Bid to win a FULL YA manuscript crit from moi!

A bunch of writers (and editors too!), all headed up by fellow 2009 Debut author Cynthea Liu, are participating in a giveaway of services and books and fun stuff to help Tulakes Elementary School get funding for books and much-needed items for their classrooms! More info about the school is HERE.

So, I'm offering up a FULL young adult manuscript critique for my contribution to the cause. Right now, the last bid on my crit is a steal at the bargain price of $55. So please, support a fantastic cause and bid, bid, bid on the items.

You don't have to be a writer to participate in the auction, by the way. There are LOTS of wonderful items up for auction, not just writing stuff!

You can find out details about my critique offer and bid to win a FULL YA manuscript crit from me HERE.

And you can find details about the auction in general HERE, as well as check out the massive prize list!

You have until July 8, 11:59 PM EST to bid. Thanks for your help and support!

Blog Tour: Sarah Ockler!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Sarah Ockler, whose book Twenty Boy Summer debuted on June 1. I can't WAIT to get a copy of this book--I've heard it's fantastic!

Here’s a blurb about Twenty Boy Summer:

While on vacation in California, sixteen-year-old best girlfriends Anna and Frankie conspire to find a boy for Anna’s first summer romance, but Anna harbors a painful secret that threatens their lighthearted plan and their friendship.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER is a debut YA novel that explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.

Aaaaaand, a little about author Sarah Ockler:

Sarah Ockler wrote and illustrated her first book at age six—an adaptation of Steven Spielberg's E.T. Still recovering from her own adolescence, Sarah now writes for young adults. After several years of wandering between New York City and Denver, she and her husband Alex now live in Upstate New York with lots of books and an ever-expanding collection of sea glass. Twenty Boy Summer is Sarah's first novel. Visit her online at http://www.sarahockler.com/.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Indiebound HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

The story of Twenty Boy Summer was inspired by teens I met through my work with the National Donor Family Council, an organization that supports families whose loved ones died and donated organs or tissues.

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

In our school, we had two lunch places -- the cafeteria and the commons. The caf had nasty, nasty food that I don't even remember eating. The commons had pizza and fries and hamburgers that looked like shoe leather. Most of the time I went for the pizza and fries, but once I became a senior, I was allowed to leave campus for lunch. We usually went to Burger King. But... due to an unfortunate scheduling issue, I had lunch at 10:30 AM. So I usually got the BK French toast sticks with a side of hash browns. I think the pizza was healthier. :-X

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

Hearing from readers and book bloggers is my favorite part about being a writer! Chatting with people who love to read or who really connected with the characters in Twenty Boy Summer has been an incredible experience! It's also great to meet other authors, online and off. The YA writing community is supportive and full of awesome. I'm so grateful to be part of it!

Thanks for coming to my blog, Sarah--and I'm thrilled about your debut!!

Books 1 and 2 are on Amazon!!

I just had to quickly share that books 1 (Stupid Cupid) and 2 (Flirting With Disaster) of my trilogy, which are coming out with Simon and Schuster, are on Amazon now. Today’s the first day I saw book 2 on there—I got a google notification about it. EEEEH! hahaha I’m just a wee excited, eh?

Check them out:

http://www.amazon.com/Stupid-Cupid-Rhonda-Stapleton/dp/1416974644

http://www.amazon.com/Flirting-Disaster-Rhonda-Stapleton/dp/1416974652

Have a great Friday! I know I will, ‘cuz I’m hyped up on Chick-Fil-A sweet tea and I’m super giddy!! ROFL

PLEASE support the Ohio Public Library!

Yanno, the Ohio library system is the best I've ever seen--you can access a vast wealth of material easily from anywhere in the state. So imagine my alarm and dismay to learn our governor has proposed to cut the funding! NO. WAY.

Using a list of emails for my state representatives that are found HERE on the Cuyahoga County Public Library's website, I sent the following email to every one of my representatives (making sure to include my addy and phone #). I highly encourage everyone to do the same. PLEASE, support the library!

Dear Sirs and Madams,

I am a constituent in Ohio and am alarmed to learn of Governor Strickland’s proposal to reduce the state funding by 50% for Ohio libraries. As a proud 11-year resident of Cuyahoga County, one of the things I enjoy most about this area is the fantastic, well-celebrated library system—I can honestly say that I have never seen one in any other state that can compare (and I have lived in almost a dozen different states during my lifetime so far).

The libraries in Ohio were fundamental to my completion of my Master’s degree—I was able to easily and effortlessly find all the research material I needed. The library has also aided me in numerous hours upon hours of research for my novels (I have a young adult trilogy coming out in December with Simon and Schuster). And the library has provided countless moments of enjoyment for our family through their vast offerings and amazing interlibrary system—with books, DVDs, music, and magazines.

To deprive our children, our families, our communities of these benefits through reduction of funding is unacceptable.

Every time a levy has come up for the library, I have voted in favor of it—not only for my continued personal benefit, but for those of our communities within our state. The library is a cornerstone of personal education and enrichment and should be supported and valued as such.

Therefore, I am writing today to ask you to reject this proposal and tell Governor Strickland we need to keep the library funding to continue as-is. Please support the Ohio Public Library. In an economy like ours, it may seem the quick and easy solution to take money from the library and put it elsewhere, but doing this would cause our state to suffer for a long time to come. Allowing our residents to access the programs like computer training, career counseling, internet access, vast stocks of books/movies/DVDs, etc. are crucial.

Thank you kindly for your time and consideration—I greatly appreciate it! Please feel free to contact me at any time.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Stapleton

My American Idol Audition

(I'd originally posted this on my old blog a few years ago. However, since I'd moved off wordpress to blogger, I'd lost it and had forgotten all about it. WAH! But I'd had a few people who asked to hear how my experience was, so here it is, back by popular demand! And hopefully, never to be lost again. haha)

I Will Always Love You: My American Idol Experience
By Rhonda Stapleton

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a singer. I sang in the living room, amusing my family with my rendition of “Maniac” from the movie Flashdance. I sang in the car. I sang in school. I sang everywhere, and throughout my youth, continued to dream of the day I would appear on Kids Incorporated--or even better, Star Search, sweeping the competition with 5 stars from each judge and debuting with an album that would rise to platinum status after I sold a billion albums my first week. Yes, lofty dreams, indeed.

My love of singing never became a salable career, other than winning a couple of karaoke contests in adulthood, so when American Idol came out, my friends told me I had to audition. I bowed out gracefully, pointing out that I was juuuust a little too old and missed the age cutoff, but if they ever raised it, I’d be glad to try out. It was a non-issue, since I didn’t imagine the show doing that. Ever.

And what do you know – in the summer of 2004, a friend called my bluff. The age was raised to 28, which just so happened to be my age, and they were having auditions in Cleveland. And thus started my American Idol adventure.

I had no idea what to sing, and was offered advice from a multitude of people. “Don’t sing Stevie Wonder--you’ll most likely be rejected for it, because it’s hard to mimic his vocal inflections and range.” “Don’t do songs that everyone will be singing, like anything by Whitney Houston, especially ‘I Will Always Love You’.” “Pick something in your range, and make it fun!”

Ok, so that leaves me with…what? Well, since I wanted to approach the auditions with the attitude that it would be fun to participate, and I was doing it only for the experience, I decided to pick something fun, so I chose “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon, since it was unique and flattering to my vocal range.

Though excited, I was super embarrassed and didn’t want to announce to the office that I was trying out, since I knew I wasn’t going to win. Therefore, I only told a couple of people…but being an office where everyone knows everything, word leaked and everyone found out. Pressure!

The auditions were to be held at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The website for American Idol specified that no one could arrive any earlier than 6 a.m. the previous day. Being naïve, I assumed it wouldn’t be crowded until that evening. I was going to work my regular hours (7 a.m. to 3 p.m.), then have a friend drop me off at the auditions so I could wait in line and get signed up. Another friend agreed to meet me at the stadium that evening so I wouldn’t have to crash there alone.

