The Book Resort is thrilled to have the charming Dee Garretson over for a little gab.
Dee is one of the incredible 10'ers!
Ready? Let's go!
Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)
DG: I'm outlining another adventure with the same three characters from Escape from Camp David. This one is set in London, a city I love, so it's fun to work out the details.
Me: Spiderman or Superman:
DG: Superman all the way. I always thought Clark Kent was cute in a geeky sort of way.
Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:
DG: Batgirl. I like black clothes.
Me: Chunky or Smooth:
DG: Smooth-makes better peanut butter cookies
Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:
DG: Strawberry Chocolate Chip!!! We have a local ice cream store that has this flavor in the summer and I can't stay away from it.
Me: Favorite ice cream topping:
DG: Dark chocolate syrup
Me: Subway or Taxi:
DG: Subway. I grew up in a small town in Iowa, so when I went to college in the Boston area, one of the first things I did was get on the subway and ride it to the end of the Red line. It was a huge thrill, silly as that sounds. I did the same with the city buses. I had never been on one.
Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:
DG: Movie Theater. Movies are something I couldn't live without.
Me: TiVO or DVR:
DG: DVR.
Me: Favorite vacation place:
DG: Hard question! My latest fascination is scuba diving, so probably anywhere I could dive. I love London as well, though, so it's hard to choose.
Me: Next vacation destination:
DG: It depends on which book I write next. I'll combine research with a vacation.
Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:
DG: I haven't been to New York in a long time, so I don't have one.
Me: Guilty Pleasure:
DG: Buying a stack of hardcover books
Me: Good luck charm:
DG: I don't have one. I'm one of those 'luck is what you make it' sort of person.
Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….
DG: Spy or an archeologist.
Me: Last thing bought at the mall:
DG: I'm not much of a shopper. Hmmm.. Probably clothes for my daughter. She's only nine, so she likes shopping with me, and she has a better fashion sense than I will ever have.
Me: Item on your grocery list:
DG: Coffee, always
Me: French fries or Onion Rings:
DG: French fries-they are another guilty pleasure
Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?
DG: Chicago-Pizzeria Uno
Me: Midnight snack:
DG: Cheese
Me: Bookmark or dog ear?
DG: Neither, I just find the place where I stopped.
Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?
DG: Remove it
Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:
DG: Lake-I'm crazy about water.
Me: Favorite book:
DG: It changes slightly. Today I would say Mary Stewart's The Crystal Cave
Me: Item you can't live without:
DG: I have a satin blanket, the latest in a long line of them I've had since I was a child. I can't sleep well without it.
Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?
DG: T.R. Pearson, who wrote A Short History of a Small Place. Pearson is a brilliant storyteller.
Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?
DG: When I was growing up I was desperate to see the world, so any book set in an exotic place or time was a magnet for me. I loved Mara, Daughter of the Nile, by Eloise McGraw, because of the ancient Egyptian setting, and because Mara was so independent. I also read quite a bit of science fiction, because my older brother would pass on books to me.
Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?
DG: I usually write at my desk, which is next to a window so I can look out. If I'm trying to meet a deadline, I'll take my laptop to the library, so I can focus better. I am easily distracted.
Me: Describe your ideal place to write:
DG: We have a cabin overlooking a lake in Missouri, so when we are there, I like to sit with my laptop where I can look up and see the water.
Me: What are you reading @ the moment?
DG: Sharon Shinn's Twelve Houses fantasy series
Me: Where do you usually read?
DG: On the sofa, preferably with a cat next to me.
Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?
DG: Yes, I'm not happy if I don't read every day, but if I'm very tired, I'll put aside my current book and reread an old favorite.
Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?
DG: I don't usually read nonfiction from cover to cover anymore. Most of the nonfiction I read now is for research. I used to read more biographies, but now, with limited reading for pleasure time, I'll always choose fiction over nonfiction.
Thank you so much, Dee!
About Dee:
I write, and read, and then write some more, in between juggling the rest of life. I live with my husband, two children and two cats in a cluttered house surrounded by semi-wild gardens. A dog is on the wish list (my list, not the cats' list).
I grew up in a small town in Iowa, spending my time outside playing in the woods, or helping my father build his offbeat inventions, and writing stories. When it came time to decide on a college, I thought I would try out city life for a change, and so I moved to Massachusetts to attend Tufts University, where I obtained a degree in International Relations.
Degree in hand, I quickly realized I was not meant to work inside in an office, and because I had become obsessed with plants, I decided to get a degree in Landscape Horticulture, as a way to get back outside. I worked as a landscape designer and taught landscape horticulture classes for several years before returning to writing.
