Congrats to Amy Smith, the Day 15 Winner of a signed copy of Quaking by Kathryn Erskine (plus a bunch of other cool stuff that Kathryn sent, like tattoos and stickers and all kinds of stuff).
Remember, you’ve got until the end of the day today to enter to win Niki Burnham’s Goddess Games and until the 21st to enter to win the Grand Prize Contest! Good luck to everyone and thanks again for participating in the Sucks to Be Me Book Launch Party!!
The Day 14 winner of the “surprise prize” is Carrie Harris! Congrats! Once Carrie chooses which prize she wants from the choices I sent her, I’ll update this post.
UPDATE: Carrie chose a signed copy of Sucks to Be Me 
And if you haven’t already, don’t forget to enter the Grand Prize Contest! Keep the names comin’!
In other news, I picked up some fun vampire stuff today to make up some little “vampire goodie bags” to give away at the Teen Read Week event I’m doing in October. Kinda lucky that it’s getting close to Halloween. You can find all kinds of cool stuff now. And in even more “other news” I’ve gotten a bit of writing in on the sequel. Not as much as I would like, but getting there. Friday was actually a pretty good day — I got in about 1,300 words.
Hope everyone had a good weekend! My husband and I were still recovering from a cold and getting rained in, so we took it pretty easy.
Here are the winners of Days 11, 12 and 13:
I thought you guys might also like to see what the Grand Prize looks like (only 4 more days!!!) :-) And there’s no time like the present to enter the Grand Prize Contest!
Ze Grand Prize Pack
It’s kinda hard to see what the tote bag looks like under all that stuff, but it’s cool, I promise you. And isn’t the t-shirt cute?? If you click on the picture to get the larger view, you can see it even better. (leave me a comment and tell me whatcha think of it…I’m thinking of having some more made up and maybe giving prizes every now and then or using them at school events as special prizes…whaddaya think?) Good luck to everyone in the contest!
Update: Grrrr, probably would make sense to include a link again to the main contest post so’s you could enter in any of the remaining daily contests, eh? Seeing as how each entry gets you an entry into the Grand Prize Contest too…
All About D. L. Garfinkle
My guest today is the very talented Debra L. Garfinkle. I loved her first book Storky and she’s done great things since then, like Stuck in the 70’s and The Band books for teens and the children’s series, Supernatural Rubber Chicken (I smile every time I say that). Believe it or not, she was an Economics major and also worked as an attorney for nine yers. Go figure! Today she lives in Orange County with her family where she’s also an award-winning humor columnist for the Aliso Viejo News and the Laguna Niguel News sections of the Orange County Register.
You can learn more about Debra at her official website, www.dlgarfinkle.com.
All About Poultry in Motion…
Poultry in Motion, the third book in the Supernatural Rubber Chicken series, comes out September 9. It features mean girl cliques, insect-loving boys, dogs who lick too much, and of course, an ornery, wish-granting, talking rubber chicken. The series has been compared to Captain Underpants, which Debra thinks is a terrific compliment.
The Q&A
Here’s my question for Debra…
Your first book, Storky, has a male protagonist. Was it hard to “write like a boy”?
And her answer…
It really wasn’t. I have two younger brothers and I’ve always had a tomboy side. I am also a big believer in critiques, and the two guys in my critique group and my male editor stopped me from sounding too female.
For my Supernatural Rubber Chicken series, I read all the books out loud to my sons and had them raise their hands when they were bored or didn’t understand something. Having male kid feedback was really helpful.
And Debra’s question for me…
I love your book Sucks to Be Me. It’s so funny and unique! Did the first publisher who saw it snatch it up, or was it a more arduous process to get published?
And my answer…
Thanks! As for your question…hmmm…well, both, kind of. Mirrorstone was the first publisher to see the book, but the whole process was a little arduous and it did take a while…I started off sending the manuscript out to agents and they all basically told me that they liked it but didn’t think vampires were a good bet (this was before Twilight hit it huge). Then a friend of mine that had written books for Mirrorstone said her editor was looking for paranormal YA and offered to introduce me. They considered it for a good long time before I heard back (I think roughly 9 months? Maybe more, I can’t remember now). So technically it was the first publisher…but it wasn’t an overnight kind of thing.
