Christina Diaz Gonzalez

15 WINNING SCHOOLS!

christina_dg — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:04:44 GMT

Thank you to everyone who participated in my paperback giveaway. You will all be receiving your signed, paperback copies of The Red Umbrella very soon! The schools each of you mentioned will also be receiving signed, library-binding, hardcover editions of The Red Umbrella (I'll probably send them out in January -- since most schools will be going on break very soon). For those of you who didn't enter or you're just late to the party... The paperback officially goes on sale this TUESDAY! Personally, I think it makes a wonderful stocking stuffer... but I may be slightly biased. :-)

Here are the lucky schools that were chosen by the winners:

Gravelly Hill Middle School - Efland, NC
Brentano Math & Sciece Academy - Chicago, IL
Belen Jesuit Prepatory School - Miami, FL
Sabine Pass ISD - Sabine Pass, TX
Westminster Christian School - Palmetto Bay, FL
Carlisle Public School - Carlisle, MA
McGlannan School - Miami, FL
Taylor County Middle School - Perry, FL
Blessed Pope John XXIII Academy - W. Orange, NJ
Lake Mary Prep - Lake Mary, FL
Ransom Everglades School - Coconut Grove, FL
Washington Irving Middle School - Springfield, VA
Hunt Valley Elementary - Springfield, VA
Bartonville Grade School - Bartonville, IL
Jefferson County Middle School - Still waiting for full address

BOOK GIVEAWAY -- yep, as in FREE copies of THE RED UMBRELLA

christina_dg — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:06:09 GMT

THE PAPERBACK IS COMING! THE PAPERBACK IS COMING!

Yes, just in time for the holidays, the paperback version of THE RED UMBRELLA is being released on December 13th. That's exactly two weeks away...I'm so excited!

Just how excited am I? So excited that I am going to give away signed copies to the first 15 people who send me a message through my website AND I will also send a signed, hardcover of THE RED UMBRELLA to a Middle School or High School chosen by each winner!

Do you want one? Do you want a school to get one? Here's what you do...

1) Go to my website www.christinagonzalez.com (if you're reading this on my website you're already half-way done)
2) Send me a message through my website with your name/address AND the name/address of the school of your choice*. Make sure to write Paperback Giveaway in the subject heading.

That's it! Super easy, right?

As soon as I have all the winners, I'll post the name of the 15 lucky schools that were chosen. Stay tuned!

*Sorry, schools and winners must have U.S. addresses.

Summer Fun

christina_dg — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 20:21:05 GMT

Yes, I have been a bad blogger and not posted in a long while, but I'm back. After spending a week in Grand Cayman, I've come back with new resolve to tackle my new book and do a better job of blogging. So, for those of you who may one day want to travel to Grand Cayman, let me tell you...IT. IS. AWESOME!

The water is an unbelievable shade of turquoise, the sand doesn't seem to get too hot and there's plenty to do for those who want a bit of adventure (and for those who want to veg out--- look at the view I had from under a Casuarina tree).

Some of my adventures included jet skiing to a sandbar to hang out with wild stingrays...very cool (and can I say how much I love my underwater camera that I bought at WalMart...look how clear you can see the stingray and our feet!).

Then we took the jet skis to a nearby barrier reef and snorkeled. So peaceful and serene.

We also went horseback riding along the beach with Spirit of the West and part of the ride the horses go into the water and swim. Yes, they actually swim with you riding them! IT'S CRAZY! I fell off while my horse was in about 10 feet of water (you're riding bareback in the water and my horse and I had a disagreement on which direction we should go...I lost the argument), but our guide got me back on Jeronimo (my horse) and we continued our adventure. Can I just tell you that riding bareback is better than any thighmaster...I'm still sore from holding on.

I also did a liitle bit of work by doing a book presentation and signing at Books & Books Grand Cayman. I was even interviewed by the local TV station. Here's the link.
www.cayman27.com.ky/news/item/10437

But, I also did a lot of thinking for my new novel (not the one that comes out next year... the one that isn't written and is just "marinating" in my head ). I worked out some kinks in the story while I worked on my tan and floated around the perfectly calm waters of the Caribbean. Now I can't wait to start putting some of the ideas on paper. All in all, a VERY productive vacation!

Hope your summer is going equally well!

My name has changed!

christina_dg — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 01:18:00 GMT

No, not my real name...my livejournal name. Before I was cdgred-umbrella because I couldn't get Christina (or a variation of it) when I formed the account, but now I'm christina-dg.

Finally!

Now people will know my name when I comment on their posts...which may be bad thing depending on my comment. :-) No matter, I'm glad to have made the switch and I think I've done everything correctly so as to not lose any LJ friends or followers.

So, what else is going on with me and my writing, you ask? (Ok, so maybe you didn't ask but I'll tell you anyway since I'm notoriously a horrible blogger who rarely posts.) Right now, I'm in the middle...fine, you caught me... the start of revising A Thunderous Whisper. The book is scheduled to come out in 2012 and I really need to polish this sucka up!

The Red Umbrella is doing very well (thanks to all of you who have loved and supported it) and it should be going into it's SIXTH printing pretty soon. Sixth! Crazy, right? It was also named to several Best of 2010 lists and chosen as a 2011 Best Fiction for Young Adults by the American Library Association/YALSA. The paperback will probably be coming out in December of this year (it was delayed because the hardcover is doing so well--- alas, a double-edged sword) and I have no information on the Spanish translation yet.