Check out:
Dee's Website
Blog
Kids Adventure Books
Facebook
Escape from Camp David arrives from HarperCollins Children’s Books, Early Fall 2010
Inside flap copy:
The presidential retreat, Camp David, is one of the safest places in the United States. So why can't the President's son, Luke, and his friend Theo stay there without Secret Service agents constantly hovering over them, watching their every move? But what should be a fun summer for Luke, Theo, and Luke’s once-friend Callie suddenly turns deadly when an earthquake sets off a raging wildfire, causing a chain reaction that wrecks havoc on Camp David’s security—and everyone’s safety.
Now, Luke needs a plan
To override the security systems
To save those who were supposed to save him
To get through an impassable gate
To escape Camp David
Back cover copy (this is going to look like an official memo):
TOP SECRET/CONFIDENTIAL
Subject Luke Brockett
Status: Son of President Brockett
Agents Assigned: Adam Martens and Isabelle Keller
Location: Camp David presidential retreat, Maryland
Coordinates: 39°38’54N 77°27’55”W
Mission Statement: To protect the President’s son as he vacations with his friends Theo Ellias and Callie Lansa from physical harm, terrorist threat, and their own curiosity. Subject is highly intelligent, but prone to endangering himself…
Now available for pre~order!
Amazon.Ca
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Resort Chat: Dee Garretson
Friday, November 6, 2009
Resort Chat: Jen Nadol
The Book Resort is thrilled to have the charming Jen Nadol
over for a little dish. Jen is one of the uber amazing tenners.
Ready? Let's go!
Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)
JN: My second book is finished and by the time this posts, will probably be on submission (keep your fingers crossed for me!). Hopefully, I’ll have stopped stalling and started my next project.
Me: Spiderman or Superman:
JN: Superman, I guess.
Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:
JN: Batgirl
Me: Chunky or Smooth:
JN: Chunky
Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:
JN: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Me: Favorite ice cream topping:
JN: Heath Bar
Me: Subway or Taxi:
JN: Taxi, unless I’m flat broke or traffic’s terrible
Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:
JN: Broadway Show. I’m kind of awed by people who can sing.
Me: TiVO or DVR:
JN: Neither
Me: Favorite vacation place:
JN: Just about anywhere in Europe. It always feels like you’ve really gone away when even grocery shopping is an adventure.
Me: Next vacation destination:
JN: No plans L
Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:
JN: SoHo for window-shopping/people-watching
Me: Guilty Pleasure:
JN: American Idol
Me: Good luck charm:
JN: I don’t have one. Never did. I guess I’m not very superstitious.
Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….
JN: veterinarian, writer, air traffic controller, artist…
Me: Last thing bought at the mall:
JN: Mascara
Me: Item on your grocery list:
JN: Yogurt
Me: French fries or Onion Rings:
JN: French Fries
Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?
JN: NY
Me: Midnight snack:
JN: Water
Me: Bookmark or dog ear?
JN: Dog ear. Sorry!
Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?
JN: Remove it.
Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:
JN: Ocean
Me: Favorite book:
JN: Impossible question! Honestly, I left this for last and *still* can’t choose. Maybe A Prayer for Owen Meany? White Oleander? A Secret History?
Me: Item you can't live without:
JN: chapstick
Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?
JN: Alan Glynn. He has only one book, The Dark Fields, but I’ve read it at least three times.
Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?
JN: Definitely Nancy Drew. Also there were two books I found at my grandmother’s house – The Pink Motel and Half Magic – that I read over and over (I’m a big re-reader) and have on my bookshelves even now.
Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?
JN: My office
Me: Describe your ideal place to write:
JN: My office. I can get in the zone almost as soon as I sit at my desk.
Me: What are you reading @ the moment?
JN: Magic Under Glass
Me: Where do you usually read?
JN: In bed
Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?
JN: Never
Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?
JN: No. I only really read narrative non-fiction like A Civil Action or Into Thin Air, which feel just like fiction.
About Jen:
I grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania, hometown of Taylor Swift, John Updike and A.S. King.
This is me in high school. I liked to dye my hair, shop at thrift stores and listen to a lot of Depeche Mode, The Cure, and Erasure. My favorite book was The Stand.
I went to college at American University in Washington DC and graduated with a Lit degree which spent the next twelve years collecting dust while I worked in human resources for a national retail chain.
Now I live north of NYC in an old farmhouse with my husband and three young sons. I still love thrift stores, listen to just about anything from Mozart to My Chemical Romance, and have way too many favorite books to name.
Check out:
Jen Nadol's website
Jen's blog
Jen on Twitter
Jen on Facebook
Goodreads
AuthorsNow
The Tenners
The Mark arrives January 19, 2010
Now available for pre~order!
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books ~A~Million
Borders
Indie
Powell's
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Resort Chat: Chelsea Campbell
The Book Resort is so thrilled to have Chelsea Campbell over for a little chat. Chelsea is one of the incredible tenners.
Ready? Let's go!
Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)
CC: Right now I have a couple projects on submission and am trying to come up with The Best Idea in the World to do for Nano. So far I got nothin'.
Me: Spiderman or Superman:
CC: Spiderman--no question.
Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:
CC: Batgirl! I just read The Killing Joke, and I kind of knew what happened to Barbara, but the way it happened totally caught me off guard.
Me: Chunky or Smooth:
CC: Smooth.
Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:
CC: This is hard! I'm partial to vanilla bean--gotta love those bean chunks--mint cookie, and right now I have peppermint ice cream in the freezer that is awesome. Oh, also birthday cake flavored ice cream and Girl Scout Thin Mints ice cream. It's too hard to pick just one!
Me: Favorite ice cream topping:
CC: Hot fudge!
Me: Subway or Taxi:
CC: Uh... I've never been in a taxi. I used the Metro in Paris, and it was okay, so I guess I'll say subway. Cheap, easy, you don't have to talk to anyone, and there might be people playing accordions for money. An all around win win situation.
Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:
CC: I love the movies and they are a lot more accessible, but OH MAN, if musicals are like crack. It's probably a good thing I don't live in NYC, or I would spend every penny on musicals. They'd try and kick me out, and I'd be all, "No, just... just one more. You gotta let me watch just one more," and they'd be all, "No, ma'am, I think you've had enough for tonight. Do you need me to call someone?"
Me: TiVO or DVR:
CC: Neither of these new fangled devices is part of my new fangled device collection, so neither. I use Hulu, except for Glee, which I HAVE to watch the minute it's on TV. And then I watch it again on Hulu the next day.
Me: Favorite vacation place:
CC: The ocean.
Me: Next vacation destination:
CC: Disneyland! My cousin works there. I can get the hook up.
Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:
CC: I've never been!
Me: Guilty Pleasure:
CC: Playing Word Challenge on fb.
Me: Good luck charm:
CC: Okay, don't tell anyone, but I have a lucky Inu-Yasha UFO catcher.
Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….
CC: A writer, lol. In between dreams of becoming a marine biologist so I could swim with dolphins (I wanted to swim with dolphins SO BAD), becoming a paleontologist (I decided to set this dream aside as a kid because I thought all the dinosaur bones would already be discovered by the time I grew up), and for about five seconds I wanted to be an acrobat.
Me: Last thing bought at the mall:
CC: A movie ticket.
Me: Item on your grocery list:
CC: I just went! I got Halloween colored Oreos. I was going to get mint, but these ones are boo-rific, it says so on the packaging, and I'm a sucker for holiday stuff.
Me: French fries or Onion Rings:
CC: Fries, but I do love a good onion ring. And fried mushrooms, mmm....
Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?
CC: In my face. Stuffed. NOM.
Me: Midnight snack:
CC: Bananas and milk.
Me: Bookmark or dog ear?
CC: BOOKMARK. Dog earing should be illegal.
Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?
CC: With. I never thought about removing it.
Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:
CC: Ocean!
Me: Favorite book:
CC: I have so many! At the moment, my favorite book is Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver.
Me: Item you can't live without:
CC: My laptop. It has an inscription engraved on it that says: OMNIA MEA MECUM PORTO. Which is Latin for "all that is mine, I carry with me." I picked that saying because I use my computer so much and it has my whole world inside it, but also the original meaning of the phrase is that everything that is truly you is inside you, and even if you move or lose all your stuff or your friends and you're all alone, the things that make you YOU are still there. I like to try and remember that.
Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?
CC: Me. LOL. Um, an author that comes to mind is Lois Tilton. She wrote this awesome book called Written in Venom. It's the story of Loki, told from his POV, of how he ended up trapped in the cave with the snake's venom dripping on him. He's writing his memoir in the snake's venom, because he doesn't have any ink. I think--it's been a while since I read it, but I remember it being really good.
Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?
CC: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. My mom used to read that book to me a lot. I can't pinpoint exactly how it's influenced me, but the books I read and the movies I watched as a kid definitely got ingrained in my brain. Another favorite was Patricia C. Wrede's The Enchanted Forest Chronicles. I LOVED talking dragons, and Cimorene was my kind of heroine.
Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?
CC: Usually squashed up on the couch or in a corner on the floor somewhere. I move around a lot when writing, especially if I get frustrated. I find if I change locations that sometimes helps me reboot my brain a little and work past whatever's frustrating me.
Me: Describe your ideal place to write:
CC: Honestly, I really like my green couch. It's only a two seater, but it's perfect if you have it all to yourself and lounge on it so you take up the whole thing.
Me: What are you reading @ the moment?
CC: Are We There Yet? by David Levithan. It's good so far--I'm definitely more of a Danny than an Elijah. Also I can't help but picture Danny and Elijah looking like Nathan and Peter from Heroes.
