I'm thrilled to have the lovely authors of Beautiful Creatures: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl on Author Chat today. Beautiful Creatures is not only beautiful, but the #1 Bestselling Teen Novel on Amazon. Want to find out more about them? Me too!


Are either of you from the South? How did you do the research for the setting?

Kami: My family lived with my grandmother and great-grandma, both of who were raised in North Carolina, so there was a lot of Southern influence in my house. My mom has also lived in the Outer Banks for almost twenty years, which gives me the opportunity to spend even more time there.
Margie: My mom grew up in a Gatlin-sized town where we spent our summers, so we all had that in common. Visits to Charleston and Savannah and the Outer Banks helped fill in the details, but also both Kami and I have been hugely influenced by so many amazing Southern writers.

You had me at Savannah...but still. I must know more.

Tell us a bit about the story.
Kami: BEAUTIFUL CREATURES is a paranormal romance, and an epic Southern gothic. It’s the story of Ethan Wate, a boy who lives in a small Southern town, where nothing ever happens. He has been dreaming of a girl he’s never met, and one day she steps out of dreams and shows up in his town. But Lena isn’t like the other girls in Gatlin.
Margie: He’s forced to choose between the comfortable life he’s always had as one of the insiders, and this girl who captures his heart. On top of that, there’s the small matter of a curse…

You wrote this novel together. This intrigues me! I've always wanted to write a book with someone else--how did you make this work? Was it written every other chapter? Or....?
Kami: Let’s just say it involves many colors of highlighter and more than a few cases of Diet Coke.
Margie: We write over each other just like we talk over each other. It’s more of a process of erosion than creation; we draft and chip away and redraft and chip away until neither one of us can remember who has written what.

Is Beautiful Creatures a stand alone or a series?
Kami: It’s the first book in a series. Book 2 comes out in December 2010.
Margie: But we love how many people have asked us that, because we wanted the book to feel like it could stand on its’ own as a novel.

Who were some of your author influences?
Kami: Flannery O’Connor, Harper Lee, Ray Bradbury, Anne Rice.
Margie: Harper Lee, Eudora Welty, Susan Cooper, Diana Wynne Jones.

Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird
If you two could live on a desert island with ANY character from YA fiction who would it be and why?
Kami: I’d love to hang out with Mr. Hyde. I think we could talk a few things out. Maybe he’s not really YA. A close second would be Astrid from RAMPANT. I’m a huge fan of strong female characters in YA novels, and you don’t get much stronger than a girl who slays evil unicorns the size of SUVs.
Margie: I have a few questions for Fire (FIRE) and Katsa (GRACELING) so Kristin Cashore would have to loan them to me.

What book are you most looking forward to in 2010?
Kami: I can’t wait for Melissa Marr’s RADIANT SHADOWS, Holly Black’s WHITE CAT, Cassandra Clare’s THE CLOCKWORK ANGEL, Sarah Rees Brennan’s THE DEMON'S COVENANT, Carrie Ryan’s THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES, and Kristin Cashore’s BITTERBLUE.
Margie: You mean aside from Heidi R. Kling’s SEA? All of the above. And I can’t wait to read Malinda Lo’s follow up to ASH.
(Aww, shucks. Thanks, Margie!)

Dead-Tossed Waves, coming this spring, by Carrie Ryan

When does BEAUTIFUL CREATURES debut?
December 1, 2009

Any movie plans yet? Who would you two ideally star in the roles?
Kami: We stick to writing and let our agents handle the rest. As far as casting, I think it’s fun for readers to imagine that for themselves. But I will say, I can promise that I won’t be in it.
Margie: LOL. Me neither ☺
(Don't forget about me- I was in high school plays--*acting chops*)

Happy Thanksgiving! I know what I'll be reading!


You can keep up with Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl at www.BeautifulCreaturestheBook.com.

Visit Little, Brown’s Beautiful Creatures website at www.SomeLovesAreCursed.com.
A commenter picked at RANDOM will win a Signed-Something from the authors! So comment away!

The Bookologist: http://the-bookologist.blogspot.com/2009/11/contest-putnam-palooza.html

is holding a contest giving away THREE Putnam Juvenile books, including SEA!

:)



win me!

(Disclaimer: I wrote this for Jacob fans & just for fun. I love Edward and the wonderful Twilight series.)