That morning, everyone at work told me that there were already thousands of people waiting in line. So, I left work early, toting my overnight bag, and arrived at the stadium at noon. There were, indeed, thousands and thousands of people in line, and it was a hot, sticky day. The stadium grounds crawled with food and drink vendors, news crews from all the local stations, and auditioning women in tiny outfits hamming it up for the newscasters.

I stepped into the back of the line and waited in the sun, sweat pouring down my rapidly burning skin. A few hundred people or so filed behind me, but it quickly became apparent that I had arrived nearly last, meaning I was going to have to wait for hours to get into the stadium.

The people behind me were hysterical. They were college students from West Virginia--three females and a male. Having family from that state myself, we struck up a conversation and spent the time from noon to around 4 p.m. entertaining ourselves and slowly moving up the line.

At the entrance, a posted sign declared that no chairs, nor outside food or drink were allowed, which explained the massive piles of litter and folding chairs around the edges of the stadium. Also, only one guest could come into the stadium, but the person had to already be with the applicant. Well, that screwed up my plans. I called my friend and told her not to worry about coming down.

Many people were ticked about the “no outside food” rule, but the guy in the West Virginia group lied and told the American Idol employees that he was diabetic so he could keep his food, which included a healthy array of Pringles, Twizzlers, Ho Hos, and soda.

We finally got inside around 4:30. Sleeping bags and blankets packed the stadium floor. Some people practiced their songs, while others napped. The food vendors were open, but the prices were ridiculous. Bottled water was $3.50, and chicken sandwiches, nothing more than a slab of dried-out chicken meat on a bun, were $5.00! Yes, I just love the food industry tyranny.

We stepped around the crowds of people and filed into the stadium seats. There were 15,000 to 20,000 crispy, burnt Idol wannabes in the stadium once everyone was seated. Some guy with a British accent, who I think was the executive producer, stood in the middle of the field and made a few announcements.

The contestants needed to be in their seats no later than 6 a.m. the next morning. There would be a series of tents set up on the far end of the field, and each tent would hold 2 judges. Starting with the chunk of people who arrived first, we would be lined up in rows of three for each tent and would each then have 10 to 15 seconds or so to sing our song, with the judges picking the best of the best. And the worst of the worst.

Only about 1500 people would make it through the first round--roughly 10%. Those selected would get to the next round with the producers, and would be filtered down to anywhere from 150 to 300 people, who would then audition for Paula, Simon, and Randy.

We were told we had the option of staying in the stadium overnight or getting a hotel room nearby. However, if we did that, we would have to be back in the stadium no later than 5:30 in the morning.

In a unanimous decision, the West Virginia group and I decided to get a hotel room, since we knew we wouldn’t get any kind of restful sleep crashing in the stadium. We called and made a reservation at a nearby hotel, left the stadium--making sure our wristbands were secure so we could re-enter the stadium the next day--and walked to the hotel, promptly ordering pizza. We took turns practicing our songs for each other--in between a lot of laughing and joking around--then crashed a little before midnight with the plan to leave the hotel by 4:30.

The alarm clock jarred us awake at 3:30 in the morning. My lungs don’t even function that early, so I woke up at 4, desperate for more sleep. I scrambled around to get dressed in my shirt and jeans and packed up my belongings.

We dragged ourselves to the stadium at 5 a.m., still in a half-slumber, and sank back into our original seats. We were specifically told the day before that we needed to stay in our original sections, or we’d get kicked out if we were caught trying to cut line.

The stadium was soon packed again, with people in a variety of dress wrapped in blankets to keep warm during the early morning coldness. I saw one person in a mime outfit--nice gimmick.

And then came the rain, pouring and stopping in bursts. People dashed up to the seats below the overhang or back into the stadium hallway, all of which were crowded beyond belief. The British guy made another announcement that the auditions would start very soon.

We waited.

And waited.

Finally, around 8 a.m., the auditions started. Despite its fatigue, the crowd was enthusiastic--cheering on the first brave souls. American Idol camera crews swept over the crowd, creating a general sense of excitement.

If the contestant was told no, he or she had to file along the field, up the steps of one side, and out of the stadium. If he or she was told to advance, the path fell along the crowd of waiting hopefuls and cut through the crowd to a loge room, where paperwork and instructions of where to go next awaited the lucky person.

Throughout the long day, the majority of entrants filed down the walk of shame. Some cried, shuffling out the stadium in embarrassment, while others laughed and talked.

Those who made it to the second round were stopped by waiting aspirants still in the stands and told to sing. Since I was near the end, I got to hear all the songs people sang. I quickly noticed a pattern of which songs were favored, as many of the women who made it to round two sang an excerpt of “I Will Always Love You” to the eager crowd.

I joked to the West Virginia group that all of us, including the lone guy, should change our song to “I Will Always Love You” just to be funny. But on the inside, I started to panic, thinking that maybe I really should change my song choice--after all, that seemed to be the winning song of the day, regardless of the advice I had been given. But I stood firm with my decision.

Hours dragged by painfully slow--we were trapped in the stadium that time forgot. We grew restless. Bored with practicing our songs, we all tried to entertain ourselves by singing together. When the novelty of group singing wore off, we napped, painfully twisted up on the benches to avoid falling off onto the sticky concrete floor.

In one trip to the bathroom, I saw someone in a black sequined dress and high heels singing to her reflection in the mirror. I recognized her as a fellow karaoke contestant from a restaurant a couple of weeks before--she had won first place, and I had won second. I smiled and said “hi” to her as she sang. With a brief pause, she scanned her eyes over my jeans and shirt and dismissed me from her presence, looking back in the mirror to carefully shape vowels with her mouth as she exaggerated the sounds.

I was stunned at the blatant snobbery, and being tired and slightly cranky by now, wished she’d trip in front of the judges and break a heel, or that all the sequins would somehow fall off her dress.

Oh, well. I pushed thoughts of her out of my mind and focused on rehearsing the lyrics to my song in my head. I didn’t want to get up there and forget the words.

You know, sitting in a stadium for hours and hours upon end gives one a lot of time to ponder life and the mysteries of the universe. What does it all mean? Who am I in relation to the rest of the world? Is there life in space?

What if I have a twin out there on another planet, living a parallel life to mine, auditioning for Jupiter Idol? Would she have chosen “I Will Always Love You” as her song? I felt deep and profound, as if I finally reached some hidden layer of understanding.

At 6:00 in the evening, it was finally my turn to line up. By now, the stadium was nearly empty, with only two sections behind me waiting to audition. The walk of shame had gotten bigger and bigger (including the bathroom diva, who cried as she walked out of the stadium), with only a few trickles of people making it to round two.

I got in line and pushed forward with the rest of the singing cattle, suddenly feeling nervous. Amazing--I’d made it this far without getting the jitters, and now it was finally time. I watched the process: the judges had the first person in each of the three rows step forward and sing for about 10 to 15 seconds, one after the other. After all three people sang, the judges made their decision, usually saying “No, thanks,” to the entrant. Those three left the lineup, and the next three moved up to sing.

In the tent beside me, a woman belted out “I Will Always Love You”, her voice reaching to the far end of the stadium. She made it to the next round. The now-familiar Whitney Houston panic set in again, but I forced myself to stick with what I had practiced.

I was in line with two of the girls from West Virginia. When we made it to the front of the line, we each sang less than 15 seconds of our songs to two tired, distracted judges. I think I did pretty well, even though the judge didn’t look up from her paperwork at all while I was singing. All three of us were told “No, thanks,” though one of the girls was told she should try out again next year. Unfortunately, since she’s 28, too, that wasn’t a possibility.

We grabbed our bags and filed out of the stadium. I was too tired by now to really care, the day’s exhaustion and abbreviated sleep the night before having taken its toll on me.