Me: Where do you usually read?
CC: On my beanbag or on the couch. As long as my computer is out of reach, I can get a lot of reading done. :P Actually, the best way to read is with a cat sitting on you, because then I don't want to disturb them, so instead of getting up to check my e-mail a million times, I sit and read for hours.
Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?
CC: I used to, all through high school, but now I usually only read one at a time. Partially I think because I'm a slower reader than I used to be.
Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?
CC: If by "in a different way" you mean get about halfway through and then never seem to be able to get any farther, then yes, yes I do. Seriously, I haven't finished a non-fiction book in YEARS. I think the last one I finished was probably Donald Maass' Writing the Breakout Novel, which was awesome, btw. Some people love it, some people snub it, but that book changed my life, and what I learned from it is a big part of why I have a writing career.
About Chelsea:
Chelsea Campbell grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where it rains a lot. And then rains some more. She finished her first novel when she was twelve, sent it out, and promptly got rejected. Since then she’s written many more novels, earned a degree in Latin and Ancient Greek, become an obsessive knitter and fiber artist, and started a collection of glass grapes. As a kid, Chelsea read lots of adult books, but now that she’s an adult herself (at least according to her driver’s license), she loves books for kids and teens. Besides writing, studying ancient languages, and collecting useless objects, Chelsea is a pop culture fangirl at heart and can often be found rewatching episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, leveling up in World of Warcraft, or spending way too much time on Livejournal and Facebook.
Check out:
Chelsea's website
Chelsea on Twitter
Chelsea on Facebook
Chelsea's on Goodreads
Chelsea's Shelfari
Chelsea's Livejournal
The Tenners
The Rise of Renegade X arrives May 11th, 2010
Now available for pre~order!
Borders
Indie
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Resort Chat: Jessica Leader
Jessica is one of the incredible tenners.
Ready? Here we go!
Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)
JL: Realistic YA. An unnamed narrator tries to get over the memories of a terrible accident during a summer in the woods.
Me: Spiderman or Superman:
JL: Spiderman. Swinging from building to building would fulfill my lifelong dream of travelling by zip-line.
Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:
Can I say Catwoman? I liked her long red hair in the 70's TV show version.
Me: Chunky or Smooth:
JL: Chunky.
Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:
JL: Ooh. Tough. Have to go with Ben and Jerry's Mint Oreo.
Me: Favorite ice cream topping:
JL: Nothing, actually, I like to appreciate the tastes separately.
Me: Subway or Taxi:
JL: Subway. Much better people-watching.
Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:
JL: Broadway show, especially if someone else is paying!
Me: TiVO or DVR:
JL: Pardon me while I wait for everybody I know to finish laughing. I'm low-tech. I don't like to throw things away. I have a VCR/DVD player.
Me: Favorite vacation place:
JL: The beach. Any beach.
Me: Next vacation destination:
JL: The Galapagos Islands, I hope!
Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:
JL: Anyplace in the East Village. Even if it's not so hot, I love it there.
Me: Guilty Pleasure:
JL: Chocolate-covered malt balls.
Me: Good luck charm:
JL: A washer I wore around my neck in high school.
Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….
JL: Garbage collector, because, quote, "I want to see how people live."
Me: Last thing bought at the mall:
JL: Hm. Shoes for my wedding?
Me: Item on your grocery list:
JL: Shaving cream. Not to eat, but I keep forgetting to buy it at the drug store, so let's hope I remember to snag a can at the grocery.
Me: French fries or Onion Rings:
JL: Definitely French Fries.
Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?
JL: Every question like this is answered with New York.
Me: Midnight snack:
JL: Frosted mini-wheats.
Me: Bookmark or dog ear?
JL: Alas, dog ear.
Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?
JL: Read with! Otherwise, I'd have to dog-ear.
Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:
JL: Ocean.
Me: Favorite book:
JL: Toughie! Enduring favorites include The Secret History, by Donna Tart, and The Boy Book by E. Lockhart.
Me: Item you can't live without:
JL: Pilot precise roller-ball pens.
Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?
JL: Myself. Ha, just kidding. I don't know who people have or haven't heard of, so I'll go with answer #1, for kicks.
Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?
JL: All the ones where the kids were orphans or in boarding school, because they made life sound so cool!
Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?
JL: My office.
Me: Describe your ideal place to write:
JL: Facing a bulletin board of postcards and photos; warm outdoor light; lots of space to spread out; a mirror nearby so I can see if that's really a zit without actually leaving the room.
Me: What are you reading @ the moment?
JL: Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster; What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami.
Me: Where do you usually read?
JL: On the page. Oh, the wit.
Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?
JL: Never. Oh, wait (see above.)
Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?
JL: Hm. Probably more often with a pencil nearby, for underlining, but that may be it.