Camera slowly circles over a canopy of trees.
Emo music plays
A pale Edward is looking pained (as usual) Bella is pouting and looking like she just swallowed raw egg yolk (as usual). ZOOM IN.

Edward:You are my life. I would never hurt you. But I'm leaving you alone in the forest for entirely nonsensical reasons knowing you will either a) be vampire bait or b) see a

Bella: (mumbles something incoherent)

Edward: (disappears)

A creepy vampire enters. Eyes are snake red. He is drooling over Bella's alluring human scent.

Edward: (glances back over his shoulder) I would turn around...but Mexico calls..goodbye MY LOVE~!!

Suddenly--there's a fursplosion in the forest. The sound of pounding paws. A scent of hot dawg.

Bella: (barely audible): Jake? WT-?

As Were-Jacob: chases off red-eyed vampire guy, morphs back into a human...of sorts? No, he's entirely too hot to be a real human. Bella goes all buggy eyed along with the entire theatre audience. Including grown women. Etc.

Bella: Jake! You're a wolf! And you're hot now! And you saved my life!

Jake: Thanks. I gained thirty pounds to keep this role. Think it paid off?

Bella: (drooling) Um. So you want to go fix motorcycles so I can stare at your pecs?

Jake: (flexes) Hell, yeah. Is that marshmallow Cullen gone for good?

Bella: (transfixed): What's a Cullen?

Jake: (kisses her. Nobody interrupts. The phone doesn't ring. Bella doesn't chicken out. The entire theatre has tiny little heart attack/swooning like eruptions.)

*Epilogue*
After graduating from high school and college and THEN graduate school, Bella and Jacob get married and have a healthy litter of werepuppies, which Bella names various versions of Charlie: Charlotte, CJ, Chuck...you got it-- Bella still mopes from time to time, but only during full moons.

And she is never cold again.


THE END

With all the glittery vampires and fursploding werewolves* et al, I think we sometimes forget how much magic, real magic can be found in the Everyday.

I recently read three spectacular YA novels in a row. All with soulful, male narrators. All contemporary YA.
None of them involved the supernatural, yet all three featured demons, ghosts and monsters.

Real ones.

The kind of monsters we face everyday, whether it be a nasty relative, a secret in the past...a sadness in our hearts that we can't quite escape, or simply our own resistance to chasing that dream that is just out of reach.

I'll talk about Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan first because this book I just put down (had to force myself to put down to write this.) My eyes are still burning from the last few chapters--in a word, the book is phenomenal. Hitting on all the major themes in humanity: family, friendship, loyalty, love--all the things that matter--the novel is picture-perfect in tone and style. Unafraid to tackle the dark and cringe-worthy corners of humanity, the story is filled with heart and hope and humor. I loved this beautiful book.

The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard, fellow Tenner, was another gem. Out in January, The Secret Year is a story of a Colt--a boy trying to get over his past, while clinging on to the savory memories he's not ready to let go. His "past" being a secret relationship with an alluring girl from the other side of the tracks. Another contemporary YA filled with great plot, longing, and unforgettable main character.

Lastly, Struts & Frets by Jon Skovron, a book and author I've featured here. Another soulful narrator, Struts & Frets deals with real heavy issues--features complicated characters, a smart and honest teen relationship and most-importantly reminds us readers never to give up on our dreams.


And you know what that is folks?

Magic.

Happy Reading!

*Not that there is anything WRONG with sparkling vampires. I've got my ticket to see New Moon along with everybody else. :) Yet I digress...

Since courtneywrites was so cool (as I predicted she would be) I invited her to join debbieduncan and I for the Fall notyourmothers Bonanza in San Francisco. A certainly memorable for night for many reasons, one being I was driving my new hybrid Highlander (which Twitter named The Seamobile). I don't normally drive on our S.F. adventures because me and freeways and traffic and one-way streets don't normally mix well. But I was up for it!*

Armed with Sea gifties (bookmarks! magnets! Blue & orange envelopes with sea turtle stamps and popsicle stickers--yes, someone had fun at the stationary store--) we headed into the city.

I mean, we headed to the freeway ENTRANCE which was stopped.

Instead of racing toward S.F. as I imagined, we inched toward S.F.--which was fine due to excellent company. Courtney and Debbie both write for Middle Readers so they talked agents and story etc. while we listened to the Glee soundtrack Debbie made us for the road trip (awesome!)

