New This Week! is a weekly feature in which I showcase some of the titles released in the Young Adult world throughout week. Each picture is linked to its respective Goodreads page, so if a cover appeals to you be sure to click on it to learn more about the book.
Name 3 authors that you would love to sit down and spend an hour or a meal with just talking about either their books or get advice on writing from?
What’s the ONE GENRE that you wish you could get into, but just can’t?
First Line Friday will be a weekly feature that showcases all of the books that I have reviewed in the week. Each post will include the book's cover art along with the first line of the first chapter from said book. Everyone knows the first line is the hook. The question is: will the first line snag you, or let you get away?
The cool breeze made the hair rise on my arms, but did nothing to ease the rage boiling inside me.
[Review]
Cat Patrick is an author of books for teens, beginning with Forgotten (Little, Brown, June 2011). She lives in the Seattle area with her husband and twin preschoolers, and is afraid of heights, planes and zombies.
It’s the day before my first book comes out.
IT’S THE DAY BEFORE MY FIRST BOOK COMES OUT!!!
Today’s the day before the day I’ve been talking about for nearly two years; the day I’ve been dreaming about my whole life. It’s the day before my most significant professional milestone will officially be achieved. Except, wait…does that mean that people I don’t know—and people I’ve known for ages—are going to read my book?
Yikes.
Right now, one day before launch, I feel like I’ve had too much caffeine even though I gave it up a while ago. Like I said on my blog, I’m obsessively checking Facebook and Twitter like they’re going to tell me The Answers…or somehow make me calm. I feel like a jumpy deer in headlights, wandering onto the literary street, hoping not to get mowed over.
My sister and I were chatting the other day about how we’re both the type of people who just do things without getting emotional about them in the moment. Through some of the best times in my life, I was like a ram, head down, charging forward.
(What’s with the animal analogies? Sorry!)
Anyway, Sis and I were laughing about how we tend to get emotional after the fact. I’ve come up with a label for our kind: Hindsight Sentimentalists. Being a Hindsight Sentimentalist, I didn’t cry when the first copies of the book arrived at my door or when I saw an early stack on the New Releases table at my local Barnes & Noble. I’m incredibly nervous about my first public appearance as an author tomorrow evening, but I’ll get through it…and then later this week or next month, I’ll tell the story of how wonderful it was with tears shooting out of my eyes like in cartoons.
For now, I’m bouncing off the walls, eyes dry, but with a big smile on my face. Because any way you slice it—whether I’m a ram or a deer or a Hindsight Sentimentalist—one of my biggest dreams will come true tomorrow.
And I think that’s pretty stinking cool.
(June 24, 2011) Two weeks and two days ago, Forgotten launched in the U.S., and it’s been an exciting 16 days! In fact, it feels more like the book launched two months ago.
On the day of launch, I celebrated with friends and family at a great Seattle bookstore called Secret Garden; the following week, I had the pleasure of meeting 20+ local booksellers and librarians at a private dinner at the delicious Canlis restaurant. My sweet neighbor threw me a neighborhood book signing party, and my immediate family surprised me by writing their own books in my honor.
In between events, I’ve been trying not to completely stalk my agent and editors about how the book is doing worldwide (so far so good!), wrapping up edits on Book 2 (not a sequel), and daydreaming about Book 3. I’ve received many amazing fan emails that I’ve loved reading.
Beyond that, things are sort-of back to normal, which makes me feel a little panicky, like if I’m not thinking about Forgotten 24 hours a day, it’ll be forgotten by readers. My rational brain knows that these things take time. But now that I’m over the fear of my book being out there, I want it out there big time!
I’m working hard at balancing being a published author and being a mom/wife/friend/daughter/sister. (And I still can’t believe I get to call myself a “published author.”) I’ve been smiling a lot, laughing a lot, making plans for upcoming events and to see friends and to go on trips and okay, fine…
I’ve cried a few times.
- I cried when my sister brought over a homemade cat T-shirt like London’s.
- My eyes welled up when I read the books my family wrote for me…until I got to my Dad’s. Then, I just laughed.