I’d actually given up on the book and was working on other, non-vampire related stuff. But I’m really glad Mirrorstone picked it up as the staff there are all wonderful, wonderful people. I hope that they’ll be able (& willing!) to publish the sequel (there’ve been some direction changes there back towards their core fantasy stuff, so there’s no guarantee…hey, everyone reading this who loves STBM…feel free to write Mirrorstone and tell ‘em how much you want to see a sequel! I’ve got all kinds of craziness planned for Mina, so I really do hope the sequel sees the light of day.).
The Giveaway
Want to win a copy of Poultry in Motion? All you’ve got to do to win a copy is visit Debra’s website and then email me at kim @ kimberlypauley.com with the subject line “Debra Goes Supernatural!” and tell me…what was your favorite writer’s tip out of the ones she gives on her site? Be sure to enter by September 14th!
And don’t forget to check out all the Sucks to Be Me Book Launch details for more giveaways!
If ya’ hadn’t already noticed, my publisher (Mirrorstone) has donated some copies of my book for me to give away on Young Adult (& Kids!) Books Central (YABC)…so you’ve got another chance over there to win a copy of my book. I will, of course, be personally signing copies to the winners, so it’ll be a custom autographed book and not just a generic one (well, unless you prefer a generically signed one. That’s fine too.).
All About Alyson
My guest today is oh-so-cool OC (that’s Orange County, California for those of you not in the know) expert Alyson Noël! Yep, she was actually born and raised in that rarified zone made popular by the TV show. She’s lived in Greece (how cool is that??) and in Manhattan but now she’s right back in the OC. Which works out great for you guys, since her teen books (she also writes for adults) are often set in that area. Saving Zoë is probably my personal fave of her books, but I’ve heard some great things about Cruel Summer (it’s the latest). And Art Geeks and Prom Queens is awesome too (great main character – I love Rio).
You can learn more about Alyson at her official website.
The Latest
Cruel Summer is the story of Colby Cavendish, who is looking forward to a long hot season of parties, beach BBQ’s, and hopefully, more hook-ups with Levi Bonham, the hottest guy in school. But her world comes crashing down when her parents send her away to spend the summer in Greece with her “crazy” aunt Tally. Stranded on a boring island with no malls, no cell phone reception, and an aunt who talks to her plants, Colby finds herself worrying that her new friends have forgotten all about her. But when she meets Yannis, a cute Greek local, everything changes. She experiences something deeper and more intense than a summer fling, and it forces her to see herself, and the life she left behind, in a whole new way…
The Q&A
Here’s my question for Alyson…
You’ve lived in a lot of different places…but where would you live if you could live anywhere (family included, of course)?
And her answer…
Well, it’s actually a toss up between a tiny garret apartment in the left bank of Paris, or a palatial seaside estate right here in Laguna Beach, CA. Either one would be fine.
And Alyson’s question for me…
If you could live inside any book, which would it be?
And my answer…
Wow, that’s a tough question. There are so many books that it would be interesting to experience from the “inside.” There are the magical worlds in Harry Potter and the Narnia Chronicles. And Clive Barker’s very inventive Hours in Abarat. And what about Piers Anthony’s Xanth novels? Oh, to be able to try some of that Boot Rear and argue with Grundy! And what about Anne McCaffrey’s Pern novels? To be able to see (and possibly ride on) dragons? Oh, and geez, what about Terry Pratchett’s Discworld?? That might have to be my final answer. And I’ll have to stop thinking about it or else I’ll just keep going on and on with possible answers (oh, hm, what about Douglas Adams’ books? Or…okay, seriously, am going to stop myself now or I’ll be here all night.)
The Giveaway
Okay, so I just know you wanna read Cruel Summer, right? How about the chance to win a signed copy of it? So, all you gotta do is visit Alyson’s website and then send me an email at kim @ kimberlypauley.com with the subject line “Oh Alyson, Don’t Be Cruel!” (which is, of course, an Elvis reference…and bears no relation whatsoever to Alyson’s potential cruelness because she’s not cruel…eh, you know what I mean) and tell me…what book has she read at least 15 times? (hint: check out the About Alyson page) And get your entries in for this one by September 8th!!