We got to the event right on time (So Much Traffic) and Courtney introduced me to Barry Lyga (Boy Toy) who she knows from New York. I said hello to literaticat and Mary and Alicia and Martha and Sarah Quigley and Cheryl Herdman. Met Daisy Whitney (fellow Tenner) among others (so many people!) and lkmadigan whom I've wanted to meet since our days in the Debs together. Lisa was on the panel with sarazarr , Barry Lyga, Allan Zadoff and Andrew Smith.

Everyone read. Barry's was an excerpt from Goth Girl Rising (which I bought) that was from a POV of a teenage girl complaining about her boobs. Or rather the fact that boys are always staring at him. He was charming and funny and reminds me of Jack Nicolson from Witches of Eastwick. (Yes, the devil.) But in the best possible way!

Sara Zarr was terrific. She read from her new novel Once Was Lost (which I also bought.)
L.K. Madigan read from her fabulous book (of which I'm halfway through-so of course ALSO bought) Flash Burnout. AND from her upcoming Mermaid novel! Generously, she asked all the authors in the audience to please stand. So a bunch of us did. It was such a sweet, special moment. Have I said how much I adore the YA community?

Funfest 2009 continued with Allen Zadoff reading from his hilarious novel Food, Girls and Other Things I Can't Have. The room was laughing so hard. I'll never look at a boy in gym shorts the same way again (not that I look at a lot of boys in gym shorts, but I digress...)

Afterwards I was lucky enough to join the author panel for dinner.
We went to Opera Cafe and I ordered a giant cheeseburger. We had skipped eating (Traffic!) and I was mighty hungry. At dinner, I got to chat with Allen (whose second book is about theatre!) and Lisa (who I love, see above) about life and writing and most importantly how she is following up her debut contemporary novel with a fantasy--which is exactly what I'm planning following SEA with JADE.

Her fantasy also involves surfing and takes place in a beach town like Half Moon Bay.

I gave everyone their gifties and everyone liked the shiny bookmarks. Jenn especially liked the turtle stamp. :)
As usual, she pulled off a fantastic event.

After dinner the fact that Seamobile has an Optional Third Row seat was announced. And everyone is piling into my car.* (Apparently they hadn't gotten the memo about me and one-way streets.)

Barry and Mary pile into the back seat, which is a TIGHT SQUEEZE. Barry's looking like, "Seriously?" and I'm like, "OH YEAH." Everyone is cracking up. Allen and Courtney sandwich between the car seats--Debbie (wisely) calls shot gun as she's The Navigator. And off we go.

Like this. Only blue.
Barry looks so uncomfortable in the rearview mirror. Mary is making many a colorful comment.
I threaten to turn on the Glee soundtrack if they don't behave. On full blast.
They behave.

We cruise through interesting neighborhoods and Allen comments that he is glad he is not walking. Yeah.
Then we see a group of Marines in full uniform with scantily dressed girls under a brightly lit marquee. I comment that it looks like a poster. Someone comments that I should get out more.

Flipping on the hazards and pulling over NYC style (I used to drive in NY, I have mad moves) Allen dives out.
Getting Mary & Barry out proves trickier.

I nearly cruise down a one-way street going the wrong way (of course) and onto the trolley (train? bus?) tracks until Debbie the Navigator corrects me. We pull over (again) flip on the hazards, and Courtney, petite, adorable Courtney, has to jump into traffic and manipulate the Optional Third Row (which is not easy under the best conditions) and Barry/Mary dive out (well, more like stumble as there is VERY little room.)

We bid them farewell and we're off. Ending a perfectly lovely evening in style.
Clown Car style.

Authors Allen Zadoff, L.K. Madigan, Sara Zarr, Barry Lyga and Andrew Smith listening to a question. (I know it's a bad picture. It's all I got!)

I promise to do a big wrap-up on Monday but for a teaser, check out author courtneywrites darling blog post and pictures of her big speaking engagement at Kepler's Books for her second novel Positively.
Also, everyone should buy it. Because it's awesome and so is Courtney.

http://courtneywrites.livejournal.com/41253.html

And lkmadigan lovely lovely wrap-up of the Not Your Mother's Book Club extravaganza with Sara Zarr/Barry Lyga and more (again, my post is coming...)

Here: http://lkmadigan.livejournal.com/157063.html

Can you wade through all the nifty titles and find SEA?
(Hint: page 127!)
http://booksellers.penguin.com/static/pdf/pyrg-summer10.pdf

Almost as exciting as catalog?