- I cried when the audio version of Forgotten arrived at my door.
- I got giddy-misty when I saw Forgotten on the “Hot Teen Picks” shelf at Barnes & Noble.
- I fought back tears when I saw the amazing window display at Dymocks in Australia.
So there you have it: further proof of my Hindsight Sentimentalism.
Right now—this second and this week and this month—is one of the best times in my life. Every day, I’m a little nervous. Every day, I’m curious about what will happen. And every day, I’m thankful. Because I’m a debut author (OMG!).
And I’m enjoying every second of the wild and wonderful ride.
It just so happens that I have an extra copy of FORGOTTEN that I need to get rid of. For your chance to win it, simply follow the instructions below.
Solid (Solid #1)Teens who discover they were secretly genetically altered before birth are brought together at a classified site where they forge new friendships, find love, develop "super-abilities," and even unearth a conspiracy.
Tammara WebberIf I feel the need to write, I write. If I must write because I’m behind (this is a tough one because as an indie author, my deadlines are self-imposed!), I write. Otherwise, I read. Reading, for me, feeds the need to write. I can’t do one without the other. (I’m often knee-deep in a great book when I feel compelled to write. I’ve learned to just get up and follow that inspiration.)
What is it about the Young Adult genre that calls to you as a writer?
The age of 16-20 has always been appealing to me as a reader, whether in classics, contemporary fiction, or romance. It’s the age where everything is possible. The course of your life isn’t set. Your beliefs aren’t set (even if you think they are). The way you love, the type of friend you are, your prejudices, career paths—nothing is set. There are many points in life when you hit huge strides of self-discovery, of course, but I believe that the ability to self-shape during this time period is universal.
What would you say is the key to having a successful love triangle that doesn't push the boundaries of cliché or forced?
I actually don’t see Reid-Emma-Graham as a love triangle. Like Edward-Bella-Jacob, it’s more of a tug-of-war, where the person in the middle is going to get hurt no matter what, and the people at either end would prefer to lose each other. To me, a love triangle is attached at all three points. Jenny Han’s Summer books for instance – one girl, two brothers, or Arthur-Guinevere-Lancelot in Arthurian legend – one woman, two very close friends. The person not chosen loses two people, not just one.
As far as successful love triangles go, the author has to show genuine attachment between all three parties. No matter what happens, everyone is hurt. Very tricky. In a tug-of-war there must be a similar strong attachment between the center person and each of the outer people. A little less tricky, I think. Either way, if those attachments don’t ring true, people will see it as forced and unbelievable.
How did the inspiration come about to write a story about teenage movie stars?
Watching actors/musicians hit their late teens/early twenties and self-destruct is almost old hat. Will they come out the other end intact, or will they just ruin their lives and blow their careers? I have to wonder how much of this phenomenon can be attributed to the lack of privacy at this critical time in a person’s life. We all make mistakes while we’re growing and maturing, but most of us don’t have to see those mistakes “reported” on TMZ or parodied on SNL.
Your story wrapped up nicely with some unexpected twists. Did you pretty much know everything that would happen before you started writing, or did it just happen at the writing went along?
I had a vague idea of where it was going. The twists at the end of BTL were known ahead of time, because they were past events. The personalities of the characters have likewise been defined by those past events when the novel opens. That said, how characters react to what I throw at them isn’t always how I expect them to react. Sometimes they mess up my assumed little storyline with their decisions! But I believe firmly in letting them do that. (Even if sometimes I’d like to pull them out of my computer and shake them. Hard.)
Are you working on anything right now that you can share with us?
WinterborneSixteen-year old Mia Winterborne is destined to be special. Details are sketchy, though, as her dad disappeared with all the answers when she was five. Mia only knows that she'll inherit her kickass superpowers on her seventeenth birthday. Helping Mia prepare for her anticipated ascendancy is Loie Bryce, her best friend and eternal sidekick extraordinaire. The girls' intense friendship has never wavered until now, when Andreas arrives in Salcey Ridge. They both fall hard for the British hottie, who quickly becomes a fixture in their lives. When they discover that Andreas is not who he appears to be, the frightening reality of Mia's powers finally hits home. The nearer Mia's birthday draws, the more the danger escalates and long-buried lies are exposed, putting the girls on a path that they never expected.
