We speed into the blog tour home-stretch with Jon Skovron, aka jonnyskov !

Jon Skovron is an insatiable music geek who can play eight instruments, but none of them well. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, has lived all over the US, and now resides with his wife and two sons in Washington, DC. His short stories and reviews have appeared in publications like Jim Baen's Universe and Internet Review of Science Fiction. Struts and Frets is his first novel.



More than anything, Sammy wants to play guitar in a famous indie rock band. The problem is that his front man is a jerk who can't sing, his bassist is a burn-out who can't remember the songs, and his drummer is just out to lunch. But Sammy needs this band because it's the only good thing he's got going. His father skipped out before he was born, his mother is an overworked therapist with a drinking problem, his grandfather is slowly losing his mind to Alzheimer's, and the girl of his dreams is dating his jerk lead singer.


So Jon...

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Well, I generally think time travel is a really bad idea, and there's a whole cannon of books, comics, movies, and television that will back me up on this. But if I could be absolutely sure that it wouldn't disrupt the space-time continuum, I would say to take it a little easier and make sure your work doesn't get in the way of your life.

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

A musician.

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

Some wine and a quiet evening with my wife, just gushing about it.


Well, you'll always be a rock star to the Debs, Jon. Thanks!

More about Jon Skovron here.

Order Struts and Frets here or here.

Bye!

Today, please welcome the marvelous lkmadigan

L.K. Madigan is a writer living in Portland, Oregon, who finds it odd to speak in the third person. Therefore:
Hi. I am married with one son, two big black dogs, hundreds of books, and a couple of beaters, I mean vintage cars.

Fifteen-year-old Blake has a girlfriend and a friend who's a girl. One of them loves him, the other one needs him.

When he snapped a picture of a street person for his photography homework, Blake never dreamed that the woman in the photo was his friend Marissa's long-lost meth addicted mom.

In a tangle of life, death, and love, Blake will emerge with a more sharply defined snapshot of loyalty.


And as for my questionnez dujour:

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Trust that the journey will take you exactly where you’re supposed to go.

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

A librarian!

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

My husband bought me flowers and chocolates!

And when I got my advance money, I bought a fancy pen. It feels really solid and authorial. :-)


Flowers, chocolate, and a good, solid pen. Sounds like a writer's emergency pack!

More about LK Madigan here.

Order Flash Burnout here or here.

Till we meet again!

Here's another cool chick I just adore. It's Kristina Springer kspringer!

Kristina Springer has a Bachelor of Arts in English Education from Illinois State University and a Master of Arts in Writing from DePaul University. Her first novel, THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, was published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux on October 27, 2009. Her second novel, MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS, also from FSG, will be published in the fall of 2010. She lives in a suburb of Chicago, IL with her husband Athens and their four small children Teegan, Maya, London, and Gavin.



What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?


Oooohhhkay, I know you all can't wait...

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Love what you write because you're going to read this book like 900 times before it hits the shelves.

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

Work at Starbucks and drink myself silly on a daily basis. Okay, really I'd probably keep teaching college courses. That's what I was doing up until I sold. And I'd get a side job at Starbucks.

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

Nothing. I suck. I promise I'll celebrate the release day though! :-)


LIAR! You do not suck, Kristina. That is an impossibility and an affront to nature. You rock the party.

Find out more about Kristina Springer here.

Order The Espressologist here or here.

Knock Knock! Who's there? It's laurenbjorkman!


Lauren Bjorkman grew up on a sailboat, sharing the forecastle with her sister and the sail bags. Against all odds, they are still friends. She enjoys making things up, chocolate in large quantities, and anything that makes her laugh. She lives in Taos, New Mexico with her husband, two sons, and a cat that plays fetch.



Roz and Eva are sisters, close friends, and fierce rivals. Roz fantasizes about snagging the lead in the school play and sexy skate god Bryan as her boyfriend. Sadly a few obstacles stand between her and her dreams. For one, Eva is the more talented actress. And Bryan happens to be Eva’s boyfriend. But is Eva having a secret love affair with a girl? Enquiring minds need to know.

