September 9th, 2010
I’m delighted to be participating in Christine Johnson‘s delightful (and yummy!) Great YA Bake Sale of 2010! If you haven’t seen her launch post for it, here’s what it’s all about from the magical Christine herself.
from Christine:
It’s here, it’s here – The Great YA Bake Sale of 2010!
It all started when I realized that YA authors seem to have one big thing in common – an obsession with sweets and baking.
That gave me an idea. I started calling (well – okay, emailing) around and ended up with more than a dozen kind, sugar-loving authors on board to bring you one amazing contest.
Here’s the deal:
To enter, simply leave a thoughtful comment on an author’s Bake Sale blog post, or tweet about the contest with the hashtag #YABakeSale10. Voila! You’re entered.
When you enter, you become eligible to win any one of the Personal Prize Packs (i.e. a comment on Saundra Mitchell’s blog may net you the Cyn Balog prize pack. You’re entering the whole contest, not just that particular author’s part of it.) You also become eligible to win the humongonormous Grand Prize Basket.
What’s in the Grand Prize Basket?
Each author has hand-written two copies of a favorite sweet-treat recipe. One copy has gone into a beautiful recipe book that is part of the Grand Prize Basket. In addition to the (hand-written! Did I mention that?) recipe collection, the Grand Prize winner will receive:
A signed copy of Cyn Balog’s SLEEPLESS
Bookmarks for KAT, INCORRIGIBLE by Stephanie Burgis
A special THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY prize pack with a mini glass slipper and a shiny glass slipper bookmark from Kay Cassidy
Signed bookmarks for THE CRESCENT and HALF MOON, pencils, and a crescent moon and crystal-studded star necklace from Jordan Deen
A (signed?) copy of THE BODY FINDER, a THE BODY FINDER tote bag, sticker and bookmarks from Kimberley Derting
An EVERLASTING-themed notebook, bookmark and pin from Angela Frazier
A signed copy of CLAIRE DE LUNE, signed stickers and a silver, moon-themed bookmark from Christine Johnson
A signed copy of SHADOWED SUMMER, matching chocolate candies, Twilight-themed heart candies, bookmarks and THE VESPERTINE dance card from Saundra Mitchell
A signed copy of THE PACE, by Shelena Shorts, along with bookmarks and THE PACE pencils
A signed hard-cover of SHADE and a Keeley Brothers pin from Jeri-Smith Ready
A signed copy of PERSONAL DEMONS, a PERSONAL DEMONS tank top, temporary tattoos, and bookmarks from Lisa Desrochers
. . . AND MORE!!! All for ONE LUCKY WINNER!
But that’s not all!
Each author has one other handwritten recipe that will be part of each author’s own Personal Prize Pack.
The prize packs include:
Cyn Balog – Signed copy of SLEEPLESS and a handwritten recipe for Coconut Bread.
Stephanie Burgis – UK paperback copy of A MOST IMPROPER MAGICK and a hand written recipe for Apple Muffins
Kay Cassidy – Hand-written recipe for Chocolate Decadence Bundt Cake and a special THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY prize pack with a mini glass slipper and a shiny glass slipper bookmark
Megan Crewe – Hand-written recipe and giveaways
Shannon Delaney – Hand-written recipe and giveaways
Jordan Deen – Basket with Pampered Chef baking gear and a recipe for Orange Pineapple Cake
Kimberly Derting – Signed copy of The Body Finder, stickers, a totebag, bookmarks and a recipe for Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lisa Desrochers – A copy of PERSONAL DEMONS and a recipe for Sunday Coffee Cupcakes
Angie Frazier – A signed hard-cover copy of EVERLASTING, bookmark, and a recipe for Butter Rum Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream Frosting
Judith Graves – Copy of UNDER MY SKIN, a character card, and a recipe for Dead Lady Fingers
Christine Johnson – A signed hard-cover copy of CLAIRE DE LUNE, stickers, a silver moon-themed bookmark and a recipe for Chocolate-Chip Butterscotch Blondies
Saundra Mitchell – Recipe and giveaways
Jennifer Murgia – ANGEL STAR swag, Octogram earrings, and a hand-written recipe
Shelena Shorts – Signed copy of THE BROKEN LAKE and bookmarks and a hand-written recipe
Jeri Smith-Ready – SHADE UK paperback edition and a recipe for Scottish Oat Scones
Fine print: The contest entries must be posted by midnight eastern time on September 20th. This contest is open to the U.S., U.K. and Canada.