Today's Topic:Reading vs. Reviewing: What's the Difference?
One of the things that I am asked by those that know me personally when I say that I review books is, “How is that different from what you did before?” If you're an avid reader that has become a reviewer like myself, then you know the answer. However, if you haven't made the transition from “reader” to “reviewer” yet, you may not know that there is a significant difference. To help you understand it better, I thought that I would put together a small article about my experience.
Reviewing is almost like leveling up from reading. You've read a book and now you want to share what you think with the rest of the world. You're still reading and, yes, reviewing IS just your opinion about a book, but there's more responsibility to it when you decide to make the transition. When you're going public with your review of a book, the most important thing to remember is that you have to have a reason for why you feel the way you do about a book.
Did you really like the book? Great! What about the novel made you like it so much?
Think this book is the worst book that you've ever read in your entire existence? Okay... but why?
Though a book may have only taken you mere hours to read through, it took that author months of writing, editing, revising, and just all out devotion and love to get that specific story into your hands. When you review, you want to make sure you're completely fair and very judicious in your portrayal of their work. And there are many things to consider when you rate a book. It's not just about you liking the story as a whole, it's more of a delicate balance of your opinion AND a fair, yet honest, judgment of the author's work as an actual writer.
There are specific aspects of a book that reviewers are always aware of while they're reading: cover, plot, relatability, writing and, of course, the audience. Not just the audience as in the reviewer, but the audience as in anyone that may read this specific book.
This is what really separates the readers from the reviewers! As a reader, when you're finished with a book there is only one thing on your mind: Did I like this book? Usually, this concentrates only on your personal satisfaction with a book. As a reviewer, you're still considering how the book makes you feel because a review is YOUR opinion of the book, but you're also considering how others make like the book as well.
If you read a book for pleasure, then you're only focused on how the book makes you feel as a whole. You may love the story because it's a feel-good, happily-ever-after type book. But, was it something you've read a million times before, or did it introduce you to a whole new world that you've never been before? When it's just for you, it doesn't matter because it just made you feel good – and that's why you read it.
If you read that same book for reviewing, then you're more focused on how the book will come across to the general public. Sure, it's that feel-good, happily-ever-after type book that you love... but it's also cliché and has been done a few hundred times now. Someone else who wants something original and completely unique may want to know that this book is similar to books that are already out on the market that they may have already read.
It's the same if you didn't like a book. For pleasure: you didn't agree with the story/ending/etc and now you think it's a complete waste of your time. For reviewing: you didn't like the story, but you can't deny that the storytelling itself is written beautifully and you know that there are people out there that think the story was exactly right.
After everything, the main difference can be summed up to this: reviewing is more about thinking of the audience while reading is more centered around personal satisfaction. In the grand scheme of things, they're intertwined in that both concentrates on how you feel about the novel – the real difference lies in if you decide to share how you feel with the world or not.
What do you think?
October 11, 2011
Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he's pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he's depending on Hartley to clear his name. Seriously? Not cool. But as much as Hartley wouldn't mind seeing him squirm, she knows he's innocent, and she's the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school's resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer's next victim.
Wynter Chelsea: The SublimityAmanda Chelsea. The Beacon. A friend. A sister. And... and... a daughter? Now part of the legacy, Amanda has exactly what she wanted, but the price she paid comes back to haunt her. The true terrors of the Wynter Chelsea legacy are exposed, and is it everything she thought it would be? As Jack Chelsea struggles to accept his position as leader, Killian steps in as a tyrannical replacement. When the situation doesn't seem like it can get much worse, Dustin distances himself from Amanda. Both families soon find that the Marathaca's tricks might be a threat, but it's not the only horror that is trying to trap them. Wynter Chelsea: The Sublimity is the second book in the Wynter Chelsea series.
Today, I have the extreme honor of having Michael, one of the star characters from Heather Terrell's Fallen Angels series, here with me to share his choices in a This Or That list. Enjoy!