Thank you so much, Jessica, for the fun interview. Oh, do you have an extra black Pilot precise roller-ball pen?
About Jessica:
Jessica Leader grew up in New York City. Like the characters in Nice and Mean, she had many important conversations in the stairwells of her school and on the cross-town bus. In high school, she won a playwriting contest that led to her play being produced all over the country. She earned her undergraduate degree from Brown University and her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. In between those two events, she taught English and drama, first in New York and then in Louisville, Kentucky. Nice and Mean is her first novel. For more information, go to www.jessicaleader.com.
Check out:
Jessica 's website is currently under construction aka not ready yet ;p.
Live Journal
Nice and Mean arrives June 8, 2010
Marina is mean. Sachi is nice. Marina is Barney's. Sachi is Burlington Coat Factory. It's bad enough that they have to coexist in video class—but now they're being forced to work together on the big semester project. Marina's goal? Expose her wanna-be BFF as a giant kiss-up to the entire middle school. Sachi's goal? Prove that she's not just another honor-roll Indian student and broaden her classmates' cultural horizons. Work together in harmony? Yeah, that would be no. How can Sachi film something meaningful, and Marina, something fabulous, if they're yoked to each other?
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Resort Chat: Heidi R. Kling
The Book Resort is thrilled to have Heidi R. Kling over for a little chat. Heidi is one of the fantastic tenners.
Ready? Let's go!
Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)
HRK: A fantasy book that is a proposed trilogy. It involves magic and surfing. I hope to announce good news very soon.
Me: Spiderman or Superman:
HRK: Spiderman. Hands down.
Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:
HRK: Are we talking Underoos? Then the answer is Supergirl.
Me: Chunky or Smooth:
HRK: Peanut butter? Smooth.
Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:
HRK: Chocolate chocolate chip.
Me: Favorite ice cream topping:
HRK: Hot fudge.
Me: Subway or Taxi:
HRK: Taxi. Though Jon Skovron said he's making me take the subway when I visit New York.
Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:
HRK: I love both!
Me: TiVO or DVR:
HRK: Had and loved my TiVo. Now I have a DVR. They have revolutionized TV viewing.
Me: Favorite vacation place:
HRK: Anywhere with my family.
Me: Next vacation destination:
HRK: We just got back from Disneyland. I'm going to New York in December. I love to travel. Have wheels, must roll, right?
Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:
HRK: Anywhere writers are hanging out.
Me: Guilty Pleasure:
HRK: I'll never tell.
Me: Good luck charm:
HRK: My butterfly necklace.
Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….
HRK: Writer.
Me: Last thing bought at the mall:
HRK: A four cup Cuisanart coffee maker. My espresso machine was possessed momentarily and I needed a quick fix.
Me: Item on your grocery list:
HRK: Organic things.
Me: French fries or Onion Rings:
HRK: Neither. But if I have to choose, French fries. I loathe onions.
Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?
HRK: Neither. I like California pizza. =)
Me: Midnight snack:
HRK: Water.
Me: Bookmark or dog ear?
HRK: Dog ear though it's a bad habit.
Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?
HRK: Read with.
Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:
HRK: Yes please! Oh you want me to choose. Ocean of course, then mountain, then desert, then lake.
Me: Favorite book:
HRK: To Kill A Mockingbird popped to mind. I like books that inspire as well as entertain.
Me: Item you can't live without:
HRK: My husband and kids.
Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?
HRK: William Shakespeare. Wait. Have you heard of him?
Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?
HRK: Everything by Judy Blume.
Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?
HRK: Home in my kitchen (Yes, my desktop is in my kitchen) or on my bed with my laptop. I also like writing in coffee shops. I drafted all of Jade (my fantasy) at Starbucks. I also like to write while traveling. Parts of SEA (coincidentally the steamiest parts) were written while traveling in the South of France and in Paris.
Me: Describe your ideal place to write:
HRK: Anyplace with coffee where my kids aren't. =)
Me: What are you reading @ the moment?
HRK: The Secret Year. A Tenner ARC by Jennifer Hubbard. It's fantastic.
Me: Where do you usually read?
HRK: In bed, on the couch, in the bathtub. I don't have time to read as much as I'd like, but I do what I can.
Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?
HRK: Yes. I abandon books halfway through a lot because I forget to go back to them. My house looks like a YA bookstore. I have so many gorgeous hardcover books. I love to support my local indies and all my friends. I swear I buy so many books that I don't have time to read. Oh well, in the nursing home I'll have plenty to do!
Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?
HRK: I don't read much nonfiction. I have so little time to read I save that for fiction mostly YA, mostly written by my friends. =)
Thanks so much for having me!
Thank you, Heidi!
FYI, Heidi is the co-moderator/creator of The Tenners.