And just a reminder if you’re popping in directly to this post…be sure to check out all the details about the Sucks to Be Me Book Launch Party ’cause there’s lots more stuff to win (and learn! Didn’t I tell you these were some awesome cool people??)
All About Alan
My guest today is the wonderfully nice (and talented) Alan Gratz! He’s one of the most helpful (give-you-the-shirt-off-his-back…well, not that I’ve ever asked him for his shirt…it’d probably be too big and, well, the wrong style for me since he’s a boy) guys I know and also a wonderful writer. He’s the author of Samurai Shortstop and the awesome Horatio Wilkes series (Think Shakespeare. Think Mystery. Think Awesome.). He’s been a teacher (and even taught catapult building…how cool is that??) and has written more than 6,000 radio commercials (whoa!).
You can learn more about Alan at his official website.
Something Rotten
Something Rotten…a little Hamlet, anyone? Stinking-rich family. A reeking paper
plant. A murder most foul. Something is definitely rotten in Denmark, Tennessee,
and only 17-year-old detective Horatio Wilkes can sniff out the killer.
The Q&A
Here’s my question for Alan…
You’ve given a lot of workshops for both authors and teens. What have you learned from them?
And his answer…
I’ve learned that there are many ways to write a book. When I give workshops, I always talk about my outlining process. Before I write the first word of a book, I outline every single chapter. I want to know what happens every moment of my story before I begin. I teach my process in the hope that it will work for someone else, but I know going in that outlining doesn’t work for everyone. There are general writing tips and tricks that can be shared, but when it comes down to it, each writer has his or her own method for bringing a story to life. I once read that Ellen Raskin, the author of the incredibly fabulous and very tricky mystery The Westing Game was once asked if she outlined her complicated stories in advance. She said no—if she knew what was going to happen before she started a book she would be too bored to write it!
And Alan’s question for me…
Okay, tell me about the big leap to quit your corporate job and become a writer. I quit teaching to become a full-time writer (and stay-at-home-dad) and it was scary. What was your transition like? And had you already written Sucks To Be Me, or was that a product of your new “day job?”
And my answer…
Well, it was kind of a kismet situation. I was a manager at AT&T Labs and it was before the takeover…basically, it was all layoffs, all the time. Very depressing. I felt like my whole job was trying to figure out who I should put on the chopping block next and I’d worked with all of these people for years. My husband was starting to think about changing jobs within the company he worked for, but it was something that was going to require a move (from Florida to Kentucky). We talked it over and decided, hey, we could both use a change. And I’d always wanted to write for a living (rather than just doing stuff on the side). It was kinda scary (heck, terrifying) and we effectively cut our income in half.
Then the bad news – right after we moved I hurt my back and leg. I couldn’t walk for a while and had to go through all kinds of nasty medical stuff and heavy duty medication. But I somehow managed to write Sucks to Be Me during that time. I honestly have no idea how – the doctor had me on Vicodin and muscle relaxers and I spent a lot of time sleeping (those kind of drugs make me verrrrry sleepy). I was also in quite a bit of pain. Pretty much the entire time we lived in Kentucky was kinda sucky. I didn’t really get over the back and leg trouble until after we moved to Illinois.
The writing was kind of therapeutic, I suppose. Mina has a strong character voice in my head and I like her snarky style. She’s spunky. And funny (at least I think so). It was kind of a way to get inside my head and away from the physical pain.
Ha, I suppose that’s more than you ever wanted to know! But, seriously, quitting the corporate life was the best thing I ever did. And now that we’ve got a baby, I’m even more glad. You can’t work 60+ hours a week and have a kid. Well, I guess you can…but it ain’t the best idea. Though between the baby and YABC, I almost feel like I used to have more time to write.
