Alisia Leavitt, MFA

Q&A with Eileen Cook, author of Unraveling Isobel

2012-01-10T19:27:00.000-05:00

Isobel’s life is falling apart. Her mom just married some guy she met on the internet only three months before, and is moving them to his sprawling, gothic mansion off the coast of nowhere. Goodbye, best friend. Goodbye, social life. Hello, icky new stepfather, crunchy granola town, and unbelievably good-looking, officially off-limits stepbrother.

But on her first night in her new home, Isobel starts to fear that it isn’t only her life that’s unraveling—her sanity might be giving way too. Because either Isobel is losing her mind, just like her artist father did before her, or she’s seeing ghosts. Either way, Isobel’s fast on her way to being the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.

1. Night or day?
Used to be night, but lately creepy stuff keeps happening, so I prefer day.

2. Watercolor or oil paint?
Watercolor. You only have one chance with watercolor. Oil paint is more forgiving. I like the risk that comes with watercolor, but oil is fun too.

3. Nice boy or bad boy?
Bad boy, with a nice boy heart.

4. Rock music or pop music?
I like both, but I likely lean towards rock music. My dad loves jazz and I think that is fun too.

5. Girly-girl or tomboy?
I’m not remotely athletic so tomboy is out, but I wouldn’t describe myself as girly-girl either. I need a third option.

6. Realist or optimist?
Realist. You don’t have your dad go crazy on you, and have your mom yank you out of school to move to the middle of nowhere, without being a realist.

7. Fate is predetermined or you're in control of destiny?

I want there to be a choice somewhere in the middle. Overall, I feel in control of my destiny. I’m not the kind of person who would sit back and just see what happens. However, there are things that happen that seem destined. I never would have chosen to move to this island, but now I think I was meant to be here.

8. Rose or Daisy?
My favorite flower is a calla lily. Roses are too mainstream, daisies are too happy.

9. Mac or PC?
Mac has the best art programs. Art is sort of my thing. I’m hoping to get into an art program in college, assuming that my mom doesn’t freak out about it.

10. Land or sea?
Sea.

11. Sylvia Plath or Sarah Dessen?
I like a wide range books depending on my mood, so I would like both of these depending on how I was feeling. If I could choose anything it would be a book I bought at a used book store years ago that has pictures of a bunch of the paintings that hang in the National Gallery in London.

Thanks, Eileen! For more info on Eileen and Unraveling Isobel, visit: http://www.eileencook.com/

Image credit: Eileen Cook

To Write Love On Her Arms

2011-12-23T11:05:00.000-05:00

I write dark YA.

I write about things that teens want to talk about, feel scared about, but often can't verbalize. Instead, the pain and trauma manifests itself in many ways: substance abuse, eating disorders, self-harm. At 27, I've had countless people ask me why in the world I want to write about such painful things. The truth? I am a wounded soul. I had a lot of trauma in my childhood, and was depressed from age 9 on. I had suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, and zero self-esteem. My family, more specifically my father and mother, did not love me in healthy ways, so I developed a very distorted idea of who I was and what I meant in the world.

I meant nothing.

To write YA and act like everything in my own life was fine would be a lie. In fact, to say that I am healed now is a lie as well. Sometimes, you are wounded so badly, stripped of confidence, happiness, and healthy instinct, that it takes a lifetime to figure out how to live. I am still in that process. I've been in and out of therapy for ten years--on different medications to cope for about that long as well.

In many ways, writing Down brought back all the issues I thought had disappeared. But they were just dormant. Depression can be a tricky thing--you think you've finally beat it and then one trigger can open up Pandora's box. I've cut myself. I've held a loaded gun. I've planned out my suicide many times. I've never attempted it, but I've lived with the quiet desperation for everything bad to go away.

There's a lot of shame in admitting your weakness, your desire to be non-existent. To die.

It's hard to live with a monster, a voice, that gnaws at you constantly and tells you that you are not as good as other women, not worthy of love. I recently found myself on the phone with a suicide hotline.

We tend to create roles to maintain a semblance of order. If we continue in the same role, things will not teeter out of balance. My role has been that of an academic: A bachelors and masters, and now a second masters. I push myself because in my mind it will help distance me from the past. I am burned out. If I am not a smart woman, an educated woman, who am I? What role do I fill to escape the pain? Roles make it easier to navigate a safe path, a controllable life. But with that comes a longing for something out of reach: happiness.

My favorite literary fiction author, Haven Kimmel, wrote a passage in The Solace of Leaving Early that defines my entire life:

...have you felt this? this phantom life streaking like a phosphorescent hound at the edges of your ruin?

The quote is about wanting something, a different life, that haunts you and seems unobtainable. It's easy for others to judge, to say that we need to suck it up and focus on the good. Believe me, if it was that simple I would be cured. The big question for us is: How do people finally heal? Some give in to the voice and end their lives. Others walk through life as ghosts--already feeling dead but going through the motions.

I choose to write this, to share this with the world and many people who have no idea of what's really going on. I can't share my writing and preach to teens that things will be okay unless they know I get what they are going through. Life is hard and unpredictable. There are terrible times when you want to give up, and there are times when things seem okay. I can't predict when specific people will overcome, when people will heal, because we are all different. All I know is that I am here to share my story, to share the emotional truth, even if I am dealing with my own demons.

Recently, I discovered To Write Love On Her Arms, a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery. It gives me courage to keep moving, even on hard days.

As a writer, I hope to get a deal for Down, so I can donate proceeds from the book to TWLOHA. If you are looking for a non-profit to support, please consider them. Everyone deserves love, everyone deserves to feel love in a healthy way.

I keep going, for hope of better days. I may not be there yet, but every day is a chance to try.

To those dealing with depression and reading this: Please keep going too.

National Hopeline Network (U.S.A.) - www.hopeline.com - 1-800-SUICIDE
S.A.F.E. Alternatives - www.selfinjury.com - Self Abuse Finally Ends
Childhelp – www.childhelp.org - 1-800-4-A-CHILD - National Child Abuse Hotline
National Domestic Violence Helpline - www.ndvh.org - 1-800-799-SAFE
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network - www.rainn.org – 1-800-656-HOPE National Sexual Assault Hotline
National Eating Disorders Association - www.nationaleatingdisorders.org - 1-800-931-2237

More tales of rejection woe

2011-11-29T20:06:00.001-05:00

So I received two more rejections today--one for a query and one for a full submission. I am kinda disappointed about the full rejection, because the agent is one of the top in the industry and I hoped, like every other wishful-thinking writer, that someone as well-known as him might take a chance on my novel. He was very nice in his rejection and said: "While I enjoyed its realistic grasp of a dark teenage drama, I’m afraid I struggled to connect strongly with Miran as a character." In DOWN, Miran (pronounced Meer-an) is a seventeen-year-old girl whose world spins out of control after she is date-raped by the least likely boy in school. Think of it as Ellen Hopkins meets Sarah Dessen.

While I would be quick to react like many writers and immediately second-guess my writing, my characters, I've had plenty of readers (male and female) say they really were moved by Miran and her story. So, while this agent didn't connect, someone else has to. Again, it all goes back to their own individual preferences. Perhaps this agent wasn't into the heavy, dark journey Miran takes to rebuild her life. Gritty YA isn't for everybody.