I called my ride, and while waiting, called family and friends to let them know that I did not make it to the next round. Of course, being supportive of me, they told me I should have made it.

While I was disappointed, I had to remember that these were brief, unprofessional auditions for a television show. The judges didn’t know me, didn’t have a chance to see me perform at my best. Instead, after having taxed my body to possibly its maximum fatigue, I had to wait outside in rainy, dreary weather for 13 hours to audition for 15 seconds.

Overall, it was an exhausting, surreal experience, but I’m glad I got to try out. It sure made for a unique two days. Now, to find out how to apply for Extreme Makeover...

Debs goodness giveaway!

I haven't talked a lot on here about the 2009 Debutantes (which I LOVE, by the way)--one of the cool things they do is offer a monthly contest to win some goodies. Here's the link to find out more deets to this month's contest (which I think is ONLY for today, so GO ENTER QUICKLY)!

Hope you all check it out!!

YA Romantic Comedies

Sorry I haven't written on here in forev. It's been CRAAAAZY busy at work, which is partly why I've been MIA. Also, I'm writing again! I haven't done any real writing (other than revisions) since January, which is insane for me. I'm working on a new idea and am totally in the groove--I'm almost 1/3 done with the proposal. It's a romantic comedy, and it's a lot of fun so far, though it needs some work. Thank GOD for the revision process. LOL

I've also been reading a lot. I go through weird spurts where it may take me two weeks to finish a novel, and then other times, I'll read 2 books in a day. Anyone else like that?

I've gone through 3 of the Simon Pulse romantic comedies in the last week--I have to say, I really looooooved Jennifer Echols' rom com book The Boys Next Door. Have you read this one yet? She has such a fantastic, quirky, fun voice. I noticed her great writing when I read Major Crush a couple of years ago, but hadn't read anything else by her until now. I recently bought her newest (non-romantic comedy) novel Going Too Far, and now I'm doubly looking forward to reading it.

Anyway, I'm giving myself a wee break from rom com by reading The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Wow, this one is great so far--I'm really pulled into it. I love stories where the narrator isn't sure of what's going on and has the mystery slowly unfold around her...I feel like I become vested in her as she tries to unravel the truth.

So, have you read any good romantic comedies, or other fantastic books lately? I'd love to get some recommendations!

2009 Debut contest--enter to win!!

Okay folks, there's a HUUUUGE contest on Debut 2009 (a fun community of 2009 debut authors I belong to)!! Enter now for a chance to win one of three prize packs--each with NINE young adult/middle grade debut novels, and a set of gift cards! This is an awesome opportunity, so run over there and enter now!!

See how many exclamation points I'm using? Yes, it's THAT awesome. LOL

Check it out!! http://community.livejournal.com/debut2009/682566.html

Blog Tour: Aprilynne Pike!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Aprilynne Pike, whose book Wings debuted on May 5, and hit #1 on the NYT bestseller list! I already bought my copy and can't WAIT to read it.

Here’s a blurb about Wings:

Aprilynne Pike's WINGS is the first of four books about an ordinary girl named Laurel who discovers she is a faerie sent among humans to guard the gateway to Avalon. When Laurel is thrust into the midst of a centuries-old battle between faeries and trolls, she's torn between a human and a faerie love, as well as her loyalties to both worlds.

Aaaaaand, a little about author Aprilynne Pike:

Aprilynne Pike has been spinning faerie stories since she was a child with a hyper-active imagination. At the age of twenty she received her BA in Creative Writing from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. When not writing, Aprilynne can usually be found at the gym; she also enjoys singing, acting, reading, and working with pregnant moms as a childbirth educator and doula. Aprilynne currently lives with her husband and three kids in Utah, and dreams of warmer climates. Visit her website at http://www.aprilynnepike.com/.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

Without being too spoilerish, I decided I wanted to write a book about faeries, but I wanted them to be a different kind of faerie than readers had ever seen before. I got the snippet of my basic mythos at about four in the morning (I was about eight months pregnant and not sleeping well) and spent the next several hours tossing an turning and discarding some really ridiculous ideas! But by the time I got up the next morning, I had a basic idea of how I wanted to write my faeries!

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

Two things. My cafeteria would make these amazing chocolate and peanut butter bars that were better than Reeses's cups. They were SO good! I have since found the recipe and now I make them for myself.:D They also had these incredible au gratin potatoes. I went to a teeny little high school and after everyone was served lunch, anyone who wanted seconds could go up and get more until the food was all gone. However, girls never went up for seconds. Just the boys. However, on au gratin potato day, I would brave the funny looks to go get more yummy potatoes.:D

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

So far? Holding the ARC in my hand. Seeing something that actually looks like a book! Flipping through all those gorgeous pages with scores and scores of words and knowing that *I* wrote all those words!!

Thanks for coming to my blog, Aprilynne--and massive congrats on your explosive debut!!

High school prom pics

I posted my high school prom pictures on the Fictionistas today. Want to check them out? Just drop by HERE to witness my exquisite prom hair circa early 90's...and don't forget your Aqua Net!

Apparently Donut Day is June 5...

...and how will you be celebrating? LOL. Check out this really funny video by a fellow 2009 Debutante, Lara Zielin (author of Donut Days), showing what she'll be doing:

And while you're at it, check out Lara's other video, showing her hilarious reaction to getting her editing letter for her book:

Twitter Murder Mystery!!

Hey, everyone!!! I'm participating in a twitter fictional murder mystery in June, and I'd love it if you guys followed along and watched as the mystery unfolds...it should be a lot of fun! Maybe YOU can solve the mystery, eh? :D

My character is http://twitter.com/PhoenixMac (he's The Rival)! And here's the main profile of the twitter mystery: http://twitter.com/Tweet_Mystery

We have a website set up too: http://tweetmystery.ning.com/ -- you can see the profiles for the characters, our bios, etc.

Thanks for checking it out!

Bookstore Gift Certificate--new winner!!

I never heard from the original winner of the $10 bookstore online gift certificate, so I've drawn a new winner--Aubrey!

Aubrey, please email me at rhonda AT rhondastapleton DOT com with your email address and from which bookseller you'd like to get the gift certificate!

Blog Tour: Sarah Cross!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Sarah Cross, whose book Dull Boy debuted on May 14! I'm a sucker for superhero stories, so I'm definitely running out to snag this one up.

Here’s a blurb about Dull Boy:

Superpowers are awesome -- unless you actually have them, like Avery does. There's only so much he can pass off as "adrenaline" before people start to get suspicious. Probably it's best to lie low, so guys in white lab coats don't come to carry him away, to find out what makes his freakish body tick. Who wants to be vivisected? But flying under the radar becomes a whole lot harder when you can actually fly. It's dangerous to be different, so for now he'll pretend to be normal, unremarkable Avery -- a dull boy -- anything to keep his secret safe.

What he doesn't expect is the horrifying truth about where his powers came from, who else might have them, and the madness of one villain's plan to turn this superpowered dull boy into something even more powerful and amazing.

Aaaaaand, a little about author Sarah Cross:

Sarah Cross has saved the world, like, five times since fifth grade -- and you didn't even notice. Learn her secrets at http://www.sarahcross.com/.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

I wanted to write a YA about superheroes, and I had a title and a first line in mind. Then it was time to sit down and get to work.

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

I don't think I had a favorite food, but I bought a lot of Hawaiian Punch in the cafeteria.

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

The mental challenge of putting a story together ... and making the next one even better.

Thanks for coming to my blog, Sarah--this story is going to be awesome!!

romantic wooing--I need help (comment to win)!!

I'm doing some informal research for my new romantic comedy project, and I figured I'd send out a call for help to my wonderful blog commenters/readers...and, run a contest at the same time! So, I'm looking for your answers to one or both of the following questions:

1--What's the most romantic, memorable way someone told you that he or she cares about you (or asked you to go out with them)? Or if not you, what about a friend or sibling? Dish those great wooing stories (especially high school ones, if you have them!).