Thanks to kellyrfineman hot tip I'm going to see him

as

on

The first weekend of December in New York. :)
It's a business trip first and foremost. Meeting with my editor and agent and will also see a bunch of author friends likejonnyskov speak at Books of Wonder that Sunday.

Winter Manhattan plus Shakespeare (Jude Law! Broadway!) plus writerly friends and colleagues and events has all the ingredients for a fantastic pre-holiday weekend.

As long as I can keep the Zombies at bay. ;)

I'm not talking about censorship/sex/drugs/your neighbor thinking you act like a teenager.

I'm talking about ZOMBIES.

So last night I became one.

Seriously.

I was in Spain. At least I think it was Spain because everything was red-roofed and red streets and there were a lot of yummy smells in the air.

Smells like BRAINZ.

I was bit almost immediately and then knew (because I read THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by carrie_ryan) that I would turn. Quickly. And I did.

A useful side character came up (like a good side character should) and warned, "Don't look in the mirror."

So of course I spent the rest of the dream --between diving out of windows/infecting other people/hiding from watchmebe who was chasing me with a bow & arrow (SISTER'S RED style?)--looking for a mirror.

When I found one it was blurred and cracked like all good story mirrors are. My reflection looked something like this:

But you know, with blue eyes.

I grabbed a roll of TP (which was handy, natch) and wiped off some of the blood and brainz and got back to work doing what zombies do.

That's about when I found my family casually picnicking on green grass apparently unaware of my current state.
I watched from afar as a wolf. Who looked just like Sam from SHIVER by m_stiefvater

Except, you know with yellow eyes
So he waltzes out of the woods and BITES MY YELLOW LAB ON THE BACK OF THE NECK KILLING HIM INSTANTLY.

Am I upset?

Not really. I casually think, "He's going to morph into a werewolf later--he'll be fine."
As I am OOZING BLOOD AND BRAINZ.
I blame said authors mentioned above. And YA in general.
Needless to say, I escaped unscathed.
I had to tell The Boy all about said dream before school this morning. His comment?
"That's great nobody cut your head off--you know that's the only way to kill a zombie."

Lesson learned? YA is a world I never want to stop visiting.

Wow.
Two biggies in one day!
(Thanks to Twitter friends for letting me know!)

http://lccn.loc.gov/2009028321

Here's the Library of Congress summary of SEA:

Despite recurring nightmares about her mother's death and her own fear of flying, fifteen-year-old Sienna accepts her father's birthday gift to fly to Indonesia with his team of disaster relief workers to help victims of a recent tsunami, never suspecting that this experience will change her life forever.

Here's the amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Heidi-R-Kling/dp/0399251634/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253219363&sr=8-1

I'm so tickled SEA is grouped with Beautiful Creatures and Hush, Hush in a special pre-order package!
Beautiful Creatures is getting astounding reviews and Hush, Hush is just yummy. Can't wait to read both of them.



Have a great weekend, all!

Spring green perfectly complements the winter blue of Shiver, doesn't it?
And the first teaser paragraph is lovely.
Check it out here: http://m-stiefvater.livejournal.com/133366.html?view=4665590#t4665590

My Wild Thing voted another Heidi heidi2524 the winner of the wonderfully musical debut novel by jonnyskov

heidi2524 wrote:

"My grandson struts & frets; I creak too much to strut and don't care enough to fret."

The Boy found that both well-written and funny.

Congratulations, Heidi!

Speaking of Wild Things, I took the boy to see it this weekend.

I was a bit worried because some people caution parents of young children about the heavy emotional content. And it was emotional. But in a very honest, very spot-on way that kids can connect with. I would recommend it for 6 and up because of the anger and some scary parts, but we both loved it.

I was talking to a YA librarian on Twitter and likened the film to "Lost in Translation" for the elementary school crowd. The whimsical soundtrack, the honesty, the smiling-through-tears goose bump effect rang through the entire story. We talked about it the whole way home. As a writer, I found it incredibly complex. I hate it when life-through-art is dumbed down for teens and I hate it when its dumbed down for little kids. This definitely spoke right from the heart and was brave enough to show the raw/ sad/ frightening bits from the inside out.

The Wild Things represent the people Max cares about who are absent and who disappoint him (whether its his divorced father or his newly teenage sister or his harried single mom) and through this parallel character--a Wild Thing named Carol--he comes to understand life through his family's eyes and is able to choose to come home heightened by his experience. How all journeys should end, no?