Yes, I did have a minor freak out where I wanted to cry, wanted to curl up in a ball, throw my manuscript against the wall and give up. But, I reminded myself: I've only been at this for 3 weeks! I haven't earned a full-blown breakdown until I've been at this for a few months or a year. This is how the game goes. Rejection is common. Onward to the next, breath held, fingers crossed. I have 2 other fulls out with agents right now.

First though, I think I'll have a chocolate chip cookie. Or ten.

My first (full) rejection

2011-11-22T10:32:00.001-05:00

So, less than 24 hours after emailing full submissions, the first rejection for DOWN came back. It was actually a very nice rejection. This agent said there was "certainly a lot to like" and she really appreciated the non-linear timeline. She also said she sees "quite a bit of potential" and encourages me to stick with it.

The main reason she passed was because she wanted more of a story like THE MOCKINGBIRDS (a book that also deals with date rape), and wanted more humor. While Daisy Whitney's book is fab, and our books center around a teenage girl getting raped, my story is meant to be darker, more intense.

Some agents have preferences on what they like, and my subject matter is definitely not going to be everyone's cup of tea. People will want it lighter, funnier, whatever. But, that's okay. I really like this rejection, and I respect the agent who wrote it. She gave me hope that I can still find a "match" for DOWN.

I want to share this journey with you, whether you're a writer just getting started, or an avid YA reader. For those writing your first book toward the dream of publication, keep going. I remember where I was a year, even two years ago -- following writers who had just landed and agent or inked their first book deal and were excitedly sharing their journeys. I remember longing to be in their shoes. Now, I am getting closer to that goal. We all must keep going. We all must keep writing.

After all, it's our stories that make the world come alive.

Submission survival

2011-11-21T14:29:00.001-05:00

Alright, so I did it.

After my angsty, fear-induced state of panic this weekend, I finally did my second polish on DOWN -- my OCD polish, as I like to call it. I stayed up until 1:30am and made myself do it. And then I made myself send out two fulls.

So, there. I survived.

I am sending a third full out today, and have to write a synopsis to go along with the partial, and that might be later in the week. But, the important thing is that I am moving forward.

I still am going to query a ton more agents, but the harder part is over. I've broken the ice and achieved another milestone in my path to agentdom and publication. (Yes, I am freaking tired and had to suck down a ton of coffee today at work.)

My YA author friend, Mindi Scott (FREEFALL, Simon Pulse 2010) had a blog entry from summer that I re-discovered today. She is working on a second book called LIVE THROUGH THIS and in June she wrote about her own angst/panic and feeling like the project sucked. She said:

At some point after I've been toiling for months on end, I'll realize that nothing in the story is going the way I want, that I've made a huge mistake deciding to write this book, that I shouldn't be a writer at all, that my life is meaningless without writing and my misery is endless, and what is the point of any of this anyway?

It comforted me and also reminded me that ALL writers have these moments of terror, of self-doubt, of hopelessness. We all cry, eat too much Ben and Jerry's in the heat of the moment, and stare at our computer screens with desperation and exhaustion, wondering how the hell we can type another word. Mindi is a great writer, and if you haven't read FREEFALL, please do yourself a favor and go buy it now on Amazon. Following Mindi's journey from pre-publication to now second and third books gives me courage and hope to keep going.

I have no idea how long it's going to take me to land an agent, but I have to try...

Procrastination, fear, and writing

2011-11-20T19:13:00.001-05:00

So I haven't reached out to my blog followers in a looooong time. Many of you have been wondering what I've been up to the last six months or so. Well, I've been really busy. In fact, this has been the busiest year of my adult life.

I graduated in June with an MFA in Fiction from Southern New Hampshire University. In case you haven't heard of it, SNHU's MFA program offers a 2-year low-residency degree in fiction and non-fiction. It's a small program and relatively new -- less than ten years old with about 70 students. My graduating cohort in June was ten. However, it's a program getting more and more national attention -- we just brought onboard Oprah Book Club pick Jacquelyn Mitchard (The Deep End of the Ocean) as a writing fellow and faculty member. She was so impressed by the program that she turned down some other big MFAs to join SNHU. I am so proud of my program, and blessed by the opportunities it presents for graduates.

Speaking of that, the time has come to shop my YA book, Down for an agent. Out of the ten writers I graduated with, one has already landed an agent. The time from submission to signing on the dotted line took an incredibly short amount of time -- she's a fantastic literary fiction writer, so none of us were surprised when she called with the good news. I let my book sit for good four months or so before I dared touch the thing. To be honest, I'm really tired. I work long hours at a full-time job, plus have my own business doing PR and marketing for authors (which I love!) and that leaves a little free time for reading/writing/cooking/cleaning the house/keeping my boyfriend and our three pets alive and well-fed. Inspired by my friend, I decided to pick up where I had left off -- so I gave my novel to some people to read and critique.

One came back with comments that were so helpful! She actually took the time to read and make track change notes in a Word doc for me -- catching silly things that I was oblivious to in my frenzied, sleep-deprived push to get the book polished for the end of the MFA. (My MFA is pass/fail, so there is huge pressure to make is good. And by good, I mean that the professors expect it to be of publishable quality.) The changes she suggested were minimal and easy. And, she said the book was really good. Everyone who has heard me read it publicly, or has read excerpts agrees. My faculty agrees, too. Phew!

So, I jumped the gun a little and did what agents warn you not to do: query before you're ready. Okay, I technically am ready -- the book is finished, has had a round of polishing, and there are no plot/character/setting changes to be made. (By the way, I am really OCD about this book, so I wanted to do another round of polish before I let it leave my hands.) I queried on a Sunday night about two weeks ago. This is what happened: 3 requests for fulls; 1 request for a partial; 1 rejection. (Yay! I got my first rejection!)

Okay, great -- I have some people who are interested.

The bad part? The manuscript is in front of me with my stupid little OCD changes I want to make and I can't do it. I just can't. I have procrastinated by painting the house, watching TV, writing this blog entry. I am scared of making these changes and finally letting go. I am afraid of rejection, even though I've already been rejected. I know, it sounds bizarre. I guess I am deathly afraid of an agent telling me the whole thing sucks. Any writer can relate: you spend a few years of your life with a story, living it, breathing it, feeling it. It's like carrying a child. You complete the novel, you birth the child. And then you have to send it out into the world. This weekend was so bad. I have been so afraid that I literally gave myself a panic attack that lasted hours Saturday night.

When you know you're meant to be a writer -- have felt it in your bones since being a little girl -- and it's the only thing that matters in your life, you're terrified of it being ripped away. My writer friends told me the other week that you can never lose your writing, because it's always there. I guess I am afraid of the world not accepting my writing, which I pour every ounce of myself into. It is me, I am it. Don't confuse this with me not taking constructive criticism -- I can. I've taken a lot. There is a difference between that and being told the whole thing's no good. That is hard to handle. That is my biggest fear.

However, as I sit writing this, I am thinking, what if all these requests in such as short period of time is a sign? One agent took only 5 minutes from when I sent the query, to him emailing me back with a full request. That's got to mean something, right? Call me naive, call me green, but I'm being initiated into the "real" writing path to agentdom and book deal. It's exciting and terrifying and I hope I can look back a year from now and be proud of how far I've come.

But first, I've got to do some final polishing...

