www.shannongreenland.com
Let's get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
I didn't know until I was 28 (I've always been a late bloomer at everything).
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
Can anyone say rejections? I have enough rejection letters to wallpaper my house. No, seriously, I went the e-publishing route first, got some awards and recognitions and then got picked up by a small print press. Got some more awards and recognitions for my romantic suspense novels, decided to write young adult, and then Penguin contracted me.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
I’m most known by my fans for The Specialists series. It's about teen spies, because every nation needs a good 16-year-old spy.
But my upcoming release, Island Summer, steps away from spies and dives into a beach, teen romance. Cade is the hero in the book and absolutely to die for!
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
I'm a teacher, so you'll find bits and pieces of all my students in my characters.
Let's hear about your family, who I'm sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
I’ve got a great supportive family. They love to brag about me.
Now for some fun facts. What's your greatest comfort food?
I have two. Carrot cake and salt and vinegar chips. And I eat way too much of both.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
Wash my face. Make coffee. Check email.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what's the one thing that would surprise me the most?
OCD. Obsessive compulsive. Not that I've ever been diagnosed, but I'm extremely organized, color coordinated, neat and tidy. I think it's in my genetics. My dad's the exact same way.
Everyone asks the question about "if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?" so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Does invisible count? I think it would be totally cool to be invisible and sneak around.
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
Bugs Bunny is my favorite. But I'd say I'm most like the Tasmanian Devil, always going, going, going.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world ("Beam me up, Scotty!"), during any time in history, where and when would it be--and why?
You know that movie Ever After with Drew Barrymore? I'd love to go back to that time. Granted, the hygiene wasn't that great, but it just seems so romantic of an era with princes and knights in shining armor.
So what's your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you're writing?
I'm perpetually stuck in the 70's. I love, love, love the Eagles, Tina Turner, the Carpenter's, Fleetwood Mac. I don't listen to music while I write, it's too distracting.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
I have seen Dirty Dancing and Ever After like a bazillion times. My favorite t.v. shows are reruns of The Gilmore Girls. I’m loving Dexter, too.
The last movie I saw on the big screen was Inception with Leonardo.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Be yourself. Definitely. Walk to your own tune, which I know is hard to do when there's so much else going on. But you'll be happier with yourself if you are yourself.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
The Specialists series has 4 books to it. They are all available through Amazon now. And for those of you with a Kindle, you can download the e version.
Island Summer comes out August of 2011. Definitely mark your calendars!
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
You're very welcome! Thanks for the great questions!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Interview with Shannon Greenland
Interview with Eric Luper
www.ericluper.com
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always known that I wanted to do something creative with my life, but I was brought up to believe that my career choices consisted of doctor, lawyer or accountant. Only after college and grad school and a few years in the work force did I realize that my passions couldn’t be quelled. That’s when I began writing in earnest. Fortunately, I already had that English degree under my belt!
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
We could have a whole interview just on that, but the “short story” version is that I met my editor at a writing conference. I had a ton of unpublishable material I had been struggling with on my hard drive, but I ran into Wes Adams from FSG when things were clicking for me as a writer. Something was different about Big Slick and I knew that as the story was making its way into my head—and onto paper. Wes and I went through some pre-contract edits and then the book went to acquisitions. I’d like to say that after that everything was easy, but really it gets harder!
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
My next novel is called Jeremy Bender Vs. the Cupcake Cadets. It’s my first stab at a middle-grade book and one that was a ton of fun to write. Writing a middle-grade story is so different from YA. It took some time to refine my sense of humor, for sure! Cupcake Cadets is a funny story about two boys who masquerade as girls in order to win a contest being held by the Cupcake Cadets! Think the old sitcom Bosom Buddies meets Gordon Korman.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
My greatest inspiration for my stories has been my own experience. A friend of mine once called me “The Noticer” because she said I noticed subtle things most people wouldn’t. I would take those little details and try to think of interesting ways to describe them. It was always a little game I’d play in my head. Whether it was a color or a landscape or the sweep of someone’s hair, I would challenge myself to describe it in an interesting way. When I began writing in earnest, this skill became extremely useful.
My greatest inspiration as a writer has been the other writers in my life—published and unpublished. I have the privilege to know some fantastic writers, some who I have been acquainted with for many years and others who I have met along the way. Seeing them struggle and learn and improve has challenged me to raise the bar over and over again.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
When my son (then 4) found out I was going to have a book published, he asked if it had pirates in it. When I told him no, he said, “it doesn’t count then.” Now that he can find my book on the shelves at our local bookstore, my son tells everyone how famous I am. This usually leads to him running around with one of my books in his hands telling everyone they should buy it.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
It’s a tie between wings and BBQ ribs. Both very sloppy foods and neither conducive to typing on a keyboard… although I’ve been known to try! My greatest comfort food while writing is something salty and sweet at the same time (i.e. chocolate covered peanuts, chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate covered salt, whatever).
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
I grind coffee, I brew coffee, then I drink coffee.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
That I was calling the police because some strange woman was rummaging through my basement.
Actually the back of my closet is filled with books because I don’t have nearly enough shelf space, but I suppose that’s not particularly surprising. I guess it would have to be the Jack the Ripper tavern sign I got in London and the 12-point deer antlers hanging in my basement. Morbid, yes, but at least I don’t have rusty dental tools and duct tape down there too. Oh wait, I do have duct tape down there…
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
First of all, I’ve never been asked what tree I would like to be. But if I had to choose a color it would have to be some very obscure color like periwinkle. Periwinkle is one of those colors that is not as popular as the traditional favorites, but when someone wants periwinkle, they know they want periwinkle. They search for it. Plus, it’s rarely worn down to a nub in the Crayola box.
Who is your favorite cartoon character?
My favorite cartoon character is Peter Griffin from Family Guy. He’s so stupid but he’s so darn funny. So many people I know despise Family Guy, but Seth MacFarlane’s sense of humor just resonates with me.
Which cartoon character is most like you?
Hmmm that’s a hard one. Not Popeye, that’s for sure. Also, not Optimus Prime. I’m nothing like Optimus Prime. I’m also not particularly like Catwoman. If I had to pick a cartoon character that is most like me, I guess I’d pick Spongebob Squarepants. He’s good-natured, tolerant to a fault, manages to screw things up royally, but then everything seems to work out in the end. Also, we both sort of look like a hunk of Swiss cheese in clothing.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
I would really love to see the future—maybe a hundred, a thousand and ten thousand years from now. That would be cool. But that would also be dodging your question.