2--What's the least romantic way? What horror stories stand out in your mind? The worse, the better. LOL

Fair's fair. Since I'm asking for you to share, I'll dish my answer to #1:

1--I remember this one guy I had a crush on was in college, and I was a senior in high school. We were talking about something or another, and then out of nowhere, he said, "I want my children to have your eyes." Talk about melting into a little girly puddle of goo! No, nothing ever came of it, but that memory certainly stands out for me. :D

To show my appreciation for your help, every person who leaves a comment answering one question will get one entry into a random drawing to win a $10 bookstore gift certificate, which will be emailed to you (you can pick where you want it from--Amazon, B&N, Borders, BAM, etc). If you answer both questions, you get two entries. Easy peasy, right?

Thanks for stopping by, and good luck! I'll leave this open a few days and announce the winner on Monday, May 25!

ETA: You can also comment on something YOU have done that fits under #1 or #2, in case you were the wooer in question. :D

Blog Tour: Cheryl Renee Herbsman!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Cheryl Renee Herbsman, whose book Breathing debuted on April 16! This story looks so good--I'm eager to get a copy!

Here’s a blurb about Breathing:

What if the guy who took your breath away was the only one who could help you breathe?

Savannah would be happy to spend the summer in her coastal Carolina town lying in a hammock reading her beloved romance novels and working at the library. But then she meets Jackson. Once they lock eyes, she’s convinced he’s the one—her true love, her soul mate, a boy different from all the rest. And at first it looks like Savannah is right. Jackson abides by her mama’s strict rules, and stays by her side during a hospitalization for severe asthma, which Savannah becomes convinced is only improving because Jackson is there. But when he’s called away to help his family—and seems uncertain about returning—Savannah has to learn to breathe on her own, both literally and figuratively.

This debut novel has it all—an endearing, funny, hopelessly romantic main character, lots of down-home Southern charm, and a sunny, salty beach setting that will transport you to the Carolina coast.

Aaaaaand, a little about author Cheryl Renee Herbsman:

Cheryl Renée Herbsman lives in Northern California with her husband and two children, but she grew up in North Carolina and often spent summer vacations at the Carolina coast. Like Savannah, she fell in love as a teenager, and like Savannah and Jackson, she and her boyfriend carried on a long-distance relationship. They are now celebrating their twentieth wedding anniversary. Visit her website at http://www.cherylreneeherbsman.com/.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

I drew inspiration from my own teenage romance. I fell in love with an older guy when I was fourteen. We had to deal with being long distance for a while, which was awfully hard. So I really got how Savannah (my main character) was feeling. I married that guy I fell in love with. We’ll be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary in June. So you can see why I believe in true love J

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

I did not ever get lunch at the cafeteria. It was seriously disgusting. But I do have a major sweet tooth. So if I did go to the school cafeteria, it was to get a Good Humor Chocolate Éclair Ice Cream Bar J And, I kid you not, my favorite lunch even in high school was a fluffernutter.

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

My absolute favorite part is being in the story when it is flowing. It’s like being in another world. Time loses meaning. I don’t think about anything else. I just ride the wave. I love when that happens!

Thanks for coming to my blog, Cheryl--and I hope you celebrated your release in style!!

Blog Tour: Deva Fagan!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Deva Fagan, whose book Fortune's Folly debuted on April 14! I read the ARC of this novel and just loved it--the heroine is spunky and absolutely adorable.

Here’s a blurb about Fortune's Folly:

Ever since her mother died and her father lost his shoemaking skills, Fortunata has survived by telling fake fortunes. But when she's tricked into telling a grand fortune for a prince, she is faced with the impossible task of fulfilling her wild prophecy-or her father will be put to death. Now Fortunata has to help Prince Leonato secure a magic sword, vanquish a wicked witch, discover a long-lost golden shoe, and rescue the princess who fits it. If only she hadn't fallen in love with the prince herself...

Aaaaaand, a little about author Deva Fagan:

Deva likes searching for patterns, which is how she explains both her degree in mathematics and the echoes of old fairy-tales in her stories. She also loves tea, gardening, and playing the fiddle. She lives in Maine with her husband and her dog. Visit her website at http://www.devafagan.com.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

The familiar trope of there being some unquestioned Prophecy that must be fulfilled by the hero. I started thinking to myself, "Well, what if that prophecy was a fake? Then what?" and it all took off from there.

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

Ooo, I was a brown-bagger, and sometimes my mom made me these delicious sandwiches of dark date-nut bread spread with cream cheese. Mmmmm!

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

Meeting other people who love books!

Thanks for coming to my blog, Deva--and big, huge congrats on your release!!

STUPID CUPID chapter 1

Da da dummm, da da dum dum dum dum DUMMMMMMMM...and now, for your reading pleasure, here's the first chapter of Stupid Cupid! I hope you enjoy. :D

Chapter 1

“So”—Janet glanced down at my résumé—“Felicity. You’d like to be a matchmaker. Can you go into more detail why?”

Because my mom threatened bodily harm unless I get off my lazy butt and get a job. No, that wouldn’t do. Better to try for the more professional approach.

“Well, I believe in true love,” I replied. “I think everyone has a match out there—some people just need a little help finding that special person. I think it would be fun to do that.”

Janet smiled, her bright, white teeth sparkling in the soft light pouring from the window. “Good answer. That’s what we believe too. Here at Cupid’s Hollow we want to find true love for everyone.”

I nodded, trying not to fidget with the clicky end of my pen. This was my first real interview, and I was determined not to let my twitchy thumb get the best of me. After applying for a thousand jobs (and getting a thousand rejections), I’d found a tiny ad on the back page of Cleveland’s Scene magazine. TEEN CUPIDS WANTED FOR MATCHMAKING COMPANY. CALL FOR INTERVIEW.

It was a cute angle to advertise for employees in that way, so I called. Two days later, here I was. In all my nervous, sweaty glory, working it as best as I could so I wouldn’t look or sound like a total idiot.

“So, you’re a junior,” Janet said. “And what school do you go to again?”

“Greenville High. Go, Cougars!” I cheered, then winced internally at my dorkiness. Oh, man, that was way lame. Like she cared about our school mascot. I didn’t even care most of the time.

“Um-hm,” she said, her face unreadable. She flipped through the notepad on her lap and scribbled furiously on a page.

Crap, did I blow it already? Three minutes into the interview and I’d sunk my own battleship.

“And you’re available to start work . . . ?”

“As soon as possible,” I spilled out, heart racing. Maybe this could still work out.

“Have you ever used a BlackBerry or similar handheld technology before?”

“Well, my mom has one, and I’ve used it a little bit.” Okay, that was an exaggeration, as I’ve really only seen her use it, but I’m sure I could figure it out if I needed to.

Janet wrote more notes. “I assume you’ve never participated in or worked for a matchmaking service before?”

“Um, no.” I thought fast. “But I did help my brother set up his Match dot com profile.”

My brother is four years older than me and is a cop. Trust me, not a good combination. He’s insane. I can’t count the number of times he’s flashed his stupid badge at me in front of my friends, threatening to haul me in if I mocked his authority again. Total dork.

“Okay, last question. This job requires a certain level of . . . confidentiality.” Janet looked straight into my eyes, her face serious. “Confidentiality for our clients, as well as for our own technologies and processes. You’d have to sign a document promising never to share our information with anyone outside the company. Would that be a problem?”

I swallowed. What was I getting myself into here? Was this normal?

Geez, chill, Felicity. She wasn’t asking me to sew my lips together and join a convent. They probably just didn’t want other matchmaking companies to steal their ideas or customers.

I nodded and put on my most serious, trustworthy face. “Sure, no problem.” A thought popped into my mind. “Wait, I’m only seventeen. Is the contract legally binding?”