Guess that about sums up my book news, so until next time...

Sad Day

christina_dg — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:31:55 GMT

Today is a sad day. My wonderful, smart, loving dog Mickey died.

(A picture taken last weekend. We already knew she was not doing well and she looked a little sad).

She was with us for 13 years and we loved her. She will be missed.

HUGE GIVEAWAY - JUST FOR LIBRARIES

christina_dg — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 20:35:00 GMT

ATTENTION LIBRARIANS!!!
To celebrate the end of our debut year, The Tenners (2010 debut authors) will be holding a special giveaway just for librarians. One public or school library will be selected to receive a set of 54 books by 2010 MG and YA debut authors.

How do you enter this massive giveaway? So easy. All you have to do is capture one of our books in the wild.* Take a photo of yourself, another librarian, a patron, or even an adorable library pet posing with one of our 2010 debut novels. Send it to us at 2010debuts@gmail.com from your institutional email address. Tell us your name, your library's name and mailing address, and who's in the picture.

Again, only librarians are eligible for this giveaway. Not a librarian? Encourage your friendly neighborhood librarian to enter! The contest will be open until February 15th and the lucky winning library will be chosen and announced on February 16th. Until then, we'll be periodically posting your pictures.

The Tenners would like to thank you all SO VERY MUCH for your support this year. It's been an amazing adventure and we're looking forward to sharing more books with you in 2011 and beyond.

Books included in the giveaway are:

The Absolute Value of -1 by Steve Brezenoff

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

The Body Finder and Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

Change of Heart by Shari Maurer

The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk

The Dark Divine and The Lost Saint by Bree Despain

The Deathday Letter by Shaun David Hutchinson

Dirty Little Secrets by Cynthia Jaynes Omololu

Eighth-Grade Superzero by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

Everlasting by Angie Frazier

Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount-White

The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston

Freefall by Mindi Scott

The Ghost & The Goth by Stacey Kade

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Hush, Hush and Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Inconvenient by Margaret Gelbwasser

Iron King and Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Kids vs. Squid by Greg van Eekhout

Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham

The Life and Opinions of Amy Finawitz by Laura Toffler-Corrie

The Line by Teri Hall

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

Magic Under Glass by Jackie Dolamore

The Mark by Jen Nadol

Mistwood by Leah Cypess

Nice & Mean by Jessica Leader

Other by Karen Kincy

Palace Beautiful by Sarah DeFord Williams

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt

Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl

Prophecy of Days by Christy Raedeke

The Red Umbrella by Christina Gonzalez

The Reinvention of Edison Thomas by Jacqueline Houtman

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell

Sea by Heidi Kling

The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard

Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai

The Snowball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter

Three Rivers Rising by Jame Richards

Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes

Wildfire Run by Dee Garretson

*No purchase necessary, so posing with a photo or artistic interpretation of a book's cover is just fine too.

Books, Soccer, and the Cookie that Almost Burned Down Atlanta

christina_dg — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:29:57 GMT

Yes, those words sum up my Labor Day weekend and believe it or not, they all converged into one climactic moment at the Holiday Inn in Decatur, Georgia. First some background information.

Many months ago I was invited to speak at the Decatur Book Festival (the largest independent book festival in the Southeast) and I jumped at the chance because I’d been there a few years ago and it was such a lovely festival. PLUS, my two sons were going with their respective soccer teams to Atlanta to compete in the Atlanta Cup Soccer tournament and Decatur was only 20 minutes outside of Atlanta --- the timing seemed perfect!

This is what I forgot… 30 kids travelling out of state can get awfully noisy at a hotel full of authors and other book lovers. So when I met amazing authors/bloggers at a breakfast organized by the fabulous Vania, I’d ask if they were staying at my hotel and then promptly apologize for all the kids. Carrie Ryan (author of The Forest of Hands & Feet) just laughed and asked if I meant the soccer team which she found fun & cute (except for the fact that someone had ding-dong ditched her door the day before). Still it was all going well…so far.

(l-r Nancy Werlin, Jackson Pearce, me, Carrie Ryan, (Vania & me)
Jennifer Lovelidge Jabaley, Marianne Mancussi Beach)

Then I walked around the festival before spending the afternoon on the soccer fields watching some intense soccer games. In the evening, I switched hats and went from Soccer Mom to Author again, just in time for the Author Reception. It was fantastic to meet such great writers and publishing experts. It was all very casual and I was lucky enough to hang out with these amazing people and talk books, upcoming projects and share a few laughs. I was even asked by Cinda to join her and some other authors for dinner afterwards…tons of fun and I got to meet two new 2011 debut authors - Myra McEntire and Victoria Schwab (can’t wait for their books to come out) and hang out with fellow Tenner Rachel Hawkins and the uber-cool Josh Lewis.

(l-r Vicky Alvear Shecter, Marie Rutkowski, me, Cinda Williams Chima, David Levithan, Jim McCoy)

SO, you might be asking, where is the flaming cookie and how do your worlds collide in a fiery mess? I’m getting to that.

The next day, I don my role as Super Soccer Mom in the morning (unfortunately my sons’ teams lose) and rush back to Decatur to give my own book presentation at the Old Courthouse (an amazing venue). Here I meet the amazingly talented Noni Carter (author of Good Fortune). This young woman knocked me off my feet with her talent and intellect. She is a classical pianist, started writing her amazing debut novel at 13 and is now, at 19, a freshman at Harvard! Plus, she has an incredibly supportive family who were beaming with pride. Anyway, our presentation to a packed room went really well--- so well that Noni and I are thinking of doing more things together in the future! Afterwards, I signed lots of books and met a bunch of great readers and fans.

