.quickedit
BLOGGER TEMPLATES AND TWITTER BACKGROUNDS »

Monday, November 30, 2009

Resort Chat: Julie Kagawa



The Book Resort is thrilled to have the beautiful & hilarious, Julie Kagawa over for a little dish.

Julie is one of the amazing tenners.

Ready? Let's go!


Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

JK: At the moment, I’m trying to finish the last book in The Iron Fey series, the IRON QUEEN.

Me: Spiderman or Superman:

JK: Oh, Spiderman, all the way! He’s one of my favorite supers of all time! Superman is so boring. Spiderman will make snarky comments while fighting baddies; he’s got attitude.

Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:

JK: Batgirl. Who, if you’ve been keeping up with the comics, is no longer Batgirl but Oracle, since Joker shot her and paralyzed her from the waist down. (Yes, I’m a geek).

Me: Laughing... Yes, I am aware Barbara is now Oracle but I so love when that motorcycle zooms by... retro Batgirl lover! Ha~ha!


Me: Chunky or Smooth:

JK: Chunky or smooth what? If we’re talking ice cream, smooth. If we’re talking something else, I’d rather not say. ;)

Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:

JK: Mint chocolate chip.

Me: Favorite ice cream topping:

JK: Reeses Peanut Butter cups. (But not on Mint chocolate chip)

Me: Subway or Taxi:

JK: Um, I don’t have to deal with either, so I guess I’ll say taxi. You get crazy drivers, but you don’t have to fight the crowds in a subway. Crowds make me jumpy and snarly.

Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:

JK: Depends on what it is. I guess I’ll say Broadway, cause I love musicals to death, and generally feel like killing the people in a movie theater. Why do I always get stuck behind the talkers?

Me: TiVO or DVR:

JK: DVR

Me: Favorite vacation place:

JK: Is this places I’ve been or places I want to go? I’ll say Japan, cause I’m dying to go there someday.


Me: Next vacation destination:

JK: See above question.

Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:

JK: I have never been to NYC *gasp!* But I’d love to go someday. I keep hearing rumors of this bookstore called the Strand where you can find not-even-released arcs.

Me: Guilty Pleasure:

JK: I have crushes on a lot of bishounen. (If you don’t know what a bishounen is, so much the better)

Me: Good luck charm:

JK: Don’t really have one.

Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….

JK: Veterinarian, since I love animals. But then I discovered I had to know uber amounts of science and math, and numbers hate me. I did grow up to be a dog trainer before I became a writer, though.


Me: Last thing bought at the mall:

JK: A book. (duh) And that was last Christmas. Which shows you how often I go to the mall.

Me: Item on your grocery list:

JK: Mountain Dew. (Always)

Me: French fries or Onion Rings:

JK: Ew, onions. French Fries, definitely.

Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?

JK: I don’t like thin crust, so I’ll go with Chicago.

Me: Midnight snack:

JK: Mountain Dew. (This will be a theme)

Me: Bookmark or dog ear?

JK: Bookmark!

Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?

JK: With. Unless it irritates me and I take it off.

Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:

JK: Can I pick them all? Except the desert; I HATE heat.

Me: Favorite book:

JK: That’s not fair, I can’t pick just one. SOME of my faves include: Poison Study, Perfect Chemistry, Lightning Thief, Helm, Song in the Silence, Harry Potter, Watership Down, A Game of Thrones, The Night Angel trilogy, Tithe, Wondrous Strange, Bird by Bird … okay, I’ll stop now.

Me: Item you can't live without:

JK: My laptop. Seriously, if I’m away from email and the internet for more than a day, I get awfully twitchy. And of course, all my writing is on my laptop.

Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?

JK: Brian Weeks has an awesome series called The Night Angel trilogy. And one of my absolute favorite books is called Helm by Stephen Gould. Night Angel is about an assassin (ahhhh, I love assassin stories), and Helm is a sci-fi that is just fabulous.

Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?

JK: My tastes were eclectic, but I do remember loving horse stories such as King of the Wind, Misty of Chincoteague, and The Black Stallion. I was rather horse crazy as a teen, and my first attempts at writing were about untamable stallions (which borrowed heavily from another book—guess which one.)


Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?

JK: I have to write at a table or desk. I simply cannot write in bed with the laptop on my lap. And my A.D.D makes it difficult to write in places where there are a lot of people.

Me: Describe your ideal place to write:

JK: A nice quiet office with music playing in the background.

Me: What are you reading @ the moment?

JK: Rampant by Diane Peterfrund. KILLER UNICORNS!

Me: Where do you usually read?

JK: Curled up on the couch or in a “reading nest” on the bed. Don’t bother me while I’m reading or I’ll snarl at you.

Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?

JK: Not usually. I’m a one book at a time type of girl.

Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?

JK: The only time I’m reading nonfiction is a). research and therefore on the computer, b). some sort of writing book and therefore near my current novel, or c). a dogtraining book (I just like to see the newest methods). Other than that, I don’t read much non-fiction.




About Julie:

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and the latest addition, a hyper-active Papillon puppy.



Check out:

Julie's website

Julie's Livejournal

Julie's Blog

Tenners


The Iron King arrives from Harlequin Teen February of 2010




MEGHAN CHASE HAS A SECRET DESTINY— ONE SHE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan’s life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she’s known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she’ll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.


Read an excerpt of the Iron King
here.


Now available for pre~order!

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books ~A~ Million

Powell's










Sunday, November 29, 2009

Resort Chat: Elizabeth Spann Craig


The Book Resort is thrilled to have the amazing Elizabeth Spann Craig over to spend Thanksgiving week w/ me for Mystery Lover's Kitchen Thanksgiving Week.



I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving filled w/ happiness, warm friendships, laughter, love & cherished memories w/ your loved ones.

Embrace your loved ones & treasure your family!



I'm going to kick off my 1st Mystery Lover's Kitchen Thanksgiving Week w/ the lovely ladies favorite Thanksgiving memories & favorite dishes!




Thanksgiving Memory:

My favorite Thanksgiving memory probably wouldn't be the same as my mother's! She had flu one Thanksgiving when I was in college and my memory is of my mother on the sofa in the den, still valiantly trying to direct the cooking while lying down. My younger sister and I were scrambling around with my grandmother and it was fun to actually be preparing the big feast! My grandmother (who my Myrtle Clover series is based on) was a hoot and I remember all of us laughing so hard as we tried to make the dinner as nice as my mom's would have been (with varying degrees of success!) :)






Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

ESC: I'm revising the next book for the Myrtle Clover series and writing book 2 of the Memphis Barbecue series.



Me: Spiderman or Superman:

ESC: Superman! But then, I'm no big fan of spiders.


Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:

ESC: Wonder Woman. She had the coolest accessories and an invisible jet


Me: Chunky or Smooth:

ESC: Smooth.


Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:

ESC: Oh, you've got me here. I said 'smooth' for my previous answer....except for chunky peanut butter and chocolate ice cream.


Me: Favorite ice cream topping:

ESC: Reece's Pieces. The more the better.


Me: Subway or Taxi:

ESC: Say what? I'm a Southern girl....


Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:

ESC: Oh, definitely Broadway. But getting there might be challenging...


Me: TiVo or DVR:

ESC: DVR on my satellite


Me: Favorite vacation place:

ESC: Folly Beach, South Carolina


Me: Next vacation destination:

ESC: Blowing Rock, NC (mountains)


Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:

ESC: Oh Lord. I haven't been to NY since I was 18. Can I call the theater a hotspot? I loved it!


Me: Guilty Pleasure:

ESC: Taking time for ME. I'm a mom, so it's all about the guilt.


Me: Good luck charm:

ESC: A ratty 4 leaf clover from high school


Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….

ESC: Archaeologist


Me: Last thing bought at the mall:

ESC: Clip-on earrings for my 3rd grade daughter


Me: Item on your grocery list:

ESC: Spinach-stuffed pasta


Me: French fries or Onion Rings:

ESC: French fries with gobs of ketchup


Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?