TO PARTICIPATE: (All comments must be posted by September 20, 2010)
** To enter to win Christine’s grand prize basket with all of our goodies, go to her blog and comment on the Great YA Bake Sale of 2010 post!
** To enter to win my special THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY prize pack with a mini glass slipper and a shiny glass slipper bookmark PLUS a hand-written recipe for Chocolate Decadence Bundt Cake, comment on this post below.
** To enter to win any of the other author prize packs, check out their blog post and comment there too!
Happy entering (and happy baking)!
Filed under: Blog contests
September 8th, 2010
It’s GCC time! This week, I’m delighted to bring you the wonderful and funny…
Lucienne Diver
Welcome, Lucienne!
The Girlfriend
Name:
Lucienne Diver
Short Bio:
Lucienne Diver is a writer by night and a literary agent by day.
The Book
ReVamped
September 1, 2010
Flux
Gina and her boyfriend Bobby are sent undercover to infiltrate a New York high school where some seriously weird stuff is going down. Worse than that, Gina’s new super-secret identity is as goth-girl Geneva Belfry. No color palette to speak of. More chains than a bike rack. And don’t even get her started on the shoes. At least she won’t be too worried about blood spatter when kicking the butt of her newest nemesis, who’s decided that the high school makes a perfect playground.
Up Close and Personal
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’ve wanted to be a published author since I was about eleven years old and finished my first “novel.” It was supposed to be a short story, based on a concept we were given in class and ended up around 110 pages. I received my first rejection at fifteen or sixteen when I submitted the novel to the Avon Flare competition. I don’t know if Avon still does this, but it was a contest open only to young people and the best manuscript achieved publication. I still had a long way to go toward that goal, but the day I reached it was one of the most amazing of my life.
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?
That’s a great question, and so hard to answer, because the things I want most to change are those things that I have the least control over. What I’d most like to stop is abuse of any kind…spousal abuse, child abuse, etc. Child abuse is especially heinous because of their vulnerability and the position of power that adults hold over them. Giving time or money to help after the fact, to treat the trauma and help victims get back on their feet is wonderful, but I’d love to get at the heart of things and nip it all in the bud. When I wish on a star or blow out a candle, my most fervent wish is that people stop hurting each other, particularly those they’re supposed to love and protect.
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 incredibly grateful for my family. They awe and amaze me and keep me on my toes, showing me by their examples ways in which I can be a better person. My husband surprises me with laughter and thoughtfulness. My son sees the world with such clarity and creativity that he helps me view it through new eyes. My father, mother and grandmother are amazingly giving of their time to others. My sister would do anything in the world for anybody without a thought to herself. Her son is a wonder and her husband a character.
Author Fun!
4. SECRET SQUEE MOMENT: What is the coolest thing that’s happened to you since becoming a published author?
You’ll laugh, but honestly, it was being asked to emcee an event in October as my character. You see, Gina (my fashionista vampire) is so real to me that she’s not only insisted on a series—first Vamped and now ReVamped, with two more on the way—but she’s even got her own blog. Sometimes I feel more like I channel the character than do any actual work myself. So it’s very meaningful to me that other people are starting to share in my delusions. Yes, people talk back to my “imaginary” friend. (Gina would have my head if she heard me call her that.) Soon she’ll have a better social life than I do.
5. ALL-TIME MOST MEMORABLE BOOK: What book had the greatest impact on you growing up?
Hands down it’s THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND by Elizabeth George Speare. It’s all about a girl who was raised by her grandfather in Barbados, who is sent to live with her Puritan aunt and uncle after his death. On the trip, she dives into the ocean to save the doll of a pinch-faced little girl who doesn’t seem to have anything else in the world to cling to and she’s immediately branded a witch. It’s an amazing story, about prejudice, sacrifice and, especially, the courage it takes to stand up to the status quo and risk being slapped with a label that could lead to death in order to do what is right.
6. THE REAL DEAL: If you could go back in time and give your teen/tween self one piece of advice, what would it be?
You know, it almost doesn’t matter, because I wouldn’t have listened. I was hard-headed (still am, actually), and I wouldn’t have heard anything before I was ready to hear it, if that makes any sense. If I could give her confidence instead of advice, though, I’d do it in a New York minute. I never really let anything stop me, but I did stress about everything far more than necessary.
Thanks to Lucienne for a terrific interview. 
Be sure to pick up your copy of ReVamped today!
Filed under: Girlfriends Cyber Circuit
August 31st, 2010
It’s GCC time! This week, I’m delighted to bring you the fabulous…
Kristina Springer
Welcome, Kristina!