(Not the best picture, but my camera was acting a little wonky).

The Cookie Incident

Then it was time to head back to the hotel to unwind. I was pretty proud of myself for so efficiently multi-tasking the whole weekend and decided to confirm that night’s soccer dinner at the hotel. When I got to the front desk, who pops up behind me asking for a cab… Lev Grossman. Now, I’m a big fan of Lev Grossman for his book The Magicians and for his writing in Time magazine.
At the Author’s Reception I hadn’t approached him because so many people were coming up to talk to him, but now it was just the two of us. I turned around and introduced myself and he was actually polite enough to say he recognized ME! I quickly explained that it was probably just from the reception the night before, but still we had a chance to talk about his book and he was interested in talking about my book. We were bonding when the fire alarm goes off! Uh-oh. I mean…UH! OH!

I glance up to the second floor and see about seven pre-teen boys looking down at me and think Oh, no. Someone pulled the fire alarm. Please don't let it be one of my kids. But the chorus of heads from up above are all shaking their heads mouthing “not me” and then I see smoke coming from the indoor pool room/ business center. A real fire, you ask? No, just lots of smoke (maybe a really, really tiny fire). From what was later revealed it seems that “someone” (one of our soccer players) had “inadvertently” (whether this incident was a re-creation of something from Mythbusters is still up for debate) put a cookie in the microwave and set it for fifty minutes. Obviously, the cookie got scorched.

SO, there we are, Lev (I’m on a first name basis now) and me, watching the commotion of the fire department coming in, hearing the deafening hotel alarm and smelling the all-too-familiar odor of burned cookies. At that point, my role as soccer mom and author collided. I smiled weakly at Lev, told him that I’d be following him on Twitter (I’ve been a fan for a while) and that it was nice meeting him but soccer duty called (plus the soccer coach had already interrupted us to tell me that an emergency team meeting was being called). As I made my way upstairs to where fifteen pre-teen boys looked like deer caught in the headlights, I reminded myself that this might one day make it into one of my books, so I smiled and inhaled the lovely smell of charred chocolate chips that had now filtered throughout the hotel.

And, as a sure sign of either being a nice guy or curious as to whether charges will ever be brought against the team, Lev Grossman now follows me on Twitter. :-)

Celebrating Twenty on Twenty

christina_dg — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:28:57 GMT

Inspired by my friend Molly O’Neill who shares a birthday with me, I wanted to do a list of 20 things that stood out during this past year of my life. (If you didn’t know, today is my birthday and I sometimes get all reflective and kooky about life on August 20^th). Obviously, this list does not include all the special moments, just 20 that I can look back at and smile. What are your 20?

1. Watching the awesomeness of Niagara Falls with my family standing around me. It was inspiring and hilarious as we (my husband, kids, parents and sister) were all getting drenched on the Maid of the Mist and yelling, “This is not a mist! This is not a mist!”

2. Celebrating the book launch of The Red Umbrella with about 400 people crowded into Books & Books in Miami. (Okay, this was probably #1, but then I’d sound so… I don’t know…me, me, me. Blech.)

3. Watching my sons play at the beach. This is a favorite of mine wherever they are.

4. Going to my room late at night and finding my sons sleeping in my bed, then snuggling in next to them.

5. Having my husband all to myself every once in a while for date-nights.

6. Watching my grandfather teach/play poker with my boys.

7. Seeing my grandfather teach my youngest how to shoot pool.

8. Knowing that my sons are too young for my grandfather to teach them how to smoke cigars or drink. J (Just kidding, my grandfather doesn’t do that…anymore).

9. Seeing my mother-in-law enjoy traveling the world with her friends.

10. Having a sister who will bring lip gloss, a hairbrush and powder to my book signings so I don’t look too bad in pictures.

11. Being able to visit schools and interact with kids and teachers (especially those teachers that are old friends).

12. Watching my brother-in-law film and make the most amazing book trailer for The Red Umbrella. (Seriously, go look at it on youtube if you don’t believe me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1WIeamMlWw )

13. Participating in a debut group of authors called the Tenners who have shared this incredible year with me (all the ups and downs).

14. Having my dog survive when we thought all hope was gone.

15. Reuniting with a friend I hadn’t seen in 15 years and feeling like we’d seen each other last week.

16. Finding friends from when I was young on Facebook.

17. Making new friends on Twitter/Facebook and meeting them at my signings.

18. Watching the series finale of LOST. (Yes, I was a HUGE fan).

19. Finding a double rainbow (while at Niagara Falls) and cracking up just thinking about the double-rainbow guy. (“What does it mean, man?”)

20. Realizing that naming 20 on 20 is not that difficult of a thing to do. I am blessed.

Signed Books!

christina_dg — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 01:48:12 GMT

This summer I've been going to lots of cities to do book signings and sign stock at bookstores. I've had a BLAST!  It's been fun and I've loved meeting with booksellers, readers and fans of The Red Umbrella. I'm still in shock that there is this book --OUT THERE-- with my name on it, with my words in it, with my thoughts between the covers. Eeeek!