ESC: Haven't been to Chicago, so I'll have to say New York


Me: Midnight snack:

ESC: Cookies and milk


Me: Bookmark or dog ear?

ESC: Is it mine? If it's the library's I'll bookmark. Otherwise, I not only dog ear, I bring out the red pen and deconstruct. :)


Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?

ESC: Remove it..


Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:

ESC: Oceans. If only we could have mountains and oceans simultaneously, then I'd really be thrilled!


Me: Favorite book:

ESC: And Then There Were None


Me: Item you can't live without:

ESC: Books


Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?

ESC: Carlos Ruiz Zafon


Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?

ESC: Agatha Christie. She inspired me to write mysteries.


Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?

ESC: Anywhere I can grab 15 minutes! I write completely on the go.


Me: Describe your ideal place to write:

ESC: I have a funny feeling that I shouldn't mess with success! So I'll continue writing in the car at stoplights, in coffee shops on the way to other errands, in pediatric waiting rooms, and while sitting in the carpool line.


Me: What are you reading @ the moment?

ESC: I'm reading In the Shadow of the Glacier by Vicki Delany


Me: Where do you usually read?

ESC: In bed.


Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?

ESC: I try not to, but yes, I frequently end up with more than one.


Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?

ESC: My nonfiction reads tend to be biographies and I'm really searching for the 'real person' in the bio. I'll flip through extraneous material in the search for the truth!


Me: Thank you so much, Elizabeth!

ESC: Thanks so much, Diane, for having us!




About Elizabeth:

Like her characters, Elizabeth Spann Craig’s roots are in a small, Southern town. She grew up in Anderson, South Carolina, where she spent most of her childhood in the county library, staggering out with books by the armful.

Her magazine articles have appeared in both England and the United States.

She’s the mother of two and currently lives in Matthews, North Carolina. Between juggling room mom duties, refereeing play dates, and being dragged along as chaperone/hostage on field trips, she dreams of dark and stormy nights beside stacks of intriguing mysteries with excellent opening lines.







Check out:




Saturday, November 28, 2009

Resort Chat: Cleo Coyle


The Book Resort is doing a *Snoopy dance* to have the totally awesome Cleo Coyle over to spend Thanksgiving week w/ me for Mystery Lover's Kitchen Thanksgiving Week.


I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving filled w/ happiness, warm friendships, laughter, love & cherished memories w/ your loved ones.

Embrace your loved ones & treasure your family!



I'm going to kick off my 1st Mystery Lover's Kitchen Thanksgiving Week w/ the lovely ladies favorite Thanksgiving memories & favorite dishes!




Thanksgiving Memory & Dish:

Almost every Thanksgiving of my childhood, I remember being woken by the muffled clanging of pots and pans and the savory smells of cooking coming from my family's kitchen. I would open my eyes to the first light of dawn and wander through the house in my pajamas, still yawning, eyes half-open, to find my mother and Aunt Mary already hard at work in the kitchen, getting the huge turkey ready for roasting. My mother would be at the stove, frying up the turkey innards in butter and olive oil, my aunt would be sitting at the kitchen table, slicing up Italian chestnuts.

My favorite dish was their stuffing, too. In fact, I didn't even have to wait for dinner. Thanksgiving breakfast was always a bowl of that freshly made chestnut stuffing. Years later, as an adult, I was stranded away from home and invited to a friend's house for Thanksgiving. I was truly grateful for that invitation, but it was the first time I realized how lucky I was growing up. The Thanksgiving stuffing at my friend's home had all the flavor of Styrofoam! It was just awful!

Good stuffing isn't that hard to make. Sure, you can take a shortcut with boxed stuffing mixes, but just remember to put the depth of flavor in there with fresh ingredients by sauteing up some diced onions, celery, and carrots in butter and oil, along with a bit of finely chopped savory meats. Use your favorite sweet sausage or fry up the organ meats that come wrapped inside your turkey. Fresh herbs like thyme, sage, and rosemary add wonderfully aromatic flavor notes, as well. Then simply add the fresh ingredients to your boxed mix and you'll produce a much more flavorful stuffing! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!