Book review: Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

2011-11-18T13:53:00.001-05:00

Title: Shattered Souls

Author: Mary Lindsey

Publisher: Philomel/Penguin, December 8, 2011

Hardcover, 366 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

I don't read a ton of paranormal books, but I appreciate the detail and planning that obviously went into Mary Lindsey's Shattered Souls. It's a great plot -- a teen girl, Lenzi, experiences paranormal things that the average person doesn't -- and the dynamic between Lenzi and Alden is sure to please readers! Alden is Lenzi's protector, and his job is to keep her safe from malevolent souls who want to take over her body for evil purposes. And who doesn't like a hot protector? But the story is not a superficial, fluffy love story; Lindsey builds a strong history regarding the speakers, protectors, and other things readers learn about as the book progresses. Great first book, I can't wait for the second. It's a strong debut novel and I know we'll be seeing more of Mary Lindsey!

Book review: Kane Richards Must Die by Shanice Williams

2011-10-27T22:15:00.001-04:00

Title: Kane Richards Must Die

Author: Shanice Williams

Publisher: Lands Atlantic Publishing, May 12, 2011

Paperback, 288 pages

Rating: 3/5

After an unexpected transfer to the States for her senior year, Suranne's new friends give her just one instruction: stay away from Kane Richards. According to everyone, he's a heartless playboy concerned only for himself. With one glance, it's easy to see why he gets away with it. But things aren't always what they seem- especially when he sets his sights on her and whispers that she's different.

Despite all the red flags, Suranne considers whether or not his intentions are genuine or if she's simply another name on his list. In the process, she may just uncover the real Kane Richards. But, when it comes down to it, the real Kane Richards may not want to be found.

Filled with raw emotion, Kane Richards Must Die explores relationships, trust, love, and what can happen when life takes an unexpected turn.
I was interested in reading this book, partly because of my own genuine excitement, and partly because of the mixed reviews online -- some haven't given favorable reviews of Kane Richards Must Die, and some have loved the book. Kane Richards Must Die is an easy read, a great book if you want to unwind on the couch at the end of the day. Williams sets up a plot that is familiar to most YA readers: new girl in school falls for mysterious bad boy with a secret. What's not to like about that? The book is marketable, for sure.

A few minor things that I would polish are: the overuse of cliches and adverbs, and too much telling instead of showing. There are points where readers are given too much information, when they can figure the scene out on their own. Does this prevent me from enjoying the story? No, it's not a deal-breaker.

Williams builds a fast-paced, butterflies-in-your-stomach kind of romance between Suranne and Kane, and that keeps readers hanging on. Teen romance is complicated, confusing, and also a rush to the brain, and I think Williams captures that well. The emotion is there in her writing, and I appreciate that. Will there be a sequel? Perhaps! Will I read it? You bet.

Bottom line: Teen girls will love the hot romance between Suranne and Kane.

Check out this awesome book trailer:

Guest Post: Robison Wells' favorite books growing up

2011-10-17T21:32:00.000-04:00

I sometimes feel like a bit of an anomaly in the writing community. Unlike just about every other author I ever talk to, I didn't start my life as a lover of books. In fact, I actively disliked both reading and writing for much of my youth, and got terrible grades in English class. It wasn't until my twenties when I really fell in love with reading. Consequently, this list of my favorite books at different ages of my life will be short, and probably odd.

Age Five: The book that stands out most clearly from around that age is And I Mean It, Stanley by Crosby Bonsall. I loved the pictures, and I loved the attitude, and, even though I read it a thousand times, I always loved getting to the end and finding out the "surprise" ending--that Stanley was a dog.

Age Ten: This was when we were getting into my real hatred of reading. This was about the fifth grade, and we were required to read books like Tuck Everlasting and Summer of the Swans and Jacob I Have Loved and I hated (and still hate) all of them. In some ways, I think that it was being forced to read contempory, "important" literature that made me hate reading, and I kinda think that might be a flaw with the education system. (On the other hand, I know a lot of people who love those books, so maybe I'm wrong.)

Age Fifteen: By age fifteen I wasn't reading much of anything, fiction-wise. I'm sure there were some required books that I read, but nothing stands out. Instead, I had started getting involved in a few hobbies and most of my reading was related to that: I read a lot of non-fiction about railroads, because I have a huge love of trains and, at the time, model railroading. I can't think of any book specifically, though.

Age Twenty: And here's the happy ending. It was at age twenty that I was stuck in a situation where I had nothing to do but sit and wait for about a week, and the only distraction at my disposal was a copy of Huckleberry Finn. I read it, because I had nothing else to do, and I LOVED it. I read it again and again that week. It had been required reading during my junior year in high school, but I hadn't read it--I kind of BS'd my way through the tests--and I got grades to match my efforts. But now I loved it and I came to the realization that maybe, just maybe, some of those other books I was supposed to read might actually be good. I became a voracious reader, and began writing books of my own within just a few years.

Robison Wells lives in Provo, Utah with his wife and three children. Variant is the first book in a three-book deal with HarperTeen. For more info, visit http://www.robisonwells.com.

Author interview: Shanice Williams of Kane Richards Must Die

2011-10-16T21:15:00.001-04:00

After an unexpected transfer to the States for her senior year, Suranne's new friends give her just one instruction: stay away from Kane Richards. According to everyone, he's a heartless playboy concerned only for himself. With one glance, it's easy to see why he gets away with it. But things aren't always what they seem- especially when he sets his sights on her and whispers that she's different. Despite all the red flags, Suranne considers whether or not his intentions are genuine or if she's simply another name on his list. In the process, she may just uncover the real Kane Richards. But, when it comes down to it, the real Kane Richards may not want to be found. Filled with raw emotion, Kane Richards Must Die explores relationships, trust, love, and what can happen when life takes an unexpected turn.

AL: Name you favorite line from the book...
SW: Hmm, my favourite line would definitely have to be from the beginning, where Suranne just meets Kane.

“Hmm,” I replied curtly. “They say men with large egos who big themselves up are usually making up for something rather...” my eyes roamed down his body and stopped at the belt of his jeans. “Small.”

Burnnn Kane, burnnnn. :D

AL: Who was the easiest character to develop? Who was the hardest?
SW: I think the easiest character to develop was Suranne. Being british she had a background and an attitude that I could easily write. Everyone else was harder because I couldn’t factor their surroundings and the area they grew up in to really develop their personalities, because I had never visited America before.

AL: If one song could sum up the theme of the book what would it be?
SW: Lol, this is the most annoying song ever to have reached Number 1 in the UK Pop charts but every word literally sums up the whole story, and that is Number 1 by Tinchy Stryder and N Dubz.

AL: Do you write your endings first? Or do you have another method?
SW: I didn’t write the ending first, but I knew how the story was going to end before I knew how it was going to begin. I kind of wrote the first couple of chapters, and then skipped straight to the middle and then just started filling the rest of it in.

AL: What book was most influential to your writing?
SW:I didn’t really have an influential book at the time. When I was writing Kane Richards, I was very much interested in online stories and other stuff like that.

AL: What's the message you want readers to take from your story?
SW: I would want readers to see the realistic side of the story. There are aspects of the story that are quite misguided and stuff, but the background emotion and trauma that both these characters have to deal with is real and is something that many teenagers unfortunately have to deal with.

Thanks, Shanice!

Shanice Williams graduated from high school in England at the age of sixteen and went on to college where she is currently studying English literature, politics, and sociology. Playing the piano and writing are some of her hobbies. Her accomplishments have included penning a published poem and becoming a debut author when she signed her first publishing contract for Kane Richards Must Die on her eighteenth birthday. She currently resides in South London with her family.