About Heidi:
Born and raised in California, I grew up all over the Golden State, changing schools every few years as my parents moved searching for the ‘ideal’ spot to raise their family. From very early on, I discovered a love of writing and creating—whether my words were in the forms of songs or poems or neighborhood plays. Even if I was at a brand new school, I always felt at home putting pen or marker or crayon to paper.
In high school I discovered acting and was cast in the role of the whimsical Clarisse in the spring production of Fahrenheit 451, a dystopian story of a world without books; a bleak and disturbing future where books are banned—burned by fireman—and preserved only through people’s memories.
This story changed the way I viewed life and I decided I wanted to be a writer. For real.
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SEA arrives June 1oth 2010.
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Monday, November 2, 2009
Resort Chat: Kay Cassidy
Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)
KC: I'm working on book two in the Cinderella Society series. Book 1 is just the beginning of the Cindys vs. Wickeds battle for Jess and the Cindys. :-)
Me: Spiderman or Superman:
KC: I'd have to say Superman. Flying is seriously cool.
Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:
KC: Definitely Wonder Woman. Bracelets that can fend off bullets? That's pretty darn awesome.
Me:Chunky or Smooth:
KC: Smoooooooth.
Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:
KC: Chocolate chip or cookies and cream. Although I'm a big fan of mint chocolate chip when I'm not feeling well.
Me: Favorite ice cream topping:
KC: Hot fudge. Mmm...
Me:Subway or Taxi:
KC: That's a tough one. Depending on the city, it could be either. Boston and Chicago? Subway, for sure. Probably Atlanta too. NYC would be a toss-up though... depends on how far you're going and what time of day. (And whether I have a native with me to help me navigate the subway system so I don't end up somewhere in New Jersey.)
Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:
KC: Movie theater. I saw Phantom of the Opera in San Francisco and Beauty and the Beast in Atlanta. I loved them both. But there are so many movies that I never get to see. Going to the theater is such a nice treat.
Me: TiVO or DVR:
KC: DVR. How did I ever live without this???
Me: Favorite vacation place:
KC: Our favorite vacation spots were San Juan and Grand Cayman. Sun, relaxation and water. I'm a Pisces, so water is a very soothing thing for me. If I'm on vacation, R&R is the core of my game plan.
Me: Next vacation destination:
KC: Hmm... not including visits to family? I actually have no idea! LOL
Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:
KC: I'm not much of a NYC gal, so I'll just say wherever my agent thinks is good. :-)
Me: Guilty Pleasure:
KC: Is it sad to say reading? I have piles of books that I've bought this summer, but feel guilty reading them because my deadline is rapidly approaching. It's the old "If I have time to read, I have time to work." I'm really looking forward to getting The Cinderella Society book 2 wrapped up and off to my editor so I can enjoy lots of guilt-free reading time.
Me: Good luck charm:
KC: My wedding ring. :-)
Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….
KC: MANY things, including (but not limited to): a bacterial epidemiologist, the CFO of a major corporation, an attorney, a business teacher, an actress. I can't remember in which order those occurred, but those were all from elementary school through high school.
Me: Last thing bought at the mall:
KC: Oh gosh, I don't know if I even remember. The nearest mall is 45 minutes away, so it's really (REALLY) rare that I go shopping there. I can tell you the last thing I bought in a store though. BOOKS. :-)
Me: Item on your grocery list:
KC: Currently: AAA batteries (rechargeable), skim milk, yogurt, Thomas blueberry bagels. Golden Oreos are not on the list, but a bag will inevitably find its way into my cart. I think it's magic.
Me: French fries or Onion Rings:
KC: Onion rings. Fries are wonderful, but I adore onion rings... especially at Steak 'n Shake. SO good.
Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?
KC: Both? I love pizza of any style (except crispy thin crust). Mostly it's about the sauce for me though. I like a mild sauce with just a hint of sweetness. If it's too spicy, it's not for me.
Me: Midnight snack:
KC: Hot cocoa. I have this every night while I'm winding down before bed. Made with skim milk not water and Nestle Quik syrup not Hershey's. I'm apparently very picky about my hot cocoa. (Which, btw, I always called hot chocolate growing up. I think I started calling it hot cocoa when we lived down South. I'm not really sure how that happened.)
Me: Bookmark or dog ear?
KC: Bookmark. Most of my fiction books are in pristine condition. And I never write in general non-fiction books either. If they have quizzes and what-not, I always do them on a separate piece of paper. My writing craft books, however, are the exception.
Those get dog-eared and highlighted to my heart's content. :-)
Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?
KC: Usually with, unless I'm outside with it or traveling and have to pack it in a suitcase.
Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:
KC: Really anything but the desert. I love water, but I love the view of mountains as well. So maybe... a cabin on the lake with mountains as the backdrop?
Me: Favorite book:
KC:Oh my gosh... too many to name! I will say that two great books I've read this year are WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead and LIFE AS WE KNEW IT by Susan Beth Pfeffer.