The boy sat on the edge of the seat alternately clapping, laughing, howling and covering his ears.
To me this is how every book/film/play should be.
Entirely engaging, thought-provoking and entertaining all at the same time.
Grab someone you love and go see it now.

And most importantly, remember to hug your Wild Things close.

...from The Mummy Queen

I had a health scare that was not fun. I found a lump under my armpit and the doctor was concerned.
He ordered a mammogram and an ultrasound.
This was last week.
The whole time at Disneyland it was in the back of my mind--these terrible thoughts like What About My Kids? They are so little--they need me--I tried to push them away but they kept popping back up.
I told my husband that if I'm not sick I'm going to learn how to play the guitar.
I found out yesterday that I'm okay.
Completely okay.
So this is what I'm asking Santa for:


My health is something I've always taken for granted. Not anymore.
I'm SO glad I got it checked out.

You must buy this:

It has more YA fantasy book ads than any mainstream paper mag I've ever bought.
Walmart promotes Melissa De La Cruz's Blue Blood Series
GIANT ad for Cassandra Clare's books with this blurb from S. Meyer, "Dear Edward and Jacob: I adore you both. But I'm spending the weekend with Jace. Sorry."
(Nice)
Rachel Caine's books with a blurbs from our very own Reviewer X and Teen Book Review.
And more!
Go People Mag and YA!

This was a week of playing.
After months of worry: Swine Flu! The economy! Etc. Etc.-- Insert Current Problem Here--
We decided to splurge and treat La Familia on a three-night at California Grand--three-day park hopper pass to Disneyland Resort.
We had an absolute blast.
The four of us wore theme t-shirts of this guy:

The baby was pretty punk rock. She wore her striped Jack shirt with a fluffy pink princess skirt.
The Boy and I hit this ride numerous times:

Awe-some.
Then, when we got home, my husband and I went to Bridge School Benefit Concert. You know it? It benefits a special needs school that Neil Young (who lives on a nearby ranch) started.
Last night's line-up:

Gavin Rossdale sang an inspired "Landslide" (one of my all-time favorite songs) and Adam Sandler was hilarious.
Chris Martin was adorable in a black and white Suess-like hat and made jokes about Balloon Boy.
His Yellow was amazing.
Wolfmother was fantastic too.
We made new friends.
One of them was this guy whose manic birthday energy was contagious.
Yes, that's me raising de roof to a Sheryl Crow song--had to be there--sometimes you gotta dance, right?

(Yes, some of that popcorn was tossed into the crowd.)
STRUTS&FRETS contest winner To Be Announced This Week! Thanks for all your creative entries!

Hey all! Same rules. Think of a great sentence in comments using the cool phrase STRUTS & FRETS and the boy will pick the winner of the book! Example: "It's as if the lizard struts & frets through his green-tailed life."
Thanks for participating! Enjoy the interview and read this fantastic book when you get a chance!

Congratulations on your novel---what is it about?

Thanks! My quick pitch: A kid starting an indie rock band while dealing with love, friendship, family, and a grandfather with encroaching Alzheimer's.

Where did you get the idea?

It all started with Sammy's voice in my head, just saying: "One thing I new for sure, we were going to be famous." I just followed it from there, like a detective.

Are you also a musician? What instruments do you play?

I play the guitar pretty well. I used to play the trumpet pretty well, but I've lost my chops from lack of practice. I also can play (but not well), drums, saxophone, flute, harmonica, baritone, piano, bass guitar, and accordion. You ain't seen nothing till you've seen me rockin' out on some polka!

Like your MC are you shy about singing in front of people?

I used to be. And like my main character, I figured out how to make it work.

Your cover is awesome. Did you give them ideas for it?

Nope, and I'm so glad because my book designer, Chad Beckerman, came up with something so perfect, I would have just gotten in the way.

The author and his book

Did you write the real songs that are in the book?

Not only did I write them, but I wrote them when I was in high school! I still have my old song books along with all my journals I've kept throughout the years. I was tempted to clean them up a bit, but in the interest of authenticity, I decided to just leave them in their beautiful imperfection.

I love the fully fleshed adult characters like the single mom and Gramps. How did you come up with them?

