Sunday, April 30, 2006
Cool Book Trailer (and more!) From Natalie R. Collins
Natalie R. Collins Follow the link for a cool book trailer for Natalie Collins' Wives And Sisters ....
And read on to learn more ...
“A white-knuckles ride all the way. Expert depiction of a young woman’s struggle with the oppressive ‘family values’ of one kind of fundamentalism. Newcomer Collins is a talent to watch.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Startling and compelling--I could not stop turning the pages. Natalie Collins weaves an absolutely riveting tale."-- Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of The Sinner
Set in the closed world of the Mormon Church, a world scrutinized because of the Elizabeth Smart case and covered in nonfiction bestsellers like Secret Ceremonies and Under the Banner of Heaven, and the new HBO show, BIG LOVE, WIVES AND SISTERS is the gripping story of a young woman on the run from evil, powerful men. Receiving phenomenal media coverage and reviews, Collins’s WIVES AND SISTERS portrays a world eerily similar to that of killer Mark Hacking, who killed his pregnant wife Lori. The parallels between the deception Mark Hacking built around his education and the lies perpetrated by the character Mark in WIVES AND SISTERS are uncanny, right down to the same first name.
WIVES AND SISTERS opens with a look back at the sudden disappearance of Allison Jensen’s best friend, who was kidnapped while playing in the woods near home. One moment her friend was beside her; then she was gone. When no leads emerged, she was given up for dead. Now, years later, trying to fill in the gaps of a patchwork memory, Allison still gets no answers from the Mormon community in which she lives. She is stuck in a world where she does not fit with a father who tyrannizes and torments heras the self-appointed messenger of God. Why is she being fed half-truths? When a brutal attack makes her desperate to escape Mormon bonds, Allison finds herself on a collision course with community leaders as they cover up the steps of a sexual predator.
Like Mark Hacking, Collins’ character Mark Peterson is trying to live a life of impeccable standards, dictated by Mormon tenets, and when he fails, the consequences are deadly, as he will do almost anything to protect his standing in the community of Saints. Allison is determined to bring Mark and those who didn’t stop him to justice, before they stop her from piecing together the tragic past that has haunted her for so many years.
As a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and lifelong resident of Utah, Natalie R. Collins brings authentic color and voice to Allison. In her extensive research of the history and teachings of Mormonism, she has discovered that it is a very large organization with a violent and colorful past. WIVES AND SISTERS is a story familiar to many young men and women raised inside the strictures of fundamental religions. Many times there is a “protect the Church at all costs” mentality among Church leaders, which leads to a sheltering system that enables offenders to abuse their victims over and over again without consequence. Heartbreaking and thrilling, WIVES AND SISTERS will keep readers firmly on the edge of their seat.
Natalie answered my questions here. Check out her awesome answers!
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR TYPICAL “WRITING DAY”?
Get up, talk a long walk to formulate ideas and listen to the "voices" of my characters. Write for an hour, referee fight between daughters, send them to their rooms, write for another hour, answer the call of hungry children, write for two more hours, then work on promotion for about three hours.
DO YOU RECALL THE KERNEL OF INSPIRATION FOR THIS BOOK?
I was going to write the story of my life, my memoirs, and my parents had a fit. So I took my story, mixed it with the story of a lot of other people, and I had something MUCH more interesting than my own story would ever have been. Thanks Mom and Dad!
PICK A CHARACTER IN THE BOOK AND TELL US WHAT TRAIT YOU SHARE (OR COME CLOSEST TO SHARING) WITH THAT CHARACTER.
Allison, the main character. The one trait we share is desire to know the truth and the answers. She is not a follower. I was never a follower. I did not have a problem following rules, or instructions, as long as you could give me a good reason why. "Just because" was never good enough for me. Now, of course, having children, I am cursed daily with my own youthful foibles. "Because I'm the mom" is not a good answer, and so I always have to explain why. Oh well.
IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND, WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A MAGICAL TRUNK THAT GAVE YOU LIMITLESS BOOKS TO READ, OR A LIMITLESS SUPPLY OF PAPER ON WHICH TO WRITE?
Are you KIDDING ME? How am I supposed to choose? I guess I would rather have the limitless books to read, because if no one was there to read the books I was writing, what would be the point?
BEER OR WINE? Definitely wine. Beer makes me bloated.
CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? Vanilla. LOVE Vanilla. It's my favorite flavor and smell....
Be sure to check out the book and Natalie's blog, Trapped by the Mormons, at http://www.nataliercollins.com/weblog:
And read on to learn more ...
“A white-knuckles ride all the way. Expert depiction of a young woman’s struggle with the oppressive ‘family values’ of one kind of fundamentalism. Newcomer Collins is a talent to watch.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Startling and compelling--I could not stop turning the pages. Natalie Collins weaves an absolutely riveting tale."-- Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of The Sinner
Set in the closed world of the Mormon Church, a world scrutinized because of the Elizabeth Smart case and covered in nonfiction bestsellers like Secret Ceremonies and Under the Banner of Heaven, and the new HBO show, BIG LOVE, WIVES AND SISTERS is the gripping story of a young woman on the run from evil, powerful men. Receiving phenomenal media coverage and reviews, Collins’s WIVES AND SISTERS portrays a world eerily similar to that of killer Mark Hacking, who killed his pregnant wife Lori. The parallels between the deception Mark Hacking built around his education and the lies perpetrated by the character Mark in WIVES AND SISTERS are uncanny, right down to the same first name.
WIVES AND SISTERS opens with a look back at the sudden disappearance of Allison Jensen’s best friend, who was kidnapped while playing in the woods near home. One moment her friend was beside her; then she was gone. When no leads emerged, she was given up for dead. Now, years later, trying to fill in the gaps of a patchwork memory, Allison still gets no answers from the Mormon community in which she lives. She is stuck in a world where she does not fit with a father who tyrannizes and torments heras the self-appointed messenger of God. Why is she being fed half-truths? When a brutal attack makes her desperate to escape Mormon bonds, Allison finds herself on a collision course with community leaders as they cover up the steps of a sexual predator.
Like Mark Hacking, Collins’ character Mark Peterson is trying to live a life of impeccable standards, dictated by Mormon tenets, and when he fails, the consequences are deadly, as he will do almost anything to protect his standing in the community of Saints. Allison is determined to bring Mark and those who didn’t stop him to justice, before they stop her from piecing together the tragic past that has haunted her for so many years.
As a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and lifelong resident of Utah, Natalie R. Collins brings authentic color and voice to Allison. In her extensive research of the history and teachings of Mormonism, she has discovered that it is a very large organization with a violent and colorful past. WIVES AND SISTERS is a story familiar to many young men and women raised inside the strictures of fundamental religions. Many times there is a “protect the Church at all costs” mentality among Church leaders, which leads to a sheltering system that enables offenders to abuse their victims over and over again without consequence. Heartbreaking and thrilling, WIVES AND SISTERS will keep readers firmly on the edge of their seat.
Natalie answered my questions here. Check out her awesome answers!
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR TYPICAL “WRITING DAY”?
Get up, talk a long walk to formulate ideas and listen to the "voices" of my characters. Write for an hour, referee fight between daughters, send them to their rooms, write for another hour, answer the call of hungry children, write for two more hours, then work on promotion for about three hours.
DO YOU RECALL THE KERNEL OF INSPIRATION FOR THIS BOOK?
I was going to write the story of my life, my memoirs, and my parents had a fit. So I took my story, mixed it with the story of a lot of other people, and I had something MUCH more interesting than my own story would ever have been. Thanks Mom and Dad!
PICK A CHARACTER IN THE BOOK AND TELL US WHAT TRAIT YOU SHARE (OR COME CLOSEST TO SHARING) WITH THAT CHARACTER.