Check out Cleo's Resort Chat
here!

Thank you so much, Cleo! I am blessed to count you as a friend! You totally ROCK!!!








Roast Mortem* arrives in hardcover from Penguin's Berkley Prime Crime August 3, 2010

*Early Cover Art NOT YET FINAL!


Roast Mortem is now available for pre~order @ Amazon!








Coffeehouse Mystery Website

TIP: Subscribe to Cleo's free newsletter and you're entered automatically in her weekly free coffee drawings!

Coffeehouse Mysteries Recipes

Mystery Lovers Kitchen

Cleo on Twitter

Cleo on Facebook

Check out my:

On What Grounds Review

Through the Grinder Review

Win A Copy of Holiday Grind ~ Cleo Coyle Hurry! Contest ends 11/30



Friday, November 27, 2009

Resort Chat: Julie Hyzy



The Book Resort is thrilled to have the terrific Julie Hyzy over to spend Thanksgiving week w/ me for Mystery Lover's Kitchen Thanksgiving Week.



I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving week filled w/ happiness, warm friendships, laughter, love & cherished memories w/ your loved ones.

Embrace your loved ones & treasure your family!



I'm going to kick off my 1st Mystery Lover's Kitchen Thanksgiving Week w/ the lovely ladies favorite Thanksgiving memories & favorite dishes!



Thanksgiving Dish:

My favorite Thanksgiving dish is my family's stuffing. It's a heavy recipe with lots of bread and ground beef, sausage, and gizzards, but no sage. I could eat this stuffing every day of my life and be in total bliss! My parents always hosted Thanksgiving -- for about 26 people -- and now my brother hosts this holiday. When we were kids my brother and I were in charge of dusting all the chairs which, at the time, we thought was one of the dumbest things ever. Who dusts chairs? We sat in them, we didn't eat off of them. But I get it now. And I would love to be able to be back in our old house, smelling those wonderful aromas of baking turkey and sizzling onions, and running around the basement with dustcloths, knowing that our cousins and aunts and uncles were arriving soon. I miss those days!





Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

JH: I'm currently working on BUFFALO WEST WING, the fourth book in my White House Chef series, and I'm about to start on Book #2 of my Manor of Murder series, the first of which -- GRACE UNDER PRESSURE - will debut in June of 2010.


Me: Spiderman or Superman:

JH: Superman. Absolutely...


Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:

JH: Batgirl! (I was Batman for Halloween for *years* and our cat's name is Kitka -- Catwoman's alter-ego in the original Batman movie with Adam West. I had such a crush on him!)


Me: Chunky or Smooth:

JH: Chunky


Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:

JH: Chocolate Chip Mint (though my kids argue that it's called Mint Chocolate Chip)



Me: Favorite ice cream topping:

JH: Hot Fudge!



Me: Subway or Taxi:

JH: Taxi


Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:

JH: Broadway Show. But I do love going to movies.



Me: TiVo or DVR:

JH: I don't know yet. I'm stuck in video-tape-land when I want to record something. But I do have a DVD player... does that count?


Me: Favorite vacation place:

JH: Anywhere with my husband and kids.


Me: Next vacation destination:

JH: DisneyWorld - my daughter's band is traveling there for a competition. I do love Disney. They know how to keep guests happy.


Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:

JH: The Algonquin hotel lobby bar with writer friends.


Me: Guilty Pleasure:

JH: Watching Star Trek, the Next Generation


Me: Good luck charm:

JH: A pair of special earrings


Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….

JH: Writer. Always



Eggsecutive Orders January 5, 2010




Me: Last thing bought at the mall:

JH: A really great dress that I wore at the Berkley party at Bouchercon and plan to wear again this week!



Me: Item on your grocery list:

JH: Half and Half


Me: French fries or Onion Rings:

JH: Mmm.... tough one. Depends on where I am. But onion rings are always a treat.


Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?

JH: Chicago - no question about this one. I grew up almost next door to Home Run Inn Pizza... By far the best pizza on the planet. Buttery crust. Just the right amount of grease on top. Yeah you can find it in the freezer case at the grocery store, but fresh is the only way to go.