The way I create a character is to take two (or more) people that I know (either personally or a celebrity) and mash them into one person. Bam! Instant internal conflict! It's something that I just did naturally when I first started out writing, then figured out after the fact. Now I do it a little more deliberately.

Do you have a musician grandfather?

When he was in college, my grandfather played piano and clarinet in a few local jazz bands. He also spent his summers on transatlantic cruise ships, going back and forth between New York and Paris, just playing jazz standards every night. But in the end, he decided on the infinitely more practical career of dentistry. He continued to play for the rest of his life, though. I have many happy childhood memories of sitting next to him on the piano bench while he played old Billie Holiday songs.

I'm nearly finished with this book and I love it. What I like most is that it seems SO realistic. I feel like I really know this boy and (or knew) and people like him. How did you stay so natural with your writing?

My number one goal in writing this book was authenticity. I didn't want a single line to ring false or forced. As a teen, I had a really low tolerance for pretension and BS, so I was basically writing this story for my teenage self, checking in with him constantly to see if it set off any alarms.

I'm not saying that naturalistic is the only or the best way to write. Sometimes I love the fancy writing. But to tell Sammy's story, it needed to be this real.

You used to be an actor, no? How does theatre background help with 'staging' a story so to speak?

As an actor, you're always aware of what you are doing in the space. As a writer, I try to ground my characters in the setting in the same way. It's not just floating talking heads. They interact with their environment.

Another way that acting informs my writing is in keeping it active. In acting (at least, in the way I was trained...there are other schools of thought on this), you try not to show, or indicate, emotion. Because when you do, it usually looks forced. Instead, you constantly ask yourself "What is my character doing in this moment?"You concentrate on the action your character is performing moment by moment. What do they want? What are they trying to accomplish? And if you are truly in the moment with them, the emotion comes all on its own.

Whose your favorite Muppet? I'm guessing one of the Electric Mayhem. Animal perhaps?

While I do love Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, my very favorite Muppet is Gonzo. They call him "the weirdo", but if you watch those shows carefully, you'll see that he's actually an avant garde performance artist, and at times quite a brilliant one.


Hear you have some signings coming up to celebrate your launch. Where and when?

I'm participating in two group signings at Books of Wonder in New York City. On October 29th, I'll be hanging with some other Abrams authors. Then on Dec 6th, I'll be hanging with my fellow 2009 Debs, which I'm
sure your readers know is a group of Young Adult authors all with debut novels in 2009. I'm also going to be at NCTE in Philly for you english teachers out there.

What's up next for Jonny Skov?

The story I'm working on now is very different. I don't like to repeat myself. Some people might suggest that this is a bad idea for a newbie author just trying to make a name for himself. But I have to write where my heart is. It's the only way I know how to do it.

Was there a real life Jen5 in your teenage life?

Jen5 is a composite of several girls I knew in high school, none of whom I dated, all of whom I have lost touch with. Sorry, that's probably not the answer you wanted ;P

What are some of your favorite YA books/authors?

My gateway into YA was Neil Gaiman, China Mieville, Kelly Link, Cory Doctorow, and Michael Chabon. None of them specialize in YA, but all of them have written in the genre. Once I got sucked into the sparkly world of YA, I discovered marvelous authors like Holly Black, Gabriel Zevin, Markus Zusak, and David Levithan. I'm still fairly new to the genre so I'm discovering more all the time. And then of course there are my fellow 2009 Debs, all of whom are extremely talented and awesome people. I just finished SHADOWED SUMMER by Saundra Mitchell and it was the first time since reading Gaiman's CORALINE that a book actually scared me. Sitting at the top of my to-be-read stack are SHINE, COCONUT MOON by Neesha Meminger and EYES LIKE STARS, by Lisa
Mantchev.

If you could cast your adaptation of your novel who would star?

Sammy actually muses on who he would cast in his own life and ultimately decides it would be best to cast unknown actors. I'd certainly be down for that, especially if I could push a few of my buddies from college into the cast somehow. When I saw Juno, I thought Ellen Page and Michael Cera had a nice vibe together that would work for Sammy and Jen5. In terms of looks, though, if Dakota Fanning is just the right age now. If she were willing to dreadlock her hair and toughen up a bit, she'd be a dead ringer for Jen5.

(IMHO that hair is WAY too pretty to dreadlock. However, Hollywood has a way of handling that.)

You also work full time and have two kids. How do you balance everything?