And if, by some chance, you are interested in buying a signed copy of The Red Umbrella -- here are some fabulous bookstores that may still have some (while supplies last)...

California
Glendale
         Borders on S. Brand
Los Angeles
         Borders at Century City Mall

Florida
Bal Harbor
         Books & Books at Bal Harbor Shops
Coral Gables
          Books & Books
          Borders at Merrick Park
          Barnes & Noble
Jensen Beach
          Barnes & Noble
Miami
          Barnes & Noble in Kendall
          Borders near Dadeland
          Barnes & Noble at Sunset Place
Naples/Ft. Myers
          Barnes & Noble in Ft. Myers
Orlando/Winter Garden
          Borders in Winter Garden
Tampa
          Inkwood Books

Massachussetts
Dedham
           Borders
Wellesley
           Wellesley Booksmith

New York
New York City
           Books of Wonder
Westhampton
           Books & Books

Pennsylvania
Harleysville
           Harleysville Books

Virginia
Alexandria
          Hooray for Books

Leaving LA

christina_dg — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:08:01 GMT

So I had a wonderful time out here in LA - nice, cool weather and even nicer, cooler friends/writers at the SCBWI Annual Conference!

I was so thrilled to meet so many fellow writers (including several awesome Tenners) who have inspired and reinvigorated me to go back home and keep writing! I was lucky enough to be speaking at the conference (with the absolutely amazing Jennifer Cervantes and Guadalupe Garcia McCall-- if you haven't read Tortilla Sun by Jen, stop what you are doing and go out and buy it right now-- as for Guadalupe's Under The Mesquite, we all have to wait a few more months before that great book becomes available) and the three of us had a great time with the people who came to our breakout sessions. So now I'm packing my bags and heading to the airport (okay, not actually packing at this very moment because I'm typing on my computer, but you know what I mean) and I can't wait to be home. I'll talk about and post some pics of the signings I had while in LA later (trust me they were so much fun!), but, for now, LAX awaits!

NEW BOOK!

christina_dg — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:37:21 GMT

Yes! I can finally announce that I will have my second book published! The details of my contract were being worked out by wonderful agent and now everything is set to go (it was in Publisher's Marketplace today so the cat is out of the bag).

The new book is titled A THUNDEROUS WHISPER and it's about a young Catholic/Basque girl and Jewish/German boy who live in the city of Guernica right before Hitler bombs it. Never heard of the city of Guernica? Don't feel bad...I didn't know much about it either other than it was a city in Northern Spain (Basque countryside) and that there was this really famous painting by PIcasso that had the same name...

When I googled the painting (a friend was talking about it and I felt like an ignoramus not knowing anything about it), I learned that Picasso was so horrified at Hitler's destruction of the city of Guernica that he created this painting to be shown at the 1937 World's Fair in Paris (a tapestry copy of the painting now hangs at United Nations in New York). It has become a symbol for the tragedies of war and the suffering it inflicts upon individuals, particularly innocent civilians.

See Guernica wasn't a military threat, it was destroyed in order to strike terror into the civilian population (some call it the first "large-scale" terrorist act and practice for the Blitzkrieg later employed by Hitler). So this town (before and after the bombing) is the setting of my next novel.

Now you are in the know...at least a little bit. :-)

SUMMER BOOK TOUR.... Woo-Hoo!

christina_dg — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:49:24 GMT

So, this is what I'm doing on my summer vacation...a book tour! I'm so excited!

If you are near any of these cities, I hope you come out to say hi... I'd love to see my friends in real life! (Sorry I couldn't make the invite bigger, but if you click on it you'll see it in a separate window).

What are your summer plans? Are you doing a staycation or do you have BIG plans?

Washington, DC       Philadelphia                New York City             Hamptons
June 26 at 2pm        June 28 at 4pm           June 30 at 5pm         July 2 at 3pm
Hooray for Books      Harleysville Books    Books of Wonder     Books & Books
1555 King Street       674 Main St.                18 West 18 St.           130 Main St.
Alexandria, VA            Lansdale, PA              New York, NY             Westhampton Beach, NY

Boston                                     Los Angeles Area
July 3 at 2pm             July 31 at 6:30pm           Aug. 1 at 2pm
Borders                      Vroman’s Bookstore       Borders
340 Legacy Pl.        695 E. Colorado Blvd      100 S. Brand Blvd
Dedham, MA              Pasadena, CA                  Glendale, CA

Wazzup with me, you ask?

christina_dg — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:59:23 GMT

So it’s been almost a month since The Red Umbrella was released into the world and I wanted to give you an update on what I’ve been doing. After my launch party (which was crazy huge – read my earlier post about it here) I had my first tv appearances on NBC 6 and WLRN.

The WLRN spot was the public access channel that aired the Miami- Dade School Board meeting where I was the superintendent's invited guest. During my speech I mentioned the importance of teachers and gave a shout out to one of my former high school English teachers. Well, someone in the audience heard me mention Mr. Wycoff (who I haven't seen since graduation... many, many moons ago), they got a hold of him and after all these years (not going to say how many) he showed up at one of my signings. Look at us here.

How cool is that? He even said he was giving my book an A+.

Speaking of signings, they’ve been going really well and here are several pictures from the Books & Books in Coral Gables, B&N in Kendall, Inkwood in Tampa and B&N in Orlando.

Besides signings, I’ve also been busy visiting a few schools (and I’ve done signings there too). Here are a few pictures... I LOVE speaking to kids!