The Giveaway
Want to puzzle out the mystery yourself along with Horatio Wilkes? Enter to win a copy of Something Rotten (‘cause you should read it before October, when the next book, Something Wicked comes out) by visiting Alan’s website and then emailing me at kim @ kimberlypauley.com with the subject line “There’s Nothing Rotten About Alan!” and tell me what Alan wanted to be before he became a writer (hint: check out the Author Q & A linked on the “Author” page). Be sure to get your entry in by September 7th!
And don’t forget to check out all the Sucks to Be Me Book Launch details for more giveaways!
All About Lauren
My guest today is Lauren Mechling, the ultra-fab co-author of the Social Climber series and the author of the brand new, super-awesome-fabutastic (seriously) Dream Girl. Lauren is a New York City kind of girl, which means she’d be way too cool to hang out with me if she weren’t so nice (I’m only kinda kidding about that…I am such a geek, even if I was born in California in the San Francisco area). She’s written for everything from New York Magazine to Jane (again, the ultra-coolness factor) and from the New York Sun to Marie-Claire.
You can learn more about Lauren at her official website: www.laurenmechling.com
The Latest: Dream Girl
Dream Girl is the first book in a series about Claire Voyante. She has been having strange visions ever since she can remember. But the similarity between her name and her talents is purely coincidental. The name is French, and unlike the psychics on TV, she can’t solve crimes or talk to the dead. Whenever Claire follows her hunches, she comes up empty – or ends up in pretty awkward situations. But that all changes on Claire’s 15th birthday, when her grandmother, Kiki-former socialite, fashion icon, and permanent fixture at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – gives her something a little more extraordinary than one of her old cocktail dresses: a strange black-and-white onyx cameo on a gold chain. It’s not long before Claire’s world becomes a whole lot clearer. And a whole lot more dangerous.
The Q&A
Here’s my question for Lauren…
If you were a girl (or lady, if you want to be grown up about it) detective, what famous detective would you be most like (girl or guy detective is okay…after all, there haven’t been too many famous girl ones)?
And her answer…
First, thank you so much for that sweet introduction. I’m delighted to hear you liked Dream Girl and I can’t wait to sink my teeth (har har) into your new book.
Now, down to serious business. There are a lot of detectives who are near and dear to me. I love Tess Monaghan, the plucky heroine of Laura Lippman’s Baltimore series, and I think Hercule Poirot is a total hoot. But . . . my favorite is Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison of the magnificent BBC “Prime Suspect” series.
They made the first “Prime Suspect” in 1991 so I’ve watched Detective evolve from a young-ish hopeful thing into a steely pro who, after seventeen years of disappointment and injustice (why must her less talented male colleagues always be promoted over her?), remains unrelentingly good at what she does.
And Lauren’s question for me…
Help! Rumor has it there are some vampires on the loose in my neighborhood. I’ve stocked up on garlic but I’m still very afraid. In the event of a vampire bite, what would you advise?
And my answer…
Well, that depends. Do you wanna “live” forever? Join the ranks of the undead? Or do you want to stay…normal?
And it also depends upon which version of vampire-hood we’re talking about. :-) In “my” world (i.e. Mina’s), the garlic wouldn’t do you much good. And most conversions are done by ingesting vampire blood, which you probably didn’t do. While you *could* get converted by being bitten (it’s what happened to Mina’s dad), chances are you were just a snack and you’ll just have a sore neck and a heckuva story to tell your grandkids.
In some vampire myths, you have to be bitten three times before you get turned, so if you just lay low and don’t let your guard down, you’ll be just fine.
The Giveaway
Dream Girl sound as cool to you as it does to me? Well you’ve got a chance to win a copy right here! All you have to do is visit Lauren’s blog and check out what she was doing on the release date for her new book (hint: it was July 22nd) and then email me with the subject line “I’m Dreaming of Lauren!” at kim @ kimberlypauley.com and tell me what she was drinking. And then you should check out the rest of her blog; it’s a lot of fun. Get your entries in by September 6th!
And don’t forget to check out all the other stuff you can win during the Sucks to Be Me Book Launch Par-tay!