She shot me a smile. “Good question. It’s binding as far as our concerns go.”

“Okay, then.” Not that I’d be spilling any industry secrets, anyway, so I wouldn’t have to worry about that.

Janet finished writing, then uncrossed her legs and smoothed her prim, plum-colored skirt. She stood and stuck out her hand. “Well, we’d love to have you join our team. Welcome to Cupid’s Hollow, Felicity.”

I bit back my squeal and shook her hand. “This is so awesome. Thank you!”

She grinned. “Why don’t you come in tomorrow for the training session.”

I thanked her profusely, slipped on my thick winter coat, and left the office, turning back to give the building one last glance. The outside itself was nondescript, just an old brick exterior with lots of windows and a thin layer of late March snow perched on top. But the inside held the key to my working future.

My first real job. I was so excited, I did a little booty shake in the parking lot. I couldn’t wait to tell everyone I knew! If I’d had a cell phone, I could have called my best friends Maya and Andy instead of waiting until I got home. With a job, though, I would now be able to use my own money to buy one.

I hopped into my mom’s dark green Camry, cranked up the heat and the radio, and headed home, taking the long way through the suburbs instead of driving on Route 480. Mom had let me borrow the car for the interview, but made me swear a solemn oath that I would not go anywhere but to the interview and back, would not pick up any hitchhikers, and would stay off the freeway at all costs.

“Mom,” I said as soon as I threw open the front door, “I’m home. I got the job!” On the front porch I stomped the loose snow off my heels, then stepped into the foyer and gingerly slipped out of my boots. After tucking them into the corner of the tiled entryway and hanging my coat in the closet, I added, “And no, I didn’t track snow in the house.” I knew what she was going to ask, because it was the same thing every time.

Mom darted out of the kitchen, wearing a white apron over her dress pants. Other than a small smudge of flour on her cheek, she looked pristine and composed, as usual. “Congratulations!” she cried out. “I’m so proud of you.” She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.

My mom is surprisingly domestic—she’s as assertive in the kitchen as in her workplace, where she’s in the accounting department. God help any of the company’s clients who are late on their payments, because my mom hounds them until they pay, just to shut her up. She runs our household the same way.

When we were younger, my brother and I used to call her the House Nazi. Neither one of us was stupid enough to say it directly to her face, though—I liked my mouth right where it was, thank you very much.

“Thanks, Mom. What’s for dinner?” I asked. “I’m starving to death.”

“Fried chicken, but it’s not ready yet. You should go call Maya and Andy with your good news. They’ll be thrilled.”

“Yup, I’m heading up to my room now.” I tossed the keys on the small table in the foyer. “Thanks for letting me borrow the car.”

She winked. “Well, now you can save up and get your own, can’t you.”

Gee, I’d suspected she’d say that. Now that I had a real job, I could predict the answer for everything:

Need new clothes, Felicity? Want to go see a movie with your friends? Well, it’s a good thing you’ve got a job now.

I darted up to my room, flung myself across my bed, and grabbed the phone off my nightstand, dialing Andy’s cell.

“Andy’s mortuary. You stab ’em, we slab ’em.”

Andy Carsen is my best friend. She and I have been close since kindergarten. Sometimes, though, I feel a bit jealous of her. Her folks aren’t as harsh as mine can be. And Andy, of course, has a cell phone, just like everybody else I know. I swear, I must be the only teenager in the free world who doesn’t have one. But now that I had a job, that was going to change.

“Hey, it’s me.”

“So...?”

“I got the job!”

She squealed. “That’s awesome! Now you’ll finally have spending money, and we can go shopping more and buy those cute jeans you wanted and—”

“Whoa.” I laughed. “I haven’t even gotten a paycheck yet.”

“So, how does this gig work? Will you make those geeky videotapes of people, or is it an online dating thing?”

Hm. I hadn’t even bothered to ask. “Actually, I don’t know. I was so excited I got the job, I just took off before she could change her mind.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“You say that like you’re surprised. Anyway, tomorrow I’ve got training, so I’ll let you know.”

We hung up, and I dialed Maya Takahashi, my other BFF. Maya moved to Cleveland when we were in middle school, and though she’s completely unlike me or Andy in just about every possible way, we clicked. Maybe it was the way she quietly snarked on the preps her first day of school that made me instantly love her. From then on, the three of us have been nearly inseparable.

“‘Lo,” Maya said into the mouthpiece, her mouth clearly full of food.

“Hey,” I answered. “I got the job!”

“That’s great. I knew you would.”

I heard her chew a few times, so I held the phone away from my ear to let her finish the bite without subjecting me to it. Delicate, she was not, but that was Maya for you.

“Sounds like you’re busy,” I said. “I’ll let you go.”

“Sorry, I’m totally stressing over here and trying to multitask by eating and doing homework at the same time. I almost bit off my pen cap! And then, after dinner, I need to practice my solo.”

Maya’s a fantastic trumpet player, in addition to all her brain talents. Though I’m not a huge fan of the school band—nerd alert, anyone?—Andy and I do support her and go see all her performances at the school’s basketball games. I know she’d do the same for us.

“Okay, hope you get it all done. Talk to ya later.”

After we hung up, I turned on my PC and logged on to my blog. I made sure to lock it so it was a VIP entry only—Andy, Maya, and I usually shared entries with only each other.

I’m so excited. Now that I’m a matchmaker, maybe I can even learn some tips to make Derek fall madly in love with me.

I sighed. Derek Peterson’s the hottest guy on the face of the earth. Every time I look at him, my heart squeezes up, and I forget how to speak. Not that he ever talks to me, anyway. He’s a smart jock who runs with the AP crowd (shame of all shame, I’m only in honors, not advanced), but we have art class together.

Of course, that’s my favorite class, even though I end up spending the whole time trying not to get busted for staring at him. Or drooling.

I bet half my blog was filled with his name. I’d been crushing on him since the first day of freshman year, when I saw him walking through the hallway at school. Not that he’d noticed me, but it didn’t matter. One look at his beautiful smile, and I was a goner.

Derek Peterson-n-Felicity Walker 4-ever
Mr. and Mrs. Derek Peterson
Felicity Walker-Peterson
Felicity Walker-Peterson, M.D.
Felicity Walker-Peterson, President of the United States
Felicity Walker-Peterson, America’s Next Top Model

Well, that was fun. I saved and closed the blog, then quickly checked my e-mail (nope, nothing new, except from my spam buddies telling me I won the Irish lotto—lucky me!). Time to start my homework to avoid being grounded for getting anything below a C.

* * *

The next day at the office, Janet handed me a hot-pink PDA. “Here ya go,” she said. “Your LoveLine 3000. Please take care of it. It’s the key to your job.”

Whoa. It was possibly the most tricked-out PDA I’d ever seen in my life. There had to be some serious dough coughed up for these puppies.

I sat in the plush green chair across from Janet’s cherry wood desk, flipping on the device and looking at all the buttons. “So, what’s this for? Are we supposed to schedule the customers’ first dates or something?”

She tilted her head and gave me a funny look. “It has the e-mail addresses of everyone in your territory, which in your case is Greenville High.”

“Wait. I’m matchmaking my school?” I didn’t know yet if that was a good or a bad thing, so I tried to keep my voice calm and neutral.

“Absolutely. That’s part of the reason we’re hiring. We decided to try a new venture and let people matchmake their own peer groups. After all, who better to be a cupid for a teen than another teen?”

“Good point.” Most of my classmates would die laughing if an adult tried to help them find a date. And with good reason. I mean, no disrespect to anyone, but “great personality” can only get you so far in high school.

For instance, look at me. I’ve got personality practically oozing out of my skin, but I’ve only had one boyfriend ever. And he dated me so he could get closer to Andy. I should have picked up the clue phone when he always wanted to do group things—with her tagging along, of course. And here I’d thought he was just getting to know my friends.

