STACKED

books

Twitterview: Sarah Tregay (Love & Leftovers)

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Meet Sarah Tregay, author of Love and Leftovers (Katherine Tegan Books, January 1). You can check out her website and her Facebook page.


Pitch your book in 140 characters:

Stuck on summer vacation, Marcie falls for J.D., the cute guy who brings her breakfast. Unfortunately, she also has a boyfriend back home.

Who will this book appeal to:

Teen girls with a soft spot for love stories, reluctant readers, and verse novel aficionados looking for something on the sweeter side.

Favorite moment or character in your book:

When my characters skip school and hide out among the cookbooks in the library.

What’s your writing routine:

Lunch breaks, traffic jams, and Sunday mornings at the coffee shop.

What’s your best piece of writing advice:

If your writing isn’t catching agent and/or editor attention, try something else… maybe a different genre, a different format, or a different point-of-view(s).

What’s been the most surprising part of the publishing journey:

The editing process… just when I thought I was done there was another little something. I’ve made hundreds of edits since my ARCs were printed.

What did you do when you learned your book would be published:

I told my co-workers who didn’t even know I wrote novels in my spare time.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve received:

Torture your characters. (This is always harder than it sounds.)

What are your top three favorite books:

Today? What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones, After the Kiss by Terra Elan McVoy, Heaven Looks a Lot Like a Mall by Wendy Mass.

What’s next for you:

Hopefully another novel in verse.

Twitterview: Sarah Darer Littman

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It’s time for another interview, Twitter-style. This month, Sarah Darer Littman stops by to talk about her latest novel, Want to Go Private? published in August by Scholastic. I’ve reviewed it here. Hear what Sarah has to say about her writing process, the novel, and how to advocate for contemporary ya titles like her own.

As usual, there’s a giveaway of the book at the end, but this time, it’s even signed by Sarah herself.

This is the last Twitterview you’ll see on Stacked until the end of December when we have something a little different planned, so enjoy!

Pitch Want to Go Private? in 140 characters.

Brianiac HS freshman Abby, who’s having problems adjusting to change, meets awesome understanding guy online.

What inspired WTGP?

FBI Supervisory Special Agent spoke at Son’s school. Told me story abt girl who ran away w/pred: & her resp when rescued: “Don’t hurt him”

Talk a bit about what inspired Abby’s character.

Needed to understand how otherwise intelligent kids who’d had internet safety talks at home & school got from there to “Don’t hurt him.”
What sort of research went into writing WTGP?
Interviews with FBI and my detectives at my local police dept. Plus reading many extremely disturbing books.
You created ChezTeen to go along with the book. What prompted the creation of a supplementary resource?
Figured curious teens would check out url (know I would!) so wanted to use 4 positive purpose. Wished could make more interactive but $$.
What’s your intended readership for the novel?
Teens and parents. Ideally, I’d love both to read and discuss.
What, if any, backlash have you seen with WTGP?
Mother of 12 yo wrote to me abt content. But book is recommended for 14+. Girl was engrossed but put bk down when got to disturbing bits.I had one mother of a 12 year-old write to me about content. But the book is recommended for 14 and up.
What should readers walk away with from WTGP?
There’s a big difference btw intellectual intelligence & emotional intelligence. Even smart kids fr “good” families can get in trouble online.

How can adults use WTGP in a meaningful way with teens without devaluing the story of their teens’ intelligence when it comes to net safety?
Based on reader emails I’ve received, let them read & then use as basis for discussion. Disc Q’s available here.

Was writing/marketing this book different than your other novels? How?

I invested a great deal of thought, time, and own money in promoting this book (like registering urls) because I believed it was timely and needed.

You’re a member of the first round of YA Contemps. What’s that experience been like?

It was wonderful to put the spotlight on an oft overlooked area of YA lit where there are so many truly excellent books.

How can people advocate for contemporary literature like yours in a time when pr and marketing focus heavily on non-contemporary trends?

Buy them – publishers pay attention to sales figures. And spread the word. Without big mkting budget, word of mouth is best PR you can get.

Who or what do you write for?

Intellectual curiosity. I like to write abt things that I want to learn more about. I’m kind of geeky that way.

Why do you write for teens? Is it intentional or led by the story?
Intentional – I love YA because it’s literature without the Bullsh*t.