Me: Midnight snack:

JH: Potato chips or Dove Chocolate. Healthy, huh?


Me: Bookmark or dog ear?

JH: Bookmark, but with whatever is handy. Sometimes weird stuff.


Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?

JH: With.








Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:

JH: Lake. I've grown up near Lake Michigan, that's where my heart is.


Me: Favorite book:

JH: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon


Me: Item you can't live without:

JH: My computer


Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?

JH: Tony Perona


Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?

JH: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett



Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?

JH: At home in my cave ;-)


Me: Describe your ideal place to write:

JH: Here, at home, at my desk - when nobody else is in the house and it's quiet.


Me: What are you reading @ the moment?

JH: Several books --
Diana Gabaldon's THE FIERY CROSS
Krista Davis's THE DIVA RUNS OUT OF THYME
Sheila Connolly's ONE BAD APPLE
Hannah Dennison's SCOOP


Me: Where do you usually read?

JH: My favorite place is in my chair in the family room, but I can read anywhere.



Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?

JH: Yep ;-)(see above)


Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?

JH: Interesting question. Yes. I read nonfiction at the kitchen table. I never realized that until you asked!

Thank you, Julie! Happy Thanksgiving!


About Julie:

Julie Hyzy's first experience with food included flipping burgers and chopping onions at a neighborhood hot dog stand. She traded that experience for a job as a singing waitress at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour -- but gave that up when she started college (and because she couldn't carry a tune).

Over the years, she's acted in community theater productions, appeared in television commercials, and crashed a previously all-male fraternity to become one of the first female brothers in Loyola University's Chapter of Delta Sigma Pi. Julie had dreams of becoming a writer, but family, friends, and frat brothers convinced her otherwise. Having held positions as junior officer at a downtown bank, office manager at an architectural firm, and financial advisor at a prestigious wealth management company, she realizes that the business degree was probably a good choice -- but fiction is truly her passion. Now, with some well-earned life experience behind her, she's delighted to finally be able to make writing a priority in her life.




Check out:

Julie's website

Mystery Lover's Kitchen

Julie on Facebook

Julie's MySpace

Julie on Twitter

Julie's Blog





January, 2008


Thursday, November 26, 2009

Resort Chat: Kody Keplinger


The Book Resort is thrilled to have the incredible Kody Keplinger over for a little chat.

Kody is one of the amazing tenners!

Ready? Let's go!


Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

KK: I"m doing NaNo, so I"m working on a project called GOLDFISH. Its a lot different from anything I've ever done, so I'm a little nervous, but I"m very excited to try something new.

Me: Spiderman or Superman:

KK: Um...tough...Spiderman.


Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:

KK: Easy. Wonder Woman!

Me: Chunky or Smooth:

KK: Smooth. No question.

Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:

KK: Chocolate chip cookie dough.

Me: Favorite ice cream topping:

KK: Chocolate syrup

Me: Subway or Taxi:

KK: Taxi.

Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:

KK: I've never been to a broadway show, so I guess movie theater for now.


Me: TiVO or DVR:

KK: I don't have either. *pouts*

Me: Favorite vacation place:

KK: I haven't been on many vacations, but Disney World has probably been the best so far.


Me: Next vacation destination:

KK: It's not really a vacation, but I"m visiting NYC for a few days in November, and I"m excited, so I think it counts.

Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:

KK: I've only been once. So I'll let you know when I find a hotspot!

Me: Guilty Pleasure:

KK: Gossip Girl TV Show. But I don't really feel too guilty, to be honest.

Me: Good luck charm:

KK: My "I <3 Chuck Bass" T-shirt. I wear it whenever I want luck.

Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….

KK: Either a writer or an actress.

Me: Last thing bought at the mall:

KK: Snow boots.

Me: Item on your grocery list:

KK: Milk

Me: French fries or Onion Rings:

KK: FRIES!!!! DUH!

Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?

KK: Neither. I like regular, thin crust, universal pizza.