Roz prides herself on random acts of insanity. In one such act, she invents a girlfriend of her own to encourage Eva to open up. The plan backfires, and Roz finds herself neck deep in her invented life. When Roz meets a mercurial boy with a big problem, she begins to understand the complex feelings beneath the labels. And she gets a second chance to earn Eva’s trust.

My Invented Life is set in a small California high school during rehearsals for a Shakespeare comedy.


So...

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Ack! Only one? Read everything new in your genre, and then some!!!

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

A playwright? A screen-writer? Oh. Those are writing careers, too. I worked almost ten years as a soil conservationist for the USDA in Honolulu, and enjoyed it. I'd love a career that involved travel. A translator maybe?

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

After it sunk in (which took awhile), I called everyone who'd supported me along the way :D

Thanks, Kristin!


A sailboat? Seriously? You are SO COOL! Thank you, Lauren!


More about Lauren Bjorkman here.

Order My Invented Life here or here.

Catch ya on the flip-side.

Today we hear from megancrewe!

Like many fiction authors, Megan Crewe finds writing about herself much more difficult than making things up. A few definite facts: she lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and two cats (and does on occasion say "eh"), she tutors children and teens with special needs, and she has yet to make friends with a ghost, though she welcomes the opportunity.



Cass McKenna much prefers the company of ghosts over "breathers." Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody... and Cass loves dirt. She's on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.

But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass's whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.

As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim's life, she's surprised to realize he's not so bad--and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it's time to give the living another chance...


So spill, Megan...

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

1. Keep at it, and don't be afraid to try new things.

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

2. A counselor of some sort, probably with kids and/or teens.

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

3. Ordered in Thai food (which we rarely get because my husband's not so keen on it), played video games, and generally relaxed and enjoyed myself. :)


More Thai! I think it's some kind of author-ly nectar. Yummy. Thanks, Megan!

More about Megan Crewe here.

Order Give Up the Ghost here or here.

Up next is the lovely pambachorz!

Pam Bachorz grew up in a small town in the Adirondack foothills, where she participated in every possible performance group and assiduously avoided any threat of athletic activity. Pam attended college in Boston and finally decided she was finished after earning four degrees. Her mother is not happy that Pam’s degrees are stored under her bed.

Pam lives just outside Washington, with her husband and their son. She likes to read books not aimed at her age group, go to museums and theater performances, and watch far too much television. She even goes jogging. Reluctantly.

As far as she knows, Pam has never been brainwashed. Or maybe that’s just what she’s supposed to say.



Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he’s found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He’s got them all fooled: Oscar’s the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he’s made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar falls in love. He must choose whether to let Nia be lost to brainwashing—or to sacrifice himself.


Hey, Pam!

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Psst. Stick with the YA stuff. It's your strength.

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

If I weren't writing, I think I would still be creating. Maybe I'd take sculpting classes, or sketching classes. Who knows if I'd be decent, but it would satisfying the creative itch.

As for career, like many writers I have a whole other career outside of writing. I've been doing that longer than I've been writing seriously, at least as an adult.

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

It's funny, the news about a book deal comes in little spurts, and then you're not quite sure when to celebrate--at least, if you're as superstitious as me. You hear about the deal but the contract's not signed, so should you celebrate? The contract's signed but the book's not in print, so should you celebrate? etc. I feel like I missed out on a lot of celebrating because I was too disbelieving that it was all real. So now I make a point of celebrating every happy writing event. When CANDOR comes out as an actual BOOK, I am going to be sure to at least share a nice bottle of wine with friends and hopefully do more. Must. Find. A. Sitter...


Yes, you MUST CELEBRATE! Party on. Thanks, Pam!

More about Pam Bachorz here.

Order Candor here or here.

Here we go with Kate Messner, aka kmessner!

