Kimberly Pauley

I'm on NPR! I'm on NPR!

Ack! Hyperventilate! Where’s a paper bag when you need one?? So, remember a while back I recorded an interview with Margot Adler for NPR? Well, I wasn’t sure if/when they’d be able (or want) to use it. And I have this vague fear that I said stupid things. BUT…

It’s going to air tonight!

It’ll be the last segment of All Things Considered, probably around 6ish. It’ll also be posted on their website later (that URL to follow, once it’s up). It’ll be me and other authors, like Whitley Streiber (which totally freaks me out a little, but hey!). Anyway, keep your fingers crossed for me that I don’t sound stupid!

UPDATE: Here’s the link to the NPR interview, as well as the news article text that goes with the aired interview — and Margot said my book was her favorite! I <3 Margot!

Tags: NPR Interview
Posted in Interviews | 4 Comments »

My NPR Interview (or, trying not to sound stupid on the air)

So today I was interviewed by the very cool Margot Adler for NPR. I went down to the local NPR station in downtown Chicago at Navy Pier (she’s in NY, so I was just connected via the studio). It was very cool and somewhat daunting to be talking to someone you’ve heard on the radio. Because I could immediately recognize her voice.

I babbled a bit, but hopefully said at least some slightly intelligible things. We’ll find out! I’m not sure when it is going to air yet, but I’ll post as soon as I know.

Here I am with The Max outside the offices:

Outside the Public Radio offices

He loves his fireman’s hat. Can you tell? He got to walk around Navy Pier with Daddy while Mommy was busy and had a blast. We ate lunch there too and let him go on a little train ride (his very first solo ride!).

In other news, I just finished (yesterday) proofing the galley copy for my editor. Mostly just made some minor changes to Still Sucks to Be Me, nothing major. My editor also sent me a file of all of the new chapter header doodles and they are INCREDIBLY cute. You are going to love them!

And I got in the new batty tattoos. Now, whenever you send off for a free signed bookplate, I’ll also include a batty tattoo. I’ll also give them away at school visits and other events. Right now? I’m wearing one on my hand.

Batty Tattoo!

Posted in Interviews, Just for Fun | 2 Comments »

New Q&A & review at My Overstuffed Bookshelf

Amy over at My Overstuffed Bookshelf has posted a Q&A with me as well as a review. Check it out!

http://myoverstuffedbookshelf.blogspot.com/2009/11/sucks-to-be-me-by-kimberly-pauley.html

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In Mina's Words…

Okay, yes, I’ve been in a revision-tunnel. But I soooooo should have posted about this before. Bad author. Diana over at Stop, Drop & Read has a guest post from Mina up (yes, you read that right — it’s from Mina, not me) and if you comment before the end of the month (I know, I know, this is why I should have posted about it before…) you have a chance to win either a t-shirt or a signed book. I was honestly thinking I had posted about it, but heck if I can find the post, so I must not have. *sigh*

So get over there and find out what Mina thinks!! (not to mention you can enter to win other great prizes too!)

Also…if Diana gets a 100 entries (she’s close now), I’ll give away TWO prizes instead of one.

Posted in Interviews, Just for Fun, Past Giveaways | 1 Comment »

Interview with Taylor (i.e. "Mina" — the cover girl for STBM)!

Okay! Here are the answers back from Taylor, the girl who’s “Mina” on the cover of Sucks to Be Me! Thanks to everyone who asked questions!

So, what’s it like to see your face on a bookcover?

Well, I guess the word to describe it would be “interesting”, haha. It’s a little bizarre to walk into Borders or Barnes & Noble and see my face on one of the shelves, but cool at the same time.

In what ways are you most like and not like Mina?

We are both very sarcastic, but Mina is a lot tougher than I am! If a girl like Raven came up to me and told her to stay away from someone, I would stay away from that person, haha. I’m not nearly as brave or outgoing as Mina. She’s a lot better at talking to people than I am. I’m a bit awkward in real life. :0

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Sure! I guess my favorite thing to do is draw. I draw everywhere, all the time, even on my homework… which I doubt my teachers appreciate. I like normal stuff, like listening to music and hanging out with my friends. Other than that though, I’m kind of a hardcore nerd, haha. I read comics and I love science fiction and fantasy. Nerds are awesome, though!