Me: Midnight snack:

KK: Whatever I can find in the vending machine. I AM in college after all.

Me: Bookmark or dog ear?

KK: Bookmark. Always.

Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?:

KK: I read with it on and a lot of times use the flap to mark my page.

Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:

KK: Ocean

Me: Favorite book:

KK: "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen.

Me: Item you can't live without:

KK: My laptop

Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?

KK: Wow, that's tough. Sadly, I'm super mainstream. I read a lot of authors everyone HAS heard of. Currently, I'm in love with Bethany Griffin and Courtney Summers. Not that unheardof. I need to widen my scope a bit, huh?


Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?:

KK: Harry Potter changed my life because it made me love to read again. And "Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret" by Judy Blume made me realize there weren't limits. I could write the truth, and it was okay.


Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?

KK: My first book was pretty much entirely composed in my bedroom floor. My second, in a dorm bed. I can write pretty much anywhere my laptop can be plugged in.

Me: Describe your ideal place to write:

KK: On the floor of my dorm room (at some point when it is clean), with my laptop in my lap, some Sour Patch Kids sitting beside me, and a big bottle of Diet Mountain Dew. Perfection, this is.

Me: What are you reading @ the moment?: 2 books. I'm reading the ARC of SOME GIRLS ARE by Courtney Summers. and I'm reading CITY OF ASHES by Cassandra Clare.

Me: Where do you usually read?

KK: At my desk.


Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?

KK: Not usually, but my roommate and I have created "bonding time." She reads to me and its fun. We're dorks, but we both get enjoyment out of it. We're working our way thorugh the Mortal Instruments right now.

Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?

KK: Yes. I read it with much less pleasure. Haha.





Check out: Kody's blog

Kody on Twitter

Kody contributes to the following:

Teens Writing For Teens

YA Highway



THE DUFF 'Designated Ugly Fat Friend' arrives from Little Brown/Poppy Fall 2010

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Bianca knows she’s the Duff (the designated ugly, fat friend). So when Wesley, a notorious womanizer, approaches her at a party she knows he wants to score with one—or both—of her hot friends. God, the man-whore’s arrogance really pisses her off! But Bianca needs to escape from some personal drama, like her mom’s abandonment and her dad’s denial, and a steamy fling with Wesley seems like the perfect distraction. Bianca makes it clear she’s only using Wesley, as if he cares. He’ll sleep with anything that moves after all. Unfortunately, the enemies-with-benefits plan totally backfires.

When her mom files for divorce and her father stumbles into a downward spiral of drinking and depression, Wesley proves to be a surprisingly good listener, and Bianca finds out that his family is pretty screwed up, too. As sickening as it sounds, she has to admit that she and Wesley are a lot alike. Soon she becomes jealous of the pretty girls he flirts with and his cocky grin begins to grow on her. Suddenly Bianca realizes—with absolute horror—that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated.






Unfortunately, there is no cover available @ the time of this interview. As soon as Kody receives one, she will send it my way. I can't wait!




Resort Chat: Jenn McKinlay




The Book Resort is thrilled to have the delightful Jenn McKinlay over to spend Thanksgiving week w/ me for Mystery Lover's Kitchen Thanksgiving Week.


I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving filled w/ happiness, warm friendships, laughter, love & cherished memories w/ your loved ones. Embrace your loved ones & treasure your family!

I'm going to kick off my 1st Mystery Lover's Kitchen Thanksgiving Week w/ the lovely ladies favorite Thanksgiving memory & favorite dish!



THANKSGIVING MEMORY AND DISH:

My best Thanksgiving memory is playing in the marching band in high school. Every Thanksgiving Day, we played at half time and in the stands during the game to cheer on our team against our arch rivals. On this particular year, it was a bitterly cold day in New England and we were freezing our butts off in our Polyester uniforms. Then, the drummer I'd had a crush on for years opened a thermos of hot apple cider and shared it with me. It was a perfect life moment.

Don't laugh, but my favorite Thanksgiving dish is my mother's Jell-O salad. She makes it every year and it still means Thanksgiving to me.