If I had to pick a time and place in history (assuming language was not a barrier), I would pick the height of the Renaissance. I’d take a copy of my book, put it in an air-tight box and seal it with candle wax. Then, I’d stick it behind a wall in a castle someplace just to screw with historians. Then, I would take to writing down my predictions for the future (a la Nostradamus) on parchment scrolls. But my prophesies would be far less cryptic. My final prediction would say something to the effect of: Eric Luper will win the Nobel Prize for Literature and should immediately be given a fully-restored 1959 Cadillac El Dorado with cool flames painted down the sides.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
What I listen to depends on my mood. My state of mind governs what music I listen to and different music can really alter my mood. One thing I like to do is make these bizarre mix CDs that alternate between totally manic music (like Mudvayne, Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie) and more sedate stuff (like Billy Joel, Springsteen, and Simon and Garfunkel). Then I throw in some Hip Hop/Rap (Eminem, Kanye West, and 50-Cent) to really mess with my mind.
I can’t listen to music while I write. It amazes me when I see people typing away with earbuds in. I can’t even sign books while someone is talking to me or else I start writing what they are saying to me in the book. Recently I wrote “All the hills!” in one of my books instead of “All the best!” because the guy was talking about the wildfires in the hills of California. I need silence or some kind of white noise.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
I’ve gotten away from TV, but I do watch Family Guy over and over as a treat. I’ve also been known to get sucked into a season or two of American Idol. I’m trying to kick that habit.
There are plenty of movies I like to watch again and again: The Matrix (x3), LOTR (x3), Star Wars (x6), Goodfellas, Princess Bride, Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller, and any superhero movie (no matter how bad). I also have a soft spot for the Evil Dead trilogy.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
My advice would be not to listen to advice. What works for one person won’t necessarily work for you. Explore and learn through your own process and go where your heart takes you. That’s the most fulfilling road anyway.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
I’m working on what will hopefully be my fifth novel, but that one is too young to talk about just yet. I can assure you it’s going to be a wild ride!
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Thank you!
Interview with Bonnie Shimko
www.bonnieshimko.net
First off, thanks so much for joining us for an up-close and personal interview for TeensReadToo.com! My name is Jen, and I’ll be your server toda…oh, wait, wrong job! Anyway, thanks so much for taking time out of your writing schedule—which I’m sure is busy!—and answering a few questions for your readers and fans.
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
I first knew I wanted to be a writer when I turned 57 (years, not months). I never even thought about writing anything until then. I’d retired after teaching second grade for 33 years and I needed something to do with all that free time, so I started writing novels and found out how much fun it is.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
My first attempt at novel writing was a never-going-to-be-published, really-awful book called Going to War with the Avon Lady. I found a list of publishers in an ancient copy of a how-to-get-published manual. Academy Chicago was the first house listed, so they got the complete, almost-four-hundred-page manuscript with a “Dear Editor” cover letter. (I had no idea that it might be a good idea to address the letter to an actual person). The publisher, Anita Miller (she owns the house with her husband, Jordan), sent back a full-page, handwritten rejection letter. She noted the good parts and gave me advice about how I could improve the rest. And, best of all, she said I was talented and she called me a WRITER. I was hooked!
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
My latest novel is called The Private Thoughts of Amelia E. Rye (Farrar, Straus & Giroux). Here’s how Girls’ Life magazine describes it: “Amelia pulls you into her ‘personal memoir’ from the start. Befriending Fancy, the first black kid she’s ever seen, the two fight bullies, uncover family secrets and share one unforgettable year you don’t want to miss.”
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
The greatest inspiration for my stories is my own life. For example, the chapter in Letters in the Attic where Lizzy goes on her first date was modeled after my own “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad” date. (Thank you, Judith Viorst!)
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
My husband, Bob, is my first reader and my biggest supporter. My son, Rob, is a Theatre History professor. And my daughter, Sarah, is a police officer with a real gun and everything. Matilda, our black cocker sits on my lap while I read the day’s work out loud to her. She doesn’t give much feedback.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Well, that’s an easy one. Macaroni and cheese. Oh, wait, I meant to say spaghetti. Or tacos. No, bacon. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Squash. Corn chowder. Actually, the only food I don’t find comforting is lima beans. I think God might have been having a bad day when he invented those.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
Scratch Matilda’s head. Tell her to wait just a sec, that I’m going as fast as I can. Watch her devour her breakfast in exactly thirty seconds.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
If you looked in my closet, you would see that I still have clothes from when I was young and thin and a little bit cute.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Navy blue. Blueberries are navy blue. I love blueberries.