The Girlfriend
Name:
Kristina Springer
Short Bio:
Kristina Springer is the author of THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS and the forthcoming PUMPKIN PRINCESS (fall 2011). She has a Masters in Writing from DePaul University and she resides outside of Chicago with her husband and children. Visit her at www.KristinaSpringer.com.
Kristina loves to hear from readers, so please visit her at www.KristinaSpringer.com, on her blog (KristinaSpringer.blogspot.com), on Facebook (www.facebook.com/KristinaSpringer) or on Twitter (@TinaSpringer).
The Book
My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours
August 31, 2010
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
**On shelves now**
Seventh grade was supposed to be fun, but Tori is having major drama with her BFF, Sienna. Sienna changed a lot over the summer—on the first day of school she’s tan, confident, and full of stories about her new dreamy boyfriend. Tori knows that she’s totally making this guy up. So Tori invents her own fake boyfriend, who is better than Sienna’s in every way. Things are going great—unless you count the whole lying-to-your-best-friend thing—until everyone insists Tori and Sienna bring their boyfriends to the back-to-school dance.
Up Close and Personal
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?
Yes! It didn’t become a dream for me until I was in my twenties but then I was determined and it feels amazing to be published.
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?
Make people laugh.
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?
My family, my friends, reality tv (kidding), my health, and happiness!
Author Fun!
4. SECRET SQUEE MOMENT: What is the coolest thing that’s happened to you since becoming a published author?
Walking up to my booth at ALA and seeing a long line of people waiting to see me—it was pretty cool!
5. ALL-TIME MOST MEMORABLE BOOK: What book had the greatest impact on you growing up?
The Little House on the Prairie series.
6. THE REAL DEAL: If you could go back in time and give your teen/tween self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Hold tight, things seem intense and dramatic now but life post high school is a blast!
Thanks to Kristina for a fun interview. Be sure to pick up your copy of My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours today!
Filed under: Girlfriends Cyber Circuit
August 28th, 2010
What a great turnout we had for Skip a Starbucks Day to help the awesome C.J. Redwine finally bring her adopted daughter home! You helped raise more than $4,000 of the $8,000 they need to bring Johanna home from China.
As promised, I am giving away an extra special combo pack with a Cinderella Society mini glass slipper, a TCS glass slipper bookmark, and an ARC of the sequel to The Cinderella Society, CINDY ON A MISSION, when ARCs go out in early 2011.
And the winner of the extra special Cinderella Society combo pack is…
Valorie
(aka Truth Be Told blog)
Congratulations Valorie! Please contact me here with your mailing address by September 15, 2010 to receive your prize. Thanks to everyone for being your amazing, generous, awesome selves!
Filed under: Cool Stuff
August 23rd, 2010
The chance to help someone so deserving AND be in the running to win cool stuff?
Life is good, I’m telling you.
The scoopage is this:
C.J. Redwine, my wonderful friend, agentmate and fellow Pixie Chick (our 2008 GH class), is a force of nature. She hosts a hysterical blog (I just blogged there with the famous Were-Llama), teaches writers how to write rockin’ queries and is a rockin’ writer in her own right. But that’s just C.J. in her professional life.
In her personal life, she and her wonderful husband (who is a super talented cupcake baker LIKE WHOA) have been trying to adopt an orphaned little girl from China for the last five years. With delay after delay, they are finally on the verge of bringing her home! But… with delays come expense hikes and new red tape and they now need an additional $8,000 to bring their daughter home at last. You can read about C.J.’s journey here. If this doesn’t inspire you, I don’t know what will.
So many of us want to help bring their family together! So C.J. created the fabulous idea of Skip a Starbucks Day – where instead of getting your usual Starbucks, you could donate that $5 to the wonderful adoption fund. But C.J. is all about paying it forward (even though adopting a child is the ULTIMATE paying it forward already!), so donors will also be in the running to win fabulous prizes too!
You could win an ARC of Rachel Hawkins’ DEMONGLASS…
You could win an ARC of Bree Despain’s THE LOST SAINT…
You could win the Grand Prize Made of Awesome…
Plus TONS (oodles and scads and loads) of other fabulous prizes. But wait, there’s more! You can even win COOL CINDY GEAR and an ARC from me!
For my contribution, I’ll be offering up:
A mini TCS glass slipper…
A cool glass slipper bookmark…
And (drum roll, please)… an ARC of the upcoming CINDY ON A MISSION (the sequel to THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY) when ARC’s go out in early 2011!