What was your most influential read as a teenager?
Animal Farm by George Orwell, closely followed by Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
Who are your top three writing influences?
George Orwell, Laurie Halse Anderson, and Judy Blume
What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
Jane Yolen: Get your butt in the chair and WRITE THE DAMN BOOK
What’s your best writing advice to give?
What Jane Yolen said. Because, really, that’s all the difference between a writer and someone who wants to be a writer.

What is your writing routine?
Coffee, check email/twitter, more coffee then butt in chair till 1,000 words done or have to drive kid somewhere, whichever comes first.

What gets you jazzed to write?
2% inspiration and 98% discipline.
Do you have a writing soundtrack? Care to share a bit?
Can’t write to music. But if blocked, borrow BF’s convertible & blast Led Zeppelin, Queen or anything that I can sing loudly & off key.
What’s next for you?
Something humorous. Writing WTGP really took it out of me. Plus I think I’m funnier than my body of work would leave one to believe.
Favorite ice cream?
Depends on mood: Butter Pecan/Chocolate Fudge Brownie/Ben & Jerrys Late Night Snack. Hot Fudge sauce a must, no matter what.

Twitterview: Steve Brezenoff

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Welcome to another Twitterview. This month, Steve Brezenoff is here to talk about Brooklyn, Burning (reviewed here), gender, and a whole lot more. Like usual, there’s a giveaway of this book at the end, but I think more importantly, what I want people to do after reading this is to participate in Steve’s #FridayReads project — those who have read Brooklyn, Burning or have read reviews of it know that at the center of the story are the ideas of gender and homelessness, and through participating in his #FridayReads project, you can help raise money for YouthLink.

Pitch Brooklyn, Burning in 140 characters
Two summers and two loves, gentrification and arson in Greenpoint.

What inspired Brooklyn, Burning?
I was going for a love song vibe at first–“me” to “you.” The ambiguity was initially an accident.

What drew you to write Kid and Scout without gender?

An accident for several hundred words. I ran with it partly due to a listserve with some very old-fashioned ideas.

What was the writing process like in creating gender neutrality/interchangeability?

It came more naturally than I’d have thought. I think it frustrates my editor, publicist, and reviewers, which is fun.

In BB and Absolute Value of -1, you write the voice of both genders authentically. Do you find one harder/easier/more interesting to write?

I don’t give a lot of thought to the narrators’ genders, believe it or not. I give thought to the character, and try to keep the voice real.

As I asked with last month’s Twitterview, what’s your take on/experience with gender appeal to your novels? Do you write with one in mind?

I don’t. I just write what I want to write. It’s not even what I necessarily want to read. I get that most YA readers are girls. That’s ok.

What’s your take on the notion that guys “don’t read?”

First of all: boysdontread.com. Second, as a teen, I stopped reading for personal enjoyment. I picked it up again later.

Setting plays a key role in Brooklyn Burning. Why Brooklyn?

I <3 Brooklyn, for one thing. For another, the historical aspects took place in Brooklyn. Also, it just came out that way.

What should readers walk away with from Brooklyn Burning?

A receipt! Lol. No, seriously. I just want people to get anything from it at all. Literally anything.

Who or what do you write for?

Mainly I write because I like to write. But I also like controlling people’s minds, which is possible with fiction.

You’ve written other books, but why the shift for a teen audience? Is it intentional or is it led by the story?

My work for younger readers has been work-for-hire. When it comes to what I prefer to write, it’s mostly YA. The shift is illusory.

What was your most influential read as a teenager?

The Catcher in the Rye

Who are your top three writing influences?

JD Salinger, John Gardner, SE Hinton. Probably.

Who do you believe is breaking ground in YA right now?

Am I allowed to say Carolrhoda Lab? If I’m honest and immodest, that’s the answer.

What’s the best writing advice you ever received?

Butt-in-chair. It might be the ONLY good writing advice I’ve ever received.

What’s your best writing advice to give?

See above. Also: objective correlative

What is your writing routine?

When I come up with one, I’ll let you know.

What gets you jazzed to write?

Reading great writing

Do you have a writing soundtrack? Care to share a bit?

I have a different for every project. My current project is full of Bjork, Nick Drake, and Mastodon. Figure that one out.

What’s next for you?

Lunch. Oh, you mean a project. I’m working on another one that examines gender a little, and also love vs. envy, and online gaming.

Favorite ice cream?
Dark Chocolate Zin from Izzy’s in St. Paul!

Want a copy of Brooklyn, Burning? Fill out the form below, and I’ll pick a winner at the end of the month.