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
Cathy is my favorite (I was so upset to hear that she’s retiring soon). I’m most like Dagwood. We both enjoy a good nap.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
The roaring twenties. I love the music and the clothes.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
Definitely folk. Joan Baez singing Bob Dylan’s songs would be my favorite. I have a CD of classical music for babies that I sometimes listen to while I write. Very sweet.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
My absolute favorite TV show was (and still is) is Monk, so now I watch the re-runs. Movies I watch over and over again: Crossing Delancey, The Accidental Tourist, Fargo, Moonstruck, As Good as it Gets. Last movie I saw at the theater: Slumdog Millionaire—I don’t get out much.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
If you’re having a hard time, just keep on keeping on. Things get better. They really do.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
I’ve finished a young adult novel called The Wrong Daughter and a picture book called Learning to Love Matilda. They’re both on submission, so we’ll see. Now I’m working on another young adult novel called The Voice in Maggie Feigenbaum’s Head. It’s a little bit tender, a little bit funny, and a big bit psychological thriller. I’m not even sure if that combination is allowed. Again, we’ll see.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Interview with Ed Decter
www.eddecter.com
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
I never wanted to do anything else but be in the movie and television business. When I was in high school I was pretty good at biology and my dad had some hope I would become a doctor – but it didn’t happen. I started writing seriously in junior high for the newspaper and literary magazine. I never thought I could actually make a living doing it; I just wrote because I loved to tell stories.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
I live in the middle of Los Angeles so my daughter can’t just hop on her bike and go wherever she wants. In fact, she can’t even go around the block by herself! She once asked me if my parents had been just as strict and I laughed and told her stories about my adventures growing up. My parents had no idea where I was or what I was doing. My daughter suggested I write some stories based on my “adventures.” Then my imagination took over and I created “The Outriders.” Since I had written a bunch of movies and TV shows, a publisher (Simon and Schuster) decided to take a chance on my book series.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
The latest book in the young adult Chloe Gamble series just came out this August and it is titled Hot Mess. I wrote it with my good friend Laura Burns, who is a fantastic author on her own and you should read her books. If you are the type of person who checks out the tabloids or MTV about the latest fall from grace of the newest teen superstars, then you’ll love this series.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
Growing up I used to read the short stories of Jean Shepherd. Jean Shepherd was a radio personality who was popular in the fifties and sixties. Not many people have read his brilliant short stories. They were used as the basis for the holiday movie classic “A Christmas Story.” Jean Shepherd was the narrator of that movie. If I were teaching a short story class I would start with his collection of stories, “Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories.” The stories are funny, touching and the emotions are real even though the details are hilariously exaggerated. My dream is that Oprah will “rediscover” Mr. Shepherd”s books for her book club. Everyone should read them.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
My daughter is now thirteen and she’s an awesome writer, ballet dancer and violinist. Recently she joined the volleyball team at her school. My wife is a fantastic writer who has gone back to graduate school to get her MFA in writing. Somehow, I became the third best writer in my family of three! We now have two dogs, a giant Leonberger which is a German dog that looks like a St. Bernard and a not-giant mutt that looks like a beagle crossed with a Jack Russell Terrier smashed together.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
This is the easiest question in the world. Pizza. I am from New Jersey where pizza is not a food but a religion.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
Say hello to my daughter because she is the one waking me up.
Take my dogs out for a walk.
Read every section of the newspaper.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
You would wonder why someone with so many extra golf clubs is not very good at the sport.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
I would be purple because that is the color the sky turns just as the sun is setting over the ocean. That few moments is my favorite time of day.
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
My wife says that I drive like Mr. Magoo, so he’s my favorite.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
I’m a huge baseball fan so I would have liked to beam myself back to the Polo Grounds in Brooklyn to see my favorite baseball player, Willie Mays, in his prime.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
I love music (my iPod is always with me) but I can’t listen to it while I write! I listen to a whole variety of music. I’m from New Jersey so I’m partial to the New Jersey song catalogue: Whitney Huston, Frank Sinatra, Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and Dionne Warwick (just to name a few). All of those artists grew up a few minutes from where I grew up!
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
Movies and T.V. are my business, so I have the excuse to watch a lot of both. My current favorite T.V. show is The Wire, which is a really dark show about the streets of Baltimore. I also love Entourage on HBO. There are two movies I watch over and over again. One is the Frank Capra classic “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and the other is a very silly Chevy Chase movie called “Christmas Vacation.” I guess I like Christmas. The last movie I saw in the theaters was Shrek the Third. It was hilarious.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Find authors you love and keep reading. Don’t let anyone make it a chore. It should be a joy.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
Since I wrote the Outriders book series, I have a new Simon and Schuster book series in the stores – the Chloe Gamble novels (The One, V.I.P. Lounge and Hot Mess). I wrote these books with my good friend Laura Burns. They tell the story of a young beauty pageant winner from Spurlock, Texas who drags her twin brother and boozing mother to Los Angeles. She eventually becomes a star – but at great personal cost. It is about the rise and fall of someone with great talent who was not blessed with the best foundation in terms of family. These are young adult novels, so I would say you’d have to be thirteen or older to read them.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Interview with Elizabeth Scott
www.elizabethwrites.com
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
It actually took me a long time to figure that out--I didn't start writing until I was twenty-seven, and it took me another five years to get to the point where I started thinking about sending things out to see if anyone wanted them.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
Well, once I finally worked up the nerve to start sending things out, I wrote a few short stories that I thought might sell. And eventually they did, which was a very pleasant surprise! After that, I made myself write a query letter for Bloom. Then I made myself send it out, and ended up signing with my first agent.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release.
My latest release, Grace (Dutton, September 2010) is about a girl who has been raised to be a suicide bomber--and what happens when she decides she doesn't want to die.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
I've gotten ideas from just about everywhere--sitting in traffic, cleaning bathrooms, dreams, hearing something someone says--you name it, it's probably given me an idea at one time or another!
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
My husband is very proud of me--in fact, if I let him, he'd tell everyone we meet that I write books! As for the rest of my family, I actually didn't tell anyone (including them) that I wrote until after I sold my first short story, and although they were surprised (I wasn't at all interested in writing when I was younger--I just wanted to read.) they were very supportive.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Fritos!
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
Kiss my husband, pet the dog, and then eat breakfast. (I know, I'm boring.)
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
I don't know how much of a surprise it would be, but I own a lot of books. (A lot!)
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Blue. Just saying it relaxes me!
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
Pinky, from Pinky and The Brain. And as for which cartoon character is most like me--well, pick any one that's spastic and nervous--and that's me!
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
I'd go and see one of Marlowe's plays performed live--when he was still alive. I've always thought that would be fascinating.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
I don't listen to music when I write, mostly because I tend to completely zone out when I'm doing it and don't notice anything, and I don't have one favorite type of music--I'll listen to just about anything, although my husband's fondness for 1980s style metal...well, that's something we don't really see eye to eye on.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
Okay, confession: this answer was originally so long it ended up being longer than all my other answers put together. So, um, yes, I have favorite T.V. shows. Lots of them! Here's a quick list of stuff I'm loving right now: The Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Covert Affairs, Mad Men, Friday Night Lights, and Pretty Little Liars.
And the last movie I saw in a theater was Agora.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
When it comes to your dreams of what you want to do, follow your heart.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
Right now, I've got Between Here and Forever coming out next June from Simon Pulse, and I'm very excited about it because there's a link between it and my very first novel, Bloom!
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Interview with Jenny Sullivan
http://www.robsullivan.clara.net/
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
When I was eight years old and my lovely teacher Miss Thomas told me that if I was prepared to work hard, one day I’d be a famous writer. I rushed home from school to tell my Mum but she was totally unimpressed and wanted to go and have words with Miss Thomas about putting silly ideas into my head!