Allison, the main character. The one trait we share is desire to know the truth and the answers. She is not a follower. I was never a follower. I did not have a problem following rules, or instructions, as long as you could give me a good reason why. "Just because" was never good enough for me. Now, of course, having children, I am cursed daily with my own youthful foibles. "Because I'm the mom" is not a good answer, and so I always have to explain why. Oh well.
IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND, WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A MAGICAL TRUNK THAT GAVE YOU LIMITLESS BOOKS TO READ, OR A LIMITLESS SUPPLY OF PAPER ON WHICH TO WRITE?
Are you KIDDING ME? How am I supposed to choose? I guess I would rather have the limitless books to read, because if no one was there to read the books I was writing, what would be the point?
BEER OR WINE? Definitely wine. Beer makes me bloated.
CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? Vanilla. LOVE Vanilla. It's my favorite flavor and smell....
Be sure to check out the book and Natalie's blog, Trapped by the Mormons, at http://www.nataliercollins.com/weblog:
Cool Book Trailer (and more!) From Natalie R. Collins
Natalie R. Collins Follow the link for a cool book trailer for Natalie Collins' Wives And Sisters ....
And read on to learn more ...
“A white-knuckles ride all the way. Expert depiction of a young woman’s struggle with the oppressive ‘family values’ of one kind of fundamentalism. Newcomer Collins is a talent to watch.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Startling and compelling--I could not stop turning the pages. Natalie Collins weaves an absolutely riveting tale."-- Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of The Sinner
Set in the closed world of the Mormon Church, a world scrutinized because of the Elizabeth Smart case and covered in nonfiction bestsellers like Secret Ceremonies and Under the Banner of Heaven, and the new HBO show, BIG LOVE, WIVES AND SISTERS is the gripping story of a young woman on the run from evil, powerful men. Receiving phenomenal media coverage and reviews, Collins’s WIVES AND SISTERS portrays a world eerily similar to that of killer Mark Hacking, who killed his pregnant wife Lori. The parallels between the deception Mark Hacking built around his education and the lies perpetrated by the character Mark in WIVES AND SISTERS are uncanny, right down to the same first name.
WIVES AND SISTERS opens with a look back at the sudden disappearance of Allison Jensen’s best friend, who was kidnapped while playing in the woods near home. One moment her friend was beside her; then she was gone. When no leads emerged, she was given up for dead. Now, years later, trying to fill in the gaps of a patchwork memory, Allison still gets no answers from the Mormon community in which she lives. She is stuck in a world where she does not fit with a father who tyrannizes and torments heras the self-appointed messenger of God. Why is she being fed half-truths? When a brutal attack makes her desperate to escape Mormon bonds, Allison finds herself on a collision course with community leaders as they cover up the steps of a sexual predator.
Like Mark Hacking, Collins’ character Mark Peterson is trying to live a life of impeccable standards, dictated by Mormon tenets, and when he fails, the consequences are deadly, as he will do almost anything to protect his standing in the community of Saints. Allison is determined to bring Mark and those who didn’t stop him to justice, before they stop her from piecing together the tragic past that has haunted her for so many years.
As a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and lifelong resident of Utah, Natalie R. Collins brings authentic color and voice to Allison. In her extensive research of the history and teachings of Mormonism, she has discovered that it is a very large organization with a violent and colorful past. WIVES AND SISTERS is a story familiar to many young men and women raised inside the strictures of fundamental religions. Many times there is a “protect the Church at all costs” mentality among Church leaders, which leads to a sheltering system that enables offenders to abuse their victims over and over again without consequence. Heartbreaking and thrilling, WIVES AND SISTERS will keep readers firmly on the edge of their seat.
Natalie answered my questions here. Check out her awesome answers!
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR TYPICAL “WRITING DAY”?
Get up, talk a long walk to formulate ideas and listen to the "voices" of my characters. Write for an hour, referee fight between daughters, send them to their rooms, write for another hour, answer the call of hungry children, write for two more hours, then work on promotion for about three hours.