I’ve also had a chance to attend an SCBWI conference and I critiqued several manuscripts from some talented writers. It was a bit strange sitting on the other side of the critique table, but I hope the feedback I gave helps these writers achieve their dreams of getting published. Here I am with some fellow conference attendees.

So, what’s in store for the next couple of months? Lots of summertime fun with my family…sprinkled with more book signings. Luckily my family is using my book tour as our summer vacation guide.

Here’s my current schedule (as of today). Let me know if you are in any of the cities I’ll be visiting...I'd love to see you!

June 12 – Barnes & Noble – Jensen Beach, FL

June 16 – Books & Books – Bal Harbor, FL

June 19 – Barnes & Noble – Ft. Myers, FL

June 26- Hooray For Books - Alexandria, VA (DC area)
June 28 – Harleysville Books - Harleysville, PA (Philly area)

June 30 – Books of Wonder – New York, NY (with Heidi Kling & Angie Frazier)

July 2 – Books & Books – Westhampton, NY

July 3 – Borders – Boston, MA (with Danielle Joseph & Erin Dionne)

July 30 – SCBWI Annual Conference – Los Angeles, CA

July 31 – Vroman’s Books – Pasadena, CA

August 1 – Borders - Glendale (with Heidi Kling & Jennifer Cervantes)

HIGH SCHOOL FLASHBACK - COMMENT TODAY TO WIN!

christina_dg — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:13:46 GMT

So, today I choose a winner from the comments to this post to win all this cool stuff:

All you have to do is tell me one of your high school memories and then tell me what you found most interesting/embarassing, funniest or just plain weird about MY high school flashback tour. It's THAT simple!

You can read my four interviews at these blogs (while you're there feel free to checkout the great authors who hosted the interviews):

kimberlyderting.blogspot.com/2010/05/high-school-flashback-tour-christina.html

www.kaycassidy.com/blog/2010/05/18/hs-tour-christina/

www.jennadolbooks.com/blog/

raedeke.blogspot.com/2010/05/high-school-flashback-author-christina.html

I'll choose the winner (at random) from the comments below and edit this post announcing the winner (you don't have to leave your real name). Winner will then have to contact me with their address so they can receive their prize! So go...leave me a comment!

UPDATE: A winner was chosen (at random) and that winner is... iheartpinguinos!
Thank you to all who joined me on my High School Flashback Tour!

HIGH SCHOOL FLASHBACK - KIMBERLY DERTING

christina_dg — Thu, 20 May 2010 02:56:45 GMT

Today is the last of the guest interviews on the "high school flashback" series with fellow writers Christy Raedeke, Jen Nadol, Kay Cassidy and Kimberly Derting. Tomorrow I will be hosting a contest with links to all the blogs where you can read my high school flashback interviews and answer some trivia about me--- winner will be chosen at random from the correct answers in the comments section and will get all the incredible prizes listed below!

So, without further delay, here is today’s guest author Kimberly Derting, the awesome author of THE BODY FINDER...give it up for Kim!

Here's some info on her book:

Short blurb:

A serial killer on the loose.

A girl with a morbid ability.

And the boy who would never let anything happen to her.

Now to the fun high school Q &A...

1) Describe your high school (ex. big/small, rural/urban, beautiful green lawns/barb-wired fences etc).

Our town was a suburb of Seattle, so our school was fairly mid-sized. I think our graduating class was about 350 students. But of the three high schools in our city, we were the school with the big football stadium that all the schools shared, so whenever there was a big game, it was at our school…that was pretty cool!

2) How did your senior class celebrate graduation? (ex. prom, grad-nite, senior luncheon…pick a favorite).

Prom and senior skip day were all BEFORE graduation. The night of graduation there was a big party (not the kind with cake and balloons, if you know what I mean).

3) Are you still friends with your BFFs from high school?

I am. I still keep in touch and frequently see three of my very best friends from high school. In fact, one of my best friends (the one from the photo booth pic) flew up from Phoenix for my book launch…I did a really good job choosing my high school friends!

Thanks for flashing back with me, Kim!

Kimberly lives in the Pacific Northwest, with her husband and their three beautiful (and often mouthy) children, who serve as an endless source of inspiration for her writing.

You can buy THE BODY FINDER at: http://www.amazon.com/Body-Finder-Kimberly-Derting/dp/0061779814%3FSubscriptionId%3D0V4JT1H35KWYMF0SKQR2%26tag%3Dspea06-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0061779814

Be sure to check out all the high school flashback blogs on Friday for a chance to win all these great prizes:

HIGH SCHOOL FLASHBACK - KAY CASSIDY

christina_dg — Thu, 20 May 2010 01:52:15 GMT

Today is the third day of my "high school flashback" with fellow writers Christy Raedeke, Jen Nadol, Kay Cassidy and Kimberly Derting (being reposted again very late in the day because of a computer snafu). As a reminder, every day each of us will feature one of the other authors on our blogs and give you a sneak peak into that author’s high school life (pictures included)! On Friday each author will be asking four trivia questions about their high school selves and give you links to where you can find the answers. Winners will win some really cool swag.

So here is today’s guest author KAY CASSIDY, the awesome author of THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY...give it up for Kay!

Here's some info on her book:

Synopsis:

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

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

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

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

BOOK TEASER:

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

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

Your presence is requested at The Grind.

Tonight, 7 p.m.