No cover available because it’s SO EARLY! And you could be one of the very first to hold one in your hands next year!
Here’s what you need to do to help make a difference for one very deserving family:
1) Go here and read the full story. Seriously, it is amazing.
2) Click on the Donate button in the upper right corner
3) Donate at least $5 (though you’re always welcome to donate more – I did!)
4) Come back here and comment below by Thursday, August 26th to let me know you donated and hope to win the extra special Cindy prize pack. (C.J. will double check my winner against her donation list, just so’s you knows.)
With your help, we can give a little girl a real home for the first time in her life. Now that’s making a difference.
(Disclaimer: This organized little to do list was stolen from Rachel Hawkins and tweaked for here because no one touches Sophie’s lip in CINDY ON A MISSION.)
Filed under: Cool Stuff
August 13th, 2010
I’m counting down the days to my deadline for CINDY ON A MISSION, the sequel to THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY, and have some fun things planned for the web site to finish out the year! Here’s what’s in store in the months ahead…
It’s Big Blog World
Coming this fall, look for these fun features on the blog:
– A month-long Booklover Spotlight series on dozens of awesome YA book bloggers
– A month-long Author Cave series (See where the magic happens and get the inside scoop on what your favorite authors’ writing processes are like!)
– The return of the Bundle of Bookmarks giveaways!
Newsletter goodness
I’ll also (finally!) be launching my newsletter this fall with some long-awaited HUGE (and totally exclusive) giveaways just for newsletter subscribers.
Haven’t signed up yet? Just sign up in the left hand column of the home page. Easy peasy and your email address will never be shared – this is a no spam zone because SPAM ROTS.
Just For Writers
And coming in late 2010 and early 2011, a brand-new section of the site called FOR WRITERS. I’ll be including the Teen Author Challenge here for easier use and adding loads of articles about embracing your own writing process, boosting your productivity, having fun with effective marketing and social networking, keeping your sanity in the business, and much much more. I’ll also have some awesome words of wisdom from tons of your favorite authors to share!
But first, it’s back to work. Just wait until you see what the Wickeds manage to pull off in chapter one of CINDY ON A MISSION (coming Fall 2011). It shakes the Cindys to the core and threatens the Sisterhood in ways Jess and the Sisters never imagined.
Filed under: Author Cave,Booklover - YA Bloggers
July 31st, 2010
International Winners!
I am delighted to announce the winners of THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY International Book Blogger Tour! (What a strong showing from Team Brazil! Now I really can’t wait for you to meet the Brazilian character in the sequel to TCS, titled CINDY ON A MISSION – coming Fall 2011 in the US!)
Huge congrats to:
– Renata Chaves (Roses’N’Wine)
– Lynsey Newton (UK Book Tours)
– Mariana Paixão (Muito Pouco Crítica)
– Priscila Braga Curto (Bookaholic)
WINNERS: Please contact me here with your mailing address to receive your touring copy of THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY!
And now…
The 10 in ’10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge Check-In!
Can you believe it’s the end of July already? Where did this month go??? It’s time to post our progress on our 10 in ’10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge reading lists.
I so happy to finally have gotten some reading in this month despite being on deadline for CINDY ON A MISSION. Kiersten White’s fabulous PARANORMALCY is a Must. Read. If you’re a fan of Rachel Hawkins’ HEX HALL (i.e. if you love The Funny and The Paranormal), then PARANORMALCY should definitely be on your radar. It recently got bumped up by a month on the release schedule, so look for it at your local bookstore on August 31st!
Okay, your turn. What have you been reading in the YA chick lit realm?
Filed under: 10 in '10,Blog contests
July 8th, 2010
Happy July, everyone!
Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of review requests from international bloggers who don’t have an easy way to purchase a finished copy of THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY. Unfortunately, my publisher doesn’t generally send ARCs internationally and I don’t have any ARCs left to give away.
But it got me thinking.
Right now, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY is out on submission in a dozen or so different countries. We know that it will be released in Poland from the fabulous publisher Wydawnictwo NASZA KSIEGARNIA and we would love to see the Cindy message of “Celebrate your strength – Embrace your future – Be extraordinary” shared with girls all over the world!
The lovely Renata of Roses ‘n Wine book blog in Brazil wanted to help me get the word out about THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY in Brazil. So I was trying to figure out a good way for us to do that. US bloggers frequently “tour” books where one person receives an ARC and sets up a tour with a small group of other bloggers they think would love that book. I asked Renata what she thought about possibly doing something like that for THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY in Brazil and her enthusiastic response convinced me this was a great idea. Not just for Brazil, but for other countries as well.
