Friday Spotlights presents… author Melissa Walker!

It’s baaaack!

I’ve really been missing the fun Booklover and Spotlight features, so I may be sneaking a few in even though I’m still working on The Cinderella Society book two (due to my editor on 11/15).

For this week’s You 2.0 Author Spotlight, I’m delighted to bring you the amazing and delightful…

Melissa Walker!

Melissa is one of my Teen Fiction Cafe buddies and truly one of the nicest people you will ever meet. (She has also been a huge help to me with her fashion savvy. It’s good to have stylish friends, I tell you.)

Welcome, Melissa!

The Basics

Name:

Melissa Walker

Web Site:

www.melissacwalker.com

Blogs:

– I Heart Daily
– readergirlz
– Teen Fiction Cafe

Short Bio:

Melissa Walker is a writer who has worked as ELLEgirl Features Editor and Seventeen Prom Editor. All in the name of journalism, she has spent 24 hours with male models and attended an elite finishing school for girls in New Zealand, among other hardships.

In late 2008, she launched I Heart Daily with fellow ex-ELLEgirl Anne Ichikawa. It’s a daily newsletter about likable stuff.

Melissa lives in Brooklyn and has a BA in English from Vassar College. She would tell you her SAT scores too, but, you know, the math part was hard.


The Books

Lovestruck Summer
May 2009
HarperTeen

Sunny days, late nights and a vacation full of possibilities…

This is the story of Quinn, an indie rock girl who came out to Austin, Texas for a music internship.

She also plans to spend long, lazy days in the sun at outdoor concerts–and to meet a hot musician or two. Instead, she’s stuck rooming with her sorority brainwashed cousin, who now willingly goes by the name ‘Party Penny.’ Their personalities clash, big time.

But Sebastian, a gorgeous DJ, definitely makes up for it. Sebastian has it all: looks, charm, and great taste in music. So why can’t Quinn keep her mind off Penny’s friend cute, All-American Russ and his Texas twang?

One thing’s certain: Quinn’s in for a summer she’ll never forget!


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?

I always dreamed of being a magazine writer, and the first time I saw my byline in a glossy women’s magazine, I teared up. Thrilling! A few years later, though, I decided I didn’t want to be totally limited by pesky facts—I was ready for fiction. Publishing my first book was a huge accomplishment, and each subsequent one has felt like a dream come true.

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?

This is going to sound dorky, but I’d really like to make sure that all kids are reading. So much is explored in books—so many worlds and dreams and conflicts and experiences—and I just hope everyone reads! That’s one of the big reasons why I’m involved with readergirlz.com, so that’s my “change” to work on for now.

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?

This is so hard! Well, each day I try to think of 5 things (thanks to Oprah), so I’ll list today’s. I’m grateful for: The Food Network (for some reason it totally soothes me, even though I can’t cook), iced coffee all year round, shoulder rubs, bad reality TV (I love it! I can’t help it!) and my mom and dad, who were and are the best parents ever.

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?

I recently got married, and the favor at my wedding for guests was a donation to Heifer International—each table was named after an animal purchased in the name of everyone at the table for heifer.org. I mean, candles and monogrammed candies are nice, but I wanted to give back a little, in honor of our guests!

(Note from Kay: I LOVE this!!!)


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?

Um, because it’s the coolest, most original idea ever. And yes, I totally would have done this as a teen. A book that comes with a GAME? Awesome.

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

MOST: Fan mail. I love it. Probably too much.
LEAST: Starting. Starting the new book is hard.

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

Again, getting fan emails and comments. They rock my world. Oh, and once I met a girl who was sitting in the Barnes and Noble café reading VIOLET BY DESIGN. It blew my mind, and I totally stalked her for a while before saying hi. Then she came to my reading later that week! So cool.

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

Everything by Judy Blume got me through the embarrassments of growing up. Seriously—those books were my guide to “it’s okay to be weird” stages.

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

Being weird is actually cool. Weird means fantastic, unique. Celebrate it.


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 was born in London, England.
– I love Taylor Swift.
– I’ve been to China.  **UPDATE: Here’s the lie!**
– I have a vertical bookshelf.

(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! Plus, you never know when the next impromptu Bundle o’ Bookmarks giveaway will be for one recent commenter. Will it be you? I’ll update the post later to spill the big lie, so get guessing and have fun!)

Thanks to Melissa for a terrific interview!

Entry Filed under: Author Spotlight