Kate Messner grew up in Medina, New York and graduated from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Communication with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. She worked as a television news producer and reporter in Syracuse, NY and then Burlington, VT, before going back to school to get a teaching degree. These days, Kate is a National Board Certified middle school English teacher. She has helped hundreds of kids work on leaf collection projects and likes sugar maples and catalpa leaves the best. Kate lives on Lake Champlain with her husband and kids and loves spending time in the woods.

Gianna Zales has a lot on her plate this fall – a father who drives her to school in the family hearse, a mother who’s turned into the junk food police, a little brother who thinks he’s a member of the paparazzi, and a grandmother who leaves false teeth in the refrigerator. Worst of all, she’s left her 7th grade leaf collection to do at the last minute. It’s a monster project, and Gianna will miss cross-country sectionals if she doesn’t meet the deadline. She’ll need the help of her geeky friend, Zig, and some brilliant ideas of her own to pull it off.


Well, Kate, get ready for the wringer:

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Probably to relax, read more, hone the craft, and don't worry so much about submitting just yet. And to enjoy the journey - but I've definitely done that!

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

Well, I'm sort of cheating on this one because I have two careers. I'm also a middle school English teacher and love that job as much as I love writing. After all, I get to spend my days reading and writing with kids!

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

We went out for Thai food at Phaya Thai in Montreal. They have a spicy chili shrimp dish that is unbelievable, so it was a great way to celebrate!


Mmmmm....Thai food...nom nom. Thanks for being here, Kate!

More about Kate Messner here.

Order The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. here or here.

Ciao!

Get ready for another repeat customer, sydney_salter!

Sydney Salter's fascination with Mayan culture started when she was six years old and climbed down a steep, dimly lit stone staircase to the elaborately carved tomb of King Pacal who had once ruled Palenque. Visiting Mayan ruins, walking through fragrant Mexican market places, watching women wash clothes in a river, and chasing lizards in the jungle ignited the spark in Sydney's imagination that led to writing Jungle Crossing. Sydney now lives in Utah with her husband, two daughters, two cats, and two dogs. She loves reading, writing, cooking, and traveling—especially to Mexico where she can explore ancient Mayan ruins and swim in underground rivers.





Thirteen-year-old Kat can think of dozens of good reasons not to go on a boring family vacation to hot, grungy Mexico. Number one: missing her friend Fiona's minicamp. If she's not there, she'll begin eighth grade as a social reject. And it looks like she's the odd girl out on vacation, too. When Kat's parents arrange for her and her younger sister, Barb, to go on a teen adventure tour, Barb makes more friends than she does. The only person who will talk to Kat is Nando, a young Mayan guide (who happens to be quite a cutie). Each day as they travel to different Mayan ruins, Nando tells Kat and Barb another installment in the original legend of Muluc, a girl who lived in the time of the Ancient Maya. The dangerous, dramatic world in which Muluc lives is as full of rivalry, betrayal, jealousy, and sacrifice as Kat's world at school. And as she makes new friends and discovers new treasures in Mexico, Kat begins to wonder: Is she willing to keep sacrificing her self in exchange for popularity?


Here's what Sydney said, in case you missed it the first time around.

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Learn to love revision--it's the key to producing a publishable novel.

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

Oh, I've done this many times. I'll be a historian--and then I can write historical novels. I'll be a psychologist--and then I'll write novels. I'll run a bed-and-breakfast--and then I'll write novels. I just want to write novels!

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

My book deal happened on my way to the SCBWI LA conference so that night I celebrated with my fellow Regional Advisors. (Very fun). Two days later my husband met me in the hotel bar with champagne! (Very romantic!)


More about Sydney Salter here.

Order Jungle Crossing here or here.

Today, we welcome back cyntheaLiu for round two!