Twitterview: CK Kelly Martin

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This month, CK Kelly Martin stops by to talk about her upcoming title, My Beating Teenage Heart, which I reviewed earlier this week. She’s here to talk about inspirations, music, and gender in writing — all topics that she also tackles in her blog, which is one of my favorite author blogs to read. 

Without further ado, here’s CK:

Pitch MY BEATING TEENAGE HEART in 140 characters.

A dead girl begins to remember the story of her own life as she tries to help the grief-racked 17 year old boy she finds herself bound to.

What inspired MY BEATING TEENAGE HEART?

A mix of many things. Personal loss, hard times I’ve seen others go through, lifelong questions about the afterlife.

MBTH isn’t a straight up contemporary nor a fantasy novel. How would you classify it?

I guess technically it’s speculative fiction. But I still tend to think of it primarily as contemporary.

You write both male and female main characters in your books, and in MBTH, you do both. Do you find one easier to write than the other?

Not really. But writing from the POV of two different characters in one book did feel more challenging than concentrating on one!

Along with that, what’s your take on or experience with gender appeal to your novels? Do you write with one in mind?

I’d hope the appeal is gender neutral because I don’t write with a certain one in mind but I’ve heard from more female readers.

What should readers walk away with from MBTH?

Hope that hard times/situations can improve. Also empathy for others going through things that may be more difficult than we realize.

Since this book treads territory that’s a bit different from your previous novels, did you find anything surprising in the process of writing?

The biggest surprise came at the start when I abandoned what was going to be a zombie novel and the idea for MBTH arrived out of the blue.

Your books tackle hard issues straight on. What would you say to librarians who may face challenges to “edgy” (honest) ya like yours?

A big thanks for fighting that fight because kids who are living the problems found in books like those need their realities reflected.

Who or what do you write for?

The person I think I’d be if I was growing up now and for anyone who is struggling or even just trying to understand life’s shades of gray.

Why do you choose write for a teen audience? Is it intentional or led by the story itself?

I’m drawn to stories about teens so writing about them is intentional. It’s a challenging time yet one where you don’t have much control.

Who are your top three writing influences?

I’m more influenced by individual books than authors: Emma Who Saved My Life, Franny and Zooey, Life is Funny.

Who do you believe is breaking ground in YA right now?

Catherine Ryan Hyde, Courtney Summers, Melina Marchetta, Tanita S. Davis, Blake Nelson, Coe Booth, Jenny Valentine, Alex Sanchez

What’s the best writing advice you ever received?

It’s too complex to quote but it was an email reply an author sent me years ago when I wasn’t sure if I should break up with my 1st agent.

What’s your best writing advice to give?

It’s not specifically writing advice but what Michael Scott (love him!) told Jim in The Office on cruise night, “Never give up.”

What’s your writing routine?

Morning is my internet/email time. Then I have an early lunch around 11:30, write, break for dinner 60-90 mins, more writing until 9ish.

What gets you jazzed to write?

Cool art of any kind. In early July it was the outdoor art show in Toronto but sometimes it’s theatre, movies, music, other books.

Do you have a writing soundtrack? Care to share a bit?

I can’t listen to music when writing but I’m a big Airborne Toxic Event fan and their song Innocence feels like the theme song to this book.

What’s next for you?

I’m revising a book with sci-fi elements for RH so that’s a slight departure but I think the book still feels like realistic YA at heart.

Favorite ice cream?

Pistachio gelato (delicious!) at Botticelli‘s café in Dublin. It’s right next to their restaurant in Temple Bar.

Twitterview: Carrie Harris

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Welcome to another Twitterview here at STACKED. This month, we’re talking to Carrie Harris, debut author of the recently released zombie comedy Bad Taste in Boys (reviewed here). Carrie and I met while serving together on the 2009-2010 Cybils judging panel, and it’s been such a blast to be in contact with her as she’s prepared for and finally released her first book. She’s one heck of a busy woman.

Here, she’ll talk about her unique writing inspirations, what it’s like to be in charge of the Class2k11, and there’s a giveaway of a signed copy of her book at the end.

Pitch BAD TASTE IN BOYS in 140 characters.
Science geek learns that football players are taking steroids…that turn hot gridiron hunks into flesh eating zombies! Gotta find a cure!

What inspired BAD TASTE IN BOYS?
I got the idea after watching the movie Beetlejuice (with the dead football players) and reading Frankenstein. I love me some weird science!

