chance or the ability. For me, one of those things was travelling. I really wanted to go to Japan and stay in a traditional Ryokan in Kyoto, which I did last year. I also had a major South of France fantasy (thanks to A Year in Provence) and I was able to visit there earlier this year. Thailand. Antibes. Hong Kong. Paris. Yes! Yes! Yes! I think the thing I would love most of all to do now is to live somewhere for an extended period of time. A year in Paris would be divine – followed by a summer in Provence! Eeek! I’m getting shivers!

But right now, I’m tucked into my own bed, head on my favorite pillow, my son next to me fiddling with his new phone, my husband in the room next on a business call, the dishwasher whirring in the darkness downstairs – this is really my favorite place to travel to…wherever this happens to be.

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Thanks so much Jennifer!

Visit her website, http://www.jennifersolow.com/, for more info!

Also, read my review of The Aristobrats here!

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GIVEAWAY!

I have a copy of The Aristobrats to giveaway to one lucky winner!

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Find Out Friday: Erin McCahan

1. Did you put any part of yourself or people you know into Bronwen and Jared?

Does Bronwen have bits of me in her? Yes. But only small bits -- and then more experience than character. She and I have many more differences than similarities, most notably that she is far more outgoing than I ever was in high school. And Jared is just a creation that I thought suited Bronwen. The great thing about making up characters -- rather than basing them on someone -- is that eventually they start developing unique personalities that offer loads of plot opportunities I, as the writer, didn't initially imagine. I love the point in the writing process when that happens.

2. If you could match Bronwen with any other YA guy who would it be and why?

This is one of the best questions I've been asked yet! I would love to see Bronwen date Willoughby from Sense and Sensibility to teach him a lesson, to show him there is at least one woman who will not be seduced by his charms. Bronwen would not believe a single one of his lines, and she'd tell him so. He might not learn or change his ways, but he'd definitely remember her -- not as the one who got away but as the one who wouldn't give in. But as for matching, I'm rooting for Jared there.

3. What is your favorite (non spoilery!) scene in I Now Pronounce You Someone Else?

I like the Thanksgiving scene, the end and every scene where Bronwen is missing her father.

4. Your characters all have very unique names, how did you come up with them?

I keep a notebook of names -- first and last, male and female -- and pair them by sound, region and believability. The novel is set in East Grand Rapids, Michigan, which was settled by the Dutch, who have these gorgeous last names, so that was fun to play with.

5. What was your reaction to seeing your cover for the first time?

Shock. Good shock, but shock as in, "This just can't be real." In addition to waiting so long to see something I wrote in print, it was given this inexpressibly gorgeous cover. It took my breath away. It still does!

6. Is there a main message you hope readers take away from your novel?

It's been really interesting to discover, in reviews, what the individual reader/reviewer connects with and -- ugh -- what she doesn't. But reading is subjective, so I'd hate to tell someone she must interpret this book this way. I can tell you how I interpret it but not how you should.

7. Personally, what's your favorite YA book?

My favorite YA novel is the one that made me fall in love with YA -- my first love -- and like all first loves, it holds that special place in the heart that smiles and sighs come from. The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, which I read when I was twelve, and I still long to meet boys named Soda and Ponyboy.

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Thanks so much, Erin!

Click here to read my review of I Now Pronounce You Someone Else!

Click here to visit Erin's website!

Find Out Friday: Chelsea Rae Swiggett & Giveaway

1. What inspired you to write about what you went through in high school?

I really wanted people, especially teenagers with anxiety, to know they're not alone. And getting my story out there is kind of liberating - like, hey, this is me. Like me or not. I spent so much of my life worrying and I'm just trying to get past that now. Writing this book has been really therapeutic and I hope people can connect to it and feel a little less alone. That's why I wrote it.

2. Is there a specific message you hope readers of RAE will take away with them?

I just hope readers can connect with it. Having even one person tell me they can relate to it - whether it's the anxiety or the self-doubt or the eating problems or the family issues - is enough to make it worth writing.

3. What is the best advice you can give to students suffering from anxiety/social phobia?

Accept it; that's all you can really do. And don't let it rule your life. There will be times when you want to curl in a ball and cry, and that's okay. But just don't let it control you.

4. Is there a certain person you look up to that has inspired you in any way?

Laurie Halse Anderson, as a writer. Because she makes words count. Makes them sing. And one day, I want to do that.

5. If you could travel to any place in the world, where would it be and why?

Can I just give a shady, general answer? I take that as a yes? Europe! I want to travel so desperately bad to so many places. Ireland, Rome, London, etc etc. I want to see it all. Swim with dolphins and drink coffee in Italy and walk through Mayan ruins. I want to soak in culture and breathe in life.