For more info, visit: http://shanice-williams.blogspot.com

AnthoCon 2011: Meet YA author Christopher Golden

2011-10-10T21:31:00.000-04:00

YA author Christopher Golden

My company, Alisia Leavitt Creative, is proud to partner with Spotlight Publicity to handle all social media promotion for the Anthology 2011 conference. In case you haven't heard of it, AnthoCon is a debut conference hosted by Shroud Publishing, which publishes the award-winning dark literary fiction magazine, Shroud. The conference is the biggest of its kind in New England, and will take place November 11th (yes, 11-11-11!) to November 13th in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The Anthology 2011 conference will showcase the imaginative talent in speculative fiction and art, with an additional focus on the convergence of images and literature. AnthoCon 2011 hosts speakers, workshops, networking events and showcases dealer rooms with amazing tables and merchandise for sale. Writers from all over the country are flying in for this event, including A-list screenwriter Stephen Susco ("The Grudge","The Grudge 2"); award-winning author Jackie Gamber (Leland Dragon series); and YA writer Christopher Golden.

Christopher Golden is a New York Times bestselling author dark thrillers and teen fantasies. His novels include: Of Saints and Shadows, The Myth Hunters, The Boys Are Back in Town, and Strangewood. His young adult titles include When Rose Wakes, Soulless, Poison Ink, and The Secret Journeys of Jack London, co-authored with Tim Lebbon. His current work-in-progress is a graphic novel trilogy collaboration with Charlaine Harris.

Golden is two-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award and has been nominated multiple times in several different categories. Golden frequently collaborates with other writers on books, comics, and scripts. He has co-written two lavishly illustrated novels with Mike Mignola, the first of which, Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire, was the launching pad for the Eisner Award-nominated comic book series, Baltimore. Golden was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His original novels have been published in more than fourteen languages in countries around the world.

We are very excited for YA readers to meet and hear Christopher talk about his work! Are you attending AnthoCon? Leave a message below!

For more info and tickets: www.anthocon.com

Book review: Variant by Robison Wells

2011-10-07T20:39:00.000-04:00

Title: Variant

Author: Robison Wells

Publisher: HarperTeen, October 2011

Hardcover, 384 pages

Rating: 4/5

Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.

He was wrong.

Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.

Where breaking the rules equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.

I always am drawn to YA books that deal with the idea of a Big Brother, dystopian-type world. Variant is the type of book though that deals with a storyline that could easily happen in our time. Benson think he's got the golden ticket to an elite prep school, Maxfield, but when he arrives he discovers a prison-like environment where no one is allowed to leave and their every move is watched by video surveillance. There are no adults, and the population has broken into groups to survive. Some play along, but Benson decides to take matters into his own hands.

By the middle of the story I was reading furiously to get to the end. Wells' writing is polished and well-planned. I like that Benson is the narrator, because it's always refreshing to read YA from a boy's perspective. Like many others. the ending left me wanting to read the sequel, and I'm so glad there is a second book. Variant is creepy in many ways because this could happen in present day. It's the perfect book to read when you want a psychological story that keeps you turning the page.

Author interview: Courtney King Walker of On the Fringe

2011-10-03T13:15:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Courtney King Walker, author of the YA paranormal romance, On the Fringe (Lands Atlantic Publishing, October 2011). Today, Courtney answers interview questions with passages from the book. Welcome, Courtney!

Claire is struggling to overcome the murder of her childhood friend and secret crush, Daniel. Everyone else seems to be moving on with their lives, but she's still trying to cope. The fact that she finds herself alone and drowning on her 16th birthday isn't helping.
Neither is thinking she sees Daniel's face in murky water as she mysteriously resurfaces. But something happened during those four and a half minutes that will make her realize it was not just her imagination.

As Claire and Daniel try to grasp a possible reconnection, other grudge-holding beings have plans of their own. Now, the two of them have to decide if their fleeting relationship is worth the possibility of Claire being trapped on the fringe forever.

Beautifully told, On the Fringe intertwines fresh ideas about devotion, revenge, and the consequences that come with life and death.

AL: The best line from the book is:

CKW: "I had the strange desire for a giant butterfly net to catch whatever was out there, as if it could be captured so easily."

AL: Claire's relationship with childhood crush Daniel can be best described as:

CKW: "My stomach somersaulted, making me feel nervous, embarrassed, and excited all at the same time, despite the fact that I had known Daniel Holland my whole life."

AL: Claire is in a bad situation on her 16th birthday. How does she feel?

CKW: "A sickening sensation arose in my stomach, pushing past the searing pain in my head and the burning in my lungs. I couldn’t get past the flood of panic overtaking my brain, telling me over and over again that I was about to die."

AL: Daniel reconnects with Claire the same night. What is Claire's reaction?

CKW: "I opened my eyes to find him inches away, his dark eyes above that familiar, dimpled smile, and I nearly blacked out again in intoxicating relief."

AL: Most significant moment in the story:

CKW: "I really had no intention of letting her know I was there watching them, and that was the truth. But before I knew it, Claire had ditched her date and was already walking toward me, almost cornering me.

And then it was too late."

AL: Why will readers love On the Fringe?

CKW: On the Fringe is a story about devotion and friendship, and how we are all connected to each other in some way. When I started out with the idea in my head, I just wanted to write a fun ghost story with a little romance on the side. But then I wondered, what would it be like to realize you loved someone before you ever got the chance to tell them? And can emotions like love, fear, and revenge follow us through the grave to the other side?

Hopefully readers will find themselves exploring these kinds of questions while enjoying the ride in the meantime—and maybe even come to the love characters as much as I do!

Courtney King Walker grew up in Walnut Creek, California, and with her siblings built rocket ships and rafts out of cardboard, determined to make it to both the moon and back and Niagara Falls. But a trip across the border to Tijuana was as exciting as it ever got.

After being banned from the kitchen after a few too many catastrophes, she discovered a love for writing, music and art. Eventually she decided on graphic design for a career, and earned her BFA from Brigham Young University.

After residing in St. Louis, Chicago and San Francisco, Courtney now lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and four children. She has yet to make it to Niagara Falls, but did give up on her quest to go to the moon... at least in a cardboard box.

For more info: www.courtneykingwalker.com

Image credit: Courtney King Walker/Heather Brown Photography

Witch Eyes: Scott Tracey's character profile of Braden

2011-09-23T14:07:00.001-04:00

A warm welcome to Scott Tracey, author of Witch Eyes (September 2011, Flux), which is part of the Witch Eyes book series! Today, Scott shares his character profile of Braden, the main character of the story. Welcome, Scott!

About Witch Eyes:

Braden was born with witch eyes: the ability to see the world as it truly is: a blinding explosion of memories, darkness, and magic. The power enables Braden to see through spells and lies, but at the cost of horrible pain.

After a terrifying vision reveals imminent danger for the uncle who raised and instructed him, Braden retreats to Belle Dam, an old city divided by two feuding witch dynasties. As rival family heads Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe desperately try to use Braden's powers to unlock Belle Dam's secrets, Braden vows never to become their sacrificial pawn. But everything changes when Braden learns that Jason is his father--and Trey, the enigmatic guy he's falling for, is Catherine's son.

To stop an insidious dark magic from consuming the town, Braden must master his gift—and risk losing the one he loves.

