Author Interview: Emily Mah Tippetts (E.M. Tippetts)

Launched in February 2012, this is a special feature on Rebecca-Books where I ask 5 of the same question to different authors on their new books to get an insight into what they are about and what it was like writing them. To check out past and future authors for this feature, click here. 

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When it comes to a Young Adult contemporary romance, this is one combination of genres I thoroughly enjoy. Think Sarah Dessen, older followers of the blog will know HOW much I love Sarah Dessen. So when I got an email from Emily with a synopsis of her book, I was completely intrigued. A brother coming into the picture? Secrets? Lies? Ah, this sounds pretty good.

So I asked Emily if she would like to participate in The 5 Questions. Over to Emily...

Synopsis: Madison Lukas knows her place in the world. She's not pretty, not interesting, and therefore easy to forget. In love, she's lucky if she has any offers and will take what she can get. John Britton has been praying for fifteen years to find the sister he lost in his parents' divorce. She is beautiful, talented, and makes kindness a fine art. Few, if any, men are worthy of her. When John and Madison cross paths, he recognizes her at once, but Madison is certain that he's got it all wrong. Even if she is his long-lost sister, she can't possibly be the exceptional, amazing girl he thinks she is, can she?

1) What made you write CASTLES ON THE SAND?

Well, I'm always writing something, and Castles was the next idea I had in mind. A sixteen year old girl thinks her absent, uncaring mother is the only family she has in the world until a Mormon missionary knocks on her door and reveals he's her older brother. The concept just seemed like a great bombshell to start a story. Partway into the first draft I realized I was grieving for a childhood friend who'd recently passed away from a brain tumour. The novel became a tribute to the kind of impact a good man can make on the lives of others, even if he can't be as involved as he wants to be. In the book, it's the protagonist's older brother who wants to be there for her, but he's been gone most of her life and she doesn't know or trust him. It's sort of a mirror image of my friend Jared, who had to leave his children long before he wanted to. In the end, I was able to dedicate the book to Jared and his widow even let me use one of his poems in the dedication, which sets up the story far better than I ever could.

2) What did you enjoy the most about writing it?

Feeling like I could do something, however trivial, for Jared's family. I wasn't able to get to his funeral, because I live in London now and have two small children. A lot of people wrote such touching tributes and shared memories of him online, especially on Facebook. I don't feel like I'm good at that sort of thing, so the novel was my best attempt to capture a little of my memories of him and what I'll always miss about him.

3) Describe the book in a sentence

Madison Lukas knows she's boring, unattractive, and lucky if she has any offers for love, but her nosy, overbearing older brother insists she's amazing, gorgeous, and should hold out for the man of her dreams.

4) What advice would you give to future writers - both in the writing and publishing process?

Take the time to work on your craft. I've been writing one to two thousand words a day for almost twelve years now, and I'm still learning. While it may be frustrating to work so hard for so long and not necessarily see success, every page you write puts you a page ahead of where you were yesterday. Keep going. Eventually it will pay off. Nowadays I can feel how much easier it is to write description, set up scenes exactly how I want them, and have a feel for what kinds of stories produce the reactions I want from readers. When I was a teenager, I'd have despaired at the thought of working this long, but some processes do not have shortcuts. I'd also recommend getting training and doing this as early as possible. I didn't go to a professional workshop until I was twenty-five, and it took me five years after that to sell my first short story. I think I could have achieved this benchmark younger if I'd taken classes or workshops in my teens.

5) Are you working on anything else? 

Right now I'm writing a novel called Nobody's Damsel, which is the sequel to my Amazon bestseller, Someone Else's Fairytale. These books are about Chloe, a forensic scientist from Albuquerque, New Mexico, who turns the head of Jason Vanderholt, a Hollywood A-lister. The plot has that element of escapist absurdity that is a lot of fun, but aside from the setup, these aren't farcical books. They're a real look at "what if", and pairing a real life hero with a guy who plays them for a living makes for some great chemistry.

Thank you Emily!

On the 24th OCTOBER (TOMORROW!), CASTLES ON THE SAND will be free on Amazon for 24 hours. Check it out!

Contact: 

http://www.emtippetts.com/

Goodreads

@EMTippetts

Facebook

Trailer:

Author Interview: Lisa. M. Stasse

Launched in February 2012, this is a special feature on Rebecca-Books where I ask 5 of the same question to different authors on their new books to get an insight into what they are about and what it was like writing them. To check out past and future authors for this feature, click here. 