DO YOU RECALL THE KERNEL OF INSPIRATION FOR THIS BOOK?
I was going to write the story of my life, my memoirs, and my parents had a fit. So I took my story, mixed it with the story of a lot of other people, and I had something MUCH more interesting than my own story would ever have been. Thanks Mom and Dad!
PICK A CHARACTER IN THE BOOK AND TELL US WHAT TRAIT YOU SHARE (OR COME CLOSEST TO SHARING) WITH THAT CHARACTER.
Allison, the main character. The one trait we share is desire to know the truth and the answers. She is not a follower. I was never a follower. I did not have a problem following rules, or instructions, as long as you could give me a good reason why. "Just because" was never good enough for me. Now, of course, having children, I am cursed daily with my own youthful foibles. "Because I'm the mom" is not a good answer, and so I always have to explain why. Oh well.
IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND, WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A MAGICAL TRUNK THAT GAVE YOU LIMITLESS BOOKS TO READ, OR A LIMITLESS SUPPLY OF PAPER ON WHICH TO WRITE?
Are you KIDDING ME? How am I supposed to choose? I guess I would rather have the limitless books to read, because if no one was there to read the books I was writing, what would be the point?
BEER OR WINE? Definitely wine. Beer makes me bloated.
CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? Vanilla. LOVE Vanilla. It's my favorite flavor and smell....
Be sure to check out the book and Natalie's blog, Trapped by the Mormons, at http://www.nataliercollins.com/weblog:
And read on to learn more ...
“A white-knuckles ride all the way. Expert depiction of a young woman’s struggle with the oppressive ‘family values’ of one kind of fundamentalism. Newcomer Collins is a talent to watch.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Startling and compelling--I could not stop turning the pages. Natalie Collins weaves an absolutely riveting tale."-- Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of The Sinner
Set in the closed world of the Mormon Church, a world scrutinized because of the Elizabeth Smart case and covered in nonfiction bestsellers like Secret Ceremonies and Under the Banner of Heaven, and the new HBO show, BIG LOVE, WIVES AND SISTERS is the gripping story of a young woman on the run from evil, powerful men. Receiving phenomenal media coverage and reviews, Collins’s WIVES AND SISTERS portrays a world eerily similar to that of killer Mark Hacking, who killed his pregnant wife Lori. The parallels between the deception Mark Hacking built around his education and the lies perpetrated by the character Mark in WIVES AND SISTERS are uncanny, right down to the same first name.
WIVES AND SISTERS opens with a look back at the sudden disappearance of Allison Jensen’s best friend, who was kidnapped while playing in the woods near home. One moment her friend was beside her; then she was gone. When no leads emerged, she was given up for dead. Now, years later, trying to fill in the gaps of a patchwork memory, Allison still gets no answers from the Mormon community in which she lives. She is stuck in a world where she does not fit with a father who tyrannizes and torments heras the self-appointed messenger of God. Why is she being fed half-truths? When a brutal attack makes her desperate to escape Mormon bonds, Allison finds herself on a collision course with community leaders as they cover up the steps of a sexual predator.
Like Mark Hacking, Collins’ character Mark Peterson is trying to live a life of impeccable standards, dictated by Mormon tenets, and when he fails, the consequences are deadly, as he will do almost anything to protect his standing in the community of Saints. Allison is determined to bring Mark and those who didn’t stop him to justice, before they stop her from piecing together the tragic past that has haunted her for so many years.
As a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and lifelong resident of Utah, Natalie R. Collins brings authentic color and voice to Allison. In her extensive research of the history and teachings of Mormonism, she has discovered that it is a very large organization with a violent and colorful past. WIVES AND SISTERS is a story familiar to many young men and women raised inside the strictures of fundamental religions. Many times there is a “protect the Church at all costs” mentality among Church leaders, which leads to a sheltering system that enables offenders to abuse their victims over and over again without consequence. Heartbreaking and thrilling, WIVES AND SISTERS will keep readers firmly on the edge of their seat.