Character profile of Braden from Witch Eyes:

Braden, the main character in Witch Eyes, has a very focused reading life, divided in half. The half he reads as part of his lessons (which is more than just Geometry and American History), and the half he reads for himself.

His Uncle John keeps a supply of grimoires and magical notebooks that Braden's expected to keep up with. These aren't just books of spells, but the collected thoughts and research of witches from hundreds of years ago, talking about their successes, their failures, and rumors they'd heard. There's a whole underground world of organizations who keep these books in print and in the hands of the right buyers. So most of Braden's free time isn't free time at all - he's reading and/or translating these books, trying to unravel the magic inside, and learning what he can. In other words, it's extremely boring.

Braden would like the Harry Potter books, but there's a few things that would keep him from seriously loving the series. His biggest complaint, of course, would be that Harry's got it pretty easy - his powers aren't killing him on a daily basis, he's surrounded by friends, at least his parents wanted him, etc. He'd most likely resent Harry's struggles, because in his eyes, Harry has it easy.

Of the main characters, Braden's probably the most likely to read YA - since he spends most of his time in isolation, he has to fill the hours somehow. And "America's Next Top Model" reruns will only take you so far. Books about teenagers dealing with adversity would appeal to him the most: books like 13 Reasons Why, Looking for Alaska, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Unable to keep himself from being too critical (they always get the magic wrong), Braden doesn't read a lot of urban fantasy books.

To learn more about Witch Eyes, visit http://www.scott-tracey.com. Witch Eyes is available in stores now!

Author R.T. Kaelin's favorite writing music

2011-08-29T20:44:00.004-04:00

About Progeny:

Nikalys and his sister Kenders grew up living a peaceful life in the quiet farming village of Yellow Mud... until the blistering hot day when they go to the nearby lake for a swim. When they reach the lake, they spy an unknown mage conjure a massive water creature hundreds of feet tall. They watch in horror as the water creature plunges toward their home, apparently drowning all in its path, including their parents and older brother, Jak.

As the only survivors, brother and sister strike out on their own, hoping to discover the reason their home and family was destroyed. They must make their way through a countryside where magic is outlawed, punishable by imprisonment or even death while struggling with the revelation that Kenders has magical abilities herself.

Although Kenders can feel and touch the many-colored "strands" of magic she has no idea how to use them until she and Nikalys are attacked by a pack of wolves and Kenders instinctively summons a bolt of lightning, immediately collapsing when the effort drains her of all her energy. From nowhere a giant lynx appears and saves the pair from certain death and then miraculously morphs into his natural self, a seven-foot-tall man. The shape changer's name is Broedi and when the time is right, he reveals to the siblings that he is one of the original White Lions and he recites to them an ancient prophecy that tells of the coming of a new and even more terrible war than the one centuries ago. The evil Gods of Chaos, Strife, and Sorrow and Pain would combine efforts to unite the orcs, gnolls and razorfiends --- normally sworn enemies. The forces of good would be led by two children of other White Lions; those children are Nikalys and Kenders, the Progeny.

As brother and sister struggle with the revelation that the only parents they could remember were not their birth parents, some of the Gods and Goddesses were busy setting other events in motion. Others people - strangers at first - would gather and become allies of the Progeny. Together, they were about to be caught up in the greatest conflict the world had ever seen.

Ancient, powerful forces still seek the Progeny on their travels, some intent to eliminate the threat they pose, some hoping to help them fulfill a destiny of which they are unaware. Myths and legends come to life, whisking the pair along a journey they never could have imagined possible.

R.T. Kaelin's favorite writing music:

When I write, I absolutely must listen to music. Some writers need silence to write, but for me, too much quiet is utterly distracting. When I sit down, the headphones go on and I open my Pandora app to listen to some channel or another.

If anyone out there is not familiar with Pandora, visit Pandora.com and you’ll get a quick idea of why it is phenomenal. You put in a song or artist you like, and Pandora begins playing songs that are similar to that artist or song. It is fantastic.

Now, the type of music I like is soooooo varied, it is almost funny. I like pretty much anything except country. Cannot stand it… do not have a good reason why, I just cannot listen to it. I’ll list my various Pandora channels and when I listen to them:

Ones I listen to when writing sweeping, descriptive scenes of scenery

Apollo 13 (Film Score) Radio

Seven Years in Tibet (Film Score) Radio

Silk Road Radio

Eveningland Radio

Ones I listen to when writing action scenes (little dialogue):

Pirates of the Caribbean (Film Score) Radio

The Lord of the Rings (Film Score) Radio

Ones I listen to all other times when writing:

Muse Radio

Coldplay Radio

Ben Fold Radio

Mumford & Sons Radio

Emmy Rossum Radio

Matt & Kim Radio

O.A.R. Radio

Owl City Radio

Green Day Radio

OneRepublic Radio

Third Eye Blind Radio

The Beatles Radio

Angels and Airwaves Radio

Dave Matthews Radio

Blue October Radio

Snow Patrol Radio

Maroon 5 Radio

Ones I listen to when I’m not writing (too distracting to have on in background):

Eminem Radio

Flobots Radio

Atmosphere Radio

Lady Gaga Radio

Old School Rap Radio

As you can see, my music tastes sort of float all over the place, but without the wonderful creativity of all the artists I listen to, I would never be able to write the stories I do.

R.T. Kaelin is a loving husband, father of two wonderful children, and a lifelong resident of Ohio, currently in Columbus. After graduating from college, for the first twelve years of his career he has worked as a software engineer. After creatively writing a local gaming group, it was suggested he try his hand at writing something more prodigious. Encouraged, he finally committed to the undertaking, writing the first book of his The Children of the White Lions series, Progeny. When he is not writing, he loves to travel and has a passion for cooking.

Thanks, R.T.! For more info on R.T. Kaelin and Progeny, visit http://www.rtkaelin.com.

Guest post: Falling in love during tragedy

2011-08-25T12:43:00.005-04:00

Special thanks to Scars author Cheryl Rainfield for joining us today!

About Scars -

Kendra, fifteen, hasn't felt safe since she began to recall devastating memories of childhood sexual abuse, especially because she still can't remember the most important detail-- her abuser's identity. Frightened, Kendra believes someone is always watching and following her, leaving menacing messages only she understands. If she lets her guard down even for a minute, it could cost Kendra her life. To relieve the pressure, Kendra cuts; aside from her brilliantly expressive artwork, it's her only way of coping. Since her own mother is too self-absorbed to hear her cries for help, Kendra finds support in others instead: from her therapist and her art teacher, from Sandy, the close family friend who encourages her artwork, and from Meghan, the classmate who's becoming a friend and maybe more. But the truth about Kendra's abuse is just waiting to explode, with startling unforeseen consequences. Scars is the unforgettable story of one girl's frightening path to the truth.

Falling in love during tragedy -

When you feel alone in your pain, everything is harder. But when you find someone who can hear you, who understands and who truly cares about you, the pain lessens. Where once it might have felt too hard to get through, with someone who really cares about you and hears you, you can start to feel like you can get through, and maybe things really will get better. It can be a friend who gives you that, a therapist, a teacher, a lover. In Scars, I gave Kendra all of those people because she needed them. Sharing your pain makes a real healing and positive difference.