Andy, of course, has no problems getting a guy’s attention. She’s hot, smart, and funny, but she’s also extremely picky, so she doesn’t date a lot. And she’s 100 percent loyal to her friends, so my ex’s strategy to get closer to her backfired, to say the least.

Poor Maya, on the other hand—the girl’s sharp as a tack, captain of the debate club, lead trumpet in the marching band, but can’t get a date to save her life. In fact, she can’t even get a guy to notice her. Not that she’d even admit to wanting a boyfriend.

And not that she isn’t cute enough, either. It’s just . . . she’s busy. And kinda shy. But still, I couldn’t exactly picture her signing up with a dating service for help. That just isn’t how it’s done.

Janet delicately cleared her throat. “Felicity, this is no small thing. It’s taken the company thousands of years to evolve and perfect our technology, but I like the way the PDAs work so far.”

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” I must have misheard her. Maybe I needed to pay better attention to this training session instead of thinking about me and my friends’ dating disasters.

“Trust me,” she continued, chuckling, “you’ll like using this much better than the bows and arrows of yesteryear. The misfiring possibility alone made the job more difficult than it needed to be. And the PDAs are far less cumbersome to carry.”

I swallowed hard. Okay, I hadn’t misunderstood. The lady was obviously a loony-bird.

And I was now employed by her.

I glanced at the door, trying to think of a polite way to get the hell out of there.

Janet paused, looking at me. “Are we on the same page here?”

I slid my eyes back to her face. “I—I’m guessing not.” Because I was on planet Earth, and Janet was obviously circling somewhere around Jupiter, floating on a pink cloud with rainbows, bunnies, and fluffy kitty cats. And a whole lotta bathtub-created meth.

No wonder they always warned us to stay away from drugs.

Janet spoke slowly. “You do understand you’re a cupid now, right?”

- - - - - - - - - -

Thanks for reading my Stupid Cupid excerpt! If you're interested in pre-ordering Stupid Cupid, which releases with Simon Pulse on Dec. 22, 2009, here are some places you can go online: IndieBound, Borders, Books-A-Million, and Amazon.

I need AA book recommendations!

I just posted on the Fictionistas blog HERE, but I wanted to throw a link to the post on my personal blog, since I get such fantastic book recommendations from you guys.

It's been FAR too long since I've read an African American novel (I am so embarrassed to admit that), so if anyone has any AA books they adore (especially in YA), please lay 'em on me! You can leave a comment here or on the Fictionistas blog--I'll be reading both.

I'm planning another buying spree, and this time only for AA books. YAY! Should be fun. :D

Thank you SO much for your help!!

Blog Tour: Danielle Joseph!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Danielle Joseph, whose book Shrinking Violet debuted on May 5! I am so stoked to read this novel, because it sounds killer awesome.

Here’s a blurb about Shrinking Violet:

For high school senior Teresa Adams, every day is an ordeal. She’s so painfully shy that she lives in dread of having to speak to anyone in the hallways or answer questions in class. But after school, in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks—doing mock broadcasts for Miami’s hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up, Tere surprises herself by working up the nerve to ask her stepfather to give her a chance—and finds herself The SLAM’s newest intern on one of the station’s most popular shows. Behind the mike she’s Sweet T, her sexy, confident on-air persona. To everyone’s shock—especially her mother’s—Sweet T is a hit. Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ’s awesome taste in music, making Tere wonder if it’s possible to be jealous of yourself. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest—and a prom date with “Sweet T” is the grand prize--Sweet T’s dream could turn into Tere’s worst nightmare...

Aaaaaand, a little about author Danielle Joseph:

Danielle Joseph was a college DJ for five years on the Gyroscope, a world music show. She also interned at several top Boston radio stations while earning her BFA in Creative Writing and an MA in Marketing Communications and Advertising from Emerson College. She has taught Creative Writing and English to Middle school students.

Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Danielle now lives in Miami, Florida with her husband and two young sons. These days you can find her cruising around with the tunes blaring and her internal DJ hard at work. Visit her website at http://daniellejoseph.com/.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Barnes and Noble HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

I got the idea for Shrinking Violet because I wanted to write a book that centered around music. That brough me to the idea of a character that dreamed of being a dj but her extreme shyness was holding her back.

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

I loved getting the Otis Spunkmeyer chocolate chip cookies right after they came out of the oven!

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

Honestly, it's just the fact that I get to write and that's my job:)!

Thanks for coming to my blog, Danielle--and I am so excited for you about your debut!!

Weekend plans

Here are my plans for the weekend:

1--Right after work, I have a visit with my chiro. *happy sigh*

2--I'm going to sleep in Saturday until at least 11. I can't wait--I'm almost eager to go to sleep NOW, just in anticipation, haha (can you say LAAAAME?). I rarely get to snooze that long, though.

3--I have a friend coming over tomorrow night (YAY!). We're going to watch a movie, have some wine, and catch up. I haven't seen her in around 3-4 months because we've been busy, so I'm eager to talk.

4--I'm going to lunch with my whole family for Mother's Day (and my parents/aunt/cousin), and then to my daughter's orchestra concert (she plays violin--she's really good!). And maybe over to the manpanion's family's house that evening, if we can.

5--In between all of this, I plan to do more reading. I'm in the middle of this amazing YA novel called If I Stay by Gayle Forman. Have you heard of it or read it yet? If not, get thee to a store or library and check it out. I've felt my heart pound and my stomach plunge on several occasional while reading this--it really pulls those emotions out of you. And I also have Shine, Coconut Moon by Neesha Meminger that I'm gearing up to read, too.

6--I also plan to do some brainstorming. I have a lead character in mind for a romantic comedy, but no story for her yet. I have to help her out--I don't want to leave her hanging. LOL

So, what are you doing this weekend? Hope it's a good one!!

Blog Tour: Cindy Pon!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Cindy Pon, whose book Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia debuted on April 28! This story sounds amazing (and LOOK at that cover!!).

Here’s a blurb about Silver Phoenix:

On the day of her first betrothal meeting--and rejection--ai ling discovers a power welling deep within her. She can reach into other people's spirits, hear their thoughts, see their dreams...and that's just the beginning.

ai ling has been marked by the immortals; her destiny lies in the emperor's palace, where a terrible evil has lived, stealing souls, for centuries. She must conquer this enemy and rescue her captive father, while mythical demons track her every step. And then she meets chen yong, a young man with a quest of his own, whose fate is intertwined with hers. Here is a heart-stopping, breathtaking tale for fans of action, fantasy, and romance--of anything with the making of legend.

Aaaaaand, a little about author Cindy Pon:

Cindy Pon was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and her family immigrated to California in 1980, settling in the suburbs of Los Angeles. She began writing stories before she was officially declared English proficient. She received her bachelor's from the University of California, San Diego, and also earned a master's from New York University. The author is a student of Chinese brush painting, and her love for the art is reflected in her storytelling. Cindy Pon lives with her husband and two small children in San Diego, California. Visit her website at http://cindypon.com/.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

i think that the main reason i decided to write a novel was because i was a stay at home and slowly going loopy. the first few years as a full time mom is HARD. i really needed to have something to call my own, and returned to my first love, writing.

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

i loved tator tots. my mom never made them (we ate chinese food) and tator tots are just so yummy!

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

hmm. i'd have to say the entire process is just inspiring and grueling and fascinating. from actually writing the book then querying for agents--it takes a lot of belief and determination on every writer's part. i'm very happy and feel fortunate to be where i am--published with greenwillow books. wow!

Thanks for coming to my blog, Cindy--and YAY on the debut novel!!

Blog Tour: Leigh Brescia!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Leigh Brescia, whose book One Wish debuted on April 24! I can't wait to read this story.