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
Usually either the A470 or through Wales! Seriously, I sent my first children’s book to Pont and they’ve published virtually everything I’ve written since.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
It’s called “A Little Bit of Mischief” and it’s got great illustrations by Graham Howells and it’s set at Techniquest in Cardiff ~ it’s about a little girl in a wheelchair who still manages to misbehave. However at the same time my first adult novel is due out ~ it’s called “Silver Fox” and is about my hero, Owain Gyndŵr. It’s being published by Wuggles Press.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
Probably (a) my Dad, who encouraged me both to read and write and (b) the book “The Once and Future King” which gave me a love of all things Arthurian.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
Lovely, tolerant husband ~ three daughters, Kirsty, Tanith and Stephanie, all now married or in relationships; three gorgeous grand-daughters, Daisy, Tove and Catrin, and another due in February.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Chocolate. Unfortunately. Look at my waistline. Living in France, with Master Chocolatiers on every corner, it’s very hard to be good.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
Stretch, drink a cup of tea ~ then open my eyes.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
Possibly my addiction to dragons. Or maybe how many books I have!
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Yellow: it’s the colour of sunshine and daffodils and happiness.
Who is your favorite cartoon character?
Asterix the Gaul
Which cartoon character is most like you?
Possibly Marge Simpson...
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
To the time of Mary Queen of Scots to see if what they said about her and Lord Bothwell was true.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
I love all sorts of music: especially Welsh singers like Bryn Terfel, the Fron Male Voice Choir, Bonnie Tyler, Cerys Matthews and Welsh and Irish folk music, but I also love the music of the sixties... Sad, yeah? I never listen to anything while I’m writing because I always sing along and can’t concentrate.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
Favourite TV show is “Gavin and Stacey” which is so Welsh and totally hilarious. Favourite movie is “The Princess Bride“ ~ love the book, too. Can’t remember the last time I went to the cinema!
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Never give up. Follow your dreams and if there’s something you want, go for it. I left school at 15 with no qualifications whatsoever, and was always miserable when I had to put a line through “qualifications” on job application forms. So when my kids had all grown up I went to college and got a Masters degree! Not satisfied with that I got a PhD too ~ when I was quite old. So, don’t say “it’s too late” because unless you’re dead, it ain’t!
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
The next one out is likely to be “Mad as a Box of Frogs” which is about a family with a secret... I think it’s quite funny and I hope it will make people think. Next I have to get part two of “Silver Fox” ready for publication, then I’m going to write something historical. Haven’t decided what yet, but I enjoyed writing my Llancaiach Fawr books so much I want to do some more research.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Interview with Sylvia Engdahl
www.sylviaengdahl.com
When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
Not until I was in my early 20s, and then for many years, I was too busy with my computer programming job to write anything.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
I left programming in 1967 to serve as companion to my elderly mother, which gave me a lot of time free for writing. I wrote Journey Between Worlds first and then Enchantress from the Stars, which I thought was too long and too unusual to be published as a Young Adult book in the market as it was at that time. However, I submitted it to Atheneum because after I finished it because I couldn’t bear not to have it read by anyone, and to my surprise it was accepted. Then Atheneum accepted Journey Between Worlds also. And to my much greater surprise, Enchantress was chosen as a Newbery Honor book. All my YA novels were first published between 1970 and 1981, and now they have all been republished in the 21st century.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
A new paperback edition of This Star Shall Abide was published in January 2010. This is part of the Children of the Star trilogy, which is now out of print, and I decided to make it available because it’s much more enjoyed by younger readers than the other two books, which are of interest mainly to older high school students and adults. Many people over the years have told me that they were influenced by This Star Shall Abide as young teens. It’s science fiction about a boy who rebels against the repressive society in which he lives.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
My belief that humankind’s future depends on expanding our civilization beyond a single planet, and that therefore what new generations think about space, and how they feel about it, is very important.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
My mother published some books for teens shortly before I did. She was happy when my books were first published, and I wish she could see their new editions. But she died in 1987 at the age of 90, and I have no family now.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Dark chocolate and enchiladas (not together!)
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
It’s afternoon by the time I wake up because I can’t sleep at night and so usually don’t go to bed until about 6 a.m. -- I work at my computer until at least 4 a.m. When my day does start I put on my glasses, put on a bathrobe, and feed my two cats.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
That one person living alone could have accumulated so much stuff over the years.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Blue, because it makes me think of the sky and what may lie beyond our sky.
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
My favorite strip was “For Better or for Worse” until it was discontinued -- none of the characters were like me, but they were like real people I’d enjoy knowing. I don’t care for most cartoons and I no longer see any, as I don’t read newspapers now that I can get all the news from the Web.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
To a space colony a hundred years from now, to see how the future turns out.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
Film scores, some New Age, some classical -- and pop from the pre-rock era (which reminds me of my youth). But while writing, I need silence.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
I haven’t been to a theater for many years, but I rent DVDs from Netflix several times a week. I watch mostly drama, both movies and old TV series, especially some of the BBC productions. My favorite recent TV show was “Lost,” which I was sorry to see end.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Don’t be taken in by pessimistic predictions about Earth’s future. I have lived long enough to know that fears about imminent doom are always exaggerated, and that human progress, although slow, does occur over time. The world is not in worse shape than ever before -- it seemed that way in every era to the people who lived then. But enough of them worked toward positive goals to make a difference.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
I don’t currently have any more ideas for stories, and I’m fully occupied with freelance editing work. My two most recent novels are for adults (they deal with controversial issues and would not interest teens because the protagonists are in their 40s or older). If I ever do write another novel, it will probably continue that series.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Thank you for the opportunity! Being in touch with my readers via the Internet means a lot to me.
Interview with Ned Vizzini
www.nedvizzini.com
First off, thanks so much for joining us for an up-close and personal interview for TeensReadToo.com! My name is Jen, and I’ll be your server toda…oh, wait, wrong job! Anyway, thanks so much for taking time out of your writing schedule—which I’m sure is busy!—and answering a few questions for your readers and fans.
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
I first became interested in writing in 2nd grade. We had a special class in my school in Brooklyn called “Writer's Workshop.” On the first day of class, the teacher gave us a blank book. It was just this hardcover with maybe 16 pages, the kind of thing you can buy at a stationery store for scrap-booking projects.
I couldn't believe it. I turned it around and around in my hands. I always assumed that blank books were very valuable and were hoarded by book companies.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
I started writing professionally in 10th grade. I wrote funny stories about my high school and sent them to a local alternative weekly paper called New York Press. Thankfully, Sam Sifton and John Strausbaugh, editors at New York Press, printed my stories and paid me $100-$150 for each one – this was in 1996 dollars!