But you have to be able to reach out and to talk to someone. It doesn’t have to be verbal speech—it can be through writing or art or another form of communication. But you do have to trust, just a little bit, and reach out and show what’s going on. It can feel so scary to, so hard, especially when you’ve been hurt many times—but then, when you reach out and you find someone you can truly trust, it makes such a huge, healing difference. And there are so many more ways to reach out to others now who will really get it—email, chat, the social networks, finding groups and websites where other people understand, even if you can’t find someone in person who can. Though a hug, a warm smile, an understanding look can mean a lot. I’m grateful to have had some good people in my life who care about me; that helped me put some good people in Kendra’s life, too.

Scars debuted in March, 2011 from WestSide books. For more info on Cheryl and her other books, visit: http://www.cherylrainfield.com.

Here are some resources about self-harm. If you cut yourself, please know that there is help available!

Reasons Not To Hurt Yourself: http://www.cherylrainfield.com/freebies/reasons-not-to-hurt-yourself-handout.pdf

Alternatives To Self-Harm: http://www.cherylrainfield.com/freebies/alternatives-to-self-harm.pdf

How To Stop Self-Harming: http://www.cherylrainfield.com/freebies/how-to-stop-self-harm.pdf

Helpful Responses to Someone Who's Self-Harmed: http://www.cherylrainfield.com/freebies/helpful-responses-some1-self-harmed.pdf

Author interview: Mary Lindsey

2011-08-15T12:53:00.003-04:00

Shattered Souls: A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

Advance Praise for Shattered Souls

"Drawing readers into a world where the past holds secrets that can offer salvation or destruction, with spirits haunting every nook and cranny, Mary Lindsey crafts a tale that is frightening, beautiful, and wonderfully memorable."

--Andrea Cremer, New York Times bestselling author of Nightshade

Welcome to Shattered Souls author Mary Lindsey!

AL: Describe where you like to write. How does it inspire you?

ML: I am claustrophobic. I have it well under control now, but when I was younger, it was a real problem for me. (It probably stems from an incident in which I was accidentally closed in a locker at school for 5 hours in first grade. We were playing hide and seek after school, and I hid in the locker and couldn’t get out. The kids never found me and assumed I’d gone home. The police discovered me that night.)

Whatever the cause of my claustrophobia, I prefer to I write in open or airy places. I have friends who like to write in cozy locations like coffee shops, but I literally cannot concentrate enough to write in that kind of atmosphere. Your question addresses inspiration. I can’t really say that open, light places inspire me, but they make me happy! We recently moved, and I picked a house particularly for the light. There are two perfect places to write in the house. The first is my breakfast nook. It feels like a jungle when you are in it (the curtains can be pulled closed and it is totally private from the rest of the house) and it is a spectacular place to be when it rains!

My other happy writing place at home is my office. It can’t be closed off when my family is home, like the breakfast nook, but I do almost all of my writing while my kids are at school and my husband is at work, so it’s perfect. The best thing about my office, other than the natural lighting, is the view from my desk to the rest of the house:

AL: If you could have dinner with an author, dead or alive, whom would it be and why?

ML: I love this question and wish I could make it come true. I have two authors I’d really like to meet. The first is Mark Twain. What a guy! By all accounts, he was as fascinating in person as he was through his works. I imagine there would be a great deal of laughing at that meal.

My other dream dinner companion would be Edgar Allan Poe. I’ve just sold a Poe-based novel to Penguin—a contemporary Gothic YA based on his poem “Annabel Lee.” In the course of my research, I came across many inconsistencies regarding his life and death. I’d love to get the real story.

AL: Who was the hardest Shattered Souls character to write?

ML: Without a doubt, the hardest character for me to write was Zak. He started out a different guy than he ended up. His first incarnation was much bleaker—a hopeless stoner with no prospects and not much left to like about him. Over the course of developing the novel, he evolved into a much more likeable character—but it still hurt to write him. Zak wears a lifelong blanket of rejection and fear, and every time I “worked” with him, I ached.

AL: If Shattered Souls was a movie, who would you pick as the lead characters?

ML: I’ve been asked this question a few times by folks. To be honest with you, I have no idea. I don’t watch TV or movies. Well, occasionally I’ll go see a move if it is something that really resonates, but I don’t think I can name a single actor or actress young enough to portray one of my characters. Lame, I know.

Thank you so much, Alisia, for having me on your blog today and for being part of the Teen Book Scene Shattered Souls Blog Tour!

***

Mary Lindsey's debut young adult novel, Shattered Souls, is scheduled for release December 8, 2011 from Philomel/Penguin.

Having received a B.A. in English literature with a minor in drama from the University of Houston, she currently teaches acting to children and teens at a private studio in Houston, Texas.

Mary lives with her husband, three kids, two dogs, her daughter's pet rats, an Australian Bearded Dragon, and dozens of Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches.

She is represented by Ammi-Joan Paquette from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

Links:

Website: http://www.marylindsey.com

Shattered Souls at Penguin: http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780399256226,00.html?Shattered_Souls_Mary_LindseyGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9366996-shattered-souls
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Souls-Mary-Lindsey/dp/0399256229/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1312213813&amp;sr=8-1

Barnes &amp; Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shattered-souls-mary-lindsey/1101075440

Book review: Dream Smashers by Angela Carlisle

2011-08-11T12:07:00.004-04:00

Title: Dream Smashers

Author: Angela Carlie

Publisher: CreateSpace, March 2011

Paperback, 242 pages

Rating: 5+/5

Readers of Ellen Hopkins, Laurie Halse Anderson, Jay Asher and Leslie Connor will enjoy reading Dream Smashers.

Sixteen-year-old Autumn is a human heartache. Everywhere she turns people are stomping on her hopes and dreams. Her mom’s a tweaker. She’s lived with her chain-smoking grandmother for as long as she can remember. Even her best friend has issues. Autumn seems to be the only responsible person she knows and she’s sick of putting up with it all.

When she meets Evan, a hot guy without a worry in the world, she can only wonder if he’s for real or just another Dream Smasher.

A girl who no longer wants to care and a boy who cares enough for the both of them. Dream Smashers is a love story, but most of all, it’s about letting go.

When I first heard about Dream Smashers, I was so excited to get my hands on an advanced copy. This story hits home for me in a few ways -- it was almost like seeing myself in the character of Autumn. I know I and any countless other teens can identify with growing up in a home with an addict. There is an all-too present feeling of hopelessness, of loneliness, and the ever-growing feeling that people in your life will just let you down. Autumn has a huge burden to carry, and since everyone in her life disappoints her it's no wonder that she closes herself off emotionally and becomes skeptical. I love Evan, because he is caring, but he's not written as a knight-in-shining armor, because that's not realistic. Angela Carlie is an author that "gets it" -- the trauma of addiction, the turmoil of teen years, and the struggle to claw your way out of a depressing life. Put this on your to-read list immediately, because you're never going to put it down.

Guest post: Arlaina Tibensky's top 4 books

2011-07-26T09:00:00.003-04:00

Before puberty hit at the ripe old age of 11, I was a voracious reader of any Laura Ingalls Wilder and Edgar Allen Poe. I was also oddly obsessed with this book called Faeries by Brian Froud and Alan Lee. It was all about, well, faeries with amazingly beautiful illustrations that I could sit and stare at for hours.) As my body, brain, and hormone levels went wilding I sought out books that would transform me from a naïve and chubby girl into a worldly and wise young woman, without me having to actually put myself in harm’s way. These are the top 4 that got me there.