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Lisa M. Stasse sent me an email a couple of weeks ago with the book trailer (look below) for her new book, The Forsaken and while watching it, I got hooked. While some book trailers look like a secondary school film project at times, this looked professional with the great graphics that made it look like a proper film trailer. Ironically, a couple of days ago, a copy of The Forsaken came into the bookshop I work in and I admit, I had a small fan-girling moment - thankfully, the shop was empty at that time. 

With this being compared to hugely successful The Hunger Games, this should be hopefully a popular book this summer as people wait for second movie of the franchise (and yes, I haven't even seen the first movie yet...)

I asked if she wanted to participate in The 5 Questions with which she agreed so here she is! 

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com): As an obedient orphan of the U.N.A. (the super-country that was once Mexico, the U.S., and Canada), Alenna learned at an early age to blend in and be quiet—having your parents taken by the police will do that to a girl. But Alenna can’t help but stand out when she fails a test that all sixteen-year-olds have to take: The test says she has a high capacity for brutal violence, and so she is sent to The Wheel, an island where all would-be criminals end up.

The life expectancy of prisoners on The Wheel is just two years, but with dirty, violent, and chaotic conditions, the time seems a lot longer as Alenna is forced to deal with civil wars for land ownership and machines that snatch kids out of their makeshift homes. Desperate, she and the other prisoners concoct a potentially fatal plan to flee the island. Survival may seem impossible, but Alenna is determined to achieve it anyway.

What made you write THE FORSAKEN?

I always wanted to write a novel, ever since I was in high school. But I felt like I could never come up with a good enough idea (despite many false starts). Then one night I had a dream I was on an island being chased by crazy people in black robes, carrying knives. I thought that might be an interesting starting point for a book. At the same time, I was thinking about standardized tests because a friend's sister was about to take the SAT. Somehow my nightmare merged with the idea of the SAT and I came up with the concept of a government personality test that if you failed, you lost everything and got banished to a prison island--where you either fought your way out or died trying. The book sort of felt like it wrote itself, so the process was actually a lot of fun.

What did you enjoy the most about writing it?

Getting lost inside the world of the book. In fact, sometimes it was hard to come out of the world and go back to mundane everyday life. I often feel like that when I'm reading other people's books too--I love to get captivated and drawn into a whole other world. It's the best! Writing The Forsaken also gave me an excuse to sit and listen to a bunch of music too. I always listen to music when I write.

Describe the book in a sentence  

A normal teenage girl inexplicably fails a government personality test that claims she has a high capacity for brutal violence, so she is exiled to a harsh prison island called "the wheel," where she must forge alliances with the wild tribes that control it and try to escape.

What advice would you give to future writers - both in the writing and publishing process?

My main advice would be to read as much as you can! I'm a librarian at UCLA, so I'm surrounded by books all day. I probably read 3-5 books/week. I love YA novels (my most recent reads are an ARC of Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans, and Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley, both of which are awesome). My other advice would be to write as much as possible. It doesn't have to be a novel, or even stories. My main writing as a teenager was keeping a journal. I think the more you write, the better (hopefully) you get, and the more fun it becomes. Revising can be a big part of writing too, so be prepared to edit and revisit your stories in depth. The Forsaken went through several drafts before it was ready to be published.

Are you working on anything else?

Right now I'm just finishing up Book 2 of THE FORSAKEN trilogy, which will be coming out in the summer of 2013. I'm also playing around with ideas for a mystery/thriller set in Detroit.

Thank you Lisa!

Contact: 

http://www.lisamstasse.com/

Goodreads

@LisaMStasse

Facebook

Here's the great trailer I mentioned in my introduction: 

THE FORSAKEN is out now in both America and the UK. 

Author Interview: S.R. Johannes

Launched in February 2012, this is a special feature on Rebecca-Books where I ask 5 of the same question to different authors on their new books to get an insight into what they are about and what it was like writing them. To check out past and future authors for this feature, click here. 

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Today, S.R. Johannes is here to talk answer the five questions on her new book, UNTRACEABLE. S.R. Johannes said she was a big fan of book bloggers (which is GREAT to hear from authors!) and I just LOVE the cover of UNTRACEABLE, so pretty.

This is the first in a series entitled The Nature of Grace in the dystopian genre - it reminded me a little of Uglies by Scott Westerfeld with the mention of Smokies. So dystopian fans, listen up.

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com): 16-year-old Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival. When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father. Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves.

What made you write UNTRACEABLE?