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
My latest book is about a kid who freaks out in high school and goes to the psych hospital and spends five days there and learns about his life and how to look at it in different ways. I wrote it following my own experience in a psych hospital and it has a lot of stuff in it that I can't believe I got away with writing. It's called It's Kind of a Funny Story (2006) and it's being turned into a movie from Focus Features with Zach Galifianakis, Keir Gilchrist, and Emma Roberts, to be released throughout the USA on October 8, 2010. [http://www.facebook.com/itskindofafunnystory]
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
My greatest inspiration when I was starting out was Michael Crichton. I got so into Jurassic Park (1990) that my legs fell asleep while I was reading it on the toilet and I collapsed in the bathroom and had to yell for help; I was 13.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
My family is accurately portrayed in my first book, Teen Angst? Naaah... (2000). My father is a born storyteller who doesn't write his stories down; he refers to this compulsion of mine as a “disease.” My mother once told me, “I don't read the filth you write.” My brother does math that I don't understand. My sister find deals on clothes that I don't understand. We're Americans.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
My favorite comfort food remains orange Hostess cupcakes.
[http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=63738175902]
I save them for special moments of dread; I haven't eaten one in a few months. They can be tough to resist when they're out there like ripe fruit in the bodegas of New York.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
The first three things I do when I wake up in the morning are:
1. use the restroom
2. make a pot of coffee or microwave the coffee left over from yesterday
3. make the bed
Don't get too excited now!
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
I have a ticket stub from the first ever Colorado Rockies baseball game, played in Shea Stadium in Queens against the New York Mets in April, 1993. I'm waiting for the Colorado Rockies to win a world series so it will be worth something!
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
My favorite color is yellow, but my power color is orange, so if I had to be a color, it would be orange.
Who is your favorite cartoon character?
As a kid, I was a huge fan of The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991). I used to explain the plots to my parents word-for-word when they got home from work. Recently I saw an episode of the show and wondered: “What, exactly, was wrong with me?”
Which cartoon character is most like you?
I have never found a cartoon character that quite captures my unique mix of narcissism and self-hatred.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
If I could beam myself to anywhere in the world at any time in the past, I would head to a 12th-century English village to see if it smelled as bad as my father always told me it would. If I could go to the future, I'd go there instead–either tomorrow or 100 years ahead.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
I don't usually listen to music when I'm writing. I consider this an advanced skill. I've only recently learned to tune out ambient noise enough to write in coffee shops. In general I listen to big dumb rock music, antifolk, and jazz:
1. Nirvana
2. Queens of the Stone Age
3. Atomic Bitchwax
4. White Stripes
5. Drunk Horse
6. Reid Paley
7. Miles Davis
Don't get too excited now!
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
The last movie I saw in theaters was Pirhana 3D (2010). Movies I can watch over and over again include Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) and The Departed (2006). Favorite TV includes the second seasons of Breaking Bad (2009) and The Wire (2003).
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
The advice I would most like to emphasize to teen readers is that, if you want to be a writer, don't write a book. I get a lot of email from readers who tell me that they're 14 and they're writing a book and I always shake my head and think, “Good luck.” Writing books is such a crazy process that it's easy to get disillusioned; it's best to start with short pieces. Complete advice is here: http://nedvizzini.com/faq/#professional.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
As of this writing (August 26, 2010) I have completed a new book that is out to a publisher. I hope to have more news to share about it soon.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Interview with Jonathan Pearce
Jonathan at BalonaBooks
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
I won a county-wide essay contest in the fourth grade, writing about how good milk and cheese are for your bones. I believed it at the time and knew that milk could be whipped up into ice cream, which in excess makes you fat and gives pimples, but I was overly fond of it and still am. The contest prize was a pencil box (a box containing pencils, erasers, a little sharpener, and a ruler). Pretty good deal to get rewarded for writing about something easy to write about, I thought, and decided to keep writing in mind as a possible job for grown-up times, as it seemed a lot easier than lawn mowing.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
I’ve been a teacher most of my grown-up life, and teachers get to write a lot. I did a whole lot of non-fiction writing. Then, a while back, I wrote a story I thought might cheer up some kids who had lost their mother to cancer. That story was John-Browne’s Body & Sole, and it was accepted by a traditional publisher. I expected the book to come out quickly, but the publisher said it would be “about two or three years.” Fooey on that, I said, and took the story to a subsidy publisher. You can find that original on Amazon.com today. There is also our own more recent version, a BalonaBook, available through our wholesalers and our Web site. I found writing to be fun, so I wrote more stories and had them published by subsidy publishers, folks who will print up your book quickly for a price. After a while, I found it more satisfying (and a whole lot more profitable) to found my own company, hire my own editors, cover artists, book designers, and arrange for the printing and marketing myself.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
BalonaBooks has become a cooperative in which two of our fine editors have joined us now as authors.
Our Joaquin Peralta has produced three fine works of fiction: The first, http://www.balona.com/almost.html is lauded by School Library Journal as “hilarious.” The second, http://www.balona.com/bandits.html is excellent historical fiction about a kidnapping. The third, http://www.balona.com/emma.html is more fine historical fiction about which the Christian Science Monitor had good things to say.
Our Jon Riis has contributed two excellent books: The first, http://www.balona.com/something.html is fantasy in which a multilingual mouse assists a college freshman in saving Balona from disaster. Jon’s second, http://www.balona.com/woman.html is an unusual story for older teens and adults. It has drawn both loud applause from readers and trash-talk from one reviewer.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
I have taught every grade from primary through university graduate school. Most of the inspiration for my characters comes from the behaviors and attitudes of some of my middle school and high school students. I use their slang and clothing and shoe and car and music preferences shamelessly, although such cadging does make some BalonaBook stories sort of “retro” in tone.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
Great supportive wife who never nags, two fine kids (one of each) who provide feedback on the authenticity of my dialog, etc., a finicky Siamese cat who demands a jar of baby food and a massage every day.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Ice cream, of course (strawberry), although pizza is a close second.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
Yawn, scratch, stretch. Then, of course, I get up and do my ablutions, etc., and work out every day on a Nordic Track. (Trak?)