1. The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson

This was my first post-apocalyptic book. It’s about a deadly virus that sweeps the world killing everyone over the age of 12 and how one badass girl decides to survive using brains and guts and a little (but not too much) compassion. And it’s set in a Chicago suburb, which is where I was ACTUALLY LIVING when I read it. It’s a stunner.

2. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton (Who was a WOMAN! Named Susan!)

So I have a favorite uncle who is only a few years older than me. When I was a kid, he hung out with a bunch of teenaged boys who greased their hair back and wore converse and called themselves “The Greasers.” I was in love with all of them and when I read The Outsiders, each character had their real life counterpart and when Johnny dies (spoiler alert) I wept a week.

3. Forever by Judy Blume

I was a virgin until I was 20 years old and a junior in college. But I might as well have lost it at 12 when I readForever. This amazing book was so incendiary (and popular) the librarian had to keep it behind the front desk. If you wanted to check it out, you had to take a deep breath, say 3 Hail Marys and ask for it: BY NAME. You were rewarded by the frankest talk about sex ever, a penis named Ralph, and being able to act like you totally knew what everyone was talking about once your friends started actually having sex without having to fake it too much.

4. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

OK, so this was the book that did me in. I don’t even remember where I heard of Sylvia Plath. I want to say an English teacher but I don’t think that was it. I read the poetry first and fell in love and then sought out more and found The Bell Jar and then, I wanted to be a writer. Madness, virginity, writing, ambition, complex friendships; it was all there and I ate it up with a spoon. Fast forward a few years and I go and write a book called And Then Things Fall Apart which is basically a love letter to the Sylvia and The Bell Jar, and the dramatic twists and turns of becoming an adult.

Arlaina Tibensky is the world’s oldest teenager. She lives in NYC where she curates the Pen Parentis Literary Salon at the Libertine Library. Her debut YA novel AND THEN THINGS FALL APART, about how Sylvia Plath and an old typewriter usher a reluctant virgin through the worst summer of her freaking life is out July 26, 2011 with Simon & Schuster. Visit her at http://www.arlainatibensky.blogspot.com

Book review: Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern

2011-06-27T18:38:00.000-04:00

Title: Don't Stop Now

Author: Julie Halpern

Publisher: Feiwell & Friends, June 2011

Hardcover, 224 pages

Rating: 5/5

On the first day of Lillian’s summer-before-college, she gets a message on her cell from her sort-of friend, Penny. Not only has Penny faked her own kidnapping, but Lil is the only one who figures it out. She knows that Penny’s home life has been rough, and that her boyfriend may be abusive. Soon, Penny’s family, the local police, and even the FBI are grilling Lil, and she decides to head out to Oregon, where Penny has mentioned an acquaintance. And who better to road-trip across the country with than Lil’s BFF, Josh. But here’s the thing: Lil loves Josh. And Josh doesn’t want to “ruin” their amazing friendship.

Josh has a car and his dad’s credit card. Lil has her cellphone and a hunch about where Penny is hiding. There’s something else she needs to find: Are she and Josh meant to be together?

I was excited to read this book after hearing such great things from other reviewers. Safe to say, I wasn't disappointed! Julie Halpern's writing is so personable and engaging that I had a hard time putting the book down. What a great summer read! Definitely a book to take to the beach or read on a lazy day. I identified with Lil's character in that she has a friend, Josh, whom she is totally smitten by -- but he doesn't feel like it's a good idea to take their relationship "there". Who hasn't been in that situation, especially in their teen years? The relationship between Lil and Josh was very natural, and I kept reading to see what happened in their journey to find missing friend Penny. The ending was satisfying and this line summed up the book: "Life is a big, long journey, with a whole bunch of bumps and twists, and freaky roadside attractions, that no matter what lead us somewhere." Funny, tender, with unexpected twists, Don't Stop Now is a light-hearted story that reminds readers that it's not the destination that is worth it, but the journey.

Q&A with Jennifer Laurens, author of A Season of Eden

2011-06-17T16:49:00.001-04:00

He's my teacher. I shouldn't be alone with him. But I can't help that he's irresistible. I let the door silently close at my back. He stared at me, and a taut quiet stretched between us. "I like hearing you play," I said, moving toward him. He turned, in sync with my slow approach. He looked up at me but didn't say anything. I rested my clammy hand on the cold, slick body of the baby grand. "May I?" The muscles in his throat shifted, then he swallowed. "Eden." My knees weakened, like a soft tickling kiss had just been blown against the backs of them. "Is it okay?" I asked. His gaze held mine like two hands joined. He understood what I was really asking. "Let me stay," I said. "Please." "You're going to get me in trouble," he said.

AL: A Season of Eden is not just your "average" story about a student/teacher affair. How did you come up with such a unique plot and tackle the sensitive issue of student/teacher affairs?

JL: By keeping their ages close, it was realistic that two people (in any circumstance) might find themselves attracted to each other. With the religious undertones, I wanted to explore that attraction with a character who struggles with what they have been ingrained with since childhood (James and his religious feelings).

AL: Would you ever consider writing a sequel?

JL: The number one question I get half of the time. I like the ending, I'm particular to "open endings" where, depending on your imagination, you decide which direction the next few pages of the book will go. I don't know that there is more story to tell.

AL: Share a little with us about your path to becoming a published author. Any advice?

JL: I had 2 NY agents and they tried to sell a piece of mine for 5 years. When that didn't fly, I went indie. I love it. It's a great fit for me.If I'd published traditionally, I might have 4 books out for the 10 years I've been writing. By being indie, I can create and put out as often as I like. And, with today's voracious appetite for all things entertaining having such a quick turnover, indies are flourishing because we CAN produce faster than the old publishing model. I honestly don't know how an author can afford to wait 2 years in between books. Not with today's turnover.

AL: Who is your favorite YA author? Any books you'd recommend?

JL: Markus Zusak. Any of his books are beautifully written but my fav of his is Fighting Ruben Wolfe.

AL: Do you have any books in the works currently? Can you tell us anything about them?

JL: I always have a book in the works. This next project is a YA with some paranormal elements.

Thanks, Jennifer! For more info on A Season of Eden, visit www.jenniferlaurens.com

Author Julie Halpern's favorite books of the past

2011-06-10T17:20:00.001-04:00

Julie Halpern, author of Don't Stop Now (Feiwel and Friends, June 2011), shares with us some books that her former self might recommend at ages 6, 14, 16 and in her twenties.

About Don't Stop Now:

On the first day of Lillian’s summer-before-college, she gets a message on her cell from her sort-of friend, Penny. Not only has Penny faked her own kidnapping, but Lil is the only one who figures it out. She knows that Penny’s home life has been rough, and that her boyfriend may be abusive. Soon, Penny’s family, the local police, and even the FBI are grilling Lil, and she decides to head out to Oregon, where Penny has mentioned an acquaintance. And who better to road-trip across the country with than Lil’s BFF, Josh. But here’s the thing: Lil loves Josh. And Josh doesn’t want to “ruin” their amazing friendship.

Josh has a car and his dad’s credit card. Lil has her cellphone and a hunch about where Penny is hiding. There’s something else she needs to find: Are she and Josh meant to be together?

I don’t know why, considering I’m only 36, but seeing “23” as my former self made me feel really old!

Age 6: Mouse Tales by Arnold Lobel. Still the best line of any book: “Hello my son, you are looking fine, and what nice new feet you have!”