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Thanks so much, Chelsea!

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GIVEAWAY!

4 Winners:

(1) Winner - All Three Books

(1) Winner - Rae

(1) Winner - Alexis

(1) Winner - Hannah

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Find Out Friday: Ofer Aronskind

1. Describe Summer Sleep Away in 50 words or less.

Summer Sleep Away is the story of 12-year-old Mattie Kleinfeld's first summer going off to sleep away camp. At first, Mattie was homesick and cried himself to sleep. Soon, however, the tears gave way to new friends and fantastic adventures. At summer’s end, Mattie returns home with newly-found confidence.

2. In what ways have you put parts of your own life or people you know into your novels?

Every part of me, my friends, family and life experiences are in my books, especially the first two "Summer Sleep-Away" and "That Same Summer". My family owned a summer camp and so the various adventures and anecdotes I describe in my first two books either occurred to me or I heard about. Of course, the characters are compilations of different people I knew as well as different parts of myself.

3. What made you start writing? Is there a certain author that inspired you?

I started writing because my kids asked me to put down all the stories I had told them of my childhood at summer camp. When they finally went to camp themselves and I found a little time to myself, I gave writing a shot and found that it came naturally to me. I was able to get a first draft of "Summer Sleep-Away" done in less than a few months. My author hero is Mark Twain. I love his books. Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn are my favorite. Another of my favorite young adult books is "Holes" by Louis Sachar. It has adventure, good characters, a good story line and a nice message.

4. Is there a specific message you're trying to get across to readers of your books?

I don't believe I have a message to my readers. Instead, I try to capture a time and place that was special to me. For those kids lucky enough to go to camp I believe they can relate. To those who cannot afford to I hope I can bring a little of that magic to them through my books. For the adults who went to camp a long time ago, I think they can relive their youth through the pages of my books. To me, a good book is like going to the movies in your mind. I try to bring that movie to my readers in the comfort of their bed, at night under the covers with a small reading light.

5. If you could travel back to any time in history, which would it be and why?

If I could go back in time I think I'd like to go back to the American frontier during the 1800's. As a kid, I was a big fan of "Little House on the Prairie" and always wanted to live during that time. Great open outdoors, unspoiled streams for fishing. It just seems like a really nice time and place in which to live.

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Thanks so much, Ofer!

Click here to visit his website!

Find Out Friday: Patrick Doud

1. How did you create the world in The Hunt for the Eye of Ogin?

It began with a single idea, an image of a curious meeting between two people in the woods. As I was turning the image over in my thoughts, more came along. Once I had a number of images, I had the job of finding how they were connected. While I was working on that, more images continued to arrive, oftentimes filling in the gaps between established but isolated images. Eventually I began to see the general outline of the thing, what it would probably look like when it was full grown. And it continues to grow as I write the books that follow.

2. In what ways do you relate to Elwood, your main character?

At one time or another we have both been lonely, out of place, embittered, pathetic, lost, in love. Like most people, I guess! Also, like Elwood, I love to walk in the woods, to explore places where humans don't rule every nook and cranny. And we are both lucky to have the companionship of a great dog.

3. The Hunt for the Eye of Ogin is called an "epic, adventure story", personally what adventure stories have you enjoyed, book or movie?

Right now I'm reading and enjoying P.W. Catanese's first Books of Umber adventure, Happenstance Found. I've spent many happy hours lost in greats like Arthur Conan Doyle and John Buchan. I love James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales, though my affection is mostly sentimental: they're set in what is now New York State, which is where I grew up. I've always been enthralled by quest stories (like the various Grail Romances, for example) and that definitely came through in The Hunt for the Eye of Ogin.

4. Was it difficult to make the transition from poetry to novels?

It was definitely a challenge, going at a novel for the first time. But I find all writing difficult, so the pain I typically feel facing a blank page may have made it seem worse than it really was.

5. What's next for you writing wise?

Right now I'm at work on the second book about Elwood. The story begins three years after The Hunt for the Eye of Ogin, when Elwood, Drallah, Slukee, and Booj are on a journey north of Winnitok. They walk into the middle of a three-way conflict that at first seems to have little to do with them, but in the end Elwood learns more than he ever expected to know about how and why he was taken from his own world and brought to Ehm. It's called The Mornith War, and it will be out in Spring 2011 from North Atlantic Books.

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Thanks so much, Patrick!

Click here to visit his website!