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
Probably you’d find my cello, which I should, but don’t always, practice every day. My undergraduate major (University of the Pacific) was music. You’d also find martial arts dress and equipment, as I’ve studied judo, karate, tai chi, and aikido for a very long time.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Medium blue, not aqua, not navy. It’s a modifiable, comfortable, cool color that can accompany all sorts of moods.
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
My all-time favorite is Grimm, the little dog in “Mother Goose and Grimm.” He’s mischievous, determined, greedy, sneaky. When nobody’s looking, I’m a lot like Grimm, I think. Also "Zits."
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
Eighteenth century Vienna, a terrible time for lots of reasons, but it was the time of Mozart. I would like to have been part of his audience.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
Classical (but I very much like bossa nova), and especially the cello of YoYo Mah and the voices of Renee Fleming, Samuel Ramey, and Placido Domingo. I listen to music while writing, but never vocal music, because the words stimulate the other side of the brain and interfere with the writing process. This attitude makes me sound like a real fogey, but think about it: Could you solve a problem in logic or organize rhymes for an original poem while listening to hip-hop?
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
When I taught full-time, I never had time for TV, never got into the habit, still don’t. Occasionally enjoy PBS programs and will get trapped into watching if I happen to come across The Simpsons or The Daily Show. Most TV commercials irritate me because they assume you are a complete idiot and are going to believe everything they tell you. I liked “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” “Lawrence of Arabia,” and “The Lion in Winter.” Most movie theaters today seem to turn up the volume so it hurts the ears, and the audience all talk and use their cell phones during the performance. Don’t like movie theaters at all. Besides, the popcorn is too expensive.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Every day, read something besides schoolwork. Some eye doctors agree that you can improve your reading ability (and therefore improve your reading enjoyment) the more you read. Why? It’s a physical thing, for in order to read, you need your eyeball-control muscles to hold focus. Weak eye muscles can’t hold the focus for long and cause the weariness and “boredom” so often experienced among people who seldom exercise those muscles. More advice? Read a BalonaBook to improve your eyesight!
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
We are planning to add the e-book format to all our books.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Thank YOU, Jen.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Interview with Susane Colasanti
www.susanecolasanti.com
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
When I was 16. But when I was 12 I knew I wanted to be a science teacher, so that came first. I thought since I was already going to be a teacher, I couldn’t be an author because you only get to pick one career. Then when I was in grad school I was like, “Wait. Why can’t I do both?” So I did both for a while. Which was fun times, but occasionally I had to go to bed at 8:30 because it was also exhausting times. Resigning from teaching wasn’t an easy decision, but I don’t regret it. I can reach way more teens as an author than as a teacher. I’ve been a full-time author since 2007 and I absolutely love it.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
It was a long and winding road, but thankfully it led to a door that not only opened but had a lot of super friendly neighbors on the other side. At first, there were rejection letters. And then more rejection letters. Fortunately, Viking Children’s Books saw something in that early draft of When It Happens that they wanted to work with.
I strongly believe that if you are determined to achieve your goals, you can create your ideal life. It’s this belief that motivated me to never give up, to never stop believing that I could make this happen. Now I’m working with the most amazing publisher and editor, in addition to all of the teams at Penguin that make my books possible. They believe in me, and for that I am thankful every day.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
My fourth book, Something Like Fate, was released in May 2010. One thing about it is this: forbidden love. Oh, and soul mates, of course.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
My strongest inspiration comes from ideas about what I wish my life were like in high school. Endless summer nights where you never want to go home. Listening to a transcendental song, over and over. Finding surprise love notes in your bag. Actually, I experienced all of those things, but I was usually disappointed. Nothing was ever quite the way I wanted it to be. So now I take this nostalgia for the high school life I never had and make it a reality for my characters.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
I’m very interested in cupcakes. Particularly ones with fluffy pink old-school icing and some sort of buttercream filling. A plastic smiley face or fancy sprinkles on top is usually necessary.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
1. Turn on NPR.
2. Thank the Universe for being awesome.
3. Complete my morning commute, which takes about five seconds. That’s how long it takes to get from my bed to my desk.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
Not to be conceited? But you would be impressed. I am an organization freak. We’re talking Container Store style closet schematics here. This is not an easy achievement to accomplish in my nabe. Since I live in downtown Manhattan, I have absolutely no space. Attics and basements are distant memories, things my friends had a lifetime ago that we used to play in. There is, however, one closet. And it’s totally tricked out to fit everything. I configured another closet in my bedroom, which was totally Bob Villa of me. So I think you would be surprised that such an extreme level of organization could be achieved.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
There’s this periwinkle type lavender which looks like it radiates this amazing electric hue. I aspire to radiate positive energy like that color.
And a palm tree, by the way, because they are magnificent.
Who is your favorite cartoon character?
Actually, I’m more into clay characters, like Gumby and Pokey, Wallace and Gromit, and Mr. Bill. I guess this wouldn’t count, either, but I love the fox from The Little Prince. His big, puffy tail is really cute.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
I often feel like I’m living in the wrong decade. I miss the 70s. All that Free To Be You and Me and vintage Sesame Street and mood rings and peaceful lifestyles. I don’t know…there’s just something comforting about it all. I would love to live right here in New York City during the 70s to see if it really does feel like a Paul Simon song. That would rock.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
I used to listen to music while writing, but now I find it can be distracting. Sometimes I’ll play music if I need inspiration for writing a certain scene. Music takes me where I need to go. I’m into a lot of 70s and 80s stuff, like Paul Simon, James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, Sting, and Led Zeppelin. Bands like R.E.M. and The Cure inspired When It Happens because they were so essential during my own high school trauma. Music always made me feel better during those bad times.
My favorite contemporary artists are John Mayer, Coldplay and Death Cab for Cutie. I believe that the answers to all of life’s problems can be found in a John Mayer song.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again?
Since I’ve never owned a TV, I watch DVDs on my iBook. This means that I have to wait until the current season of my fave shows are over before I even get to see what happened. Good thing I’m all about the anticipation.
I am obsessed with The Office. I’ve watched those eps so many times I can probably recite any scene. The first season of Prison Break is brilliant. I also love 24 and like to act out scenes around the city with my friend Jim, pretending that I’m Jack and he’s Tony and we’re saving the world. I love Seth Cohen from The O.C. and am seriously missing Lucas and Peyton on One Tree Hill. Sadly, the best teen shows are no longer on. The ones I will always carry in my heart are My So-Called Life, Freaks and Geeks, and Dawson’s Creek.