Here’s a blurb about One Wish:

Overweight Wrenn Scott desperately wants to be popular and snag a hot boyfriend. Her amazing voice (for once) overshadows her weight when she lands a lead role in the high school musical. Pushing to get thinner by opening night, Wrenn's waistline shrinks as she learns all the wrong ways to lose weight from a new "it-girl" friend in the show. By opening night, the old Wrenn has almost disappeared. After a crisis reveals her weight-loss tricks, Wrenn realizes there are much more important things than being thin, popular, or even dating a hunk.

Aaaaaand, a little about author Leigh Brescia:

Leigh Brescia grew up in North Carolina, spending most of her days playing in the woods behind her home and imagining she was a princess. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Communication from Mount Olive College and her Master’s degree from Fort Hays State University. She currently teaches online English composition courses for three universities, and an online “Writing Novels for Young Adults” course for UC Irvine.

When she’s not grading papers or writing, she enjoys reading and watching movies. She sings when she’s in a good mood and has killed every plant she’s ever owned. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and her three-year-old. Visit her website at http://www.leighbrescia.com/.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

In a way, my own experiences as a teen inspired ONE WISH. I wasn’t overweight (more like thin and lanky), but just like Wrenn, I didn’t like the way I looked. In the novel, Wrenn thinks that by landing a role in the musical, she’ll manage a complete life overhaul. I can’t tell you how many times I started a new school year thinking “this is the one.” Or “If I can do A, or B, or C, then I will be *so* popular.” It was like my mission (to quote the web copy for ONE WISH): “to be popular and snag a hot boyfriend.” Many of Wrenn’s thoughts were my thoughts when I was her age, so that was the basis for the book. Now I wish I would’ve been myself. I wasted way too much time worrying about what other people thought of me.

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

I went to a private school, so I ate on the meal plan every day. I thought the food was pretty good (some days were better than others, obviously). My favorite meal day was when they served a chicken sandwich, french fries, and a chocolate chip cookie. I liked chicken sandwich days because they put out the mayonnaise, which I loved dipping my fries in. And those cookies? They were the best!

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

Probably getting the initial idea for a story and realizing the potential it has in becoming a full-length novel. Likewise: brainstorming about the potential conflicts and characters. Also, though, I love it when I realize that a character has taken over my story. I’ve literally written scenes before where I sat back, stunned, and thought: “I can’t believe she just said/did that.” I like when my characters surprise me.

Thanks for coming to my blog, Leigh--and congrats on the debut!!

Brainstorming

Brainstorming a new book idea is a scary thing sometimes. I'm supposed to make a new book concept appear out of nothing. How do I do this? LOL. Sometimes, an idea pops up out of nowhere, literally--something will strike me in an odd way and I start playing the "what if" game...what if this happened, or that happened?

Sometimes though, I have to force Inspirado to visit me. I try to think of elements I like in stories and see if that jars anything (e.g., fish out of water). I dig through old ideas and see how to revamp them into something useful.

Right now, I'm spending time doing a weird mix of both. I want to find just the right ideas to give to my editor and agent, ones that they'll think are super cool. It's a fine balance, trying to take the advice of the people you work with, but still please yourself--not that my agent or editor are difficult or anything. They actually rock super hard and have been crucial in my career and writing growth. And I love having them filter my ideas because it's important for me to know what they, as industry pros, consider to be salable, unique, interesting concepts.

Therefore, I'm trying to take my time and come up with some good ones.

So, are you a brainstormer? Do ideas spring into your head fully formed? How do you get ideas--for poems, stories, novels, paper topics, anything? I'm always eager to learn new methods. LOL

Blog Tour: C. Lee McKenzie!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is C. Lee McKenzie, whose book Sliding on the Edge debuted on April 24! This story looks great, and I can't wait to pick up a copy.

Here’s a blurb about Sliding on the Edge:

Shawna Stone is a heartbeat away from making the worst mistake anyone can. She’s close to taking her own life. Kay Stone is a grandmother Shawna has never known, and at sixty-four Kay feels there is little left in her life to look forward to. When they are thrown together they circle each other in a crucible of secrets and distrust until saving a doomed horse unites them and gives each a reason to live.

Aaaaaand, a little about author C. Lee McKenzie:

A native Californian, C. Lee McKenzie has always been a writer, but to eat and make contributions to children's college funds, she’s also been a university lecturer and administrator. Lee’s written and published non-fiction articles, both in her field of Linguistics and Inter-cultural Communication, and in general readership magazines. For five years Lee wrote, edited, and published a newsletter for U.S. university professors who were managing global classroom issues. Since she turned in her academic hat and began writing for young readers, Lee’s fiction and non-fiction works have been frequently published in the award-winning e-zine, Stories for Children, and Crow Toes Quarterly has published her ghostly tales. Sliding on the Edge is her first young adult novel. Writing for teen readers keeps Lee in touch with the young members of her family, and allows her to re-visit those wonderful years in life when everything is possible. When she isn’t writing, Lee’s hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Los Gatos, California. Check her out on the web at http://www.cleemckenziebooks.com.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

I read a news article about self abuse that stopped me cold. My first thought was, "Something's wrong." That's how my book starts.

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

It was always tuna fish sandwiches. I think I ate the weight of planet earth in tuna, and if these guys are over-fished today I take total responsibility.

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

When the scenes pop, I'm in heaven. It's like I can't strike the keys fast enough because the characters are talking and moving and the dialog is building and the tension is perfect and I can't wait to read what I've written.

Thanks for coming to my blog, C. Lee--I'm thrilled for you!!

I have Stupid Cupid ARCs!!!

I was tickled pink to come home today and find a padded envelope waiting for me in front of my door!! It contained two ARCs of my novel, Stupid Cupid. Unfortunately, they aren't able to send me more, since the rest of the ARCs are going to sales, marketing, reviewers, etc. (but that's okay, 'cause I want this bad boy to SELL SELL SELL!)--but hopefully, the pictures will tide everyone over for a while. See, it's really real! :D

So, of course, I took the opportunity to snap a few shots to share with you guys.

Here are the books, fresh out of the package. My son told me I had to put chocolate around them. haha

I had my kids pick up the novel, flip to a random page, and pretend to be riveted by what they were reading. Ooooh look--mom's a literary genius! And super humorous, to boot:

And here's a shot of the first page--I love the linework heart around the chapters:

Thanks for sharing in my excitement! I'm so thrilled...I nearly kissed them, but I figured it probably wasn't a good idea to first-base my own novel. Oh well. haha

Blog Tour: Sydney Salter!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Sydney Salter, whose book My Big Nose & Other Natural Disasters debuted on April 1! I was fortunate enough to read the ARC recently, and laughed my hiney off. I looooved this story!

Here’s a blurb about My Big Nose & Other Natural Disasters:

Seventeen-year-old Jory Michaels wakes up on the first day of summer vacation with her same old big nose, no passion in her life (in the creative sense of the word), and all signs still pointing to her dying a virgin. In spite of her driving record (it was an accident!), Jory gets a job delivering flowers and cakes to Reno's casinos and wedding chapels. She also comes up with a new summer goal: saving for a life-altering nose job. She and her new nose will attract a fabulous boyfriend. Jory survives various summer disasters like doing yoga after sampling Mom's Cabbage Soup Diet, enforced-mother-bonding-with-crazy-nose-obsessed-daughter night, and discovering Tyler's big secret. But will she learn to accept herself and maybe even find her passion, in the creative (AND romantic!) sense of the word?

Aaaaaand, a little about author Sydney Salter:

Sydney Salter held a variety of jobs before becoming a full-time writer, including her brief stint delivering pies and flowers, wrecking vans, and destroying wedding cakes in Reno, Nevada. Sydney now lives in Utah with her husband, two daughters, two cats, and two big Bernese Mountain dogs. She loves reading, writing, traveling, and, of course, baking and decorating cakes (but not driving them anywhere). Check her out on the web at http://www.sydneysalter.com.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

Something good had to result from the day I wrecked a delivery van and some poor bride's wedding cake. That was my initial thought. Then I thought about my nose (I've always disliked it). What if I let my character learn the things about herself that it's taken me quite a bit longer to figure out?