Natalie answered my questions here. Check out her awesome answers!
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR TYPICAL “WRITING DAY”?
Get up, talk a long walk to formulate ideas and listen to the "voices" of my characters. Write for an hour, referee fight between daughters, send them to their rooms, write for another hour, answer the call of hungry children, write for two more hours, then work on promotion for about three hours.
DO YOU RECALL THE KERNEL OF INSPIRATION FOR THIS BOOK?
I was going to write the story of my life, my memoirs, and my parents had a fit. So I took my story, mixed it with the story of a lot of other people, and I had something MUCH more interesting than my own story would ever have been. Thanks Mom and Dad!
PICK A CHARACTER IN THE BOOK AND TELL US WHAT TRAIT YOU SHARE (OR COME CLOSEST TO SHARING) WITH THAT CHARACTER.
Allison, the main character. The one trait we share is desire to know the truth and the answers. She is not a follower. I was never a follower. I did not have a problem following rules, or instructions, as long as you could give me a good reason why. "Just because" was never good enough for me. Now, of course, having children, I am cursed daily with my own youthful foibles. "Because I'm the mom" is not a good answer, and so I always have to explain why. Oh well.
IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND, WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A MAGICAL TRUNK THAT GAVE YOU LIMITLESS BOOKS TO READ, OR A LIMITLESS SUPPLY OF PAPER ON WHICH TO WRITE?
Are you KIDDING ME? How am I supposed to choose? I guess I would rather have the limitless books to read, because if no one was there to read the books I was writing, what would be the point?
BEER OR WINE? Definitely wine. Beer makes me bloated.
CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? Vanilla. LOVE Vanilla. It's my favorite flavor and smell....
Be sure to check out the book and Natalie's blog, Trapped by the Mormons, at http://www.nataliercollins.com/weblog:
Saturday, April 29, 2006
The funniest ... and grossest ... thing I've seen in a while. (No, really!)
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
National Readers' Choice Award!
Just learned that The Givenchy Code is a finalist in the mainstream catagory for the National Readers Choice Award! Yay!!!
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Demonically cool news :)
Fab news for my Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series!! I just agreed to a new deal for the next two books in the series -- DEMONS ARE FOREVER and DEMONS ARE A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND.
Look for them in 2007 and 2008!
Look for them in 2007 and 2008!
Fly On The Wall
This week, I'm touring E. Lockhart, author of FLY ON THE WALL -- check out all the fun things on her site ... and be sure to read an excerpt
But first, check out the answers to my "standard" questions!
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR TYPICAL “WRITING DAY”?
Oh, it is so embarrassing. It involves me in fuzzy slippers and PJs with cute cherries on them. A lot of black coffee. Young people and husbands and fuzzy animals try to get my attention, and I get distracted and nothing happens for quite a while except email and organizing my calendar and stuff, and then I finally shoo everyone out and open my document and FORCE MYSELF to write. In the middle of a project I aim for a word count -- 1000- 2000 words a day, depending on how fast the story is moving.
DO YOU RECALL THE KERNEL OF INSPIRATION FOR THIS BOOK?
I was naked. Which if you read Fly on the Wall is not insignificant. It is a very nudie book.
I was in the shower, mulling over some titles that I liked -- sometimes it's useful for me to start with a title and work from there. I liked "Fly on the Wall" because it implied a question -- where? where would you like to be a fly on the wall?
Since my audience is young women and teenage girls, the answer suddenly seemed clear. My character would like to be a fly on the wall of the boys' locker room.
PICK A CHARACTER IN THE BOOK AND TELL US WHAT TRAIT YOU SHARE (OR COME CLOSEST TO SHARING) WITH THAT CHARACTER.
The central character in Fly on the Wall is Gretchen Kaufman Yee, a New York City art school student, half-Jewish half-Chinese American, later half-human half-insect. She is an ardent comic book fan (Spider-Man in particular), a collector, a bit of a loner, though obsessed with the opposite sex.