If I love a movie, I’ll watch it over and over until I pretty much have the whole thing memorized. Movies I’ve seen at least five times: Garden State, The Station Agent, Office Space, The Good Girl, The Safety of Objects, Moonlight Mile, Say Anything…, Crazy/Beautiful, Election, and Welcome to the Dollhouse.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Visualize your ideal life. Now create it.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
I’m fascinated by soul mates and will continue to write about them. My fifth novel, So Much Closer, will be released in May 2011. I’m working on book six now.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Thank you! This was a lot of fun.
Read on. :)
Interview with Nikol Hasler
http://midwestteensexshow.com/
When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
In first grade we read a book about an owl. I don’t recall what happened to the owl or if I even enjoyed the book. I do remember that the author of the book came to our school to give an assembly and she talked about how much she had loved reading when she was little, to the point that she’d hide books under her pillow. That’s when it really hit me that people write the books I love, and the idea was mind-blowing.
However, I never intended to be a writer. I never thought I was. Still today, when people ask what I do it takes me a moment to answer, finally saying, ”I’m a writer, I think.”
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
I met the publishers when I was speaking at a youth centered event. They were aware of the web series I host and we began to talk about ways to turn that content into something that would work in book form.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
Sex: A Guide for Teens is a completely non-judgmental or opinionated book that frankly discusses all things sexual. Even the adults who have read it have told me that they learned things from reading the book. Plus, the cover is pretty sweet. Who doesn’t love cows? They obviously love each other.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
When we began airing MTSS, a video podcast about teens and sex, I was not expecting the overwhelming number of emails from teenagers who had real questions about sex. In those emails I was reminded that I was once a teen and that it was confusing as hell. That confusion is my inspiration.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
I don’t think any of my three sons even understand how cool this is. “Yeah, that’s our mom. She’s been on CNN and Nightline. She wrote and produced a pilot for Comedy Central. She wrote a book.” They’re much more interested in what I am cooking for dinner. They are decidedly anti-tilapia.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
I always say tomatoes. It’s true that I love chomping into them, but I have to come clean. I love Sun Chips. Any flavor, any time.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
If hitting snooze three times doesn’t count, I’d have to say that I play a round of Words With Friends on my iPhone before I get out of bed. Then I check my email. Then I rush downstairs to see if Santa came. (Once a year. The other 364 days I take a shower.)
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
Me hiding in there with a baseball bat or more likely a high heel, poised to attack this person who just showed up at my house and started looking through my stuff. Beyond that, maybe all of the pickles in the cellar. I honestly have a huge stash of pickled everything. I find cooking soothing, and the art of preserving food is one I’m very proud of.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
I’ve never been asked what sort of tree I’d be. I’m a little disappointed. So, I guess I’d be brown, like a tree.
Who is your favorite cartoon character?
I used to have the biggest crush on Shaggy from Scooby Doo.
Which cartoon character is most like you?
When I was a teenager, I was totally Daria. Now I’m more like Betty Boop. (Because I’m adorable.)
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
I am so boring when it comes to questions like this. I live in Los Angeles. I work as a Producer. I get to write columns and op-eds and books. I’m working on screen plays and spending time with amazing comedy writers. My kids are healthy and happy. I cannot think of any time or place I would rather be. I don’t want to even pop away for an hour to another place and time.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
I get into certain moods. When I work out I love to listen to hip hop and old hair metal. When I do yoga I prefer listening to Pink Floyd. I love this band, Infantree and have been listening to them when I write, as well as Cloud Cult.
Oh, and The New Pornographers are so so good.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
I love cooking shows. I love Project Runway. All of the NBC Thursday night comedies get recorded on the DVR. Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Party Down make me laugh harder than anything on television, and now Children’s Hospital is on Adult Swim.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Since my book is filled with advice about sex, my advice to teens is that they work on talking. One chapter of the book focuses on how to talk to people - parents, partners, friends - about a topic which can cause major issues if not talked about.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
Well, I already write two columns about sex and relationships, but I would really love to write some David Sedaris style short stories about growing up in foster care.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Interview with Jessica Park
http://yaauthorjessicapark.blogspot.com/
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
I first knew that I wanted to be a writer when my mother made me. Oh, wait. That doesn’t sound nice. But it’s true. She pushed me and pushed me to write, and when she offered to coauthor the Gourmet Girl series with me, I couldn’t say no. So this writing career thing is all her fault.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
I did have the advantage of sneaking into the competitive world of publishing through my mother, an already well-published writer. Her agent, Deborah, became mine, and I’m extremely lucky to have such a wonderful agent guiding me through this complicated world. Deborah has been really wonderful, especially as I’ve been making the transition to writing on my own and to moving out of the cozy mystery genre and into YA and more.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
My first YA novel, RELATIVELY FAMOUS, is out now, and I just love this story. Here’s a good summary:
Freshman in high school Dani McKinley lives with her mother, Leila, in a modest house in Michigan. Dani adores her mother’s long-term boyfriend, Alan, and her best friend, Samantha. Life is pretty uncomplicated, right? Not for long . . .
As Dani is walking to school one day, paparazzi pounce on her and claim that she is the daughter of Hollywood icon Mark Ocean. The news immediately changes Dani’s life. Leila confesses the truth to her daughter and agrees to let her spend the summer in California so that she can get to know Mark. But who leaked the story to the tabloids? After a nasty fight with Alan in which Dani announces that she finally has a “real dad,” Dani heads to the West Coast.
Armed with credit cards, club memberships, and a new wardrobe, Dani learns that what Mark Ocean has in wealth, he sorely lacks in parenting skills. The fatherly interest Mark shows has more to do with changing his public image than with connecting with his daughter. Dani tries to teach her father that parenting is not just about supplying her with Prada bags and trips to movie premieres, and against his own instincts Mark slowly starts to see Dani as more than a career booster.
Her new California friends take Dani under their wings and school her in everything from attaching hair extensions to managing the paparazzi. She meets Jason, a gorgeous young personal trainer who is easy on the eyes and wildly flirtatious . . . But is this smug hottie the one for Dani? Or will she ignore her friends’ eye rolling and go for the goofy but sweet surfer?