I visited the bear pits in Cherokee, NC and they bothered me so much, I wanted to bring attention to them in the hopes of shutting them down and focusing on the black bear's plight. My hubby is an avid camper and he always talks about how illegal things can go on in remote areas of the woods. I put those two ideas together.

What did you enjoy the most about writing it?

I love having a character like Grace who loves being in nature. I love nature but have never felt comfortable in the remote wilderness. I would love to have that kind of confidence to be outdoors without being scared of animals or freaks.

Describe the book in a sentence  

When Grace's forest ranger father disappears, she fights town officials, tribal leaders, and nature to find him only to uncover a conspiracy that changes her small town.

What advice would you give to future writers - both in the writing and publishing process?

Don't do what people say you should do. Find your own path and know it's okay if it looks different than everyone else's.

Are you working on anything else?

My novelette series started in June called Suffocate. The next two will be out by Xmas. The sequel to Untraceable comes out September 24th.

Thank you to S.R. Johannes for participating in 'The 5 Questions'!

Contact:

http://www.srjohannes.com/
@srjohannes
Goodreads
Facebook

UNTRACEABLE is available now

Author Interview: K.P.Smith

Today, K.P.Smith is here to ask five questions on her upcoming book, KENDRA'S DIARIES, part of new YA series, Growing Pains

1) What made you write the Growing Pains series?
I wanted to write a series that would speak to Young Adults to encourage, motivate and inspire them through their journey of growing up. Through Kendra's voice, her life, I want my readers to know that growing up can sometimes produce "growing pains". But with determination, faith and perseverance that can come out on the other side; ready and equipped to live the life they were born to live.


2) What did you enjoy the most about writing it? 
I love developing the characters and coming up with the plots. I got a real kick out of remembering when I was YA age. Because I am "older" it was a stretch to try and remember back that far LOL! But I loved the trip down memory lane.


3) Describe the book in a sentence  
 No matter what happens in life Stay Positive, Keep It Moving & Never Give Up!


4) What advice would you give to future writers - both in the writing and publishing process? 

Two things; Even the best book can only be a best seller if people buy it. So when you are WRITING the next best seller remember you have to  MARKET MARKET MARKET!

Which brings me to my second point; There is so much information out there everyone boasts to know the key to selling books. So I am going to say it. Yes I think I do too. The key is to try any and everything always remembering that what works for someone else may not necessarily work for you. Keep trying until you find  your own sweet spot.

5) Are you working on anything else?  

I am working on the second book in the Growing Pains Series: New Beginnings. I am taking clients for Doin It Publishing. We welcome all authors but we cater to the new/first time authors to help them realize their dream of being published. We offer full publishing services, a la carte services and consulting.

Thank you to K.P.Smith!

Check it out on Goodreads

GROWING PAINS: KENDRA'S DIARIES is out now in the USA 

Author Interview: Randall Lowe

This is a original feature made by me where I give authors five questions to answer on their new book

Today I have Randall Lowe to talk about his new Immaculate Resurrections series. 

How did you first come up with the idea for the Immaculate Resurrections series?

I never thought about being a writer. I wanted to be a lawyer. So I went to law school. Then one day in the fall of 2009, I was in my yard raking leaves when an idea started burrowing its way into my consciousness. At first, it was little more than a collection of hazy, precariously tethered images. A scene set in Nicea in the year 325 AD—the year that the Emperor Constantine formed the council of Nicea. Ina matter of hours, the idea had evolved into a story spanning two thousand years.

What did you enjoy writing the most about in the books?

The story revolves around Felix, a college freshman who cheats on his SAT to get into Portland College. I love writing about Felix. He’ssuch a multi-layered character. He’s tormented by his past and convinced that he’s the dumbest kid on campus. But with the help of Lucas, his reality star roommate, and Allison, his friend from high school, his outlook on life starts to improve. Even with the city of Portland on edge as the mutilated remains of several hikers are discovered in the woods near the headquarters of Ashfield Enterprises Incorporated, Felix begins to feel comfortable with the routines of college life. He meets a girl, plays on the football team, parties with his friends, and just as he starts to feel like he belongs on campus, the school’s groundskeeper approaches him and says,“Welcome to college, Felix. By the way, you’re the Second Coming. And the Antichrist, well, he lives on the other side of town.”    

Describe the series in a sentence

A college freshman is made to believe that he’s the Second Coming and the only person capable of preventing the rise of the Antichrist and the Apocalypse.

What advice would you give to future writers—both writing and publishing wise?