I'm half -Jewish half-WASP, so I share that spit sense of identity with her. I was also writing about finding your voice as an artist when what you want to do is not the same as what your teachers think is worthwhile. This was very true for me in my late teens and 20s. My writing teacher in college thought only lyrical, semi-modernist writing was any good. My grad-school professors thought only scholarship was valuable. It took a long time for me to say to myself, "writing funny novels about angst-ridden high school girls is what I want to do, and I believe I do it well" and then to search out other people like me. Gretchen has the same problem, only in a different context.
IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND, WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A MAGICAL TRUNK THAT GAVE YOU LIMITLESS BOOKS TO READ, OR A LIMITLESS SUPPLY OF PAPER ON WHICH TO WRITE?
Oh, the trunk, the trunk, the trunk. I want that trunk so bad I might even go to the island in order to get it.
I always write for an audience. No audience, no desire to write.
BEER OR WINE?
I used to date this guy my dad called "the Beer Baron of Michigan" because he owned a micro-brewery near Detroit. So ever since, then, beer. He took me to beer tastings and beer contests and all kinds of things you don't even know exist if you are not dating a beer baron.
CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA?
Dolce de leche. Which is like vanilla with oomph.
WHAT’S YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE BOOK?
I thought we just established that I am a book slut! I love them all! Do I have to commit?
Perhaps David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens. It is really so amazingly funny and true.
Though also a bit sexist.
****
And now, back to the book ...
Fly on the Wall: How One Girl Saw Everything is about a girl called Gretchen Kaufman Yee who goes to a wacked-out art school in New York City. She's a collector of plastic Chinese food and odd figurines, a passionate comic-book artist, and a crazy Spider-man fanatic. She's also completely freaked out by the opposite sex -- in particular, the Art Rats, a group of guys in her drawing concentration. One day, she wishes she could be "a fly on the wall of the boys' locker room," just to find out what the heck guys really talk about.
And the next thing she knows... she is.
A fly.
On the wall of the locker room.
Nice Quotes:
“A super-smart, super-sweet, and super-fantastic read.”
-- Sarah Mlynowski
From The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books:
"The stylish text (rendered nearly multivocal by the periodic font changes) combined with Gretchen's frank fascination with the oddity and then the humanity of the male body and psyche are a rare treat."
From Publishers Weekly:
"Narrator Gretchen Yee will grab readers from the first page with her snappy commentary."
Sounds fab! Be sure to check it out!
But first, check out the answers to my "standard" questions!
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR TYPICAL “WRITING DAY”?
Oh, it is so embarrassing. It involves me in fuzzy slippers and PJs with cute cherries on them. A lot of black coffee. Young people and husbands and fuzzy animals try to get my attention, and I get distracted and nothing happens for quite a while except email and organizing my calendar and stuff, and then I finally shoo everyone out and open my document and FORCE MYSELF to write. In the middle of a project I aim for a word count -- 1000- 2000 words a day, depending on how fast the story is moving.
DO YOU RECALL THE KERNEL OF INSPIRATION FOR THIS BOOK?
I was naked. Which if you read Fly on the Wall is not insignificant. It is a very nudie book.
I was in the shower, mulling over some titles that I liked -- sometimes it's useful for me to start with a title and work from there. I liked "Fly on the Wall" because it implied a question -- where? where would you like to be a fly on the wall?
Since my audience is young women and teenage girls, the answer suddenly seemed clear. My character would like to be a fly on the wall of the boys' locker room.
PICK A CHARACTER IN THE BOOK AND TELL US WHAT TRAIT YOU SHARE (OR COME CLOSEST TO SHARING) WITH THAT CHARACTER.
The central character in Fly on the Wall is Gretchen Kaufman Yee, a New York City art school student, half-Jewish half-Chinese American, later half-human half-insect. She is an ardent comic book fan (Spider-Man in particular), a collector, a bit of a loner, though obsessed with the opposite sex.