Cynthea Liu spent her formative years in Oklahoma and Texas where she was a Whiz Quiz member, an Academic Decathloner, and a spelling bee champion. (Yes, she was very popular.) After attending college on the East coast, she worked at a corporate job where she mastered PowerPoint and racked up thousands of frequent flyer miles. Eventually, she traded in her suit for sweats to do the fun stuff–writing for children. In addition to PARIS PAN TAKES THE DARE and THE GREAT CALL OF CHINA, Cynthea's nonfiction book WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS: A CRASH COURSE (how to write, revise, and publish your kid's or teen book with children's book publishers) is available in paperback. http://www.amazon.com/dp/1605301140/?tag=cynthealiu-20.




Twelve-year-old Paris Pan's life is a mess. She's just moved to a tiny town in Nowheresville, Oklahoma; her family life is a comical disaster; her new friends are more like frenemies; and the boy she has a crush on is a dork. Things couldn't possibly get worse, until she discovers that a girl mysteriously died years ago while taking a seventh-grade rite of passage–the Dare– right near Paris's new house. So when Paris starts hearing strange noises coming from the creepy run-down shed in her backyard, she thinks they could be a message from the ghost of a girl. But while she has no plans to make contact with the great beyond, her two new friends have other thoughts. Everyone who's anyone takes the Dare, and now it's Paris's turn.

 
Here's Cynthea's second take on my Qs:

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Start researching author promotion now. Commit everything to memory. :)

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

A literary agent. Seems like it would be fun to tell writers what to do without having full responsibility for the final product. Sweet!

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

I don't remember. Isn't that sad? I think I'm still waiting on having that big party when the books come out! Maybe I'll order pizza then. ;)


Not sad, Cynthea. I can't remember what happened ten minutes ago. Well, thanks for dropping in a second time!

More about Cynthea Liu here.

Order Paris Pan Takes the Dare here.
 

Welcome, jenniferbrown09!

Jennifer Brown is the author of HATE LIST, a YA novel coming out in September 2009. As a two-time winner of The Erma Bombeck Global Humor award and weekly columnist for The Kansas City Star, as well as Saturday Featured Blogger for Mom2MomKC.com, Jennifer spends a lot of time dressing up her dog for laughs and thinking of new ways to works words such as "Puh-lease" and "Ch-yeah!" into sentences. Jennifer grew up in the Kansas City, Missouri area, where she still lives with her husband, three kids, and whole herd of uncooperative pets.




Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saves the life of a classmate, but is implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things they hated. The list her boyfriend used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.


On with le show!

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Slow down. Take your time and enjoy the ride. Don't put so much pressure on yourself. It will happen.

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

I'd love to be Josh Gates or Indiana Jones and muck around in mud and caves and tombs and stuff. That'd be cool.

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

That whole time is such a blur, I honestly don't remember what I did the day the final deal was made. I wish I'd written some of it down now. But we did go to Disney World a few months later. That's some BIG celebratin' right there!


Great advice with #1 there, Jennifer. Thanks!


More about Jennifer Brown here.

Order Hate List here or here.

 

Next up is the Queen of Debs herself, Jackson Pearce, aka watchmebe !

Jackson Pearce is twenty-four years old and currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with a slightly cross-eyed cat and a lot of secondhand furniture. She recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and a minor in Philosophy and currently works for a software company even though she auditioned for the circus (she juggled and twirled fire batons, but they still didn't want her). Other jobs she's had include obituaries writer, biker bar waitress, and receptionist.

In addition, Jackson coaches both colorguard and winterguard at a local high school; she's taught over four hundred students since starting six years ago. Coaching provides the greatest "research" for writing YA that she could ever ask for and has introduced her to some of the most unique characters she's ever met.

Jackson began writing when she got angry that the school librarian couldn't tell her of a book that contained a smart girl, horses, baby animals, and magic. Her solution was to write the book herself when she was twelve. Her parents thought it was cute at first, but have grown steadily more concerned for her ever since.



Seven months ago, Viola's boyfriend told her he was gay—moments before she was going to lose her virginity to him. Heartbroken, Viola has resigned herself to near invisibility, until she inadvertently summons a young jinn out of his world, Caliban, and into her own. Here he will remain until she makes three wishes.