How did you get the job of being the Sucks to Be Me cover model?

Well, the art director saw my picture and thought that I looked like Mina, and that was pretty much it!

Are you on any other book covers?

Nope! I’m not a professional model by any means. I’ve never really modeled for anything else; this was my fifteen minutes of fame, haha.

What did you think of the book?

I really liked it! I loved the characters (especially George… he was my favorite), and I loved how the vampires in the book are just normal people, as opposed to stereotypical freaky gothic bloodsuckers. I also loved the concept of a “blood bar”, where vampires just hang out and dance. The fact that people can choose whether they want to become a vampire or not is cool too. I loved everything, haha! I definitely think of vampires in a different way now. I can’t wait for the next book to come out!

Have you ever had someone say to you “you look a lot like the girl on the cover of this book” and not know its you? (sorry really want an answer to that one)

Actually, that’s never happened to me before! That would be kind of funny though.
If there were a movie of the book made, would you want to play Mina?

It would be awesome if the book were made into a movie, but no, I would not like to play Mina. I’m horrible at acting, so hopefully they would hire someone with a lot more skill than me!

What do you want to do when you grow up?

Wow… well, I’m not really sure. I really like science, and I hope that I can become some sort of biologist in the future. But I also love art, so I was hoping to combine the two into some crazy hybrid art/biology job. That would be very cool.

Thanks Taylor! And thanks for “being” Mina!

Tags: interview, sucks to be me cover model
Posted in Interviews, Just for Fun | 3 Comments »

Do you have any questions for Taylor?

So…ever wonder who that girl is on the cover of Sucks to Be Me? Well, her name is Taylor. And she just got done with the photoshoot for book #2! (yay!) I thought it would be a fun time to interview her. I’ve got some questions, but how about you? Do you have anything you’d like to ask her? Post your questions here or email them to me directly!

Tags: questions for cover model
Posted in Interviews, Just for Fun | 6 Comments »

Two new interviews…

Two lovely bloggers have posted new interviews with me, as well as a chance to win a signed copy of Sucks to Be Me at one of ‘em. Check it out!

• Interview at Stop, Drop, and Read
• Interview at Bookworm Readers (and a chance to win a signed copy)

Posted in Interviews | 3 Comments »

Review & Interview (plus kind words) at Through the Looking Glass

Marya from Through the Looking Glass reviews was kind enough to review Sucks to Be Me (and she liked it!) and she also interviewed me (some good questions!). Be sure to take a look! You should also check out her blog anyway…she’s gone a really great site with tons of reviews and interviews.

I like that she thinks I have a quirky sense of humor

Tags: Interviews, sucks to be me
Posted in Interviews, Reviews | No Comments »

13 Questions with the YA Authors Cafe

As part of the whole Teen Read Week celebration (Happy Teen Read Week! Woot!), I was invited over to the YA Authors Cafe to answer 13 Questions. It was a lot of fun. You should check it out AND stop by there every day…they’ve got some other awesome authors that are stopping by as well…All Books with Bite! (and no, that’s not books *that* bite). If you didn’t know, this year’s theme for Teen Read Week is Books with Bite and I’m very happy that Sucks to Be Me has been included in the recommended list.

I’ll actually be participating in a number of events this week — if you live in northern Illinois or southern Wisconsin, I’ll be doing a reading/signing at the Grayslake, IL public library on Wednesday at 7 PM. On Thursday I’m doing another reading/signing, but it’s at kind of a private “Ladies’ Night” in my neighborhood. And on Friday, I’ll be doing a school visit at Benito Juarez Community Academy High School in Chicago. Also on Friday is a LIVE radio interview at 5:40 PM. Busy week this week! (Check out my home page for more details on any of these events)

Tags: kimberly pauley, teen read week, ya authors cafe
Posted in Author Appearances, Interviews | 3 Comments »

Interview with WUWM Milwaukee – Lake Effect Program

Remember that interview I mentioned with a Milwaukee radio station (WUWM) for their Lake Effect Program? Well, it aired this past Friday and you can now listen to it online. Tell me what you think! Just don’t tell me if I sound silly!

Tags: Interviews, kimberly pauley, radio, WUWM
Posted in Interviews | 1 Comment »