Age 14: Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl. I was really into Roald and read all of his books in high school. Then it came to my attention that he was an anti-Semite, and I got all confused. I still don’t know how to feel about it, if I can separate my feelings for his work with his personal self. I don’t think I can.

Age 16: Lord of the Flies. I was totally obsessed when we read this in English. I fell in love with Simon because he was all quiet and broody. Let’s not mention that he was probably all of eight years old.

Age 19: I was really into Fantagraphics comics in college. None of them appropriate to talk about.

Age 23: I think that was my Stephen King era. I still think he’s brilliant, but I don’t have time to read his long books. Plus, the last book I read of his gave me nightmares.

Late 20s: The Tomorrow When the Was Began series by John Marsden. Brilliant and terrifying, and really Australian, which is always a good thing in my book. The end of the world done in the most realistic, emotional way.

Thanks, Julie! For more info on Julie Halpern and Don't Stop Now, click HERE.

YA fiction: too dark?

2011-06-08T21:47:00.002-04:00

In the past few days, the blogosphere has lit up with huge reaction to this piece that The Wall Street Journal ran on on June 4, claiming that YA was seriously detrimental to our youth and that "publishers use the vehicle of fundamental free-expression principles to try to bulldoze coarseness or misery into their children's lives." Excuse me?

The problem I have is that people are so quick to criticize YA, to criticize teens for having problems. There is a reason why they have problems. Being a teen today means being bombarded with mixed media messages that want you to be thin, beautiful, perfect, sexual, smart, cool... I could go on and on.

Society is so eager to stuff teens into a pre-constructed box that any issue that arises simply isn't tolerated. Teens MUST be perfect. They MUST keep their mouths shut. Society doesn't want to hear what's really going on: rape, incest, molestation, drugs, drinking, depression, suicide, homosexuality.

My response to those against YA is this: not all YA is about dark themes. But dark themes are becoming more widely sought out by teens because they are just trying to cope. Adolescence is hard. Don't blame teens for their issues -- instead, try to help. Have you ever actually listened to a teen? They have more to say than you think.

Don't keep them silent, and if you do, we writers will do the talking for them.

Thanks to YA author Mindi Scott for giving me a heads up to an awesome article by NPR in response to The Wall Street Journal. Check it out here.

When I'm not writing by Alissa Grosso

2011-06-06T14:05:00.002-04:00

Alissa Grosso is the author of the YA novel, Popular (Flux, May 2011). Today she shares what she does in her downtime from writing books. Welcome, Alissa!

About Popular:

Meet the clique that rules Fidelity High: Olivia, Zelda, Nordica, and Shelly, each one handpicked by uber-popular Hamilton Best. You know you’re “in” when you make the guest list for one of Hamilton’s parties. And in the thralls of senior year, everyone wants to get noticed by Hamilton.

But Hamilton’s elite entourage is coming apart at the seams. Olivia fantasizes about finally having a boyfriend, Zelda dreams of ditching high school, Nordica wants to be alone with her photography, and Shelly’s plotting to dethrone Hamilton. Lies and secrets are ripping away the careful ties that have kept them together for years. But Hamilton has the biggest secret of all, one that only her boyfriend Alex knows. If the truth got out, it would shock everyone and destroy Hamilton’s fragile world—and she’ll do anything to protect her secret and keep her clique together.

Well the truth is, when I'm not writing I'm probably busy with my day job. I work for a book distributor and sell books to librarians, which means I get to drive around visiting libraries. Pretty cool, and the perfect job for a writer and a book lover.

That said, occasionally there are times when I am not writing and not busy working. For my own sanity, I need to take some time to relax and have fun on the weekends. Of course, sometimes my weekends don't always fall on the same days that other people's do. I'm a creative sort of person so I don't see any reason why a weekend can't just as easily be Sunday and Monday or Thursday and Friday, if that's what works best for me.

I love the outdoors, and there's a very good chance that's where you'll find me on my weekend, whenever that may be. Sometimes it's as simple as a walk in the woods or along a quiet country road. I also like going for a ride on my mountain bike, or, when there's snow on the ground, heading out for some cross country skiing.

Even though I enjoy the peace and solitude of being outdoors, I am seldom by myself during these little adventures. Thankfully, my boyfriend shares my interest in the outdoors and is a frequent companion on my weekend sojourns. Well, he's somewhat of a fair weather companion at least when it comes to outdoor stuff. I've yet to convince him to strap on some skis, and in fact, he doesn't actually own a winter coat.

That's okay, though, because my other companion has a permanently attached coat, and lest you think this is someone with a freakish skin condition, I should point out that this is my dog Jack. My mutt dog is up for playing outside no matter what the weather, and though he doesn't have a pair of skis of his own, he will gladly do his best impression of a Siberian Husky by tearing through the snow with me. Well, usually several yards ahead of me.

Finally, I have one more occasional companion who also avoids the cold as well as the rain and can be a bit on the persnickety side. That's forgivable, though, since he is a cat, and if you didn't think I was crazy already you will, when I tell you that my cat has his own leash and gladly accompanies me on walks.

Of course, even though I'm not technically writing during any of these outdoor adventures of mine, many an idea has come to me while quietly strolling, pedaling or skiing along. So even when I'm not writing, I guess I sort of still am.

Thanks, Alissa! To learn more about Alissa Grosso and Popular, visit www.alissagrosso.com

Guest post: Micol Ostow's Top 10 favorite scary movies

2011-06-02T10:19:00.005-04:00

Micol Ostow is the author of the YA novel, Family (EdgmontUSA, April 2011), which is a haunting story loosely based on the Manson murders. Today, she joins us to tell us her favorite scary movies. Welcome, Micol!

About Family:

i have always been broken.
i could have. died.
and maybe it would have been better if i had.

It is a day like any other when seventeen-year-old Melinda Jensen hits the road for San Francisco, leaving behind her fractured home life and a constant assault on her self-esteem. Henry is the handsome, charismatic man who comes upon her, collapsed on a park bench, and offers love, a bright new consciousness, and—best of all—a family. One that will embrace her and give her love. Because family is what Mel has never really had. And this new family, Henry’s family, shares everything. They share the chores, their bodies, and their beliefs. And if Mel truly wants to belong, she will share in everything they do. No matter what the family does, or how far they go.
Told in episodic verse, Family is a fictionalized exploration of cult dynamics, loosely based on the Manson Family murders of 1969. It is an unflinching look at people who are born broken, and the lengths they’ll go to to make themselves “whole” again.

Micol Ostow's top 10 favorite scary movies:

1. Nightmare on Elm Street - the original, first in the series. HORRIFYING.
2. Rosemary's Baby - "he has his father's eyes!"
3. Halloween - again, the classic, original. Long live scream queen Jamie Lee.
4. The Shining - classic Kubrick.
5. Psycho - I mean, really.
6. Night of the Living Dead (original) - campy and amazing.
7. The Ring - remakes are tricky, but this one rules. I had to sleep with the lights on for about three weeks after seeing it.
8. Carrie - Stephen King adaptations can be uneven (Shining notwithstanding), but this one works SO WELL.
9. Scream - #1. All meta and stuff. 90's goodness.
10. Wait, how is there no vampire movie on this list? Okay, Lost Boys. Not super-scary, but chock full 'o Corey (Haim AND Feldman).

Thanks, Micol!
To learn more about Micol Ostow and Family, visit her website HERE.