Jinn is anxious to get back to Caliban, but Viola is terrified of wishing, afraid her wishes will be manipulated into curses. Jinn knows that should she wait too long, the Ifrit, guardians of earthbound jinn, will press her to wish by hurting those around her.As they spend time together, Jinn can't deny that he's slowly falling in love with Viola, blurring the lines between master and servant. It's only after Viola makes her first wish—for a popular boy to love her—that she realizes the feelings are mutual.

With every wish Jinn's time with her diminishes, but the longer she waits to wish the greater danger she's in from the Ifrit. Together, Viola, Jinn, and Viola's ex-boyfriend try to outwit the Ifrit while dealing with their own romantic complexities and the alcohol-laced high school social scene.


And now pour les question-ez:

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

I'm actually about to do a mega video on this! But the number one things? Don't give up. The industry is created to weed out people who don't want it badly enough.

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

I'm not sure. I've always wanted to be a writer, so I never seriously considered other options. I'd LOVE to be in the circus though :)

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

I answered all my emails the day before, so I could have a free day-- on release day I slept late, got ice cream for lunch, got a massage, and went out for dinner with my parents. It was a fantastic day :)


You would rock the circus, Jack, but I'm glad so you're a Deb instead. Thanks!


More about Jackson Pearce here.
Order As You Wish here or here.

Today we have my housemate, jenniferjabaley !

Jennifer Jabaley was born in New York and raised in Bridgewater, New Jersey. She graduated from James Madison University with a degree in chemistry and received a doctorate from Southern College of Optometry. A part-time optometrist and mother of two, Jennifer began writing her first novel after a phone call from her sister sparked an idea for a story that lingered in her mind and stirred her creative juices. LIPSTICK APOLOGY will be released in August of 2009 by Razorbill. Jen lives in Blue Ridge, Georgia and is currently at work on her second book.

Four little words written in lipstick mean Emily must say goodbye to everything she knows. Emily Carson has always been a good girl. So when she throws a party the night her parents leave for vacation, she's sure she'll get busted. What Emily doesn't know is that her parents will never return. That their plane will go down. And the only thing left amidst the wreckage will be a tray table with the words: Emily please forgive me scrawled in lipstick - her mother's last words.

Now it's fall in New York City and Emily's trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Her public tragedy captures the attention of more than just the media - and soon two very different boys at her new school are pursuing her: the cute, popular Owen, and the quirky chemistry partner slash pastry-baker-by-night, Anthony. But even with such delicious distractions, Emily can't let go of her mother's mysterious apology. Does she have the courage to face the truth?

With help of a whole new kind of family - one that includes a make-up artist to the stars, a teen hand model, and a wacky hairdresser - Emily must choose between the boy who makes her forget it all, and the one who encourages her to remember, and ultimately, heal.

So Jennifer ...

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Do not let criticism get you down - it will, I promise, only make your story better!

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

Well, I am an optometrist and really I love it. Having the analytical job of examining eyes mixed with the social aspect of talking to lots of patients is a perfect mix with the creative, yet solitude of writing.

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

My husband and I went out to a nice dinner and then went to a book signing of one of my favorite authors. I told her I had just signed a book deal, and she was so gracious - told the whole crowd (which was large) and they all clapped for me. It was so amazing.

Thanks, Kristin!


How cool that you're an optometrist! Thanks for stopping by, Jen.

More on Jennifer Jabaley here.

Order Lipstick Apology here or here.

With me today is meganfrazer!

Megan Frazer studied English literature and creative writing at Columbia University. She lives with her husband and baby in Maine, where she is a high school librarian. She loves cheese and cooking, and both of these make their way into Secrets of Truth & Beauty. She was not, however, ever in a beauty pageant.

Secrets of Truth & Beauty -- When Dara Cohen was little, she was crowned Little Miss Maine. That was then. Now Dara's seventeen and she's not so little anymore. That's just one of her many problems. Another is that her control-freak mom won't get off her case about anything. Yet the one that hurts the most is the family secret: Dara has an older sister her parents tried to erase from their lives.