All About Lauren
My guest today is Lauren Myracle (which is not pronounced “miracle” like I’ve heard many people say but more like my-ruh-cull). You might know her best as the lady that wrote the very fun TTYL, TTFN, and L8R, G8R (in IMs!). Or you might know her as the author with the coolest hair. She’s got three cats, which is one more than me, but I bet they are just as insane as mine are. She’s also written a bunch of other books, including the really cute Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen which feature a really great female lead character named Winnie.
You can learn more about Lauren at her official website: laurenmyracle.com
The Latest: Bliss
Bliss is something really different. Some people describe it as a horror novel (though Lauren doesn’t and I don’t know that I would either). It does have some scary moments, but it is more of a story of the loss of innocence. Bliss grew up on a commune and now she has been thrust into the elite Crestview Academy. She really is an innocent and wants to make friends, but her friendship with a troubled girl puts Bliss (and anyone she is kind to) in serious danger.Here’s Lauren’s favorite quote (to date) about Bliss, from the lovely Bookshelves of Doom review site: “I started this book without knowing that to start Bliss is to immediately create the need to finish it. I was hooked from page one, sentence one… A creepy, tense, thrilling, hair-raising, goosebump-inducing, yicky and sometimes downright twisted ghost story.” Go, Bliss!
The Q&A
Here’s my question for Lauren…
You wrote How to Be Bad along with two other awesome authors: E. Lockhart and Sarah Mlynowski. What was it like to work on a group project, especially with those two?
And her answer…
Fabulous, wonderful, and more FUN than any other writing project I’ve ever embarked on. Oh, and also more work. Three brains writing together = not a third of the work apiece; three brains writing together = three times the work. I hated group projects in college. HATED them, probably because:
a) I was incredibly socially awkward;
b) the peeps I was assigned to work with never seemed very…smart (soooooooo obnoxious to say, I know);
c) it just seemed like a big ol’ waste of time.
But working with Emily and Sarah (on purpose, mind you! we CHOSE to do this!) was exhilarating. Like, I’d write my chaps knowing that Sarah and Emily would read them almost immediately, which meant almost immediate feedback. So awesome! And not only that, but feedback from authors I admire so much. I learned all sorts of things about writing from them. We had to be on our best game with each other, if that makes sense…if nothing else because we wanted to wow each other and make each other laugh.
The VERY best thing about writing HOW TO BE BAD with Emily and Sarah, however, was…Emily and Sarah. We wrote a book; we grew a friendship. I love them both dearly and feel so lucky to have my life entertwined with theirs.
And Lauren’s question for me…
Kimberly. Babe. *Loved* Sucks to Be Me. Seeing as how you’re a vampire gal, what in the world do you make of the insanity surrounding the release of BREAKING DAWN? And I must know: would Mina be friends with Bella????
And my answer…
I have to admit that I haven’t read past the second book, mostly because I stopped reading vampire novels after I found out my book was going to be published (I actually wrote Sucks to Be Me in 2005 before Twilight came out that October). So I wasn’t standing in line for Breaking Dawn or anything… However, I think it’s really cool, all the craziness. Any time people (of any age) get that excited about reading is a good thing as far as I’m concerned. I’ve read lots about the controversy over the book (people hated it, people loved it, etc. etc.) and all I can say is – hey, whether you liked it or not, it excited you and enraptured you and emotionally impacted you. That’s a good thing. Go reading!
And would Mina be friends with Bella? Hmmmmmmm. I don’t know. Somehow I don’t think they’d really run in the same circle and they definitely don’t have the same sense of humor. I think they’d probably nod to each other in the hallways, but they wouldn’t be buddy-buddy.
The Giveaway
Intrigued by the description of Bliss above? Well, you’re in luck. I’ve got an ARC copy to give away of this awesome, very intense book. And all you gotta do is visit Lauren’s website and then email me at kim @ kimberlypauley.com with the subject line “Lauren Rocks!” by September 4th and answer this question…what is Lauren’s favorite guilty breakfast (Hint: look on the Q&A page of Lauren’s website)?
If you popped in here directly, be sure to check out the main contest info post for all the nitty-gritty, including how to win a hugely awesome grand prize pack of books and stuff!
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