In a 2 qt casserole dish, she makes 2 packets of lime Jell-O and just before it solidifies, she mixes in a can of fruit cocktail. Then she whips a packet of lemon Jell-O with one cup of hot water and one package of cream cheese and pours it on top. Then she chills it over night. I still try to scoop more of the lemon part than the lime onto my plate, but both are delicious.





Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

JM: Currently, I am writing the sequel to SPRINKLE WITH MURDER called BUTTERCREAM BUMP OFF . Murder and cupcakes -- what's not to love?

Me: Spiderman or Superman:

JM: Neither. I was always an Aquaman kind of gal, which is interesting
because I have heart pounding phobia of deep water.

Me: Woman or Batgirl:

JM: Batgirl. She's got a cooler outfit and more gadgets.

Me: Chunky or Smooth:

JM: Smooth.

Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:

JM: Coffee.


Me: Favorite ice cream topping:

JM: Hot fudge, but it has to be from Friendly's (an ice cream shop in New England).

Me: Subway or Taxi:

JM: Subway. It's much more adventurous.

Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:

JM: Broadway -- Always!

Me: TiVo or DVR:

JM: Neither. I am technologically inept and have to live with whatever is available OnDemand.

Me: Favorite vacation place:

JM: Italy.

Me: Next vacation destination:

JM: Unknown as yet. My vacations are generally planned last minute by the seat of my pants and are always a surprise even to me.






Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:

JM: FAO Scwartz on 5th Avenue. Seriously, I always have a blast there.

Me: Guilty Pleasure:

JM: Eating ice cream right out of the carton.

Me: Good luck charm:

JM: Dragonfly pendant with my sons' birth stones.

Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….

JM: ...a world traveler. I'm getting there!

Me: Last thing bought at the mall:

JM: Sneakers -- black Vans.

Me: Item on your grocery list:

JM: Coconut milk.

Me: French fries or Onion Rings:

JM: French fries.

Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?

JM: Neither. It MUST be from Wooster Square in New Haven, Sally's or Pepe's.

Me: Midnight snack:

JM: Frozen buttercream frosting.

Me: Bookmark or dog ear?

JM: Formerly, dog ear but now I have a bookmark...

Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?

JM: With.

Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:

JM: Ideal life would be half desert and half ocean.

Me: Favorite book:

JM: Impossible to choose. Sort of like trying to pick a favorite pet or child,
I love them all.

Me: Item you can't live without:

JM: My laptop.

Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?

JM: ME! Ha ha. Seriously, Sarah Addison Allen.

Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?

JM: Anne of Green Gables. After I read that series, I knew I wanted to be a writer.

Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?

JM: In the corner of my kitchen.

Me: Describe your ideal place to write:

JM: Any room with a view.

Me: What are you reading @ the moment?

JM: Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll) to my sons and Then There Were None
(Agatha Christie) to myself.

Me: Where do you usually read?

JM: Snuggled up in bed with a hot cup of tea.

Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?

JM: Yes, I maintain a dauntingly large to-be-read pile.

Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?

JM: I'm more sporadic with non-fiction. I only read the pertinent pages. It's usually at my desk because I'm doing research.


Thank you, Jenn! Happy Thanksgiving!



About Jenn:


Jenn McKinlay is what is known as a dessert-freakosaurus. She has been known to eat leftover birthday cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner and the frozen top tier of her wedding cake didn't stand a chance of seeing its first anniversary. Luckily, her husband is more of a salt guy. Since the arrival of the hooligans (her sons), she has honed her culinary skills to include cupcakes and has baked and frosted cupcakes into the shape of cats, mice and outerspace aliens to name just a few. Writing a mystery series based upon one of her favorite food groups (cupcakes) is as enjoyable as licking the beater and she can't wait to whip up the next one. She is the author of another mystery series under the name Lucy Lawrence and lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with her musician husband Chris, their two sons, two cats, one dog and one fish.



Check out Jenn's website here.

Mystery Lover's Kitchen






March 2010



Friday, November 20, 2009

Resort Chat: Daisy Whitney


The Book Resort is thrilled to have the awesome Daisy Whitney over for a little dish.