And, here we go!

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

My instinct is to say, "Write YA sooner!" but, you know, I believe that timing matters, and maybe if I had tried earlier, I wouldn't have been successful.

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

Well I am also a librarian. But if I were to step out of the world of books, then something in real estate. I'm oddly obsessed with going into houses for sale, or helping people find apartments. I don't think I would actually like the pressure or the hours, but in fantasy-land, it could be fun.

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?
This is embarrassing, but I can't remember. Knowing us, my husband probably took me out to dinner.


Ooh, Megan, we share an irrational obsession with real estate! And also a rapidly diminishing memory! And an irrational obsession with real estate! And a ... hey, look at that bird.


More about Megan Frazer here.

Order Secrets of Truth and Beauty here.


Adios amigos and amigas!

I was offline yesterday, so I'm a day late with Cyn Balog, aka cyn2write !

Cyn Balog is a normal, everyday Jersey Girl who always believed magical things can happen to us when we least expect them. She's also the Race & Event Manager for several national fitness magazines. She lives outside Allentown, Pennsylvania with her husband and young daughter. Both are 100% human, or so she thinks. FAIRY TALE is her first novel.

Morgan Sparks and Cam Browne are a match made in heaven. They've been best friends since birth, they tell each other everything, and oh yeah- they're totally hot for each other. But a week before their joint Sweet Sixteen bash, everything changes. Cam's awkward cousin Pip comes to stay, and Morgan is stunned when her formerly perfect boyfriend seems to be drifting away. When Morgan demands answers, she's shocked to discover the source of Cam's distance isn't another girl- it's another world. Pip claims that Cam is a fairy. No, seriously. A fairy. And now his people want Cam to return to their world and take his rightful place as Fairy King.

Determined to keep Cam with her, Morgan plots to fool the fairies. But as Cam continues to change, she has to decide once and for all if he really is her destiny, and if their "perfect" love can weather an uncertain future.


So Cyn...

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Probably, "don't let anyone tell you it can't be done." I was told I was too young, and then I was told it wasn't possible to make a living as a writer. Those things detered me for a very long time, and guess what? It is possible.


2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

I would love to own my own bookstore, but it's a good thing I'm a writer instead because I am so disorganized the business would probably fail in a month.

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

We got McDonald's. We are very classy. I did spend part of my advance check on two extravagant purchases, though-- a computer, and a ENORMOUS swingset for my daughter. Oh, who am I kidding, I use the swingset, too. It has this really nice clubhouse and sometimes I just sit in there and hide/chill out.

Great answers! Hope you get some juicy ideas up in that clubouse, Cyn.

More about Cyn Balog here.

Order Fairy Tale here.

Hello everyone! I'm so happy to have mandywriter  here today. She is a booty-kickin' writer and a totally great gal.

Mandy Hubbard grew up on a dairy farm outside Seattle, where she refused to wear high heels until homecoming—and hated them so much she didn’t wear another pair for five years. A cowgirl at heart, she enjoys riding horses and quads and singing horribly to the latest country tune. She’s currently living happily ever after with her husband (who, sadly, is not a Duke) and her daughter (who is most definitely a princess). Prada and Prejudice is her first novel.

About Prada and Prejudice

Fifteen year old Callie just wants to impress the popular girls when she buys a pair of Prada heels on her class trip to London. She didn’t plan on tripping, conking her head, and waking up in 1815! Now she’s wearing corsets with her designer pumps, eating bizarre soups, and breaking up engagements. If only the nineteen year old Duke of Harksbury wasn’t so bloody annoying, she might have a little fun in Austen-Era England…


Here's what Mandy had to say...

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Revising does not equal spell check. Take your time and analyze things, get critiques, and really revise!

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

I actually have a day job, but if I were dreaming of a new one, I think I would actually get into medicine.