To read more about Gae in her own words, visit her website at www.gaepolisner.com.I write both women’s and young adult fiction. My debut young adult novel, The Pull of Gravity, will be released spring 2011 from Frances Foster Books / Farrar Straus Giroux.
I have written since the time I was little. Mostly, poems and short stories through college. Then, I went to law school and, for over a decade, replaced all that creative writing with legal briefs. But after my sons were born, I decided to return to my first love. I like to think my novels are accessible, lyrical (somewhat literary) fiction – and, my young adult stories, an homage to the character-driven fiction I loved as a child (anything by E.L. Konigsburg, Paul Zindel, Judy Blume, and the amazing Madeleine L’Engle…). The Pull of Gravity has a special “secret” nod to the first novel I couldn’t put down – Don't Take Teddy, by Babbis Friis-Baastad. To this day, I remember the feeling of frantically turning pages to find out if the brothers would be okay. If any of you ever read that book, please send me an email, and we can be instant BFF's.
You picked a great or terrible time to ask me, Missy, because at this moment, I am so ^$&%^%&^#-ing tired. :) Of course, The Pull of Gravity comes out in three days (!!!) so it's been a whirlwind few weeks, and, given who/how I am (nuts?) I've been really busting my butt to get word of my book The Pull of Gravity out there into the big wide world.
Before writing, and before law school, I actually got my undergrad degree in marketing and my self-marketer girl has come out of hiding in full force and won't let me rest (please let me rest, self-marketer girl, I am very, very tired). In fact, I'd probably rest more if I wasn't getting such good results and great reactions (thank you, all!). For example, I snagged myself a sneaky little profile in the Sunday New York Times [here] and one in tomorrow's Sunday Newsday [here] (big in New York). And the Strand Bookstore in NYC (a landmark of bookstore, people!) will be carrying a whole stack of them! I've been making phone calls and writing emails and running into the city to meet and greet and brainstorm, plus trying to keep on top of my other career (family law mediator) and my kids (two teen boys who need to be fed and watered, or something like that . . .). So, the answer is I am mostly pooped. But also, honestly, very excited. And, overwhelmed by the many good advance reviews, and especially by the support of the YA community which is a beautiful, sparkling thing.
[May 28, 2011] So, how do I feel after? I feel fine thank you. (Is that some old punchline to a lame joke?).
Anyway, it's odd and somewhat hard to explain how you feel after -- oh, the irony for a writer! ;) It's this weird mix of "high" moments that are surreal and fun and nerve-wracking and exciting (like my launch party where over 100 people showed up, or our Class of 2K11 appearance at Books of Wonder, NYC -- the lines of people holding your book, wanting you to sign your name) and totally quiet moments where you go, "did that really happen?" and, "but here I am again, just the same, doing laundry or pecking away fruitlessly at the computer keys..."
You watch sales numbers and try not to, and still bite nails about reviews coming in, and, for me, wonder if you'll ever get another book deal. It's like it was before, only with bursts of busy, some really sweet and wonderful feedback, and this sense of quiet accomplishment that buoys you through the next day.
"G," Tatiana stopped her. "That story you told us about our ancestor, was it true?"
With a smile on her face G replied, "I hope so. It's always nice to think so."- pg. 99, Mishap & Mayhem
Bone DressingTIME IS RUNNING OUT … THE DARK THAT’S BEEN CHASING SYD FOR MANY LIFETIMES HAS FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH HER … Sydney Roberdeau lost her parents as a young girl. Waiting for her life to start and the freedom that will come with her eighteenth birthday, Syd spends much of her time haunting the local cemetery. It is there, stretched out among the dead, that she feels most alive, most at home. Until one rainy night when Beau, Sarah and T.J. crash her ghostly sanctuary, appearing out of nowhere, turning her already inside-out world one degree past upside down. Syd must now revisit past lives, dressing in the bodies of her previous selves … bone dressing. Her only chance to outrun the evil breathing down her neck is to face her own worst nightmares and her strongest desires. But if she can’t stay out of trouble in this life, how can she possibly fix mistakes from past lives? And just how many lives has she lived, loved and lost? What is Syd exactly, and what will she risk for the life of a man she doesn’t remember, the man she spent a lifetime with, the man she loves? Everything … including her very own life? Bone Dressing, the first in a series of seven books, will carry Syd and Beau on an adventure that transcends life itself.