And so, I’m delighted to announce…
THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY
International Book Blogger Tour!
For all you wonderful international bloggers who actively read chick lit and YA books, I am going to be sending out up to 5 finished copies of THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY.
Because this is a big expense for me, I need to make sure the people who are signing up genuinely want to read THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY and are 100% committed to setting up a small book tour with other bloggers in their home country, bloggers they believe would also enjoy this particular book.
With that in mind, here are the guidelines for the book tour…
TOUR COORDINATOR GUIDELINES
1) If you receive a copy of THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY during the TCS International Book Tour event, you agree to set up a 3-person tour of THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY with other YA book bloggers in your country.
2) The 3 book bloggers you choose to participate in your country tour a) must be active readers of teen (YA) books and b) must LOVE the chick lit genre.
3) The 3 book bloggers you choose must also:
– Read the basics about THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY on the books page
– Read the excerpt of THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY on the excerpt page
Your 3 bloggers must read those pages and be excited to read the rest of the book before they are confirmed to be part of your tour. This ensures that all of the bloggers on your tour are genuinely interested in THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY’s girl power theme and chick lit voice.
4) All book bloggers must agree to read the book within 2 weeks of receiving it on your tour and must mail the book, at their own expense, to the next person on the tour. (The last person on your tour will mail the book back to you to keep.)
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
If you would like to coordinate a book tour of THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY in your country, here’s how to submit your name for consideration:
1) Read the basics about THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY on the books page.
2) Read the chapter one excerpt of THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY on the excerpt page.
3) Tell your blogging friends about the event and link them to the basics and excerpt of the book (using the links noted above).
4) Make your list of 3 bloggers who have read the book blurb and first chapter, are excited to read the rest of THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY, and agree to read the book within 2 weeks of receiving it and mail it (at their expense) to the next person on your tour.
5) Comment below by Friday, July 30, 2010 with the following information:
– Your name
– Your blog name and blog URL
– Your country
– The 3 bloggers (blog name and blog URL) you’ll be touring the book with if you receive a copy
– Why you are excited to read THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY
HOW I’LL CHOOSE PARTICIPATION
Since this is a large business expense for me, I’ll be making my decision like a publisher would. I’ll be looking at your blog and the kinds of books you usually review. I’ll be checking out the blogs of the other 3 tour members too. I’ll be considering which countries are represented (e.g. if there are several requests for the same country, they probably won’t all get chosen). And I’ll be giving a lot of thought to why you want to read THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (so be as specific as you can about why THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY is a must read for you!).
My goal with this event is to make sure that the international book mailings go out to people who may genuinely enjoy THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY’s girl power themes and upbeat chick lit voice. I will be sending out up to 5 finished copies of THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY. The final number of copies sent out will be decided solely at my discretion.
I will announce the official tour participants here on the blog on Saturday, July 31, 2010 and will ship out the books shortly thereafter to begin their tours. Best of luck to everyone who wishes to participate!
Filed under: Blog contests
July 3rd, 2010
It’s GCC time! This week, I’m delighted to bring you the lovely…
Jenny O’Connell
Welcome, Jenny!
The Girlfriend
Name:
Jenny O’Connell
Short Bio:
Jenny O’Connell received her BA from Smith College and her MBA from the University of Chicago. The author of PLAN B and THE BOOK OF LUKE, she lives outside of Boston with her family.
The Books
LOCAL GIRLS and RICH BOYS
MTV Books
**On shelves now**
There are two kinds of people on the island — those who leave at summer’s end… and those who are left behind.
Bestselling author Jenny O’Connell presents a sizzling series for summer. Her first two Island Summer novels, LOCAL GIRLS and RICH BOYS highlight the lives of the summering visitors, the year-round locals living in the beach towns of Martha’s Vineyard, and the fireworks that explode when they combine for three steamy months.
In LOCAL GIRLS, friendships are in danger of ending with the summer. Kendra and Mona are best friends, local girls who spend their summers catering to rich tourists and the rest of the year chafing against small-town life. Then Mona’s mom marries one of the island’s rich summer visitors, and Mona joins the world of the Boston elite, leaving Kendra and Martha’s Vineyard behind. When Mona returns the following summer, everything is different.