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

I bought a bottle of champagne and drank it with my BFF. I also bought a few new books that were from my brand-new publisher. My husband bought me flowers, and we went out to dinner.


Sounds dreamy. Thanks, Mandy!

More on Mandy Hubbard here.

Order Prada & Prejudice here.

Ciao!

If you wondered what genius of organization put together this blog tour, it was the amazing sarah_ockler, and she is here today!

Sarah Ockler wrote and illustrated her first book at age six—an adaptation of Steven Spielberg's E.T. Still recovering from her own adolescence, Sarah now writes for young adults. After several years of wandering between New York City and Denver, she and her husband Alex now live in Upstate New York with lots of books and an ever-expanding collection of sea glass. Twenty Boy Summer is Sarah's first novel. Visit her online at www.sarahockler.com.

While on vacation in California, sixteen-year-old best girlfriends Anna and Frankie conspire to find a boy for Anna’s first summer romance, but Anna harbors a painful secret that threatens their lighthearted plan and their friendship.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER is a debut YA novel that explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.


Now check this out:

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Hey Sarah! So... you, like, know that you're a writer, right? Did you get that memo? Because for some logic-defying reason you keep stopping and stalling and trying to pretend that you're not a writer. Um, why? Quit worrying about what other people think and just keep writing! Every time you deny your true calling in life, a bell rings and an angel kills a kitten... or something. Do you really want that on your head? No. So keep writing. You can't outrun it! Write write write! k thx bi!

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

A photographer. I love creating things and capturing moments, either on the page or on film. If I wasn't writing fiction, I'd probably try to do something with both writing and photography - travel writing or National Geographic-style journalism, maybe. But right now I'm just so honored and happy and grateful that I get to write full time!

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

A couple of girlfriends at my former office took me out for martinis after work, just after the deal became official. When I got home, my husband had flowers for me, and we went to our favorite Argentine restaurant in Denver and stuffed ourselves silly. Then we spent the next few days - I mean weeks - okay, months - going "OMG did that really happen?"

Honestly, it's been almost 2 years since the sale of TWENTY BOY SUMMER and I still celebrate it a little every day. :-)


Mmmm ... martinis and Argentinian food. Nom nom nom slurp.

Fabulous answers, Sarah! Thanks for popping in.

More about Sarah Ockler here.

Find an indie bookstore carrying Twenty Boy Summer here.

Or order it here.

 

Let's hear it for daniellejoseph!

Danielle Joseph was a college DJ for five years on the Gyroscope, a world music show. She also interned at several top Boston radio stations while earning her BFA in Creative Writing and an MA in Marketing Communications and Advertising from Emerson College. She has taught Creative Writing and English to Middle school students.

Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Danielle now lives in Miami, Florida with her husband and two young sons. These days you can find her cruising around with the tunes blaring and her internal DJ hard at work.

For high school senior Teresa Adams, every day is an ordeal. She’s so painfully shy that she lives in dread of having to speak to anyone in the hallways or answer questions in class. But after school, in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks—doing mock broadcasts for Miami’s hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up, Tere surprises herself by working up the nerve to ask her stepfather to give her a chance—and finds herself The SLAM’s newest intern on one of the station’s most popular shows. Behind the mike she’s Sweet T, her sexy, confident on-air persona. To everyone’s shock—especially her mother’s—Sweet T is a hit. Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ’s awesome taste in music, making Tere wonder if it’s possible to be jealous of yourself. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest—and a prom date with “Sweet T” is the grand prize--Sweet T’s dream could turn into Tere’s worst nightmare. . .


I  lined 'em up and Danielle knocked 'em down!

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

To get a move on! I wouldn't have stopped writing for a few years when I started teaching. I would've kept on writing!

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

I would've liked to be a DJ and a psychologist. Too totally different things but each helping people in their own way.

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

Funny enough I was going to pop some champagne. I bought some and then totally forgot to take it out since we had so much going. I was visiting my family in South Africa at the time and we spent the day at the beach which was awesome!