Daisy is one of the incredible tenners!

Ready? Let's go!


Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!):

DW: I'll be working on the second book in "The Mockingbirds" series soon and until then I'm having fun writing a middle grade story involving cats and dogs.


Me: Spiderman or Superman:

DW: Spiderman all the way! Spiderman 2 is on my top 10 movies of all time list


Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:

DW: Wonder Woman

Me: Chunky or Smooth:

DW: Chunky


Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:

DW: Mint Chocolate chip (Which you will learn happens to be the favorite flavor of my main character...I'm so original!)


Me: Favorite ice cream topping:

DW: Chocolate sprinkles

Me: Subway or Taxi:

DW: Taxi if someone else is paying, subway if I'm paying

Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:

DW: Broadway, no questions asked. I grew up LOVING Broadway and have written my novels with Broadway show tunes playing in my iTunes

Me: TiVO or DVR:

DW: Neither. I don't have cable. I watch TV shows online, which is its own DVR

Me: Favorite vacation place:

DW: Tokyo


Me: Next vacation destination:

DW: London

Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:

DW: Kraft

Me: Guilty Pleasure:

DW: There are so many but it would have to be US Weekly, which I read cover to cover every week AND discuss with my husband, who is also a devotee

Me: Good luck charm:

DW: A locket that has a picture of the cat I had growing up in it and the first cat I adopted as an adult. Which is weird, since I am a total dog person.

Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….

DW: A Broadway star, then a ski jumper...

Me: Last thing bought at the mall:

DW: See's chocolate chips, because the chocolate chip cookie recipe on the bag is the best! Really, try it.

Me: Item on your grocery list:

DW: Pretzels, my favorite snack food

Me: French fries or Onion Rings:

DW: 100% French Fries

Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?

DW: New York

Me: Midnight snack:

DW: Air-popped popcorn with salt and romano cheese

Me: Bookmark or dog ear?

DW: Bookmark

Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?

DW: Read with Jacket

Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:

DW: Ocean...

Me: Favorite book:

DW: A River Runs Through It

Me: Item you can't live without:

DW: My Kindle

Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?

DW: I'm going to plead the fifth on this one...


Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?

DW: Laura Ingalls Wilder books! I LOVED the Little House on the Prairie books


Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?

DW: My living room couch and also the local Borders, which has cushy chairs and good tea.

Me: Describe your ideal place to write:


DW: On a lanai in Hawaii with a soft breeze, the ocean waves lapping the shore and my own personal assistant bringing me iced tea....Sigh..


Me: What are you reading @ the moment?

DW: Her Fearful Symmetry and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks


Me: Where do you usually read?

DW: In bed...


Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?


DW: Yes...but when I really get into a book I often set the others aside


Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?


DW: I try not to read non-fiction...But when I read magazines or newspapers I read them online or at the kitchen table or living room, never in bed!

Thank you to the beautiful & charming Daisy!

About Daisy:

By day, Daisy Whitney is a producer, on-air correspondent, podcaster and expert in the new media business.

At night, she writes novels for teens and is the author of The Mockingbirds, to be published by Little, Brown in Fall 2010.

Daisy also produces conferences for iMedia and provides strategy consulting to businesses on their online video presence and the online video marketplace.

As a reporter, Daisy specializes in covering Internet video, social networking, YouTube, iTunes and other forms of online and new media distribution of content for a range of multimedia news outlets including NBC’s KNTV, ABCNews.com, Beet.TV, MediaPost and others.

She is one of the first journalists to launch her own online newscast that covers the business of Internet video – the New Media Minute. Her work is regularly read and watched by executives across the television, cable, advertising and Internet businesses. She also hosts the top-ranked iTunes audio podcast “This Week in Media.”

She LOVES talking about books.





Check out:

Daisy's site/blog

Daisy's Book Recommendation site

Daisy on Twitter

Daisy on Facebook



The Mockingbirds arrives from Little, Brown in
Fall 2010


Unfortunately there is no cover available @ the time of this interview. As soon as Daisy sends it my way, it will be posted!