Wear the pin.

Discretion MANDATORY.

Now to the fun high school Q &A...

1) Describe your high school (ex. big/small, rural/urban, beautiful green lawns/barb-wired fences etc).

Big and suburban. I always joke that I'm a suburban girl, born and raised, and it's true. I graduated with a class of 500+. The school was actually under construction to expand it during my sophomore year and I vividly remember being late to class on occasion because we had to wait while I bulldozer cross in front of us in the hallway.

2) How did your senior class celebrate graduation? (ex. prom, grad-nite, senior luncheon…pick a favorite)

We had a Senior All-Night party that was a lock-in at the high school. They had games, a casino, food, dancing… all the parents were volunteers. It was really cool and a great chance to hang out with everyone after the stress of finals and prom and everything else.

The other tradition we had was the shaving cream fight in the school parking lot on the Seniors' last day of school. We got done before everyone else, so our last day was a bit early. Everyone would bring shaving cream and spray each other, write on each other's cars, etc. I have no idea who started this tradition or when, but it was quite a spectacle. The bad thing was that the year I graduated was the year they had just introduced foaming baby oil. So a lot of people used that instead of shaving cream. Sadly, foaming baby oil does NOT wash out easily. I had to wash my hair three times just to avoid looking like Danny Zuko in Grease. [That's me on the left in the picture.]

3) Are you still friends with your BFFs from high school?

Most of my friends scattered to the four winds after high school. Only two of us even went to college in our home state and that was to different universities. I did just have dinner with one of my BFFs last fall when she happened to be where I live on business. And I exchange Christmas cards with my other BFF. But I've never made it to any of my reunions yet. Maybe I'll make it to the next one! :-)

Thanks for flashing back with me, Kay!

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

You can purchase her awesome book, The Cinderella Society , at http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9781606840177?id=4712221035626 .

Be sure to check out all the high school flashback blogs on Friday for a chance to win all these great prizes:

HIGH SCHOOL FLASHBACK - JEN NADOL

christina_dg — Tue, 18 May 2010 03:41:19 GMT

Today I continue with a "high school flashback" with fellow writers Christy Raedeke, Jen Nadol, Kay Cassidy and Kimberly Derting. As a reminder, every day each of us will feature one of the other authors on our blogs and give you a sneak peak into that author’s high school life (pictures included)! On Friday each author will be asking four trivia questions about their high school selves and give you links to where you can find the answers. Winners will win some really cool swag.

So here is today’s guest author JEN NADOL, the awesome author of THE MARK...give it up for Jen!

Here's some info on her book:

Synopsis:
When sixteen-year-old Cassie Renfield realizes the glow she’s always seen around certain people means death is imminent, she struggles to understand her “gift”. How does it work? Why is she the only one who sees it? Most importantly, if you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them?

Let's get that high school photo out of the way first. Show us what you got, Jen!

Now to the high school Q &A...

1) Describe your high school (ex. big/small, rural/urban, beautiful green lawns/barb-wired fences etc). I went to a tiny, suburban public school that closed the next year. There were less than 50 kids in my graduating class, we had no football or track teams and the school had no campus, just a building in the middle of a residential neighborhood. For gym, we had to walk four blocks to the soccer/hockey/baseball fields.

2) How did your senior class celebrate graduation? (ex. prom, grad-nite, senior luncheon…pick a favorite) A group of ten or so of us rented an apartment at the Jersey Shore for Senior Week. It was a lot of fun. I think.

3) Are you still friends with your BFFs from high school? Yes and no. The group of eight that I was closest with – including my prom date here - were almost all from different high schools and are all over the country now. I’m friends with some of them on Facebook, but I haven’t physically seen or talked to any in five or ten years. Weirdly, I still feel very connected to them. In my mind, we’ll always be friends, even if we’re not the talk-every-day - or even every decade - kind.

Thanks for flashing back with me, Jen!

Jen grew up in Reading, PA and has lived in Washington DC, Boston, NYC and now, in a 150 year-old farmhouse in Westchester County, NY with her husband and three young sons.

You can purchase her awesome book, The Mark, at http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Jen-Nadol/dp/1599904314%3FSubscriptionId%3D0V4JT1H35KWYMF0SKQR2%26tag%3Dspea06-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1599904314 . Be sure to check out her blog on Friday to win all this great swag:

HIGH SCHOOL FLASBACK TOUR - CHRISTY RAEDEKE

christina_dg — Mon, 17 May 2010 04:08:13 GMT

All this week I will be participating in a "high school flashback" with fellow writers Christy Raedeke, Jen Nadol, Kay Cassidy and Kimberly Derting. Every day each of us will feature one of the other authors on our blogs and give you a sneak peak into their high school lives (pictures included)! On Friday each author will be asking four trivia questions about their high school selves and give you links to where you can find the answers. Winners will win some really cool swag.

So up first on my blog is CHRISTY RAEDEKE, the awesome author of The Prophecy of Days...woo-hoo!

Here's some info on her book:

Synopsis:
When Caity Mac Fireland accompanies her parents to an isle off the coast of Scotland, she’s not expecting to find a Mayan relic. Guided by a motley crew of advisors, Caity uncovers an incredible secret that an elite group of power-brokers will stop at nothing to control.

Now to the high school Q &A...