I'm half -Jewish half-WASP, so I share that spit sense of identity with her. I was also writing about finding your voice as an artist when what you want to do is not the same as what your teachers think is worthwhile. This was very true for me in my late teens and 20s. My writing teacher in college thought only lyrical, semi-modernist writing was any good. My grad-school professors thought only scholarship was valuable. It took a long time for me to say to myself, "writing funny novels about angst-ridden high school girls is what I want to do, and I believe I do it well" and then to search out other people like me. Gretchen has the same problem, only in a different context.
IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND, WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A MAGICAL TRUNK THAT GAVE YOU LIMITLESS BOOKS TO READ, OR A LIMITLESS SUPPLY OF PAPER ON WHICH TO WRITE?
Oh, the trunk, the trunk, the trunk. I want that trunk so bad I might even go to the island in order to get it.
I always write for an audience. No audience, no desire to write.
BEER OR WINE?
I used to date this guy my dad called "the Beer Baron of Michigan" because he owned a micro-brewery near Detroit. So ever since, then, beer. He took me to beer tastings and beer contests and all kinds of things you don't even know exist if you are not dating a beer baron.
CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA?
Dolce de leche. Which is like vanilla with oomph.
WHAT’S YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE BOOK?
I thought we just established that I am a book slut! I love them all! Do I have to commit?
Perhaps David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens. It is really so amazingly funny and true.
Though also a bit sexist.
****
And now, back to the book ...
Fly on the Wall: How One Girl Saw Everything is about a girl called Gretchen Kaufman Yee who goes to a wacked-out art school in New York City. She's a collector of plastic Chinese food and odd figurines, a passionate comic-book artist, and a crazy Spider-man fanatic. She's also completely freaked out by the opposite sex -- in particular, the Art Rats, a group of guys in her drawing concentration. One day, she wishes she could be "a fly on the wall of the boys' locker room," just to find out what the heck guys really talk about.
And the next thing she knows... she is.
A fly.
On the wall of the locker room.
Nice Quotes:
“A super-smart, super-sweet, and super-fantastic read.”
-- Sarah Mlynowski
From The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books:
"The stylish text (rendered nearly multivocal by the periodic font changes) combined with Gretchen's frank fascination with the oddity and then the humanity of the male body and psyche are a rare treat."
From Publishers Weekly:
"Narrator Gretchen Yee will grab readers from the first page with her snappy commentary."
Sounds fab! Be sure to check it out!
Monday, April 10, 2006
A Bad Boy Can Be Good For A Girl
Check out this fab-sounding release from debut author Tanya Lee Stone!
Why are so many women attracted to the “bad” boy? You know him—you went to high school with one, and maybe were involved with that boy yourself. He’s the golden boy, maybe a star athlete, and always in the “in” crowd. And he is BAD with a capital B. But can being involved with the wrong guy end up being good for you? In this provocative debut novel, Tanya Lee Stone explores this idea and takes an honest look at love and sex. A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl is the story of three very different girls and their relationships with one bad boy.
I asked Tanya my now-standard questions ... check out her answers!
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR TYPICAL 'WRITING DAY"?
I generally write or do writing-related things between 9 and 2 every day. I'm also known to leap out of bed either very late or night or very early in the morning. That seems to be the time I most often have those moments where something falls into place--I figure out what to do with a certain plot point that was bothering me, or I understand a character better.
DO YOU RECALL THE KERNEL OF INSPIRATION FOR THIS BOOK?
Yes, quite clearly. The title came to me first. I was sitting in a short-story workshop and listening to someone talk about submissions needed for an anthology with a theme of "bad boys." I took out my notebook and wrote "a bad boy can be good for a girl" across the page, and started writing that afternoon. The title posed so many questions for me, and Josie's voice came next, so I went with it from there.
PICK A CHARACTER IN THE BOOK AND TELL US WHAT TRAIT YOU SHARE (OR COME CLOSEST TO SHARING) WITH THAT CHARACTER.
