Friday Spotlights presents… author Wendy Toliver!

For this week’s You 2.0 Author Spotlight, I’m delighted to bring you the fabulosity that is…

Wendy Toliver!

Wendy is one of my oldest author buddies. (Okay, technically I’m older than she is, but you know what I mean.) We’ve been friends since before either one of us sold, and it’s been a blast cheering each other on along the way. Welcome, Wendy!

The Basics

Name:

Wendy Toliver

Web Site:

www.wendytoliver.com

Blogs:

– Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies
– Teen Fiction Cafe

Short Bio:

Wendy Toliver lives in the Utah mountains with her husband, three sons, and a bunch of other critters. She’s the author of The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren, Miss Match, and the soon-to-be-released Lifted—all Simon Pulse novels.


The Books

Miss Match
February 2009
Simon Pulse

Sasha Finnegan has always had a knack for setting people up, and at sixteen, she’s turned her talent into an online business, molding high school crushes into true love. But Sasha finds her toughest match yet when hottie Derek Urban asks her to set him up with Sasha’s gorgeous sister, Maddie. It’s not that Derek isn’t a good catch. In fact, after spending so much time with him, Sasha can’t help but think he’s perfect — for her, that is.

Can Sasha push her feelings aside for the sake of her business? Or has this miss finally found her match?


Questions About You 2.0

The You 2.0 blog is about becoming everything you’re meant to be. It’s about pursuing your dreams, changing your world, showing gratitude, and paying it forward. Here’s a chance for our Spotlight guests to share what You 2.0 means to them.

1.   PURSUING YOUR DREAMS: Everyone has the ability to be extraordinary, they just have to embrace what makes them unique and special and pursue their dreams with passion and confidence! Was being a published author a dream of yours? If so, how does it feel to have achieved your dream?

Being a published author is definitely something I’m proud of, but I’m just excited that I’ve found something I’m decent at.

2.   CHANGING YOUR WORLD: Changing the world doesn’t have to mean finding a cure for cancer or creating lasting world peace (though it definitely can!). It just means finding a way that you can make the world a little better off for having lived here, whether it’s making a difference to one person or a million, to the earth, to animals… whatever is important to you. What is one way you would personally like to make the world a better place?

As a mother, I have a special place in my heart for children. I’ve been a member of the Junior League for many years, and our local chapter’s emphasis is women and children. Though this organization is credited for countless worthwhile projects, the one I love the most is providing free health care (as well as socks and underwear, books, haircuts, hygienic items, etc.) to needy children in the community.

3.   GRATITUDE: Gratitude is a huge part of the You 2.0 life. Taking a moment to count our blessings is the best way to remember what’s truly important (especially when life is hectic and crazy!). What are you grateful for?

I’m grateful for so many things–from living in a free country to having good health and not having to worry whether there’ll be food on the table–but in the wake of my recent family reunion, I’m going to go with family. As the old saying goes, you can’t choose your family (but you can choose your friends), and though my family is more like the Simpsons than the Cleavers, I’d still choose my family.

4.   PAYING IT FORWARD: If everyone took a moment to pay it forward, even just once, the world would be changed in ways we can’t even imagine. What is one thing you’ve done (or plan to do) to “pay it forward” in some way?

Oh, I love this concept and I also believe in karma. One thing I’ve done to pay it forward is to put together (and pull off!) a writers’ conference where I live. Partnered with a friend of mine, we put our own money, brain power, and legwork into the Eden Writers’ Conference so we could offer a high quality conference at a very low cost. I figured it was a gift to local writers, but it was also a gift to myself. I learned a lot and made a bunch of new friends. I’m in awe of the generosity of our sponsors and industry professionals (like Kay Cassidy and my agent Christina Hogrebe) who made it a reality.


Questions About You, The Author

5.   Why did you decide to participate in The Great Scavenger Hunt Contest? Do you think you would’ve participated in the contest as a teen or tween?

I decided to participate because I think it’s a great idea (yay Kay!) and I’m always game for anything that gets young people excited about reading. I loved to read as a teen and tween and I do think I would’ve wanted to participate had this been available to me back then.

6.   What do you love most (and least) about being an author?

I like visiting schools and getting emails from readers. I also like how supportive fellow authors and industry professionals are. What I like least is how often I find myself questioning my abilities.

7.   What is the coolest thing that’s happened to you since becoming a published author?

Seeing my books on the shelves in bookstores, spotting someone reading one of my books out in the world, receiving really great fan mail, having a line at my table at a book signing event, winning awards, being asked to deliver a key note speech at a writers’ conference, meeting famous authors … all of these things are really cool. I think one of my favorite things so far was when my husband surprised me with a trip to New York City to visit my literary agency and publisher.

8.   Which YA or middle grades book has had the greatest impact on you and why?

I credit Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary for my love of reading. They can tackle serious issues with a dollop of humor.

9.   If you could go back in time and give your teen/tween self one piece of advice, what would it be?

If I knew I’d be a teen fiction author, I would have told my teen self to keep a diary so I could have that for a resource to use now. But on a more personal level, I would’ve told myself not to worry that no guys liked me because someday, a guy beyond my wildest dreams would come into my life.


Will the Real You 2.0 Please Stand Up?

10.   I love the game Three Truths and a Lie because there are so many unexpected and interesting things about people that we never get a chance to learn about them. What are three truths and a lie that our blog readers can guess about you?

– I used to do singing telegrams as Marilyn Monroe.
– I love chocolate, and my favorite is chocolate donuts.  **UPDATE: Here’s the lie!**
– My son tried to sell the first manuscript I’d ever written at his lemonade stand because I told him I’d take the family to Disney when it sold.
– I broke my nose snowmobiling (and yes, I was wearing a helmet).

(Readers: Your guess gets you an entry into the You 2.0 monthly contest for an ARC of The Cinderella Society or a prize dive in the awesome You 2.0 Prize Basket. Guess correctly and you get a bonus entry! I’ll update the post on Monday to spill the big lie, so get guessing and have fun!)

AND… for another chance to win a signed copy of Miss Match, contact Wendy via her website and type “enter me” as your comment. She’ll be doing a random drawing at 5:00 pm MST Friday (tonight). It’s another double giveaway day. You like those, right?

Thanks to Wendy for a terrific interview!

Entry Filed under: Author Spotlight