I swore off video games in 1999. That freed up a big chunk of time. I also don't watch much television (I know this horrifies you, Heidi, but I don't really like it). I also really get into all the productivity and efficiency stuff on places like Lifehacker.com, 43Folders.com, and Zenhabits.net. Ways to simplify your life and cut out all the unnecessary stuff that gets in the way of doing what you love.

And most importantly, where can we buy your book and learn more about you?

You can buy my book at just about any bookstore (B&N, Borders, Amazon, etc), although because I am a fan of all things indie (hello! indie music!), I strongly urge to buy from your local independent bookstore. If you don't know where one is near you, find it on indiebound.org.

My site/blog/virtual everything is jonnyskov.com

My book site is strutsandfretsbook.com

http://thebookbind.blogspot.com/2009/10/sea-by-heidi-kling-review.html

Thank you, Kepler's Books. =)

Check out this gorgeous trailer!


Amazing, right?
Writer/Illustrator Christy Hale is an incredibly talented and sweet member of my critique group. I've seen this book from the first spark through completion. It's SO gorgeous. She also drew illustrations for a picture book my husband wrote based on a refugees true-life experience reintroducing dance to next generation of Cambodian children. Christy's drawings of children are tender and lively.

Christy's launch party is this Saturday from 6-8 pm at the Book's Inc. in Palo Alto.
All are welcome! There will be drinks and food and all kinds of fun stuff.

East-West House is now available everywhere and would make a perfect gift for all the children in your life!
Support Indie Bookstores! http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781600603631


East-West House

For more about Christy's beautiful books: http://www.christyhale.com

Yes.
In Yosemite.
Was towed.
Twice.
First time it died nearly on a dangerous pass--Husband is good--turned around and coasted into a gas station. Good right?
Well.
Three men were preparing to hunker down for the winter to rebuild station. In a tiny RV. But they did have a phone, which they let us use. Thank God Mother-In-Law at hotel an hour away. I call.
It's getting dark.
Good thing I brought jackets.
And snacks.
Good thing it wasn't raining.
We wait. Vulnerable. Reminds me of creepy dystopian book/movie. I survey for weapons if needed.
Finally, the tow comes. Darkness. Then the in-laws. Rescued! Boy dives through mother-in-law's window.
Car towed to valley. The six of us pile in the small Camry.
They Band-aid the car at the garage. We park it. We play at the river. I rent a pink Beachcruiser. We enjoy.
Two days later: puddles of red-brown gunk under car.
Back to garage.
Mechanic said, "Oh just keep pouring oil in every twenty minutes and you should get home okay."
We drive behind my husband. Palms pouring sweat.
Smoke billows.
Um.
Honk.
"Husband, you are more important to us then the car. Let's not have you blow up today."
Six people squeeze into a gold Camry for an eight hour drive home...
...including numerous stops.
One in Merced where the car has been towed.
Husband finds a bullet shell for Boy.
Mom tosses it back out the window.
Can't feel my feet.
I love my kids but do I want to be squeezed between them for eight hours with a backpack on my feet?
Not really.
Mechanic calls: CAR DEAD. 6k to fix transmission. Car is worth maybe 3k. Prepare for Car Funeral.
Yesterday: haggling with car dealers for hours.
It was fun.
I like haggling.
Found a car.
It matches my book cover.
And is Hybrid. 4 wheel drive. And hopefully the transmission works.
I'm going back today to buy.
I'm hoping.
Its either that or move to New York so we can get around via foot or subway.

THE END.

A giant box from Penguin arrived on my doorstep this morning!

I kind of love that publishers don't warn of these things. It makes it so much more exciting!

Sarah Ockler's generous blurb is on the cover and literaticatJennifer Laughran's and Kepler's Bookseller Vivian Leal's on the back. The back cover is this drinkable blue with purple swirls and says, "A moody tale of romance set in the turbulent aftermath of the tsunami."

I'm so thankful to my editor, Stacey, designer Kristina Duewell, and the entire gang at Putnam for putting these Advanced Reader Copies together so beautifully. It's so surreal to hold SEA in my hands like this.

I had a lovely time at Kristin Cashore event tonight. She was incredibly impressive. She hand writes her novels in these notebooks, which she showed us--old school style--and it was so fun showing my ARC to everybody! Here's a picture to prove it's real. =))



Also, tonight GLEE. =) Finn's monologue about being tired because he's popular was hilarious. Also, the coach's diary entry. Wow.