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

With an open campus, you just didn't want to be seen in the Reno High cafeteria. Freshman walked to Godfather's Pizza, Safeway or 7-11. Those who had connections (or a drivers license) drove to nearby fast food places. I'm still not sure how my body survived eating so many French fries and water lunches. Or the year I subsisted mainly on frozen yoghurt.

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

I love the act of writing like I love breathing. It's something I've just got to do. You don't want to be around me when I'm not writing. Just ask my family.

Thanks for coming to my blog, Sydney--and HUGE congrats on the release!!

Author school visits = made of win!

I just got back from a visit to a local middle school--I talked to a class of 6th graders about being a writer, the writing process, the publishing process, etc. It was so, so fun!

I'd whipped up a powerpoint presentation for the occasion (which awesomely enough, can be reused/fiddled with for other school visits in the future)...and I even brought chocolate, which I think was the biggest hit of all. haha

During my presentation, I showed a copy of my manuscript, pointing out the revision notes on it--they couldn't believe how much my lovely editor had written on it. LOL. I let them know that even adults had their papers bled on sometimes, but it makes you a better writer.

I also brought in my first-pass pages and read a wee bit from them. I showed how the first pass pages look different than the manuscript and all the cool formatting stuff they do to it at that stage.

I brought in an ARC (not mine) for the students to see how they're slightly different than published books, and how some of them will include a marketing plan on the back to let booksellers know what the publisher is planning.

AND, I showed what the Simon and Schuster catalog looks like and how booksellers/librarians can order from it (of course, I showed them page 23, where my book is, LOL).

All in all, a lot of fun! I think the concrete visuals, combined with the powerpoint, really helped make it a bit more tangible and interesting, instead of me just sitting up front and lecturing. We also did a Q & A session, and they asked some really great questions.

I kept it interactive by stopping and asking them questions along the way--e.g., what their favorite books are, how they brainstorm new story ideas, what careers they find interesting, etc.

If you're an author, definitely contact your local middle schools and do some talks with their English classes. It was a blast, and I can't wait to do it again!

Hopelessly Romantic

The last couple of Wednesday evenings, when the kids are with my parents and the manpanion is at school, I've been coming home and eating my dinner while watching The Thorn Birds. Have you seen this miniseries? It came out in 1983, and stars Richard Chamberlain and Rachel Ward. I bust it out once a year or so when I'm in the mood for a resonant romance.

Father Ralph is a priest with high ambitions that drive him up, up, up through the church heirarchy...even as he battles within himself over his forbidden love for Meggie Cleary, the woman who desperately loves him back. The miniseries chronicles their story through the decades.

Last night, I watched the part where Father Ralph and Meggie finally make love. After years and years of keeping himself away from her, of torturing himself with deep longing and hunger for her, he goes to her and finally claims what he's wanted for so long.

*sigh* I'm getting all swoony just typing this. LOL. Anyway, the manpanion called during a pinnacle scene in that episode, and I was crying (even though I've seen The Thorn Birds several times by now)--poor guy, he thought there was something wrong. I told him I was just watching The Thorn Birds and having a good, cathartic bawl.

Every time I watch The Thorn Birds, it lingers with me for days. This happens to me when I listen to romantic music too, and when I read a really, REALLY good romantic book.

What is it about romance that beckons me like this? What is it about that kind of love that pulls me? I think I'm drawn to the craving, if that makes sense. Watching two people who desperately want each other is magnetic. Compelling. Amazing!!

I've been a hopeless romantic since the 2nd grade, when I developed my first crush on a dreamy boy in my class. And through the years, through school and college and "real life", I've had the highest highs and lowest lows when it comes to love. I think those situations, those experiences have enriched me as a person. I'm stronger, I'm more self-secure, but I also love deeper now.

When I write, I always have romance in my stories. For me, it's one of the greatest, most painful journeys a person can undertake--risking the heart to fall in love. Risking pain and suffering for the hope of finding and keeping love. Writing about that experience allows me to feel those sensations again. And that's why I love reading romances, too--I want to feel that rush, that embarrassment, that fear, that hurt, that awakening to self-awareness, and then that ultimate satisfaction of two people finally able to love each other completely, wholly.

I used to be embarrassed about how I feel about romance. That it was too "girly" or silly or fluffy or something. But why should I be? Love is one of the most important elements of life for both men and women...what's embarrassing about that? Yes, we all have our times where we think we'd be better off without love. That love is a weakness.

I've realized, though, that loving someone isn't a weakness, but a strength. It's a courageous act, one that deserves respect and honor. And I try to honor it the best way I can. I proudly tell people I write romance in my stories.

What about you? Do you enjoy romance? Are you ever a hopeless romantic? Are there any things that you return to time and again to evoke those feelings--music, books, DVDs?

Reading is FUNdamental

I hate to admit it, but I've done a LOT more reading in the last 3 months than I think I did probably all of 2008. LOL. Or, at least, for half of it. I think there are several reasons for that:

1--Lots of my writing friends (especially at http://www.feastofawesome.com/) are debuting in 2009, and I'm trying to pick up their books as they are released (or as I get my hands on their ARCs).

2--Last year was CRAZY busy with writing books 1 and 2 and then revising book 1, plus moving to a new house, teaching, etc. But I'm settled in at home now and not teaching. And writing-wise, things have slowed down a wee bit this year so far.

3--I am picking up more of my must-read authors' books as I find them (Sarah Dessen, Laurie Halse Anderson, Elizabeth Scott, etc) and making time to read them.

4--Reading a book is cheaper than going to a movie or whatever (and 99% of the time, more entertaining too, LOL). And many times, I'd rather read than watch TV.

So, what about you? Are you reading more or less than you were last year around this time, and why?

Blog Tour: Neesha Meminger!!

Okay, my next blog tour guest is Neesha Meminger, whose book Shine, Coconut Moon debuted on March 10!! This looks like a deep, moving story--I can't wait to read it.

Here’s a blurb about Shine, Coconut Moon:

Samar–-a.k.a. Sam–-is an Indian-American teenager whose mom has kept her away from her old-fashioned family. It's never bothered Sam, who is busy with school, friends, and a demanding boyfriend. But things change after 9/11. A guy in a turban shows up at Sam's house–and turns out to be her uncle. He wants to reconcile the family and teach Sam about her Sikh heritage. Sam is eager, but when boys attack her uncle, chanting "Go back home, Osama!" Sam realizes she could be in danger–and also discovers how dangerous ignorance is.

Aaaaaand, a little about author Neesha Meminger:

Neesha Meminger was born in India, grew up in Canada, and currently lives in New York City with her family. All of her writing explores the inner landscape of her characters, and how it merges or conflicts with the outer. She writes stories of women and girls defining themselves and shaping their own destinies within the confines of their day to day realities. Check her out on the web at http://www.NeeshaMeminger.com.

You can visit your local bookstore, or go to Amazon HERE to buy a copy of her book online!

And now, onto the vastly important 3 interview questions:

1--What was the spark of inspiration for this story? Tell us what event, or idea, or dream got this book started.

I wanted to write a story about the relationship between mothers and daughters, specifically when immigration played a role in the development of identity. I started with three generations of Indian women and explored the rifts between generations first, then went further into the cultural and identity divides with migration to a whole new culture and land and language.

2--What food did you looooove getting from the cafeteria at lunch in high school, and why? (or if you didn't eat cafeteria food, what was your favorite brown-bag lunch?)

French fries! They were greasy and salty and crispy and CHEAP.

3--What is your absolute favorite part of being a writer?

Getting to roam through my imagination in my sweats with a cup of steaming latte or chai tea.

Thanks for coming to my blog, Neesha--and YAYYYY on the book!!!