1) Describe your high school (ex. big/small, rural/urban, beautiful green lawns/barb-wired fences etc.)
I grew up in a small college town with just one high school. It was pretty nondescript except for the outdoor “Quad” in the middle of school where we all hung out. There was kind of a hierarchy about where you could sit if you were a Sophomore, Junior, or Senior.

2) How did your senior class celebrate graduation? (ex. prom, grad-nite, senior luncheon…pick a favorite)
We had a Senior All-Night that was supported and run by the community. It was held at the college and we had games, swimming, movies, etc. I remember it being really fun, plus I won the raffle, which was a great rafting trip. Some kids found ways to sneak alcohol in, but for the most part it was mellow and warm – I remember we were already getting nostalgic for our High School days and we still had a week to go before graduation!

         3)     Are you still friends with your BFFs from high school?
            I am! Our group stayed really, really close. We’re in touch all the time. I find that friends who have known you since you were in grade school end up being great touchstones for reality. And there’s never any explaining to do - they know everything about you!

        4) Show us a picture of you in high school and tell me about the picture.

This high school photo is of Prom Night, 1984 with my BFF Julie, whom I’ve known since first grade. That bad perm she has? Yeah, I administered that. We both left town after high school and established lives in Portland and Seattle, but then a few years ago we both decided to move back to where we grew up. Our kids are the same age and I love being able to see her all the time!

Thanks for flashing back with me, Christy!

Nowadays Christy Raedeke writes from her tiny home office in Southern Oregon. She is inspired by her two quirky children and her hilarious (and long-suffering) husband. You can purchase her awesome book Prohecy of Days at www.amazon.com/Prophecy-Days-Book-Daykeepers-Grimoire/dp/073871576X/ref=sr_1_1. Be sure to check out her blog on Friday to win a signed copy of her book and fancy tassled bookmark. Here's a picture of it:

THE RED UMBRELLA LAUNCH PARTY

christina_dg — Tue, 11 May 2010 04:06:01 GMT

This past Saturday was my Mega Book Launch Party (four days before the official release) and it was AMAZING! It's estimated that over 400 people came to the launch/signing at Books & Books and over 300 books were sold that night. It was CRAZY! Seriously. They had to have people listen to my presentation from an overflow room because the main room was filled to capacity. Then when it came to signing the books, the line was two hours long. Thank goodness there was food, drinks and music outside and, although I didn't get a chance to enjoy that part of the party, I was told everyone had a great time. So, since a picture is worth a thousand words, here is the night in pics...


One of several stacks of books      The crowd begins to arrive                                    It becomes standing room only



J Guarch introduces me              Here I am speaking to the most amazing crowd of people


Afterwards the line for me to sign the book was incredible         People's Court Judge Marilyn Milian got a book


Here I am signing for Books & Books' own Lorena      Outside people glanced through my book...


Had something to eat...                                          something to drink at the bar...         listened to some great music


And these are my peeps who hung out with me until the last book was signed...I love my family!

Release Day Is A Week Away and Reviews Are Rolling In!

christina_dg — Mon, 03 May 2010 21:55:03 GMT

Can you believe it? The Red Umbrella will be out in the world next week! Obviously the reviewers know this too becuase today I got two big reviews...Publisher's Weekly and School Library Journal (*spoiler alert* - they were really good reviews). I'm in the middle of trying to figure out what to wear to my book launch party on Saturday, so I'm just going to post the reviews here for you to read. Thanks for sharing this entire experience with me!

Publisher’s Weekly:
The Red Umbrella
Christina Diaz Gonzalez, Knopf, $16.99 (288p) ISBN 978-0-375-86190-1

In this compelling, atmospheric first novel that begins in postrevolutionary Cuba, Gonzalez sketches the immigration experience of thousands of children sent to the United States through likable 14-year-old narrator Lucía. Initially, politics feel removed from Lucía’s life (“I was growing tired of constantly hearing about the revolution, but I privately thanked Castro for postponing my algebra test”). However, Gonzalez believably escalates harrowing political events and their personal cost to Lucía’s family, as she finds the family doctor hung from an oak tree, and her father is detained after someone betrays the family’s hidden stash of money and jewelry. The situation forces Lucía’s parents to send Lucía and her seven-year-old brother, Frankie, to America while they await visas. Debut author Gonzalez excels at highlighting the cultural difficulties of their transition, as Lucía and Frankie eventually end up living with a foster family in rural--and quite foreign--Nebraska. Contemporary newspaper headlines such as the 1961 Nevada State Journal’s “Castro Adopts Brainwashing” lead each chapter and offer wider commentary. The memorable heroine and supporting cast offer a moving portrait of resilience and reinvention. Ages 10–up. (May)

School Library Journal:
GONZALEZ, Christina Diaz. The Red Umbrella. 288p. Knopf/Borzoi. May 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86190-1; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96190-8. LC number unavailable.

Gr 6–9—Fourteen-year-old Lucía lives an easy middle-class life in 1961 Cuba, thinking only about clothes, boys, and dances. When Communist revolutionaries occupy her town, an escalating witch hunt against capitalists compels her parents to send her and her brother to the U.S. under the care of the Catholic Welfare Bureau (as part of "Operation Pedro Pan," which—the endnotes explain—was the largest-ever exodus of unaccompanied children in the West). Lucía eventually settles with a foster family in Nebraska, where she comes to terms with her dual identity as a Cuban exile and an American teen. She must also piece together a picture of what's happening to her parents and friends at home from interrupted phone calls, censored letters, and newspaper articles. This well-written novel has a thoroughly believable protagonist and well-chosen period details. It should be noted, however, that Gonzalez portrays the single sympathetic Communist character as increasingly brainwashed. Few readers will recognize the polemics driving this convincing story, but as an introduction to the history and politics of the Cuban-exile community, it could generate some excellent classroom discussions.—Rhona Campbell, Washington, DC Public Library

MEGA Book Launch Party + Signing at Barnes & Noble

christina_dg — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:34:54 GMT

Everyone is invited!