So while juggling her own newly complicated love life, Dani also tries to set her father up with someone less likely to appear on an MTV reality show, and someone more... well, normal. And age-appropriate. And dressed in anything other than a thong bikini. But whether Mark is able to heal old wounds and move forward with anything more than a meaningless fling remains to be seen.
Can Dani fit in with this new fast-moving California crowd without losing herself? With the world at her fingertips and hot boys now after her, staying grounded gets tough. And can Mark drop his egocentric approach to life and learn how to appreciate how wonderful his daughter truly is? As driven as he is to get that A-list acting role, he's willing to do whatever it takes to get there, even it means using his daughter. Mark and Dani's relationship hits a few highs, but the question becomes whether the lows are too much...?
While the book has lots of Hollywood glitz and fun, the reason I love this book so much is because of the very complicated relationship between Dani and her father. Mark, in particular, has so much baggage and really goes through quite a process to rediscover himself and remember that he’s not actually the celebrity jerk that he’s been acting like.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
I suppose that this changes a lot over time. Right now I’m driven by angsty romance (I know “angsty” isn’t a word, but I’m using it anyway!) and complex family dynamics. Sometimes a real-life event (mine or one from friends or the news) will spark an idea that I can run with.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
My husband and son have been very tolerant of my writing life. I sort of get that “tortured artist” thing now! There are days when I feel so totally detached from the real world, because I’ve buried myself so deeply in my book. When I’m really on a roll, I can spend most of the day (until midnight or later) writing, drowning in my story. Then I’ll come up for air at some point and apologize for having forgotten to feed anyone. They’re nice that way.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Guacamole. I know, that’s weird, huh? But nothing beats homemade guacamole and chips. Mmmmm….
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
97 cups of coffee, check email, check Facebook.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
75% of my clothes are from Ann Taylor. I’m an addict. I want everything they’ve ever made. But, hey, you find what works and stick with it!
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Olive. Olive is a neglected color, and I’d like to show my support for the downtrodden.
Who is your favorite cartoon character?
Eliza Thornberry. I miss that girl. She’s feisty, determined, a little klutzy, and totally charming.
Which cartoon character is most like you?
See above. And we have similar hair!
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
Toss me into a pre-French Revolution Dangerous Liasions setting, and I’d gladly prance around in a tight-bodiced dress and fan myself. For a few hours, at least, until I passed out due to the obvious inability to breathe normally. I would have loved the sock hop era of the 1950’s. The music alone would be enough reason to time travel. Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly…Oh, I would’ve adored it! Plus, poodle skirts, drive-ins, and, really, the whole social/pop-culture scene would have been a blast for me!
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
I’m all over the map. I’ll listen to anyone from Lady Gaga to Matt Nathanson to 80s bubble gum metal. No jazz, though. Blech. And lots of people know that I have this abnormal Rick Springfield fetish. I can’t do anything about it.
I used to NEVER listen to music when I wrote. I needed total silence. But now I always do, especially when I’m writing big, emotional scenes. I just handed in a MS to my agent, and there is one chapter in there that was written entirely to “Lack of Water” by The Why Store. I had the song on repeat and wrote to it all day. And, yes, I still love the song.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
I like television way too much. I’m still mourning the loss of “24” and “Lost,” but at least I still have “The Closer,” “Psych,” and “Burn Notice.” And I’m really into this new “Covert Affairs” show. So good. But “Glee” outranks everything else at this point.
I’m nuts about Netflix, and watch series on disc all the time, but I’ve been a bit slow on the movies recently. I hate going to theaters: they smell and they’re too expensive. Plus, I make better snacks at home. Nothing beats a Bourne movie and a cheese tray.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
I sent my agent a new book this month, and she is really enthusiastic about it. It falls somewhere between a YA and an adult novel… My agent said that it’s tricky to decide how to pitch it to publishers, because while the main character is eighteen, the book is really accessible to a large audience. I’m staying top-secret on the plot, but there is a really interesting mix of gut-wrenching romance, humor, coming-of-age issues, and a deep character study of a very complex family.
I’m also thinking about doing some short stories to put up on Amazon, etc., so keep your eyes peeled!
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Thank you for having me, Teens Read Too! Please stop by and visit my RELATIVELY FAMOUS site http://yaauthorjessicapark.blogspot.com, the blog about crazy conversations with my kid http://whatthekidsays.blogspot.com, or find me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Jumby24.
Interview with Kevin Scott Collier
http://kevinscottcollierhomepage.blogspot.com/
When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
Since I was a young boy. I liked to create characters, and characters need stories.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
I literally bumped into one at a Grand Haven, Michigan post office, near my home. The two men were from out of town (Indiana) on business, and I overheard them talking about publishing books for tweeners, and I had a story. I approached them, told them the story outline. Two days later, they signed me to a contract, and I wrote my first book in 22 evenings.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
It's a children's picture book I wrote and illustrated titled "Whispering Wally." One thing about the book that is a mystery is why this whale, the biggest creature in the ocean, would speak only in a whisper.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
My life, actually, and the people who are facing challenges in real life.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
My wife has written a few books, and we have written a few together even, the latest being "Natalie's Ark." We have a son, who likes it that mom and dad write, and that I illustrate books, too, but it's a normal family life. We're still just mom and dad to him, which is good.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Chocolate ice cream, stirred up until it's smooth, and with malt in it.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
Get my coffee is #1. Then, I say good morning to our cat Midnight, who is waiting for me to wake up, then, I say good morning to my wife Kristen. Mornings are a daze for me, for the most part.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
Concerning the closets in particular, you'd find our cat sleeping in one, or crying to get out.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Green. It's the color of the life of nature.
Who is your favorite cartoon character?
Charlie Brown. The target of everyone's troubles, but loved by all.
Which cartoon character is most like you?
Dennis the Menace.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
When Jesus walked the earth. I'd like to have been there with Him.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
Never listen to music when I'm writing. Like Christian rock, classic rock. Big Steppenwolf fan, have met their lead singer a couple of times.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
Don't see many movies, and if I do, it's action films with my son. My favorite TV shows are the odd ones, like "Pawn Stars," "Ghost Adventures" and "America Pickers."
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Think big, and your dreams will match what's in store for you.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
Actually, a short indie film I am writing based on my first book, "barthpenn@heaven.org." The movie is titled "I.M.: Instant Messenger the Motion Picture." We are shooting it, lots of big names helping out, it'll be fun, and released next year.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