Write what you want to write, not what you think people want to read. Too many publishers, agents and writers are trying to produce the next incarnation of yesterday’s best sellers. The end result is a market that’s flooded with indistinguishable titles. The profit motive is obviously part of the publishing industry, but writing a book shouldn’t be like manufacturing a better tasting toothpaste. Immaculate Resurrections has generated some intense reactions, in particular,the first chapter of Book I and the cover. But I would rather rile the sensibilities of people, who in most cases haven’t even read the books, than write some embarrassingly derivative garbage just because it’s popular at the moment.       

What are you working on next?

Book III of Immaculate Resurrections. I had planned to publish it at the end of 2012, but it may slip to the first part of 2013.

Thank you Randall!

Bio:

Randall Lowe wasborn and raised in Oregon and now lives in Connecticut with his wifeand son. He graduated from Willamette University with majors in History and ReligiousStudies and from Columbia Law School.  He practices corporate law by day and writesnovels at night.

Book I and II are out now 

Author Interview: Amy Lignor

And so continues the Until Next Time blog tour. Now, I admit I am not a huge paranormal fan, in fact I've never read a paranormal book EVER - mostly because the Twilight craze put me off them before I had chance to pick up a book of this genre. Considering that, this book really does intrigue me, it sounds different and well, the fact it's not copying or doing the whole vampire thing from the Twilight Saga, fills me with extreme joy.

So, I was quite excited when I was asked to join this tour so I could find out a little bit more about this new novel. Today I have it's author, Amy Lignor, to ask The 5 Questions on her next book, UNTIL NEXT TIME.

What made you write your new book, UNTIL NEXT TIME?

I am a big YA angel fan. I think the books that are coming out are really a great deal offun, but I was always wondering what a ‘fresh’ angel would do if they came here. In other words, I’ve read all about the ‘fallen’ and the ‘tormented,’ butI wondered what a being, that was actually born and trained to come down here and help, would end up doing and how they would end up surviving? Human emotions are so strong, and they range from everything to romance and happiness, to serious nightmares, like envy, anger, hate, etc. So for a pure innocent mind to head down here on ‘assignment’ and be faced with these realities, I wondered how they would handle it. I knew they would have a great deal of questions, and the romance aspects of life, as well as jealously and heartache could really make them want to head right back up there and say, “Forget it! These people are on their own.” Which made me really want to explore that and see how they’d handle it.

What did you enjoy the most about writing it?

It was so much fun because it’s really two lives in one book. I already know that there will be a ‘parting of the ways’ where fans are concerned. A group will like Emily and Matt, and agroup will like Liz and Daniel (which are the ‘assignments’ that the angel/warrior team take over.)  Emily and Matt have a job to do; they have the ability to help, save, judge, destroy,protect, etc., but it’s fun to see them fall in love and struggle with the ‘earthly’ lives they have to lead. For me, these four characters are interesting each in their own way. The only thing I really hope for is the fact that people ‘see’ that Emily and Matt, although being trained and mentored by archangels, are not overwhelmingly religious. This story offers inspiration, but Emily and Matt are really just ‘questioning’ everything while living out their human lives and trying to be everything to everyone. So, it will be interesting to see the ‘split’ between readers.

Describe the book in a sentence.

UNT is the story of a truly ‘divine’ team that must find a way to keep their faith in each other in a world that’s slowly ripping them apart.

What advice would you give to future writers - both in the writing and publishing process?

Don’t stop. I know I say this a great deal - most likely because with my company, The WriteCompanion, I help a great deal of debut authors get up and running and published. But working with all of these authors, I have to reiterate, not to give up!  This is a dream industry…when it works; but this is a hard industry to break into and there are rejections. In fact, your favorite authors were once rejected a great deal.What authors should always remember is, just because you get a rejection from an agent or a publisher does not mean that the next one won’t say, “Yes.”  So try not to get depressed and throw your manuscript into a filing cabinet somewhere. If you want this, don’t stop!

Are you working on anything else?

I have just completed Book II of The Angel Chronicles, and I am on story five out of seven for the Tallent & Lowery series. Tallent & Lowery is being ‘shopped’ around for a print publisher now that the first book, 13, has done so well in electronic formats. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed on that one. J

Thank you Amy and to Tribute Books. 


Contact:
Website
Goodreads
Twitter

UNTIL NEXT TIME is the first book in the Angel Chronicles series, released 1st February 2012.

Author Interview: Derek Kent

This is a original feature made by me where I give authors five questions to answer on their new book

Today, I have Derek Kent (aka Derek the Ghost), author of The Scary School series to talk about the first and upcoming second book in the delightful series.