Me: Item you can't live without:
KC: My laptop, definitely.
Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?
KC: Hmm, another toughie. I don't think I have one!
Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?
KC: THE WESTING GAME by Ellen Raskin was my favorite book growing up. Not because it made a difference in my life per se, but because it made me fall in love with reading for pleasure (and also with mysteries).
Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?
KC: First drafts usually happen in my home office, I line edit on hard copy in my serenity room (aka my library), and I brainstorm on the screened porch. But I tend to think of my home office as my work room.
Me: Describe your ideal place to write:
KC: My own little home office with a door. I didn't have a door on my home office in our last house (my office was our formal dining room - we're not really formal dining room kind of people). :-) It made it very difficult to write, especially on weekends. Too many lovely distractions!
Me: What are you reading @ the moment?
KC: HEX HALL by Rachel Hawkins (my fellow Tenner and agent mate)
Me: Where do you usually read?
KC: My serenity room. It has my favorite recliner for reading, my favorite throw, and all of my favorite books.
Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?
KC: I'm usually reading something fiction and non-fiction at the same time. (Well, not AT the same time, but you know what I mean.) :-) I tend to finish a fiction book once I start it or set it aside permanently and read something new if it's not really my speed. But I might jump around a bit and have a few non-fiction books I'm working my way through at any given point.
Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?
KC: No, pretty much the same. I especially like reading non-fiction in my serenity room because it's a wonderful space for contemplating new ideas.
About Kay:
Well, for starters… unlike some writers, I wasn’t born with a pencil in my hand. Yes, I went through a phase of writing two-page mysteries when I was eight where characters had names like Mary Alice Higgenbotham and the villain was occasionally a cat. But aside from that brief attack of the writing bug, I didn’t really start writing until I was in my early . (That’s French for “older than I’m admitting here”.) Which just goes to show that you’re never too old to learn something new.
In my younger days, I was a pretty normal girl. Boy crazy since kindergarten, I think I had my first “boyfriend” in fourth grade. Dates back then consisted of meeting at the roller rink (wheels had just been invented) and grabbing the combs out of each other’s back pockets. Très romantic, I know. I was also obsessed with makeovers. There’s just something magical about the idea of reinventing yourself, isn’t there?
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The Cinderella Society arrives April 13, 2010.
Now available for pre-order!
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Books ~A~Million
Isn't this cover gorgeous? It is definitely stunning! I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!
The cover alone is a breakout star!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Resort Chat: Josh Berk
JB: I'm working on my second YA book for Knopf. If all goes as planned it will come out just about one year after the first one, so put it on your February 2011 calendar! (What, you don't have one yet??) It's similar to the first book in that it has a lot of comedy mixed with a murder but it's different in a lot of ways. The basic plot is about a high school forensics club who finds a dead body. Let the hilarity begin!
Me: Spiderman or Superman:
JB: Spiderman, but mainly because I really like Peter Parker, especially in the old comics and cartoons. He was always neurotic and dorky, so growing up I really identified with him.
Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:
JB: I'm going to go with Wonder Woman because once I dressed up as her when I was in a rock band that liked to wear costumes. Please don't ask to see pictures.
Me: Chunky or Smooth:
JB: Smoove.
Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:
JB: I object to this question on the grounds of lactose intolerance.
Me: Favorite ice cream topping:
JB: See above.
Me: Subway or Taxi:
JB: Do I prefer the TV show Taxi or the restaurant Subway? What an odd question ... Oh, wait. I get it. I don't get to NYC very often & I'm easily confused so when I visit the city I splurge on the taxi. My friends who live in the city are always like "it's easy, you just take the E uptown then cross the platform and take the 1 or the 9, blink your eyes and spin around three times and you're there!" I'm like "taxi."
Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:
JB: I don't get out much. I do like movies though and generally am sort of creeped out by musical theater. Not sure why that is.
Me: TiVo or DVR:
JB: I'm familiar with what these things are, but only in a vague and general sense.
Me: Favorite vacation place:
JB: I think I'd go to Maui every year if I could. As it is I've been once. And, yes, I found the secret naked red sand beach.
Me: Next vacation destination:
JB: My life revolves around my kids these days so probably the zoo? Sesame Place? Probably not the naked red sand beach.
Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:
JB: Is the New York Public Library a hotspot? I love that place!
Me: Guilty Pleasure:
JB: I eat a lot of candy. I don't actually feel guilty about it, but I probably should.
Me: Good luck charm:
JB: I always wanted to be the kind of person who had a lucky penny or a good luck hat or something, but I kept losing them. I pretty much lose or break everything I own. So no good luck charms for me. Possibly I need one.
Me: When you were a young boy, you thought you would grow up to be a….