Wow, college DJ? From South Africa? Can she get any cooler?

Thanks for popping in, Danielle!


More on Danielle here.

Order Shrinking Violet here.

Years ago, when I first came across several of Denise Biondo's gorgeous signature websites, I promised myself that if I ever sold a book, I'd hire her to do my site. Well, I did, and it's live!

Now I just sit here and stare at it's awesomeness. It's so way beyond what I ever imagined.

Denise Biondo is worth every cent twice. SHE IS SO GOOD!!

Check it out, but you might need to shield your eyes because her work is so damn brilliant.

www.kristin-walker.com

Just in time for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, we have J.E. Macleod with Waiting to Score!

J.E.’s path to becoming an author was a windy one. After college, she wrote advertising copy for radio and then television and eventually moved on to work in sales and marketing for too many years.

After having a son, J.E. followed her dreams and wrote her first book. Once she started writing YA, she felt like she’d found her home and has been writing it ever since. J.E. lives near the Canadian Rockies with her husband and son and a new puppy named Meeko. She does not live in an Igloo or play hockey, but she does love maple syrup and says “eh” a lot.

Zack Chase, new in town, gets a crash course in the dangerous, fast-paced lives of local teen athletes. A good-looking, book-loving hockey star, Zack’s also expected to be a womanizing, alcohol-abusing party animal, but it’s not who he is. As jealous, obnoxious team captain Mac hounds him, Zack falls for Goth-girl Jane and befriends her teammate brother, both with their own secrets. Tragedy strikes and affects them all in this true-to-life debut novel, giving readers an insight into the lives of high school students and athletes.


Questions? Let 'er rip!

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Hey J.E. Revising isn't just running a spell check. Dig deeper.

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

If I weren't a writer/stay at home mom, I would probably be in the same career I was in before I quit. I'd probably be an Account Manager for a consumer goods company.

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

My husband brought me home flowers. It was very sweet. We also took our son out to the Cheesecake Cafe and had their gigantic slice of chocolate cake. Which is also what I'm planning on doing on launch day. I'm sensing a pattern...


Well, I have a soft spot for all Canadians, of course, so a special thanks to J.E. for stopping by!


More on J.E. Macleod here.

Score a copy of Waiting to Score here.

Wowza, did you know we have a NEW YORK TIMES BESTELLER in the Debs?

Well, we do! It's Aprilynne Pike, aka maprilynne!

Aprilynne Pike has been spinning faerie stories since she was a child with a hyper-active imagination. At the age of twenty she received her BA in Creative Writing from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. When not writing, Aprilynne can usually be found at the gym; she also enjoys singing, acting, reading, and working with pregnant moms as a childbirth educator and doula. Aprilynne currently lives with her husband and three kids in Utah, and dreams of warmer climates.

 

Aprilynne Pike's WINGS is the first of four books about an ordinary girl named Laurel who discovers she is a faerie sent among humans to guard the gateway to Avalon. When Laurel is thrust into the midst of a centuries-old battle between faeries and trolls, she's torn between a human and a faerie love, as well as her loyalties to both worlds.


Oh, Aprilynne...

1. If you had a time machine and could go back to the early days of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Don't be afraid to shelve a novel and write another one. It will almost certainly be better.

2. If you weren't a writer, what would you want to be (or what do you think you would be), career-wise?

I am a certified childbirth educator and doula and if I weren't writing, I would definitely go back to that.

3. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Pop some champagne? Extravangant purchase? Dinner out? Pizza delivery?

When I found out I was going to be published my husband and I were in the middle of law school and we were totally dirt-poor. So when I found out about my book deal, I took my husband and kids out to eat at Carl's Jr. And it felt like such an extravagance.


A doula? How coola!

Thanks for visiting, Aprilynne!


Hey, what do you really need to know besides NYT BESTSELLER? Well, okay, if you want to learn some more about Aprilynne, go here.

And snag your copy of Wings here.

See ya next time!