How did you come up with the idea for Scary School?

The first novel I ever wrote was originally called SCARY SCHOOL: BOOK 1 - MY HOMEWORK ATE MY DOG!  - it's a middle-grade fantasy series very similar to Harry Potter. The only problem was, it didn't have a whole lot to do with a "scary school". I just thought of that title and wanted to use it before someone else did. So my editor at HarperCollins read the book, and almost acquired it, but in the end, they ended up passing on it, but gave me the recommendation to write a book series called SCARY SCHOOL that was lighter, funnier, and more school-centric. I took their advice, which became the Scary School series we know today.  It was also great because for inspiration I got to use all of my favorite characters from the horror movies I loved, like Jason, and Freddy, and even the dinosaurs from Jurassic Park! I wanted to imagine what it would be like if they had all gone to school together when they were kids, and in my silly head, the reality of that would be pretty dang funny.

By the way, the original book ended up becoming RUDY AND THE BEAST: BOOK 1 - MY HOMEWORK ATE MY DOG! which is available exclusively through my website at http://www.scaryschool.com/bookstore.html  - and you can get it on Kindle (just $2.99!) or paperback! For those who like dark fantasies like Harry Potter, I've gotten many responses that young readers enjoy it even more than Scary School! 

What did you enjoy writing most about in the book?

I had to change schools when I was 11 years old after being with the same group of kids my whole life. I had a really hard time adjusting, so both books of Scary School and Rudy and the Beast deal with kids starting a new school and figuring out how make new friends. I enjoy writing about problems like this. Experiences that every kid has to go through at some point in their life, but told against the backdrop of a fantastical or supernatural story that kids love.

Describe the book in a sentence.

At a school where the daily routine consists of learning, horror, and mayhem, unique kids and scary teachers have the time of their lives at a place where just making it lunch with all your arms and legs is considered a great day.

What advice would you give to future writers - both writing and publishing wise?

For writing: just read and write as much as you can. The more you read and the more your write (especially in the genre you want to write in) the stronger your writing will get and the more aware you will be of your strengths and areas open for improvement. For publishing: if you are in the Southern California area, I'd actually highly recommend you take my class that I teach on getting an agent or publisher. I also teach 5-week children's and YA writing workshops as well as those special one-day workshops on getting published through Writing Pad in Los Angeles - www.WritingPad.com - so that's one option. If that's not an option, first off I'd advise you to complete your novel. That's an important first step. And when it's ready to be submitted, make sure you have a super-strong query letter and then get very serious and focused about sending it out, for which there are many different strategies that I wish I could get into, but that would go on for hundreds of pages. There's lots of good information about it online though.

What are you working on next?

I recently turned in Book 3 of Scary School, so you can expect new books in that series every June. Scary School #2: Monsters on the March comes out June 26, 2012 and Book 3 comes out June 2013. I also recently finished a new middle-grade comedy book called Principal Mikey about a 10-year-old kid who becomes principal of his school, and we're shopping that around right now. You may also see a spin-off of Scary School in the near future as well as a cinematic adventure book!

For more information on Scary School and all my other books, I invite everyone to visit www.ScarySchool.com- it's a super-fun website! You can play a video game on it, and if you win, you will receive the weirdest trophy ever! Plus you can tour the school, meet the students and faculty, watch some cool videos, and even unlock the "Secret Last Chapter" but you'll only know how to do that after you finish reading Book 1 of Scary School!

Thank you Derek!

The first book in THE SCARY SCHOOL series is out now. 

The second book will be released on 26th June 2012

Author Interview: Jenelle Jack Pierre

This is the first ever post on a new feature called 'The 5 Questions' where I ask authors 5 of the same questions about their new book.

Today, I have Jenelle Jack Pierre, author of Before I Breathe, to answer the 5 questions on her new book. 

How did you come up with the idea for Before I Breathe?

I wanted to write about a female character who had a different high school experience than the norm.  Without giving a major conflict away, Kalena spends much of the story outside the walls of high school, which creates a major shift in her world and is a problem for her parents.

What did you enjoy writing most about in the book?

I enjoyed the process of Kalena falling in love with Isaiah and the excitement of it, because her feelings were new.  Novelty's always a powerful thing in a person's life.

But Isaiah is someone that affects Kalena's life in negative ways also, and showing how their relationship changes throughout the novel was fun.

Describe the book in a sentence.

Before I Breathe tells the story of a High School sophomore who gets pregnant and leaves her parents home to live with her first love.