Mishap & MayhemFor centuries magical beings have hidden in the darkness, waiting. Some good, some evil. A battle is brewing, and only twins, Grasiella and Tatiana, have the power to stop it. It’s the summer of the year 2045, and sixteen year old Grasiella, along with her twin sister, Tatiana plan to visit their grandmother in Hawaii. They have no idea that when they arrive on the island of Kauai, they are about to be drawn into a secret, the secret, of their family’s dark origins and magical powers. On the first day of their arrival, their grandmother is accused of a horrible crime involving a faerie. Whispers have spread throughout the islands about the disappearance of a faerie named Sita Knook and her connection to a mysterious group known only as the Cinerians. Before long, Grasiella and Tatiana are doing battle with ancient races and magical beings. All the while trying to retrieve an ancient stone of power and impress a couple of local surfers, Kana’i and Kye, cousins who have some pretty exciting family secrets of their own. It’s pretty serious stuff for two girls who were planning to spend the summer at the beach getting tans, but then that’s the trouble with secrets, sometimes they just don't stay buried.
I was born and raised in Upstate New York, the home of the Finger Lakes Region, Kodak, snowpalooza winters, and the best grape pies you'll ever eat (thanks to the Grape Festival). The youngest of three, I established my place in my family as the "artsy" one early on.My love of all things creative swiftly translated to an infatuation with books and the written word. Often dreaming of seeing my picture on the back of a book someday, I began writing and illustrating my own stories and poems at six years old, followed by my first chapter book written in third grade. I took up non-fiction writing by funneling the awkwardness of my middle school years into the safe confines of my locked diary. By high school, I was writing angst-ridden poetry that would be fully deserving of an Emo-rific award in today's time. Apart from my undergrad years, when I traded in fiction reading and writing for psychology books and papers written in APA style, creative writing has always been an essential part of my daily life.
To read about the author in her own words, visit www.amyholder.com.
Wait a second… I have a book coming out? Really? When? April 4th? What!? Don’t you think I should have known about this? No one ever shares anything with me! Clearly the release of my upcoming book (THE LIPSTICK LAWS) has pumped me up into an amnesiac stupor. I feel like I have a million things going on and only one brain, two hands…and not nearly enough chocolate to get everything done! I’ve been worried that I’m forgetting important things (like my name… or that I have a book coming out) in the process of multi-tasking my tail off. That’s right; I have also grown a tail. That’s what book releases will do to you. Really though, my emotions have ranged from over-the-top-sugar-high ecstatic to bite-my-fingernails-to-nubs nervous. There’s a fine line between jumping-and-shouting-from-the-rooftops excitement and pull-your-hair-out anxiety for a debut author. So, take this as a warning… I may be bald at signings, but I promise to put a lovely bow on my tail.
(April 29, 2011) Deep breath…deep breath…deep breath… deep… oh no, I think I need the paper bag again! Yes, I’m still hyperventilating a bit from the excitement of my debut launch. The enthusiasm I’ve felt from readers, bloggers, family, friends and fellow writers has been so incredible!! I feel very lucky to have so much support from such wonderful people! This whole process has been a (very busy and sometimes nerve-wracking) dream come true. It has been completely surreal and amazing to walk into a bookstore and see my book on a bookshelf. Also, I'm thrilled because it was recently announced that my television rights have been optioned, which was the cherry on the top of my dream come true. Okay, I’m mixing up analogies again. This is what happens when you hyperventilate too much. The good news is that I have successfully multi-tasked my tail off… so I am now tailless. I’m also ready to get my next book out there so I can ride this crazy roller coaster again! Hmmm…I guess that means I should probably get to work writing now. I’ll make sure to keep my paper bag handy – just in case.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this ride so fantastic!
Amy Holder