JB: Very young: baseball player. Somewhat older: author. Teenager/college student: rock star. And then back to author. I'm still holding on to baseball player as a possibility.
Me: Last thing bought at the mall:
JB: I bought fancy pants to wear to meet my editor in New York. Don't tell her I shopped to impress her. But yeah, I did. The pants are really quite fancy.
Me: Item on your grocery list:
JB: Chicken nuggets, milk, goldfish crackers, diapers.
Me: French fries or Onion Rings:
JB: Onion Rings are for special occasions. French fries are day-to-day.
Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?
JB: Pizza bagels.
Me: Midnight snack:
JB: Pizza bagels.
Me: Bookmark or dog ear?
JB: Pizza bagels. Oh wait, I mean bookmark! I usually read library books so would never dog ear!
Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?
JB: People take the dustjacket off? What about the dust!? Those people are weird.(Sorry if you are one.)
Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:
JB: I like mountains if I don't actually have to, you know, climb them.
Me: Favorite book:
JB: Hardest question ever! It changes all the time & is usually whatever I'm reading at the moment.
Me: Item you can't live without:
JB: I'm fairly addicted to my Macbook. Would it be weird if again mentioned pizza bagels?
Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?
JB: Well people have all probably heard of him because he was in a band and then ran for governor of Texas, but I think more people need to read the works of Kinky Friedman. His books are hilarious mysteries and at times rather wise. I think so anyway.
Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?
JB: The Chronicles of Narnia made me want to be a writer, specifically of books about talking animals and swordsmen. I have failed thus far on working any of these into my books. I didn't really read "teen books" (did those even exist in the '90s? I guess so) but then discovered Kurt Vonnegut in high school. Like so many of us, he was my first and greatest inspiration. I met him once! Remains a highlight of my life.
Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?
JB: I used to write a lot at coffee shops with a notebook but now I mostly write in my basement while the boy naps upstairs.
Me: Describe your ideal place to write:
JB: I don't think I'm very much impacted by the outside world while I write so it doesn't matter all that much to me. If it's a good writing day the surroundings are more or less irrelevant. Also I'm used to writing with distractions so it doesn't even need to be quiet or clean or pretty or anything. But ideally it would be a place with lots of coffee within reach. That said, I wouldn't mind writing with the Macbook on that naked beach in Maui.
Me: What are you reading @ the moment?
JB: The Spectacular Now, American Rust, and The Lightning Thief to name a few.
Me: Where do you usually read?
JB: On the couch, but I also like to carry books around and read random places like while filling my tank at the gas station.
Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?
JB: Yes, I always am reading eight books at once and often also listening to one in the car. I don't actually recommend it. (The eight at once, that is. Audio books in the car I definitely do recommend! Am big fan.)
Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?
JB: Not really "different" in regards to place or any literal way. But becoming a writer of fiction has made me look at fiction a lot 2more critically. It's actually a downside of becoming a writer; it's a bit harder to get swept up in the story like I used to while studying the language and plot for something I can steal, uh, I mean, "learn from." I have no aspirations to write non-fiction so I can just sort of read and not analyze. I like books about music and musicians and also biographies of U.S. presidents for some nerdy reason.
About Josh:
Josh was born in Bethlehem, PA in 1976.
I am the child of two librarians! I didn't really ever think I'd be an author, but I always loved books. Some of my favorite authors as a kid were C.S. Lewis and Lloyd Alexander. In high school I discovered Kurt Vonnegut who remains one of my favorites. Later I became fascinated with authors like Jack Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson, Charles Bukowski, and Tom Robbins. I didn't study literature in school, but I did (of course) take a job as a librarian after college. I then went to grad school and studied young adult literature at the University of Pittsburgh. I got really excited about all the fantastic things going on in YA and started writing my own. A few years of blood, sweat, and tears later, I now am able to see these books on the shelves! I have also published poems and written for newspapers, but I love fiction best of all! Making stuff up is clearly what I was born to do.
JB: Thanks for the fun questions, Diane!
Dr. Patrick Drake: I'm sorry, Josh, Diane is unable to speak @ the moment due to a few cracked ribs she acquired from laughing so hard during this interview.
Nurse Epiphany Johnson: I'm sure she'd thank you but she also has a case of laryngitis caused by your natural witticisms.
Spinelli: The Curly Diva is beyond bounds with gratitude most jovial scribe!
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AuthorsNow!
The 10ers
THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN
by Josh Berk
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
February 9, 2010
Cover art by Philippe Petit-Roulet.
THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN tells the hilarious story of Will Halpin, an overweight deaf teen who spends his first year at a mainstream high school looking for love, failing Algebra, unraveling the school's social scene, trying to get invited to the greatest party ever … and, oh yeah, solving a murder.
Available February 9th 2010!
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Author Photo by Olaf Starorypinski