What advice would you give to future writers - both writing and publishing wise?

I would tell future writers to make 2012 the year that they WRITE.  Writing well has a learning curve and every writer needs practice to produce good work.

In publishing, thankfully ebooks and self-publishing has given writers an avenue that wasn't available before, when literary agents and traditonal publishers were the primary gatekeepers.  After writing, doing revisions, writing, and doing more revisions, let people you trust read your work; and continue the process until you feel you're ready to publish.

What are you working on next?

I've written a novel to be released in Fall 2012.  It's tentatively titled Passing High School.  It's based on three girls who are "passing" in their lives in some way.  Another word to describe the "passing" that takes place in the novel could be "poser."  I'm also working on some short stories, which I also enjoy writing.

Thanks Jenelle!

Synopsis: Kalena Moore is a Montgomery High student who isn’t into school.  Isaiah Wilkins is a classmate that her friends think is trouble.  Life becomes more interesting when Kalena starts dating Isaiah, but soon things spin quickly out of control and she gets pregnant.  Then Kalena sees that there's another side to her boyfriend.

Determined to put her life back together, Kalena takes a path where there is no turning back. 

BEFORE I BREATHE is out now

For more information, go to Jenelle's Twitter page - @JenellePierre

Author Interview: Meredith Zeitlin

Today, Meredith Zeitlin is here to ask five questions on her upcoming book, FRESHMEN YEAR AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS. (Click here for my review)

1) What made you write your new book, Freshman Year and Other Natural Disasters? 

I wanted to write a book that was sort of a response to the Gossip Girl/Clique/etc. craze - a book about a REAL girl in NYC, who isn't drinking martinis at the Savoy while clutching a limitless platinum card and having X-rated affairs with half of her school, but who drinks wine coolers in her friend's living room, has parents that drive her insane, and thinks everyone is having sex but her. A book with a cast of relatable characters like the ones I loved growing up, that made me feel like I wasn't the only awkward bookworm in the world.

2) What did you enjoy the most about writing it? 

Well, I've always enjoyed writing itself... but I think the most exciting moment was when I realized I had an actual BOOK on my hands. I had just been chugging along, not really sure where I was going... so that was a pretty cool feeling. Of course, then I had to figure out what to do with it!

3) Describe the book in a sentence  

The hilarious tale of Kelsey Finkelstein's (mostly disastrous) adventures as a high school freshman.

4) What advice would you give to future writers - both in the writing and publishing process? 

* Write. Don’t sit around worrying that you don’t know what your ending is or what kind of book it should be or that you don’t know how to get an agent. Just write – even if it’s terrible. Just keep going. You’ll be amazed what you come up with.

* This piece of advice is actually credited to my writing teacher in college, the marvelous Michael Elyanow: “Kill Your Babies.” Basically, it means that even if you’ve written what you think is the funniest, most clever, poignant, whatever, thing in the world, if everyone is telling you it doesn’t work to further your story… cut it. Be brutal. It’s very hard, but it makes your work better. (Even if you think it won’t.)

* Do your homework. When looking for an agent – or publisher, if you’re going that route first – find out who is on whose client roster, what genres of work that person represents, whether that person is accepting new clients, what they want you to submit if so, etc etc. If you send your brilliant historical novel to someone who is looking for true crime, it’s just a waste of your time and the recipient’s. 

* Don’t get frustrated and stop writing. Put it down, eat a cake, watch a Golden Girls rerun… but come back to it!

* Don’t think your first (or second, or third) draft will be your last, even if you’re sure it can’t get ANY better. It can, and it will.

* Don’t give up if you get rejection letters from agents or publishers – I certainly did, and I’m sure I will again. Yes, it sucks, but it probably means that it isn’t the right fit for you to work together, not that your work isn’t good. Keep getting your writing out to different people; even if it seems like it’s taking forever to connect with someone. Things in the publishing world DO take forever. I’m still learning that, every step of the way.  

5) Are you working on anything else?   

I wrote a children's picture book that I'm hoping will find a home soon, and I'm working on another YA novel. It's not a sequel to Freshman Year..., but it takes place in the same world, so you'll see some of the characters again


Thank you to Meredith and G.P.Putnam's Sons

Contact: 

www.kelseyfinkelstein.com

@zeitlingeist (Twitter)

www.facebook.com/FRESHMANYEARBOOK

I'll just leave you on the amazing trailer for this book - this made me want to read the book!

FRESHMEN YEAR AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS will be published on 1st March 2012.

Check out my review of the book - here