Unlike his sister, Mona’s twin brother Henry hasn’t changed. He’s spending his summer the way he always has: with long, quiet hours fishing. Early mornings before work become special for Kendra as she starts sharing them with Henry, hoping he can help her figure Mona out. Then Kendra hatches a plan to prove she’s Mona’s one true friend: uncover the identity of the twins’ birth father, a question that has always obsessed Mona. And so she begins to unravel the seventeen-year-old mystery of the summer boy who charmed Mona’s mother. But it may prove to be a puzzle better left unsolved–as what she is about to discover will change their lives forever…
In RICH BOYS, Winnie jumps at the chance to babysit for a wealthy summer family and earn some extra money—but soon learns that life in the Barclay’s beautiful vacation home isn’t as perfect as it appears. And what was supposed to be a carefree summer quickly becomes more complicated than she ever thought possible.
Jenny’s Cool Giveaway News
Learn how you can win an Island Summer t-shirt – just in time for the beach. Go to http://jennyoconnell.blogspot.com and enter to win today! And learn more about LOCAL GIRLS and RICH BOYS at www.jennyoconnell.com.
Filed under: Girlfriends Cyber Circuit
June 23rd, 2010
It’s GCC time! This week, I’m delighted to bring you the awesome, charming, talented and all-around FABULOUS…
Wendy Toliver
Welcome, Wendy!
The Girlfriend
Name:
WENDY TOLIVER
Short Bio:
Born in Texas, raised in Colorado, and now living in Utah, Wendy Toliver has successfully eliminated “y’all” from her vocabulary. However, she still managed to marry a pickup man. They have three young sons and an assortment of furry, scaly, and slimy pets. She is the author of three novels for teens: The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren, Miss Match, and Lifted.
Visit her online at wendytoliver.com where you’ll find more great YA books from Wendy plus links to all the fun places where you can find her blog musings.
The Book
Lifted
June 8, 2010
Simon Pulse
**On shelves now**
Being Bad Never Felt So Good.
Poppy Browne had never stolen anything in her life before moving to Pleasant Acres, Texas and meeting Mary Jane and Whitney. But when Poppy walks out of the mall with her two new friends and her first pair of stolen jeans, she’s hooked.
Before long, Poppy is lifting whenever she gets the urge—it’s never about the merchandise, it’s always about the thrill. But when her secret gets out, the girls in Poppy’s clique turn on one another. As she watches her life collapse around her, Poppy must decide where her loyalties lie … and how far she’ll go to protect herself.
Up Close and Personal
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?
Though I only came up with it later in life, yes, being an author was a dream of mine. I realize how lucky I am to be able to say I’m a published author because there are so many talented writers with extraordinary stories to tell who never get this far. How does it feel? Crazy. Exhilarating. Mind-boggling. Surreal. Fantastic.
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?
I agree that it can be something simple, something that’s true to your heart. I’d have to say that children’s health and well being is my life’s focus, especially right now. One of the things I do is support my local Junior League, and one of its projects is providing free healthcare (dental and medical), haircuts, socks and underwear, haircuts, and books to uninsured children in the community (Children’s Health Connection).
This year is especially wonderful because my publisher, Simon & Schuster, donated thousands of dollars’ worth of books to this great cause. Another charity I recently helped out with (in a small way) is Aveda’s clean water campaign, which was brought to us locally by Free Spirit Holistic Mountain Spa. I love how simple it is: People in the world need to have clean water, right?
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 am thankful for the health of my family. With three little boys we rarely have a “blood free” day, but when we do we have a little celebration.
Author Fun!
4. SECRET SQUEE MOMENT: What is the coolest thing that’s happened to you since becoming a published author?
I have so many! One that comes to mind was when I was in Hastings and this lady was in line buying Miss Match and she overheard the bookstore manager mentioning to an employee that I was in the store (just shopping with my kids) and the lady ran over to me and asked me to sign the book. It was just so unexpected and she was really cute about meeting “a real author” and it also had a big impact on my boys who see me as “famous.” LOL
5. ALL-TIME MOST MEMORABLE BOOK: What book had the greatest impact on you growing up?
I loved A Wrinkle in Time and I think the reason is being able to read about an imaginary place and feeling like I was there.
6. THE REAL DEAL: If you could go back in time and give your teen/tween self one piece of advice, what would it be?
I’d tell myself to quit wasting so much time being boy crazy and just concentrate on having as much fun as possible.
Thanks to Wendy for a terrific interview. Be sure to pick up your copy of Lifted today!
Filed under: Girlfriends Cyber Circuit
Next Posts
Previous Posts