Party at Books & Books of Coral Gables on Saturday, May 8 and a slightly more subdued (is anything in my life ever subdued?) book presentation and signing at Barnes & Noble of Kendall on Friday, May 14.

Check out the invite below (click on it to make it bigger/clearer). If you are in Miami, stop by!

A Fabulous Review from Kirkus!

christina_dg — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:09:59 GMT

Yes, I said Kirkus! For those who don't know, Kirkus Reviews is considered by many authors as "the Simon" (as in Simon from American Idol) of the book review world. Their reviews have been known to bring authors to tears (and I'm not talking joyful tears either). So you can imagine how nervous I was when I heard that Kirkus had chosen to review my book. My poor nails paid the price because I spent all day chewing on them until my wonderful editor told me the good news...Kirkus liked the book. In fact they called it an "exceptional historical novel". YAY! So, while I go try to fix my nails, you can read the review.

KIRKUS REVIEWS, April 15, 2010

Gonzalez, Christina Diaz - THE RED UMBRELLA

This is the story of Lucía, a Cuban girl who, at the age of 14, leaves her hometown of Puerto Mijares and flies to the United States from Havana with her little brother, Frankie, but without their parents. After arriving at a temporary shelter, they are soon transferred to the Baxters’ home in Nebraska. Through Lucía’s captivating voice, readers travel in time to the year 1961, when members of the Cuban bourgeoisie witnessed the drastic transformation of their society into a communist system. While Lucía’s best friend, Ivette, and her secret sweetheart, Manuel, embrace the revolution and become, with their parents’ support, “brigadistas,” Lucía’s parents, a banker and a housewife, refuse to accept the changes imposed by the new government and make the heartbreaking and, for the times, shocking decision to send their daughter and son to a foreign country, without knowing if they would be able to see them again. Gonzalez enters the literary scene with this exceptional historical novel that portrays the beginning of the Cuban exodus. (Historical fiction. 10 & up)

Great Review + Fun Author Visits = AMAZING DAYS

christina_dg — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:54:24 GMT

The last few days have been some of the best "author days" I've had so far. I had author visits at two local schools and I got my first "national" review. You can read the review (it's really good) at news.shelf-awareness.com/ar/theshelf/2010-03-24/childrens_review_the_red_umbrella.html, but I'm going to talk about the fun I had at the author visits because I've got pictures to show you (sorry, no pictures of me bouncing up and down as I read the review on the screen of my iphone--- although I'm sure there's an app for that).

My first school visit was on Tuesday and I spoke to about 200 kids. It. Was. Awesome. The kids were so excited and asked such great questions...they even laughed at my jokes! Seriously, I was on a high after that. Here are a few pictures...

Me talking to the students                                           Afterwards many of the students wanted to talk some more

With Lily (student council advisor, my friend and wonderful person who made my visit happen)

Then, the very next day I went to speak to another school and met with about 250 more kids. Back to back school visits...and this one was just as fantastic!

View from the back of the auditorium while I do my presentation.

Here I'm being asked for my autograph...     and being interviewed for the school newspaper!

With Ivette (the teaching dynamo, high school bud of mine and the one who invited me to visit the school).

I've promised both schools that I'll come back in May (after The Red Umbrella is released) to do a book-signing. I can't wait!

I LOVE LIBRARIES Winners!

christina_dg — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:34:57 GMT

The winner of 20 fabulous YA/MG books (including the great last minute donation of Shrinking Violet from daniellejoseph) is (drumroll, please...) Glenwood Springs High School!

AND...because so many librarians participated, I gave away a second prize of 10 equally wonderful YA/MG books to.... Cherry Hill Public Library!

This is where I would normally insert pictures of the boxes full of books I sent out, but my camera did not want to cooperate...so just imagine two large heavy boxes full of wonderful books!

Both winners were chosen at random and everyone who sent me their address is getting The Red Umbrella bookmarks.

Thanks to everyone who entered. Librarians ROCK!

20 Book Giveaway. It's huge, I tell you... HUGE!

christina_dg — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:40:40 GMT

Over on the contest page of my website ( www.christinagonzalez.com/contests ) I'm hosting the

I LOVE LIBRARIES CONTEST!

One lucky library will win twenty, yes, I said TWENTY...20...the big 2-0...MG/YA books (including When You Reach Me, A Curse as Dark as Gold, Runaway, and, of course, a copy of my book, The Red Umbrella). Look I took a picture...

(Many of these books are courtesy of my fabulous editor at Random House, so we can all thank her for supporting our libraries, too!)

The contest is open to all U.S. librarians and media specialists. All that's required is to send me a comment through my website (not here) with your library's info and why you think being a librarian is such a great job.

As an added bonus, if I get 50 libraries to enter the contest, I'll give away another 10 book set and, if 100 libraries enter, I'll give away a thrid prize of five more books.

The contest is open until February 28...so spread the word.