Why zombies?
I like my monsters campy, and there’s nothing sillier than a bunch of shambling corpses. Especially if they’re on roller skates.

Why not vampires?
I don’t have anything against vamps. They are also funny on roller skates. If you don’t believe me, watch Fright Night Part 2.

Kate, your main character, is a geek in the best sorts of ways. Was she inspired by anyone/thing in real life?
I have some major geek-of-all-trades tendencies. Kate’s more of a dedicated science geek, but we do share that obsessive stubbornness.

What should readers walk away with from BAD TASTE IN BOYS?
Above all, I want them to have FUN. Sometimes you just need a laugh, & I think that’s just as valuable as books that say something profound.

Talk about your book trailer — how’d it come to be? Favorite moment in filming?
It was a labor of love for me and some fabulous friends. My eyes popped out of my head the 1st time Kate threw the zombie into the locker.

Biggest surprise that came up in the writing process?
The original bad guy got cut out of the manuscript entirely, and one of my favorite characters ended up being implicated instead.

What about the biggest surprise in the post-publishing process?
People cite things in the book that made them laugh–but it’s never the same thing twice! Sometimes it’s something I didn’t even find funny.

This is your first published novel. What’s been your experience as a debut novelist?
The kidlit community as a whole is SO AWESOMESAUCE! I can’t get over how nice people are, even when I’m squealing in their faces.

You’re also the president of the Class2k11. What’s that been like?
Tremendous amounts of fun punctuated with episodes of crazy making workloads. But ultimately one of the best things I’ve ever done!

You’ve been actively involved in the blogging community for a while — what’s been your fav blogging experience?
It was a heckload of fun to have Richard Simmons announce my book deal on my blog. Okay, so it REALLY wasn’t him, but close enough.

Who or what do you write for?
My goal is to crack myself up. I think if the writer’s having fun, that really shows & it can be infectious. Only not like a zombie virus.

Why do you choose write for a teen audience? Is it intentional or led by the story itself?
I haven’t really matured since junior high. At least not in terms of my sense of humor. So YA is really a natural fit for me.

Who are your top three writing influences?
Stephen King, Scooby Doo, and the Muppets. Honestly, everything I’ve learned about comedy, I learned from the Muppets.

Who do you believe is breaking ground in YA right now?
I went pretty crazy when I read BLOOD RED ROAD. It’s a voice that I honestly can say I’ve NEVER heard before, and that’s frawesome.

What’s the best writing advice you ever received?
Gwendolyn Brooks once told me to be myself. I’m not sure she realized “myself” was a monster-crazed snarf addict. But I run with it anyway.

What’s your best writing advice to give?
No way I can top Gwendolyn Brooks! I’m a monster-crazed snarf addict; what do I know?!?

What’s your writing routine?
Write whenever my kids will let me & sometimes when they won’t. I always reread a couple of pages before I leap in to get into the voice.

What gets you jazzed to write?
It’s FUN! At the end of the day, I think that’s the only and best reason to do it. If it’s not fun, it’s time to rest and come back fresh.

What’s next for you?
The paperback of BAD TASTE IN BOYS will be out next summer, followed by the next Kate Grable adventure, BAD HAIR DAY, in the fall!

Favorite ice cream?
Amaretto cherry, naturally. And now I’m hungry for it despite the fact that it’s 10 AM.

And most importantly, how would you survive the zombie apocalypse?
I married a ninja. That’s the ultimate in zombie survival techniques. I can hide behind him and yell helpful things like “AIM FOR THE HEAD!”

For your launch, you hosted “Night of the Giving Dead” to raise money for U of Michigan Hospital’s Giving Library. What inspired the idea?
Cynthea Liu did a similar launch party a few yrs ago. My husband is a cancer survivor and kids’ cancer physician, so it’s close to my heart.

How much did you raise for the event?
We raised over $7000 in kids’ books for the hospital. In many cases, that’s one of the only normal things these kids can do–READ!

Favorite zombie book and why?
Right now, I’m in love with HOLD ME CLOSER, NECROMANCER. It has potato hockey and disembodied heads and ZOMBIES. What’s not to love???

Favorite zombie film and why?
It’s a toss-up between ZOMBIELAND and SHAUN OF THE DEAD. I laughed so hard at them that it’s impossible to pick without my head exploding.

Last and most importantly: fast zombies or slow zombies? I’ll leave it at that for you to interpret.
Slow zombies! I like my zombies snarfy, and it’s hard to laugh when an undead blur is knocking you over and eating your liver.