I'm probably closest to Josie in that I had a strong sense of who I was at a very young age even though I tested the waters like everyone else.
IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND, WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A MAGICAL TRUNK THAT GAVE YOU LIMITLESS BOOKS TO READ, OR A LIMITLESS SUPPLY OF PAPER ON WHICH TO WRITE?
Paper, most definitely. Reading would only allow me to immerse myself in other people's ideas. Writing would give me the freedom to continue exploring my own ideas and in that, there is hope and possibilities. I imagine those are the things you need most while stuck on a desert island!
BEER OR WINE?
Red, red wine.
CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA?
Oh I could do a whole Forrest Gump thing on chocolate! Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, caramel-filled, pretzel-enrobed, chocolate-covered mint, chocolate espresso beans, chocolate malt balls, dark chocolate almond bark, I'll spare you the rest!
WHAT'S YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE BOOK?
Just one?! Say it isn't so! Someone asked me this recently and I went through the process of narrowing it down in my mind and came to Jane Eyre. But Wuthering Heights, The Great Gatsby, and a well-worn anthology of magical realist fiction I've had since high school are close to my heart.
Me again! Sounds like fun, huh? And I'm right there with Tanya on the red, red wine!
Visit Tanya's website for reviews, tour dates, and more!
Why are so many women attracted to the “bad” boy? You know him—you went to high school with one, and maybe were involved with that boy yourself. He’s the golden boy, maybe a star athlete, and always in the “in” crowd. And he is BAD with a capital B. But can being involved with the wrong guy end up being good for you? In this provocative debut novel, Tanya Lee Stone explores this idea and takes an honest look at love and sex. A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl is the story of three very different girls and their relationships with one bad boy.
I asked Tanya my now-standard questions ... check out her answers!
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR TYPICAL 'WRITING DAY"?
I generally write or do writing-related things between 9 and 2 every day. I'm also known to leap out of bed either very late or night or very early in the morning. That seems to be the time I most often have those moments where something falls into place--I figure out what to do with a certain plot point that was bothering me, or I understand a character better.
DO YOU RECALL THE KERNEL OF INSPIRATION FOR THIS BOOK?
Yes, quite clearly. The title came to me first. I was sitting in a short-story workshop and listening to someone talk about submissions needed for an anthology with a theme of "bad boys." I took out my notebook and wrote "a bad boy can be good for a girl" across the page, and started writing that afternoon. The title posed so many questions for me, and Josie's voice came next, so I went with it from there.
PICK A CHARACTER IN THE BOOK AND TELL US WHAT TRAIT YOU SHARE (OR COME CLOSEST TO SHARING) WITH THAT CHARACTER.
I'm probably closest to Josie in that I had a strong sense of who I was at a very young age even though I tested the waters like everyone else.
IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND, WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A MAGICAL TRUNK THAT GAVE YOU LIMITLESS BOOKS TO READ, OR A LIMITLESS SUPPLY OF PAPER ON WHICH TO WRITE?
Paper, most definitely. Reading would only allow me to immerse myself in other people's ideas. Writing would give me the freedom to continue exploring my own ideas and in that, there is hope and possibilities. I imagine those are the things you need most while stuck on a desert island!
BEER OR WINE?
Red, red wine.
CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA?
Oh I could do a whole Forrest Gump thing on chocolate! Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, caramel-filled, pretzel-enrobed, chocolate-covered mint, chocolate espresso beans, chocolate malt balls, dark chocolate almond bark, I'll spare you the rest!
WHAT'S YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE BOOK?
Just one?! Say it isn't so! Someone asked me this recently and I went through the process of narrowing it down in my mind and came to Jane Eyre. But Wuthering Heights, The Great Gatsby, and a well-worn anthology of magical realist fiction I've had since high school are close to my heart.
Me again! Sounds like fun, huh? And I'm right there with Tanya on the red, red wine!
Visit Tanya's website for reviews, tour dates, and more!
